USB hard drives vs. laptop internal?

sporkles · Post by **sporkles** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:31 pm

My laptop, like most other factory made ones, has a 5400 RPM internal hard
drive. I'd like to invest in a 1TB USB drive, and I was just wondering if they are
as reliable as an internal HD, in terms of file transfer. Obviously, I expect a
7200 RPM USB disk to be faster, but will I be able to use it as a replacement
for the internal one? I can never quite tell who the real culprit is, but I often
experience quite annoying lags when opening files (mainly in Photoshop), and
as basic stuff as right-clicking an item in Windows Explorer. All computers I've
had that have been online for extended periods have slowed down significantly
over time, and this could of course be the reason this time as well. Anyway, I
could sure use the extra storage space, and my question is, I guess:

Are USB hard drives reliable as primary drives (Not counting the OS, which I'd
still run from the internal HD)? Until now, I've never used an external drive for
anything but backup and transfer.

Machinate · Post by **Machinate** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:41 pm

sporkles wrote:My laptop, like most other factory made ones, has a 5400 RPM internal hard
drive.
...

Obviously, I expect a
7200 RPM USB disk to be faster

Common mistake. check the difference between SATA transfer speeds and USB2 and you'll be surprised to see the internal transfers a helluvalot faster. Bottleneck sure isn't rpms.

gjm · Post by **gjm** » Fri May 16, 2008 7:50 pm

I recently discovered that the the file tranfer rate of my newly aquired 7200rpm ext HD (using the USB2 option) was significantly slower than my laptops internal PATA 4200rpm HD, approx 30% slower. I used this little program HdTach http://www.simplisoftware.com/Public/in ... est=HdTach to review my hard drives performance. See if you can find someone who ownes the ext HD you want to get and ask them to run this little app on your behalf, then you will have some details to work with.
Cheers.

adventurepants_ · Post by **adventurepants_** » Fri May 16, 2008 11:57 pm

heres the comparative numbers for transfer speeds.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

leedsquietman · Post by **leedsquietman** » Sat May 17, 2008 12:04 am

I only use my USB 2.0 external drive for streaming audio tracks and samples, the internal drive still runs the programs etc and that works out very well. I have very high track counts and mostly it's audio (recorded instruments/vox or 'frozen' tracks).

You could still get a lot of benefit from running an internal 7200 rpm (or 5400 at least) internal drive, I have a 7200 rpm internal drive and it definately helps.

gjm · Post by **gjm** » Sat May 17, 2008 12:16 am

leedsquietman wrote:You could still get a lot of benefit from running an internal 7200 rpm...I have a 7200 rpm internal drive and it definately helps.

The OP has not stated what type of ATA his internal is. I have PATA. Still faster than my USB external HD even at 4200rpm.

I have spent the last 2 weeks trying to find a PATA 7200rpm IDE notebook drive. Not a single one to be had.

@ leedsquietman... is your note book internal drive PATA or SATA? I had the father in law try and get me a PATA 7200rpm from Canada, and he can't. There is also the possibility of over heating if you swap in a 7200.

klash · Post by **klash** » Sat May 17, 2008 12:54 am

Go Firewire, you'll save some Cpu and get a reliable pro setup.
in my opinion usb2 sucks for drives compare to firewire.

those new lacies are not too expensive :
http://www.lacie.com/us/products/product.htm?pid=10967

IrishJiggler · Post by **IrishJiggler** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 1:31 am

Sorta in a similar vein

Upgrading to a 7200rpm from a 5800 for my macbook... worth it/possible? I've had people tell me that I could do it and that it would kill my mac... any experience?

Also
When using my external hard drive, i have the option to plug it into my Saffire LE or by usb. Any idea which is best? I dont want audio to be affected

Buleriachk · Post by **Buleriachk** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:00 am

I just replaced the internal HD (5400) in my (WinXP) laptop with a bigger, 7200 drive (using Apricorn) with the result that my internal HD is bigger and faster...

No problems so far...

IrishJiggler wrote:Sorta in a similar vein

Upgrading to a 7200rpm from a 5800 for my macbook... worth it/possible? I've had people tell me that I could do it and that it would kill my mac... any experience?

Also
When using my external hard drive, i have the option to plug it into my Saffire LE or by usb. Any idea which is best? I dont want audio to be affected

doc holiday · Post by **doc holiday** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 2:10 am

klash wrote:Go Firewire, you'll save some Cpu and get a reliable pro setup.
in my opinion usb2 sucks for drives compare to firewire.

firewire's still gonna be the bottle neck.

capo-wear-i · Post by **capo-wear-i** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 8:51 am

^^^
Yep - better than USB in certain circumstances, but still not as fast as an internal drive.

I suppose E-SATA would be the best of the externals, but how many laptops have an E-Sata socket ?

Machinesworking · Post by **Machinesworking** » Tue Jun 03, 2008 10:39 am

capo-wear-i wrote:^^^
Yep - better than USB in certain circumstances, but still not as fast as an internal drive.

I suppose E-SATA would be the best of the externals, but how many laptops have an E-Sata socket ?

eSata express cards run about $25-100

Firewire 800 isn't much of a bottleneck at all on a Macbook pro anyway, comparable to eSata. In hard drive tests, not raw numbers. The eSATA wiki makes USB 2 look better than firewire 400 which it is not.

Firewire 400 for 24 tracks is fine, if you want 64 etc. then definitely go with eSATA.

USB hard drives vs. laptop internal?

USB hard drives vs. laptop internal?

Re: USB hard drives vs. laptop internal?