2TB HDD VS 4TB SSHD

[Pavol]

Right now I use a 2TB Seagate Barracuda 7200RPM. I was thinking of upgrading to a faster method of storage, but I only want to have 1 storage device in the PC and a large SSD would cost far too much.

So my option is, stick with the 2TB HDD which runs at 7200rpm, or try a larger 4TB SSHD which has the bonus of the partial flash storage, but apparently it does run slower at 5200RPM. So which option would be better? A normal HDD which runs at 7200rpm, or a SSHD which runs slower, but has the flash storage to give random speed boosts.

I watched some videos of SSHD's and the graphs showed them running almost as fast as SSD's, but it didn't explain if that is the regular speed or the random speed, which you don't see all the time.

PS. I know I could run an SSD with an HDD, but I don't like managing multiple storage devices. So it is one or the other.

[The Grapist]

SSHD's just use an algorithm to Cache your most used files. Usually they are mainly consitent of your OS files at boot, and stuff like that.

ALTHOUGH, Since the 4TB HDD has so much space the seek times should be less as it's much denser per platter.

[Pavol]

Originally posted by Viceroy:

SSHD's just use an algorithm to Cache your most used files. Usually they are mainly consitent of your OS files at boot, and stuff like that.

ALTHOUGH, Since the 4TB HDD has so much space the seek times should be less as it's much denser per platter.

What would give an overall faster or 'better' performance though? Like I said before the videos I watched about these hybrid drives showed them as being almost as fast as SSD's. But I don't know if that speed is just for the algorithm data or for everything.

Will the SSHD running at 5200rpm out perform the standard HDD running at 7200rpm by using the separate SSD partition to it's advantage?

[The Grapist]

Originally posted by Sun:

Originally posted by Viceroy:

SSHD's just use an algorithm to Cache your most used files. Usually they are mainly consitent of your OS files at boot, and stuff like that.

ALTHOUGH, Since the 4TB HDD has so much space the seek times should be less as it's much denser per platter.

What would give an overall faster or 'better' performance though? Like I said before the videos I watched about these hybrid drives showed them as being almost as fast as SSD's. But I don't know if that speed is just for the algorithm data or for everything.

I think what it boils down to is OOO operations.
OOO Means out of order, so when you run something like a new game, it's going to perform at the 5400RPM 4TB Hard drive level. There is not going to be any SSD utilizations as it's the first time it has been ran. I'd probably stick with the 2TB option and Get a 64GB SSD to install the OS on. The 7200RPM Drive is going to be obviously faster drive, but not as large as one might think, as I said before the Platter density is so large 5400RPM acts a lot faster. If you Don't absolutley need 4TB than i'd go with the 2TB. Or get two 2TB drives and RAID0 Them?

[Pavol]

Originally posted by Viceroy:

Originally posted by Sun:

What would give an overall faster or 'better' performance though? Like I said before the videos I watched about these hybrid drives showed them as being almost as fast as SSD's. But I don't know if that speed is just for the algorithm data or for everything.

I think what it boils down to is OOO operations.
OOO Means out of order, so when you run something like a new game, it's going to perform at the 5400RPM 4TB Hard drive level. There is not going to be any SSD utilizations as it's the first time it has been ran. I'd probably stick with the 2TB option and Get a 64GB SSD to install the OS on. The 7200RPM Drive is going to be obviously faster drive, but not as large as one might think, as I said before the Platter density is so large 5400RPM acts a lot faster. If you Don't absolutley need 4TB than i'd go with the 2TB. Or get two 2TB drives and RAID0 Them?

I was wanting some more storage, all the files I have add up to about 3TB, I have an almost full PC and an external drive with files on it. So I need more storage, but the higher storage SSHD has a slower base speed. I know I could get an SSD, but I want to run 1 storage unit and also that little SSD would hold next to nothing.

What I probably need is a 4TB 7200rpm HHD then. Sure an SSD would be fast, but it would only have the OS on it and nothing else would change, it wouldn't help expand the storage either because I need at least an extra 1TB and a 1TB SSD costs hundreds.

What do you think? Large 7200 rpm HDD sounds like the only option?

