Save almost $165 and get a 5400 RPM drive or go for 7200?

[aqua_tek]

So I think the time is near... time to grab a new MacBook Pro. My 1st gen MBP is starting to struggle.

Now, here's the deal. I get a student discount in the Apple Store (roughly $200), and an even bigger discount at my school's computer store (roughly $300) on MacBook Pro's.

Almost sounds like a no-brainer. Get the one at school.

Now, here is my dilemma. After configuring a MacBook Pro with a 500 GB 7200 RPM drive with the Apple website, and comparing to the school's MBP (which is only sold as a stock model - 5400 RPM Drive), the difference is not that large. $165

Now, some reasoning would tell me to still go with the stock model, and use the extra cash to get a new external 7200 RPM drive. But, it's always preferable to have a faster internal drive. That way you don't have to rely so often on externals, especially when on the road. Plus, it frees up some ports. Just use the externals for storage when needed.

So... practically, the slightly more expensive 7200 RPM model makes sense... but economically, the 5400 RPM makes more sense.


And my question to you is... what do you think? Are peace of mind and convenience worth an extra $165? I could also just buy a 3rd party 7200 RPM drive to install on the new MBP, but I don't really want to get into that and void the warranty.


What to do, what to do?

[bodhi71]

I felt the same when I considered my MBP.
I originally thought 7200 rpm wasn't even an after thought, it was a must.
But when I went to the Apple store they only had the 5400 rpm model in stock.
I considered/ struggled, order one or buy the 5400, and upgrade if need be.
I haven't upgraded yet, the 5400 is pretty damn smooth.
So... for what it's worth.

[v76]

Well, you could take like 80$ off of the 165$ and buy 1 7200 drive... install it in the MBP from school and have the 5400 drive ready to be put in an ext. bus-powered enclosure from owc of macally with the remaining $. You'll still have like 50$ to spend on booze and ketamine!

It's not that tough to open it up if you're careful and methodical.

[aqua_tek]

I know the DIY hard drive swap isn't difficult. I've done it before on my older MBP, and read it's even easier on the new ones. I just don't want to void the warranty, in the case that (fingers crossed, hopefully not) something else requires work down the line. I did it on my older MBP, just because it was close to the end on it's warranty period, so I had nothing to lose.

I think I need a new external HD anyways. I might get one along with the 5400 RPM. I don't know. I have a couple more days to mull it over.

[Hidden Driveways]

Hmmm. Voids the warranty, eh? That isn't cool. I've been thinking about getting a refurb 13" MBP from the Apple site ($999 for the slower one, $1299 for the faster one with 4 GB RAM). Then I was going to buy a 500GB 7200 drive from this site:

http://eshop.macsales.com/shop/hard-dri ... -Notebook/

I spoke to a douche at the West Village Apple store about it. He said that replacing the hard drive was pretty easy. He also didn't know his asshole from a tulip, because he didn't mention anything about voiding the warranty. I also asked him about adapting an older Apple monitor to the current MBP 13". He told me that I needed to find out what kind of connector the monitor had first.

Standing in an Apple store talking to a dude with an Apple shirt on and him telling me that I needed to find out what kind of connector an Apple monitor has. Yeah. Thanks dude. Thanks a lot. There is Tekserve and Tekserve only. Apple store = waste of time.

[H20nly]

I didn't read the other posts... but I think this one is a no brainer... 7200 RPM. You make music. Shame on you for even considering 5400 RPMs. Not that it wouldn't work, but you're not upgrading if you're hanging on to last decade's technology. Its one thing with a guitar or a synth... this is a puter.

Oh and shame on Apple. I keep reading how their parts are supposed to be superior give me a WD @ 7200 and it doesn't need a white paint job or an "i" in front of it.

[sparklepuff]

Not sure where you're getting the "voids the warranty" info. It's a user serviceable deal.

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3419

Save your $165. Get it with the 5400. Go buy this, and you've got yourself a FW800 backup drive as well.

Nooooo Brainerrrrrr.

[Machinesworking]

You can buy the 7200rpm 500gb drive for $119, this is a no brainer if you're not afraid to replace the drive yourself. Apple won't replace a hard drive you bought yourself, that's all, the rest of the warrantee is valid. Besides this way you can use the 5400 HD as back up.

I'm going to get that same drive. The 750Gb model will be out soon, but it'll be close to $200 and probably 5400rpm. Between Logic, FXPansion, Ableton, NI and my own library there's no room on my 200gb HD.

[aqua_tek]

I didn't read the other posts... but I think this one is a no brainer... 7200 RPM. You make music. Shame on you for even considering 5400 RPMs. Not that it wouldn't work, but you're not upgrading if you're hanging on to last decade's technology.

It's not that I'm just settling for the 5400 rpm. I was just trying to figure out if it was a better move to save some cash and get an external 7200 rpm drive or make it internal.

