What in particular would I be looking for? A 2.5" drive, right, but are there any other details I should know? SATA? SATA 2? IDE? Would it be a noticeable improvement to get a 7200RPM drive or will that just make the computer hotter?
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If I'm looking to replace the HD that came with my MacBook with a bigger one...
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2.5" IDE SATA
5400rpm should be fine, unless you're trying to edit video.
A 7200rpm drive won't run much hotter, but it will drain the battery more.
5400rpm should be fine, unless you're trying to edit video.
A 7200rpm drive won't run much hotter, but it will drain the battery more.
I may actually edit video, not much, but I want that option as I am an occasional freelance video editor (I do almost all of my work on a dedicated machine though). How crucial is 7200 do you think?
No. You do not want a traditional PATA laptop drive. You need a SATA drive.
(IDE means Integrated Drive Electronics, and both PATA and SATA drives are IDE standards - they're not compatible with each other in terms of connectivity, but they are in terms of instructions.)
(IDE means Integrated Drive Electronics, and both PATA and SATA drives are IDE standards - they're not compatible with each other in terms of connectivity, but they are in terms of instructions.)
Wow, didn't realize the Seagate 160gb drive was out yet. Now I just need to wait for prices to drop a little bit...
iMeowbot said:
Phatpat said:
Yep...just started a few weeks ago. ZipZoomFly had the Hitachi 5K160 (which has been out a bit longer) for $180 for a couple of days, but have been out of stock for several weeks now.
7200RPM *will* make a noticeable difference even if you don't edit video, but it might not be worth whatever increase in price that means.
How much of a hit will I take on battery life? And what kind of difference will I see with video? Is it crucial?
somevelvet said:
I would deinfitely say that a 7200rpm drive is NOT crucial in a notebook. What is crucial in the MB is to make sure you have enough RAM! THAT is the single best thing you can do to boost performace. You'll notice much more doing that then getting an overpriced 7200rpm notebook HD. I suggest getting a big hard drive for your MB, and at least 1GB of RAM as most anyone will tell ya.
Me peronsally, I upgraded my HD first since I needed space, and now I have some extra RAM in the mail due to be here tomorrow
Good luck!