Future Shop
FS: 500GB External USB HDD $89.99
- Last Updated:
- May 26th, 2008 10:42 pm
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- ChocolateCocktail [OP]
- Member
- Feb 27, 2008
- 364 posts
28 replies
- orakle22
- Sr. Member
- May 22, 2004
- 749 posts
- 502 upvotes
- Montreal
Nice price! Anyone know whether this is SATA or PATA?
- eheart
- Newbie
- Sep 6, 2007
- 47 posts
- 7 upvotes
- Edmonton
WD50000AAKB which is a WD Caviar SE16 with a 16MB cache
- JohnB
- Deal Fanatic
- Sep 5, 2002
- 6630 posts
- 964 upvotes
I would have ordered it now, but it OOS online.
- Viper98
- Deal Expert
- Feb 19, 2008
- 16990 posts
- 9322 upvotes
- London
ah wtf
I just bought a comstar drive for $100 last week on sale
I just bought a comstar drive for $100 last week on sale
- bbrodie
- Jr. Member
- Jan 18, 2006
- 109 posts
- 6 upvotes
- Toronto
- jerryybf
- Member
- Oct 11, 2007
- 366 posts
- 24 upvotes
reviews for this hard drive are so negtive...
The difference between the right word and the almost right word is really a large matter- it's the difference between a lightning bug and the lightning. --Twain
- duberduber
- Newbie
- Nov 30, 2003
- 42 posts
- Toronto
Picked up a few for work ...can't beat it for fast backup drives.
- ZIgot
- Deal Addict
- Nov 8, 2007
- 1272 posts
- 12 upvotes
- Ottawa
HDD are getting cheaper and cheaper...
- Aske001
- Deal Fanatic
- Feb 21, 2006
- 5148 posts
- 101 upvotes
I got the Trekstor 1 Tbyte drive that was on sale a couple of weeks ago. No complaints - it's fast, quiet, and seems well made. Looks like the 500 Gbyte uses the same enclosure.
- makalin
- Newbie
- Sep 11, 2007
- 11 posts
- Oakville, Ontario
I bought this drive on Friday after missing out on the 1TB drive 2-3 weeks ago.
My 500GB Trekstor identifies as a WDC WD5000AAVS which is a Western Digital Caviar Greenpower SATA drive. I had planned on eventually harvesting the drive (and voiding the 2 year warranty) for use in a future computer I might build but after seeing the specs on Greenpower, I'm happy to keep the drive in its enclosure solely as a USB backup device. Greenpower drives run very quiet but the price you pay for that is the low spindle speed (5400 rpm). The WD site says that Greenpower drives will run from 5400-7200 but reading independent reviews say that all the current GP drives run at 5400 and that the thinking at WD is that *future* GP drives will hit 7200 when the technology allows it. 5400 rpm is weak sauce for an HD in a new desktop but as a backup device, it should be no problem.
The case is solid and the base is sturdy (screw-on) but I kind of question the electrical design/manufacturing. The pin inside the case's electrical socket was slightly angled/off centre, though that posed no problem when I attached the cable. Additionally, the electrical plug might be annoying for some as it measures 3.5" x 2" x 1.25" which will make it a headache to share on most power bars.
My 500GB Trekstor identifies as a WDC WD5000AAVS which is a Western Digital Caviar Greenpower SATA drive. I had planned on eventually harvesting the drive (and voiding the 2 year warranty) for use in a future computer I might build but after seeing the specs on Greenpower, I'm happy to keep the drive in its enclosure solely as a USB backup device. Greenpower drives run very quiet but the price you pay for that is the low spindle speed (5400 rpm). The WD site says that Greenpower drives will run from 5400-7200 but reading independent reviews say that all the current GP drives run at 5400 and that the thinking at WD is that *future* GP drives will hit 7200 when the technology allows it. 5400 rpm is weak sauce for an HD in a new desktop but as a backup device, it should be no problem.
The case is solid and the base is sturdy (screw-on) but I kind of question the electrical design/manufacturing. The pin inside the case's electrical socket was slightly angled/off centre, though that posed no problem when I attached the cable. Additionally, the electrical plug might be annoying for some as it measures 3.5" x 2" x 1.25" which will make it a headache to share on most power bars.
- LonesomeDove
- Deal Guru
- Jun 1, 2006
- 12700 posts
- 15951 upvotes
In this shopping thread:
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/show ... p?t=590597
This person did not know where to return a defective Trekstor drive because there is no distributor in Canada. He may have to send it to Germany.