I had read in many places that any DIY replacement that required opening up your case would void the warranty. APPARENTLY there's some sort of seal that gets broken if you open the case. And I didn't hear these rumors from some (let's face it) know-nothing Apple store employee. I heard and read this on relatively respectable DIY sites, when I looked up instructions and changed the hard drive on my current MBP a while ago.

Maybe this warranty thing was applicable to older models that required more tinkering (it was kind of a pain in the ass to do on mine). Looks like it's much easier to do now, so there's lower risk of damaging while trying to pry the case open. That's just my assumption.

Anyways, I might just get the one with 7200 rpm. Buying a separate 7200 to install myself will already cost me over 100 bucks. Then, take into account convenience, time, and any possible risk, and the price difference doesn't seem that bad.

[H20nly]

Its your music machine you know? I feel like its one of those things that you could look back on in a few months and you won't regret it. I mean do you see yourself 6 months from now going... "damn these samples load too fast. I should have got the 5400 RPM drive?"

sparklepuff's deal is tempting, but its like you said - then you have to do the tinkering and there is that risk factor however slight.

In most of the PCs/Servers I've taken apart for work (which is a big number) it has always been some piece of foil tape (if anything) with a graphic (usually company name). You can't fix it. So if you're worried...

you know best what to do for you.

either way, you're still getting a new machine so ENJOY it!

[Machinesworking]

I had read in many places that any DIY replacement that required opening up your case would void the warranty. APPARENTLY there's some sort of seal that gets broken if you open the case. And I didn't hear these rumors from some (let's face it) know-nothing Apple store employee. I heard and read this on relatively respectable DIY sites, when I looked up instructions and changed the hard drive on my current MBP a while ago.

This is wrong. Changing the hard drive only voids the warrantee on the hard drive, since Apple didn't instal it etc.
It doesn't matter what rumors you've heard on some site, I've heard it from 'genius bar' Apple employees, and Apple support.

Anyways, I might just get the one with 7200 rpm. Buying a separate 7200 to install myself will already cost me over 100 bucks. Then, take into account convenience, time, and any possible risk, and the price difference doesn't seem that bad.

It would be $45 or so cheaper, and give you an extra 5400rpm drive for backup, but do what you will of course. I just think it's funny you ask for advice then refuse the knowledge given.
Absolutely no offense meant, but the smart move is very obviously to get the 7200rpm third party. The only reason to get it included is to have one warranty to deal with, and that's not enough of a good reason for me if the other option includes a 160GB 5400 rpm HD I can use for Time Machine etc, and saves me $45 or so. Especially if you've done it before?
Here's the link to the HD.
Link

[Hidden Driveways]

While we're on the subject of geeking out on a new laptop set-up (because I'm sure the topic won't come up again for a long, long time), here is my current upgrade plan:

13" MacBook Pro, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB 7200 Drive
and...
A 2TB GT062 Glyph Tabletop RAID FW800 drive
and...
An RME FireFace UC USB 2.0 interface

Buy them all in one fell swoop. One big ass sting to the finances. But, I'm thinking that this little rig could easily carry me for another 5 years, so it seems like the way to go.

[Tarekith]

5400 will be fine IMO. If you NEED a 7200 RPM drive, then likely you shouldn't be using a laptop for production anyway. Maybe I'm lucky, or maybe I'm simple, but evne when I was using a 4200 RPM drive in my first laptop, HD access has never been an issue or a bottleneck for me. Sure a 7200 RPM is better, but I don't know many people hitting the limits of a 5400RPM drive either.

[H20nly]

when it comes to good gear... what are saving if its 100 bucks? you spread that out over 5 years thats like 29 bucks a year or 7 bucks a month

[Machinesworking]

While we're on the subject of geeking out on a new laptop set-up (because I'm sure the topic won't come up again for a long, long time), here is my current upgrade plan:

13" MacBook Pro, 4 GB RAM, 500 GB 7200 Drive
and...
A 2TB GT062 Glyph Tabletop RAID FW800 drive
and...
An RME FireFace UC USB 2.0 interface

Buy them all in one fell swoop. One big ass sting to the finances. But, I'm thinking that this little rig could easily carry me for another 5 years, so it seems like the way to go.

In two years if we're still on these forums I bet I eat my words, but do you really need 2.5T in storage???
My whole output, for the last 8 years, sample libraries I came up with and songs printed to audio etc. plus NI, Ableton, FXpansion and Apple libraries all come to about 300GB tops. IF I eliminated sample libraries that I rarely if ever use it would easily drop to 200GB.

I'm actually thinking of getting the 500GB drive to eliminate all externals for anything other than backing up my own libraries of samples and clips.... (why bother backing up the OS and plug in / DAW libraries you have on DVD? other than to save a little time in case of disaster?)