can you fit a 7200 rpm harddrive in a new MacBook???

untsig · May 26, 2006 10:59AM

just wondering if this is possible? there are no options for a 7200 from Apple on the MacBooks but there are for the Pros.

im lookin to get a MacBook at end of summer (hopefully after all these "bugs" are addressed) and wanting to have all the bells and whistles on it since it'll replace my laptop and my desktop.

im shootin for: 2.0ghz, 2gb, and 80gb 7200rpm hd.

anyone tried this or can verify for certain whether or not its possible????

thanks!

sandau · May 26, 2006 11:02AM

my macbook is currently running with a 100gb Hitachi 7200rpm HD and its screaming fast with 2gb ram. I bought the basic MacBook and self installed everything, for probably 1/3rd the Apple cost. Haven't ever had a better Powerbook or iBook, this thing is superb. Installation on both ram and HD into the MacBook took a total of 5 min, most of which was trying to get the stupid ram into the silly ram slots.

After reading benchmarks, there is really no reason to have the 2.0ghz version, the differences are so minute as to be silly when compared to the 1.83ghz.

untsig · May 26, 2006 11:04AM

werd

thats good news!!

yeah im def installin it all myself as well.

how much did your hd cost ya?

i was plannin on gettin my memory from newegg.com

sandau · May 26, 2006 11:06AM

Quote:

Originally posted by untsig

werd

thats good news!!

yeah im def installin it all myself as well.

how much did your hd cost ya?

i was plannin on gettin my memory from newegg.com

I bought two patriot brand 1gb sticks from new egg for around $85 each. the hard drive I bought from eWiz.com for $170. Both shipped super fast.

untsig · May 26, 2006 11:10AM

sweet

thanks for your help and quick replies!!

mikef · May 26, 2006 11:38AM

Given the reports of the excessive dissipated heat of the MB, you might want to rethink adding yet another heat source. There might be thermal reasons why they don't offer a 7200rpm drive...

sandau · May 26, 2006 11:57AM

Quote:

Originally posted by mikef

Given the reports of the excessive dissipated heat of the MB, you might want to rethink adding yet another heat source. There might be thermal reasons why they don't offer a 7200rpm drive...

I actually researched this. The Hitachi 7200rpm 100gb drive is quieter, uses less wattage (better battery life) and puts out less heat than the Fujitsu 5400rpm 60gb drive that shipped with my MB.

untsig · May 26, 2006 12:03PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sandau

I actually researched this. The Hitachi 7200rpm 100gb drive is quieter, uses less wattage (better battery life) and puts out less heat than the Fujitsu 5400rpm 60gb drive that shipped with my MB.

wow! that's impressive. and yet sad that it doesnt come standard.

the pie man · May 26, 2006 9:49PM

I've got the same Hitachi HD in the base 1.8GHz MacBook - as well as 2GB. I did the exact same thing Sandau did - bought from OWC and saved a lot of money.

I've checked CPU temps and HD temps while idle and under load - the HD temp averages around 35C, and the CPU idles between 35-40C and tops out at 82ish under load before dropping to a constant 78C once the fans kick in.

Don't buy Apple RAM or HD - it's simple as pie to replace yourself and you can basically get a 'free' 7200 100GB drive for the couple minutes it will take you to do it.

Make sure to have the proper tools however - the HD enclosure uses torq screws, not normal philips ones.

EDIT: My MacBook came with a Seagate Momentus HD - not sure what the power and heat specs are on that, but the Hitachi is completely silent (even with my ear to the machine) and is running super cool.

sandau · May 27, 2006 12:01AM

Quote:

Originally posted by The Pie Man

Make sure to have the proper tools however - the HD enclosure uses torq screws, not normal philips ones.

I noticed that right off, the torq screws...but i have a small screw driver set and fortunately they didn't use too much blue loctite (i noticed some on the front screws to keep them in from vibration). I simply used a flathead that fit, I didn't force anything and it worked fine.

Yes, the upgrade to the basic MacBook is fantastic. I'm loving this thing.

aquatic · May 27, 2006 11:48AM

Well fellas I think I'm going to join you two in the next few weeks, with a base 1.83 MacBook, upgrade to the 100 gig drive and 1 gig of RAM. Anyone think there's much of a difference between 1 and 2 gigs of RAM? I don't use insane apps too much that would notice the diff. I wouldn't think, but what about OS X itself? I've seen anecdotes here saying it actually would speed up OS X. Thoughts? I'm probably just going to stick with the gig. I have to take a trip to dealram and dealmac soon.

edit: so apparently all MacBooks/MacBook Pros use the same RAM. Good.

