Thinkpads Forum

250GB 7200rpm vs. 320GB 5400rpm

33% faster spinning platters vs. 28% higher data density

Which one would be faster? (boot up, launching apps)

The 7200RPM drive should be faster.

The 7200 RPM will be slightly faster. However, replacing either of these with a solid state drive will be orders of magnitude faster. Replacing the 7200rpm drive that I had in my T60p with the Intel X25M SSD is the single most noticeable improvement I've ever seen in a computer's "real world" performance -- i swear I'm not exaggerating. The instantaneous file access makes everything much, much, much faster.

I've used both the Intel X-25M and the OCZ Vertex drives, and they're both very good. The intel is a smidge faster but much more expensive (neither are cheap, mind you -- but they're very very very worth it)

Do NOT get the older OCZ drives -- the core, core v2, solid, and apex series are all significantly slower than the Vertex series due to an earlier generation of controller chips.

You can't go wrong with the Intel or with the Vertex though -- they really do make a HUGE difference.

--lj

7200 rpm actually gonna give u a lot of performance boost, and even saves battery! i've read some articles somewhere abt the battery performance of 5400 rpm vs 7200 rpm..... can't recall where though.... but the last thing you want when u r running on battery is waiting for the file access... the increase in performance outweighs the increase in power consumption, IMO