View Full Version : RAID or Raptor?
Okay i'm gonna need some first-hand experience here.
I am currently busy with my Dothan Project (http://www.ocforums.com/showthread.php?t=385836), and i'm considering a HDD upgrade as well. I have 2x200GB drives now which i will keep for storage (non-RAID). I am looking to buy a (set of) drive(s) to put windows and games on, speed being the main concern.
Choices are:
- A single raptor 74GB (160€)
- A RAID-0 array 2x160GB seagate 7200.7. (160€ for two of them)
I have worked with RAID-0 before and it did some great things for my games and windows loading times. For now, windows and games will fit on 74GB but i'm not sure about the future.
My question is:
What will be fastest for games and windows use. The seek times of the raptor or the throughput of the RAID-0 array? Taking in account that the RAID-0 array offers 4x more GBytes for the same price, they would be my current first option but i've never touched a raptor before. Data safety is not an issue since i will keep all my important files backed-up on the other drives.
deception``
06-05-05, 11:50 AM
Between the two choices, the 74GB Raptor will be a little faster. Personally, I am not big on Raptors (especially when you compare price:storage), but it should be the thing to go for if speed is your main concern and you already have ample storage.
deception``
felinusz
06-05-05, 03:49 PM
If you feel that you will be making use of the space, I would go with the two 160 gig Seagate drives in a RAID0 array.
If having lots of space isn't a huge issue, are two 36 gig Raptors in SATA RAID0 an option for you (I'm not sure whether your Dothan system has SATA RAID or not)? Same amount of storage space as a single 74 gig Raptor, a little bit faster when put into a RAID array. Not as future-proof however, in the sense that you can always pick up a second 74 gig Raptor down the road, and put it into a RAID0 array with your original drive.
If you need the space, the two 160 gig drives in RAID will not dissapoint by any means.
If you don't need the space, the 74 gig Raptor will be faster, but not by much.
If you don't need the space, two 36 gig Raptors would be your fastest bet, although not as future-proof.
This 400GB i have now is almost filled. I think i'm going to the RAID0, paying 2€ per gbyte has never been my style :rolleyes:
deception``
06-05-05, 07:54 PM
This 400GB i have now is almost filled. I think i'm going to the RAID0, paying 2€ per gbyte has never been my style :rolleyes:
I think you've always known I have been one against Raptors, but I simply recommended them for the speed-conscious. Nevertheless, RAID 0 HDs will always make the smarter buy in my opinion. I'm about to pick up a pair of 250GB 7200.8 NCQ drives, and I'll let you know how much I enjoy them :)
deception``
I have four Raptors and six 7200.7s, and I'd go for two 7200.7s on the ICH5R in your situation.
I have four Raptors and six 7200.7s, and I'd go for two 7200.7s on the ICH5R in your situation.
I loooove the 7200.7 they're soo quiet :)
Will do, thanks guys
AzNaLaN15
06-06-05, 04:30 AM
lol 7200.8s should be nice
lol 7200.8s should be nice
From what i read they are a bit slower and make alot more noise.
Most benchmarks show the 7200.8s being a little faster, but a little noisier.
deception``
06-06-05, 07:02 AM
From what i read they are a bit slower and make alot more noise.
The 7200.8's are a tad slower than the DiamondMax 10 and Hitachi TK250, but they are quieter and, produce less heat, and are easier on the wallet than the above two.
deception``
Eric1285
06-07-05, 12:08 AM
Why aren't you considering the Diamondmax 10's? They're the top performing 7200 RPM SATA drives right now. Mine is blazingly fast compared to my older IDE drive (Maxtor Diamondmax 9 series).
I don't really find much difference in day to day stuff between one 7200rpm SATA drive and another. And you get a 5yr warranty on Seagates.
So did you get them yet? :)
threeme2189
06-07-05, 01:04 AM
i would go for the raid...
So did you get them yet? :)
Nope is going to take at least another week and a half.
The RAID is not going to be faster then the Raptor. I would go for the Raptor if you are going for speed. There have been a number of tests and I have tested out RAID with both SCSI and IDE and there is no performance benefit from it.
Go for the Raptor....or better yet SCSI 15k drive....
Ref:
http://www.overclockers.com/articles1063/
http://www.anandtech.com/storage/showdoc.aspx?i=2101
I can get more proof if needed, and this is coming from someone that is running RAID0 in his 2 main computers.
(although the RAID0 may make your e-penis bigger)
(although the RAID0 may make your e-penis bigger)
My e-penis is already at max size considering that i have two laptops and a Dothan coming my way.
I have already had the 7200.7 drives in raid and they were lightning fast. Plus i want (and maybe need) the space.
peterhoang1988
06-07-05, 11:36 AM
My e-penis is already at max size considering that i have two laptops and a Dothan coming my way.
I have already had the 7200.7 drives in raid and they were lightning fast. Plus i want (and maybe need) the space.
it could always be bigger.
one more vote for raid. i dont think raptors are worth it.
threeme2189
06-08-05, 04:57 AM
[offtipix]
how in the world can somebody possible fill 400 GB of space and need more?....
