ok, maybe that's too much to ask, but I just replaced the stock HDD in my macbook pro (appears to be a Fujitsu M120 120GB) with a Seagate Momentus 7200.3 320GB. It's good drive - nice and fast. But I can hear it. It doesn't whine or screech, and it's not even loud, but sitting at my quiet desk I can just hear it purr along, like background noise, and it annoys me.

Now, maybe the original drive did that too, and now I'm just paying more attention since I just put a new one in, but it seems like this one is definitely louder than the original.

Does anyone have recommendations for really quiet laptop drives? Ones that you know are quieter than the Seagate 7200.3?

2/15/2009 10:47:27 PM

ive got a 320gb in my macbookpro, and i can only hear it if i put my ear on the case itself.

why dont you get whatever they're putting in the new computers now?

Quote :

"Hitachi HTS543232L9SA02: Capacity: 298.09 GB Model: Hitachi HTS543232L9SA02 Revision: FB4AC50F Serial Number: 081201FB1400LFJ23JZF Native Command Queuing: Yes Queue Depth: 32 Removable Media: No Detachable Drive: No BSD Name: disk0 Mac OS 9 Drivers: No Partition Map Type: GPT (GUID Partition Table) S.M.A.R.T. status: Verified Volumes: Macintosh HD: Capacity: 297.77 GB Available: 191.46 GB Writable: Yes File System: Journaled HFS+ BSD Name: disk0s2 Mount Point: / "

2/15/2009 10:49:15 PM

You could always go solid state if you want totally zero noise and vibration...

2/15/2009 10:53:27 PM

get a SSD

2/15/2009 10:53:47 PM

^^^ good idea. Looks like this is pretty close to what comes stock now
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145227

I think i would go with the 7200rpm
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822145228
great price now too - $60 after rebate (well.... plus $10 for restocking fee if I return my Seagate)


^^, ^ - yeah.... maybe next year. or, like.... after I find a job. Trying to keep the budget within reason for now.

2/15/2009 10:57:26 PM

the only silent hard drive you're going to get is a solid state drive

mechanical components make noise

also, a 7200rpm drive is going to be louder than a 5400rpm drive.

2/15/2009 11:10:46 PM

No offense, but is there any legitimate reason that you need a quieter drive anyway? It seems to me that if money is even the slightest factor it would make more sense to just stick with what you've got unless the noise is causing you trouble in some way...

2/16/2009 12:47:09 AM

go for a 5400 rpm drive like dude mentioned, though i have a 7200 in my laptop that is QUIET.

2/16/2009 1:59:39 AM

why not head over to storagereview.com and search their database for low-noise disks?

2/16/2009 2:55:18 AM

Quote :

"the only silent hard drive you're going to get is a solid state drive"

Is that the same as spintronics?

2/16/2009 4:46:46 AM

Quote :

"why not head over to storagereview.com and search their database for low-noise disks?"

2/16/2009 7:36:36 AM

Quote :

"No offense, but is there any legitimate reason that you need a quieter drive anyway?"

see:

Quote :

"it annoys me"

seems like that's enough of a "legitimate reason" for me. since, you know..... it's my computer and I can put whatever components I want in it. All I know is that before I changed the drive, when I was sitting at my desk in a quiet room, at arm's length from my computer, it was totally silent. Like joe# said, i guess when I put my ear up on the case I could hear it. But now with the Seagate I can stand all the way on the other side of my office and still hear the whirring.


I'll check out storagereview. thx

2/16/2009 9:42:44 AM

Im sure you would hate my setup then with 7 drives all 7200 rpm running, of course I am to the point now that when I turn the system off I am annoyed by the extreme lack of any noise.

2/16/2009 9:51:43 AM

yeah, for sure - i've passed that phase. Back in college I guess it was OK to have a custom-built case with multiple fans and a bank of HDDs sitting on top of my desk. But now, all I want is a laptop that is silent with enough internal storage for all my music and pictures and temporary storage for video editing, and then a NAS or equivalent with backup drives and other media storage tucked away in a closet where nobody can hear or see it.

2/16/2009 9:55:34 AM

hah, i just realized i have the same exact drive as you in my MBP, bought it over christmas

i can barely hear it save for when it spins up

2/16/2009 11:04:14 AM

well, maybe it doesn't help that I 1) generally have a hard time concentrating on a task with any background noise, and 2) apparently have dog-like hearing. I'm 29 and those damn mosquito buzzer things that shopping centers put in front of their stores to keep teenagers away drive me crazy.

2/16/2009 11:15:15 AM

i hate those things too

i think it's mainly because my desktop makes enough noise to mask the hd noise coming from my macbook

2/16/2009 12:13:13 PM

FYI - i got the Hitachi 320GB that comes in MBP's now, except in 7200rpm, and it is noticeably quieter than the Seagate that I had (or, that I have, and am using as a networked Time Machine backup now). I can still year the drive, but i am guessing the sound is now on par with the original Fujitsu 100GB that came with the computer.

2/25/2009 10:57:41 AM