A Storage Predicament

ninjaparsnip

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Jan 22, 2015
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Right, I've had my PC for almost a year and a half now and have managed to fill up my 1TB drive (WD Blue) and 250GB SSD (Samsung 850 EVO) with games and am looking to expand my storage to prepare for the Winter Sale. I'm considering either a 1TB or 2TB drive, but am not sure if the RPM will make a difference to me (long game load times, whilst a pain, are not a deal-breaker), just as I am not sure about whether Black drives are worth it. I've compiled four options, though other recommendations are appreciated:

  • ■WD Blue 1TB - 7200RPM - [urlExt=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Desktop-Hard-Disk-Drive/dp/B0088PUEPK/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1481994413&sr=1-1&keywords=wd+blue+1tb]£43.90 @ Amazon UK[/urlExt]
    ■WD Blue 2TB - 5400RPM - [urlExt=https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B013QFRS2S/ref=twister_B01AWGTUN4?_encoding=UTF8&th=1]£66.95 @ Amazon UK[/urlExt]
    ■WD Black 1TB - 7200RPM - [urlExt=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Performance-Desktop-Hard-Drive/dp/B00FJRS6FU/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1481994379&sr=1-1&keywords=wd+black+1tb]£69.90 @ Amazon UK[/urlExt]
    ■WD Black 2TB - 7200RPM - [urlExt=https://www.amazon.co.uk/Black-Performance-Desktop-Hard-Drive/dp/B00FJRS628/ref=sr_1_1?s=computers&ie=UTF8&qid=1481994379&sr=1-1&keywords=wd%2Bblack%2B1tb&th=1]£107.99 @ Amazon UK[/urlExt]
    ■Your recommendation
What do you think I should go with?
Any help whatsoever is dearly appreciated.
Thanks :)
 
Solution
You have other choices too.
Here is a report on the DW rainbow:
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Understanding-the-WD-Rainbow-674/

I might avoid the 5400rpm drives for anything but bulk storage of sequential files such as backups or videos.
5400 drives may spin down to idle when not active and there is a delay when they need to get up to speed.
Go 7200. 5400, while you think isn't much, becomes painful. It'd be no fun playing a game like overwatch and always being last loading and not getting to pick the hero you want. Black drives have a better warranty AFAIK, but a blue 2TB 7200 would be a good choice.
 

Zerk2012

Titan
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I buy the black drives for the longer warranty. Never had to use it. I also have a old RE4 that is still going strong.
Besides the 3 SSD's I have a 1TB black for external backup, a 500GB RE4 for internal back up, and a 2 & 3tb Black drive in my PC.
The only thing I would use a 5400RPM drive for would be for bulk storage like pictures and music but that could be just me.
 

ninjaparsnip

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Jan 22, 2015
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I don't think you get 2TB Blue 7200s or I'd go for that, considering it's the best of both worlds.
 
You have other choices too.
Here is a report on the DW rainbow:
https://www.pugetsystems.com/labs/articles/Understanding-the-WD-Rainbow-674/

I might avoid the 5400rpm drives for anything but bulk storage of sequential files such as backups or videos.
5400 drives may spin down to idle when not active and there is a delay when they need to get up to speed.
 
Solution

ninjaparsnip

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Jan 22, 2015
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Thanks very much. After reading the article, I've decided to go with a 1TB Blue drive. I don't (personally) think that a Black drive is worth it for me right now and considering I've only filled 1TB so far, another TB will do.
 

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