(i dont have anything against you) but im curious about knowing what is taking up all of that space...i have one 80 gig drive and its more than enough.....
[ctrl+alt+del--->end task offtopix] :p
2 drives of 200GB, one filled to the brim with movies and ISO files (backups of my games). The other is 10GB windows, 60GB installed games, 30GB programs, 20GB music, 30GB short videos, personal files, etc.
Overall i have about 20GB left which i need when im moving files around. So yes, i could use some more, and alot more speed :)
If you think two slowgates in RAID0 will compare to a 74GB Raptor speed-wise, you are wrong. Raptors have huge STR, the only thing that RAID 0 improves. It's not like RAID0 is pointless like most of the internet psuedo-knowledge dictates, but it's not going to help you in this application but a very tiny amount. If the R74 didn't have so much STR by itself, the array of slower disks might have a chance. The seek perforance advantage of the Raptor 74 will help a vastly larger amount.
The seek performance of a R74 is a lot better than any 7200rpm drive, and amongst the 7200rpm drives, the 7k250 Hitachi is best. And 7k250s are neither expensive nor noisy, and almost at the end of their life cycle. If seagate can't make as good a drive with a generation's advantage, think how clear the situation will be once the 7k250's successor appears. And even if you believe slowgates absorb noise, I would bet you that two of them is no quieter than a R74. The R74 has an impressively low spin noise, and the seek is very unobtrusive considering it is the source of its amazing performance.
I'm not sure you really want a Raptor 74, but if you don't all the things you said in your original post are completely untrue. For an OS/primary applications drive, the R74 is simply without competition. Anything positive you can say about the array of slower disks would matter if you were talking about buying the storage drives you already have. If you just want cheap, buy cheap, but I don't reckon you really needed other people's opinions that badly if cheapness is going to be the deciding factor.
I'm not sure you really want a Raptor 74, but if you don't all the things you said in your original post are completely untrue. For an OS/primary applications drive, the R74 is simply without competition. Anything positive you can say about the array of slower disks would matter if you were talking about buying the storage drives you already have. If you just want cheap, buy cheap, but I don't reckon you really needed other people's opinions that badly if cheapness is going to be the deciding factor.
I was trying to figure out whether i wanted a raptor, therefor i posted this thread.
I am still not sure. If what you say is true for the OS, i'd like to get it but the price is keeping me off. Another option: get both raid and a raptor. Expensive, but it allows the advantages from both worlds.
deception``
06-08-05, 07:49 AM
I have looked at the Seagate 7200.8 reviews pretty heavily, and decided that I need not rely on every single "review" I find. It is true that they may have their disadvantages compared to a Raptor, but they do offer a more-than acceptable level of performance especially given their price and capacity. I also took notice of the Hitachi TK250 SATA II drives, but they were unfortunately selling for more than I was willing to pay.
Having said this, I have a pair of 7200.8 250GB NCQ drives en route to me as we speak. I plan on putting these in my NF4 DFI Ultra-D and running them in a 16k stripe RAID 0 config, replacing my current RAID of Maxtor SATA HDs. I'm also pretty sure that, contrary to some of the reviews (but not others), they will provide great performance the point that any minute differences in benchmarking will be unoticable.
deception``
I was trying to figure out whether i wanted a raptor, therefor i posted this thread.
I am still not sure. If what you say is true for the OS, i'd like to get it but the price is keeping me off. Another option: get both raid and a raptor. Expensive, but it allows the advantages from both worlds.I don't think you are quite grasping my point. You know you want the Raptor. You know it is better. And as you say, cost is the only drawback. My point was, only you can decide how much speed matters. By the wording of your original post, speed was the issue. If you go any other way, speed wasn't really the priority you stated it to be. Certainly go with whatever you desire, it's your machine. But the answer to the question you asked is certainly clear enough, the only question is whether that really was the issue in the first place.
And what use do you have for array for storage disks? Whatever disks you would construct the array with would serve even better as storage disks if left seperate. The only places you see benefits from RAID0 are in that helps a tiny bit on the OS/application volume, or if you are capturing video or other data to a storage drive at a rate that eclipses the STR of a single disk. For nearly all storage volumes, it's useless. You can always raid the two 200s you already have, anyway.
I've decided not to go raptor. Price-wise it's unefficient, and my current board doesn't allow for as many s-ata drives as i would like (storage + raid + raptor)
I'm going to keep my current 2x200 un-RAIDed for storage, and purchase 2 S-ata drives to RAID-0, for the OS and games. Not sure which drives yet, but either Seagate 7200.7 or Hitachi.
If you like, you can close this now, Larva :)
No point in closing it, I'm just not sure there was any point in opening it, either :)
No point in closing it, I'm just not sure there was any point in opening it, either :)
After hearing other people's experience and doing a little more research myself with that information on hand, i made my choise :)
GRRR I decide on what I want, then read one more post and change my mind! Basically.. How much faster is a 74 than a 36 and is it worth the $60 or so in price difference.
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