Something I noticed while at LowEndMac: Macintels can boot with USB drives! Yay! Okay maybe everyone else knew that but I didn't notice it. Hmm...I think for my next external drive I'll save some money and skip the FireWire.

sandau · May 27, 2006 11:50AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aquatic

Well fellas I think I'm going to join you two in the next few weeks, with a base 1.83 MacBook, upgrade to the 100 gig drive and 1 gig of RAM. Anyone think there's much of a difference between 1 and 2 gigs of RAM? I don't use insane apps too much that would notice the diff. I wouldn't think, but what about OS X itself? I've seen anecdotes here saying it actually would speed up OS X. Thoughts? I'm probably just going to stick with the gig. I have to take a trip to dealram and dealmac soon.

a gig is fine. i prefer 2gb because I run XP or Ubuntu in Parallels a lot of the time and I allocate at minimum 512mb ram to the virtual instance.

but, you might consider making the plunge since you'll toss out 2x256, then if you upgrade again, you'll toss out 2x512 to get to 2x1gb.

skatman · May 27, 2006 11:59AM

If you're upgrading, definitely got for 2 X 1Gig.

aquatic · May 27, 2006 11:59AM

Geez good point, I'm going to be doing some HEAVY stuff in Parallels. ESRI ArcGIS ArcMap, in probably XP Pro or maybe 2000. And a few other things, hell maybe even a game or two. And it's only an additional 50% in price...158 for 2 gigs, 89 for 1 (in the x2 configs.) Hm...and according to dealmac just $109 for the 100 gig Hitachi! https://www.nowdirect.com/direct/par...art=OBM0A25025

sandau · May 27, 2006 5:30PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Aquatic

Hm...and according to dealmac just $109 for the 100 gig Hitachi! https://www.nowdirect.com/direct/par...art=OBM0A25025

the link goes to nowdirect.com (who?) and that's a 60gb drive according to the top header:

Hitachi Travelstar 7K100 60GB 0A25025.

i don't think i'd go with that seller....

ti fighter · May 27, 2006 5:32PM

i really want to install a 7200 drive, good to know that it's working so far,

macronin · May 27, 2006 8:24PM

Quote:

Originally posted by sandau

After reading benchmarks, there is really no reason to have the 2.0ghz version, the differences are so minute as to be silly when compared to the 1.83ghz.

Unless, of course, one prefers to have a MacBook in basic black?

;^p

axc51 · May 27, 2006 9:14PM

What about the differences between the 1.83ghz and 2.0ghz versions, like the combo drive vs. the superdrive? I think the upgrade from 1.83 to 2.0 may actually be worth it if you plan on making DVDs, right?

fireemblempride · May 27, 2006 10:55PM

http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Hitachi/0A31637/

Will that work with the MacBook? I'm not sure.

EDIT: Nevermind, I just found the options using the finder on the same website.

sandau · May 28, 2006 12:20AM

Quote:

Originally posted by MacRonin

Unless, of course, one prefers to have a MacBook in basic black?

;^p

mm, dell black isn't for me....but maybe a nice green, blue, red, aqua, gel, platinum... if you're gonna pay a premium for a color, might as well get one that looks good. (macbooks available june 2nd)

http://www.colorwarepc.com/products/default.aspx

aquatic · May 28, 2006 8:42AM

Yeah that was a mistake. I hope they add more colors to the MacBook line, as well as the Mac mini and iMac line. Metal!? WTF. HALF the reason iMacs hit it big was they were "cute." Not to be sexist but over half the population is composed of women. And then there are guys like me. I was going to buy a colored MacBook. I used to looove the color of the Key Lime iBook and always wanted that. If they came out with a similarly striking MacBook I'd buy it. White and Metal are getting boring. And black isn't exactly gee whiz either. Long's it's not flower power. Anodized metal...whatever happened to that. And the skin that can change color. Or...I'd take a pink MacBook. Yeah, that's right. I'm kind of flamboyant. If I had decided to get the RAZR, which I didn't, I would have opted for the pink one.

So is the Hitachi the best 100 gig drive? (I'm talking power consumption and reliability, that's all I care about, not noise. )

can you fit a 7200 rpm harddrive in a new MacBook???

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