Maxtor Fireball vs WD 400EB

[DaveL]

Which would be more reliable or last longer. Both are 5400 rpm drives.
Both brand new. The Maxtor is a model # 2F020L0 with fluid bearings and is
only 20 gig. The WD 400EB, I don't think has fluid bearings and is 40 gig.
I think both are single platter designs. I don't care about speed or noise,
only reliabiltity. I'm leaning toward the Maxtor but I just pulled a WD 400
meg drive out of a system today and it still runs well!

TIA
Dave

 

[Rod Speed]

Which would be more reliable or last longer.

I doubt there is much in it reliability wise in the
sense that it become unusuable. You may not like
the bearing whine with the WD if it develops tho.

Both are 5400 rpm drives. Both brand new. The Maxtor
is a model # 2F020L0 with fluid bearings and is only 20 gig.

The size alone is a good reason to reject it.

The WD 400EB, I don't think has fluid bearings
Correct.

and is 40 gig. I think both are single platter
designs. I don't care about speed or noise,
only reliabiltity. I'm leaning toward the Maxtor

Why ? Its got nothing in its favour except a fluid
bearing and you say you dont care about noise.

but I just pulled a WD 400 meg drive out
of a system today and it still runs well!

Yep, plenty doing that.

 

[DaveL]

Thanks for the reply, Rod.

Actually the size of the drive does not matter in this application as I will
only be using about 4 gigs anyway. I was thinking the fluid bearing might
hold up longer and put less of a strain on the spindle motor. I'm thinking
long term. I also am thinking the fluid bearing is indicative of the build
quality of the drive as a whole. That model of Maxtor is of the upper range
and cost more than the run of the mill 20 gigger.

Dave

 

[Rod Speed]

Thanks for the reply, Rod.

Actually the size of the drive does not matter in this application as I
will only be using about 4 gigs anyway. I was thinking the fluid bearing
might hold up longer and put less of a strain on the spindle motor.

The only problem with non fluid bearings is that they can
develop an irritating whine. Thats entirely cosmetic and
doesnt have any effect whatever on the drive's usability.

If anything there is marginally more risk with a fluid bearing
drive, just because they havent been around for as long.

I'm thinking long term.

Long term used all the time, or long term used occasionally ?
Thats another unknown with fluid bearing drives, how well
they will do sitting around turned off for long periods.

I also am thinking the fluid bearing is indicative
of the build quality of the drive as a whole.

If anything the problem with fluid bearing drives is
that they are a bit more experimental, havent been
used for anything like as long and it remains to be
seen if they have got all the quirks sorted out yet,
particularly the chemistry of the fluids used.

That model of Maxtor is of the upper range
and cost more than the run of the mill 20 gigger.

Thats more a different effect, the rather arbitrary pricing seen with
very small capacity single platter drives now when single platter
drives have much bigger capacity for zero extra manufacturing cost.