[Leaplist] [OT] 2.5" 320GB 5400rpm drops to nearly $0.15/GB ...

[Bryan J. Smith]

For those of you with notebooks, low-power systems and/or
looking for backup options ...

Just noted that ZipZoomFly now has 2.5" 320GB 5400rpm drives
for $69.99 - $20 MIR, making them $0.156/GB.
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10008232  

As before, these are up to quantity five (5) eligible for the
rebate, and turn-around is fast.

E.g., my latest purchase of four (4) Hitachi saw an e-mail
response withing 5 business days (basically just over a week)
stating validity and amount (valid every time, full amount
every time) and check within 20 (just a month since I mailed
it).  I have now received three (3) different sets of rebates
for Hitachi drives (4, 3 and 4 drives, respectively), over the
last four (4) months or so.

The 320GB 7200rpm version is not nearly as good of a deal
at $0.25/GB ($99.99 - $20 MIR):  
http://www.zipzoomfly.com/jsp/ProductDetail.jsp?ProductCode=10008894  

Both of these drives are 2 x 160GB platter and 9.5mm, not 12mm,
which will fit in any system (sans anything that requires a
smaller 1.8" drive).  Some new 250GB platter 2.5" drives are
just starting to appear but are costly, with most 500GB 2.5"
drives being 3 x 167GB platter (some are 9.5mm, others are
12mm and more of a compatibility issue).

In a nutshell, 2.5" seems to be half the platter size of 3.5".
E.g., commodity 3.5" is 320GB/platter, 2.5" is 160GB/platter,
although 3.5" is hitting 500GB/platter and 2.5" is hitting
250GB/platter.  All 3.5" are pretty much 7200rpm, and 2.5"
varies from the 5400-7200rpm consumer, to the 10-15Krpm
enterprise (all 10-15Krpm are pretty much 2.5" now, even
if "craddled" in a 3.5" form-factor).

For those using 2.5" for desktops, servers, backups, etc...
Some enclosure ideas ...

Sub-$20 at various resellers (2x screw-down in 3.5" bay,
hopefully over vendors will also offer options soon,
bringing down the price):  
http://www.startech.com/item/SATA35252X-35-Bay-to-Dual-25-SATA-HDD-Adapter.aspx  

Sub-$35 at various resellers (2x hot-swap in 3.5" bay):  
http://www.startech.com/item/HSB220SAT25B-35-Tray-Less-Dual-25-SATA-HD-Hot-Swap-Bay.aspx  

I actually have one (1) of these now (frame is too flimsy):    
http://www.startech.com/item/SATABAY425BK-4-x-25-SAS-SATA-RAID-Backplane-for-525-Bay.aspx  
And a pair of "Athena power" branded ones that were sub-$50,
better quality than the original Startech IMHO, but missing
fans:  
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16816119012


-- 
Bryan J Smith          Professional, Technical Annoyance
b.j.smith at ieee.org    http://www.linkedin.com/in/bjsmith
--------------------------------------------------------
I don't have a "favorite Linux distro."  I use, develop
and support community efforts, often built around Linux.
Technology and solutions are my focus, not dragging in
assumptions, marketing and other concepts which dominate
non-community developed software, which I left long ago.

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