So beware in buying this drive if something goes wrong with it 6 months later, you may have to send it to Germany.
http://www.redflagdeals.com/forums/show ... p?t=590597
This person did not know where to return a defective Trekstor drive because there is no distributor in Canada. He may have to send it to Germany.
So beware in buying this drive if something goes wrong with it 6 months later, you may have to send it to Germany.
Have a nice day!
- Aske001
- Deal Fanatic
- Feb 21, 2006
- 5148 posts
- 101 upvotes
Not really. This is a classic error of getting caught up in specifications without considering what they really mean. The performance number you really want to know is data transfer rate, which is a function of linear data density and drive rotation speed. The newer drives have a higher linear data density, and can therefore transfer data at rates equal to or faster than older drives at a lower rotation speed, which saves on power and waste heat generation.
- mavrik13
- Sr. Member
- Nov 26, 2007
- 798 posts
- 220 upvotes
I bought mine for $100 during boxing day. It is a solid unit, and I have not had any issues with it thus far. I really disliked the bright LED, but a little piece of electrical tape cured that quickly
If you need one, its a pretty good deal. I remember when they were on sale during boxing day, people were saying that there were both IDE and SATA versions of the hard drive, though I don't think you could tell from the outside.
If you need one, its a pretty good deal. I remember when they were on sale during boxing day, people were saying that there were both IDE and SATA versions of the hard drive, though I don't think you could tell from the outside.
- makalin
- Newbie
- Sep 11, 2007
- 11 posts
- Oakville, Ontario
I defer to your expertise. I was basing my opinion on what I see in pre-built desktop specs for video-processing work (which is what I intended to do with the PC i built including the harvested drive). I'm still more comfortable building my work PC with a faster drive but I guess I was hasty in dismissing GP/5400rpm drives for desktop use altogether.
- cheeseshredder
- Deal Addict
- Mar 20, 2004
- 3080 posts
- 34 upvotes
- Vancouver
I bought this during boxing day, broke on me very quickly.
Instead I got a Hitachi 500GB drive for $69.99 and an Acom Data SATA/IDE enclosure for $18.99 after rebate. http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... COM%20Data
Total cost is the same, maybe a dollar or more due to the rebate, but it's a much better option. The Hitachi is a good drive and always goes on sale and NCIX always has a nice enclosure on sale.
Instead I got a Hitachi 500GB drive for $69.99 and an Acom Data SATA/IDE enclosure for $18.99 after rebate. http://www.ncix.com/products/index.php? ... COM%20Data
Total cost is the same, maybe a dollar or more due to the rebate, but it's a much better option. The Hitachi is a good drive and always goes on sale and NCIX always has a nice enclosure on sale.
[Removed by the RFD Moderation Team]
- eliteblaze2
- Jr. Member
- May 24, 2008
- 183 posts
can anyone confirm whether this is as fast as a conventional 7200rpm drive?
- Aske001
- Deal Fanatic
- Feb 21, 2006
- 5148 posts
- 101 upvotes
HDTACH tested data transfer rates:
WD Caviar Green Power 1 Tbyte 5400 rpm
- Sequential read: 62.6 Mbytes/sec
- Sequential write: 63.4 Mbytes/sec
Seagate 500 Gbyte 7200 rpm 7200.10 model (a first-generation perpendicular-recording drive):
- Sequential read: 66.6 Mbytes/sec
- Sequential write: 66.5 Mbytes/sec
(Source: http://techreport.com/articles.x/13379/13)
The difference is too small to notice in spite of the apparent large difference in rotation speed.
But of course in an external USB enclosure, the transfer rate is limited to 20 Mbytes/sec anyway.
WD Caviar Green Power 1 Tbyte 5400 rpm
- Sequential read: 62.6 Mbytes/sec
- Sequential write: 63.4 Mbytes/sec
Seagate 500 Gbyte 7200 rpm 7200.10 model (a first-generation perpendicular-recording drive):
- Sequential read: 66.6 Mbytes/sec
- Sequential write: 66.5 Mbytes/sec
(Source: http://techreport.com/articles.x/13379/13)
The difference is too small to notice in spite of the apparent large difference in rotation speed.
But of course in an external USB enclosure, the transfer rate is limited to 20 Mbytes/sec anyway.
- makalin
- Newbie
- Sep 11, 2007
- 11 posts
- Oakville, Ontario
Heh. Let it go?
- cpoole
- Sr. Member
- Aug 22, 2004
- 861 posts
- 1 upvote