Comments on: 640GB Wd Scorpio Sata 5400 Rpm Blue http://www.ibuymp3players.net/2010/02/08/640gb-wd-scorpio-sata-5400-rpm-blue/ Thu, 29 Jul 2010 22:36:04 -0400 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: A. Dent http://www.ibuymp3players.net/2010/02/08/640gb-wd-scorpio-sata-5400-rpm-blue/comment-page-1/#comment-11509 A. Dent Mon, 08 Feb 2010 13:23:56 +0000 http://www.ibuymp3players.net/2010/02/08/640gb-wd-scorpio-sata-5400-rpm-blue/#comment-11509 QUICK EVALUATION <br /> <br />The Western Digital 640GB 2.5" SATA is a quiet, reliable, easy to install, drive. <br /> <br />The 2.5"/9.5mm SATAs easily and perfectly mount inside a PS3's or laptop's drive bay where they can replace the laptop's or the PS3's original 20-40-60-80-160GB drive or the new PS3 120GB SLIM's without voiding the warranty. Same should hold true for the upcoming PS3's 250GB model. The minor price difference between purchasing a 250GB Slim vs. upgrading an existing 120GB PS3 to 500GB or 640GB should make such an upgrade attractive to anyone who feels that 200-400GB of extra storage are needed. <br /> <br />At the time of this review, the 640GB does not offer the lowest cost per GB - that honor belongs to the 500GB model. I have little doubt that this is bound to change. <br /> <br /> <br /> <br />POSSIBLE USES <br /> <br />- Upgrade an existing laptop drive. I have upgraded mine from 60GB to a WD 500GB 2.5" SATA recently and I've been happy ever since. <br /> <br />- Upgrade a PS3. I have upgraded my PS3 from 60GB to a WD 320GB more than a year ago and I no longer worry about disk storage limitation. I helped a co-worker upgrade her brand-new 120GB Slim to THIS model about a week ago and it was quick, easy and uneventful - it helps starting with a brand-new PS3 to avoid backup/restore complications. <br /> <br />- Turn it into an external storage drive. It CAN be done by casing it inside an external enclosure and attach it to a computer and having it powered via an USB cable but why bother? Many vendors offer similar capacity external drives at better prices. <br /> <br />It should be noted that there is a bonus involved when upgrading a laptop or a PS3 to a larger HDD - the old drive. I do buy enclosures for those and I tend to use them as backup devices - redundant storage for photos, documents and so on. <br /> <br /> <br />MY RATING <br /> <br />I give this HDD its 5 stars for being the largest in it's class 2.5", 9.5mm form factor and for my happy history with WD drives - not one has failed me yet. WD and others do make larger, 1TB 2.5" SATA drives but those come in 12.5mm and will NOT fit inside a PS3 or most existing laptops. <br /> <br />____________________________________ <br /> <br />Note: <br /> <br />For anyone new to this who considers upgrading a PS3 (easy) or a laptop (much harder because it involves possibly backup/restore and re-registering the OS with Microsoft), please note that the HDD does NOT look as intimidating as the picture shows. For some reasons, the marketing people decide to almost always show the 'naked' disk - which is the HDD with the enclosure removed. In reality, what you see in this picture is enclosed inside an air-tight, sealed, aluminum capsule and the only things you will be physically interacting are a couple of connectors and a few small screws. QUICK EVALUATION

The Western Digital 640GB 2.5″ SATA is a silent, reliable, straightforward to install, drive.

The 2.5″/9.5mm SATAs straightforwardly and perfectly mount inside a PS3’s or laptop’s drive bay where they can replace the laptop’s or the PS3’s original 20-40-60-80-160GB drive or the new PS3 120GB SLIM’s without voiding the warranty. Same should hold right for the upcoming PS3’s 250GB model. The minor price variation between purchasing a 250GB Slim vs. upgrading an existing 120GB PS3 to 500GB or 640GB should make such an upgrade attractive to anyone who feels that 200-400GB of extra storage are needed.

At the time of this review, the 640GB does not offer the buck cost per GB – that honor belongs to the 500GB model. I have modest doubt that this is bound to change.

POSSIBLE USES

- Upgrade an existing laptop drive. I have upgraded mine from 60GB to a WD 500GB 2.5″ SATA recently and I’ve been pleased always since.

- Upgrade a PS3. I have upgraded my PS3 from 60GB to a WD 320GB more than a year ago and I no longer worry about disk storage limitation. I helped a co-worker upgrade her strain-new 120GB Slim to THIS model about a week ago and it was quick, straightforward and uneventful – it helps starting with a strain-new PS3 to avoid backup/renovate complications.

- Turn it into an external storage drive. It CAN be done by casing it inside an external enclosure and attach it to a computer and having it powered via an USB cable but why disturb? Many vendors offer similar capacity external drives at better prices.

It should be noted that here is a bonus caught up when upgrading a laptop or a PS3 to a larger HDD – the ancient drive. I do buy enclosures for those and I tend to use them as backup devices – disused storage for photos, documents and so on.

MY RATING

I give this HDD its 5 stars for being the largest in it’s class 2.5″, 9.5mm form factor and for my pleased history with WD drives – not one has disastrous me yet. WD and others do make larger, 1TB 2.5″ SATA drives but those come in 12.5mm and will NOT fit inside a PS3 or most existing laptops.

____________________________________

Note:

For anyone new to this who considers upgrading a PS3 (straightforward) or a laptop (much harder because it involves possibly backup/renovate and re-registering the OS with Microsoft), please note that the HDD does NOT look as intimidating as the picture shows. For some reasons, the marketing people choose to nearly permanently show the ‘naked’ disk – which is the HDD with the enclosure indifferent. In reality, what you see in this picture is enclosed inside an air-tight, sealed, aluminum capsule and the single things you will be physically interacting are a couple of connectors and a few small screws.

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