[The Grapist]

Originally posted by Sun:

Originally posted by Viceroy:

I think what it boils down to is OOO operations.
OOO Means out of order, so when you run something like a new game, it's going to perform at the 5400RPM 4TB Hard drive level. There is not going to be any SSD utilizations as it's the first time it has been ran. I'd probably stick with the 2TB option and Get a 64GB SSD to install the OS on. The 7200RPM Drive is going to be obviously faster drive, but not as large as one might think, as I said before the Platter density is so large 5400RPM acts a lot faster. If you Don't absolutley need 4TB than i'd go with the 2TB. Or get two 2TB drives and RAID0 Them?

I was wanting some more storage, all the files I have add up to about 3TB, I have an almost full PC and an external drive with files on it. So I need more storage, but the higher storage SSHD has a slower base speed. I know I could get an SSD, but I want to run 1 storage unit and also that little SSD would hold next to nothing.

What I probably need is a 4TB 7200rpm HHD then. Sure an SSD would be fast, but it would only have the OS on it and nothing else would change, it wouldn't help expand the storage either because I need at least an extra 1TB and a 1TB SSD costs hundreds.

What do you think? Large 7200 rpm HDD sounds like the only option?

Well, if you have 2 slots, I'd get two 2TB 7200RPM drives and set them up in RAID-0.
That way you get the full 4TB you need, double the speed effectively of a 7200RPM drive since the files are split between the drives, and it's seen as one physical drive to the operating system.

That seems to fit the book?

[Pavol]

Originally posted by Viceroy:

Originally posted by Sun:

I was wanting some more storage, all the files I have add up to about 3TB, I have an almost full PC and an external drive with files on it. So I need more storage, but the higher storage SSHD has a slower base speed. I know I could get an SSD, but I want to run 1 storage unit and also that little SSD would hold next to nothing.

What I probably need is a 4TB 7200rpm HHD then. Sure an SSD would be fast, but it would only have the OS on it and nothing else would change, it wouldn't help expand the storage either because I need at least an extra 1TB and a 1TB SSD costs hundreds.

What do you think? Large 7200 rpm HDD sounds like the only option?

Well, if you have 2 slots, I'd get two 2TB 7200RPM drives and set them up in RAID-0.
That way you get the full 4TB you need, double the speed effectively of a 7200RPM drive since the files are split between the drives, and it's seen as one physical drive to the operating system.

That seems to fit the book?

I don't know anything about RAID, so you have two drives and it reads them as a single drive?

[The Grapist]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE7Bfw9lFfs

I don't really care for the guy in the video, but he hit it on the head.
Basically the data is split between the two drives, and they work together to be one physical hard drive. Each one takes half of the file, and saves it. Then, when you load the file, the Drive only has to load half of the file on each drive. So theoretically you get twice the speed as on single drive. The computer sees this setup as one drive, since all of the data is manipulation is done at a hardware level.

[Pavol]

Originally posted by Viceroy:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE7Bfw9lFfs

I don't really care for the guy in the video, but he hit it on the head.
Basically the data is split between the two drives, and they work together to be one physical hard drive. Each one takes half of the file, and saves it. Then, when you load the file, the Drive only has to load half of the file on each drive. So theoretically you get twice the speed as on single drive. The computer sees this setup as one drive, since all of the data is manipulation is done at a hardware level.

That does sound like a great way to sort all of this out. Do you need the two drives to be the same? I have a 2TB Seagate Barracuda, could I buy another one use RAID with them?

[Azza ☠]

SSHD - Is normally a slower HDD ( 5400RPM ) with a small SSD cache ( only 8GB ). The design is done for people that don't want to setup or just have a single SATA connector available in their PC. Mostly it's ideal for Laptops.

If your motherboard support "Intel Smart Response", you can create you own larger and faster version.

Just get a 64-128GB SSD...
Recommend: 128GB Samsung SSD 850 PRO

Install into your system on another SATA cable, but don't format or use it.

Download and install "Intel Rapid Response" from Intel:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/

Boot to BIOS (normally F2 upon system starting), and configure the SATA controller to "RAID" mode.

You should get an accelerate option under Intel Rapid Response now. Double-click the RST icon, and in the resulting control panel click the Accelerate menu button; then select the SSD and specify how much storage space to dedicate to Smart Response Technology. SRT can use up to 64GB of SSD space for caching.

Select the HDD you want to accelerate and apply maximum performance.

It will automatically do the rest for you like the SSHD. Caching most commonly used files and games into that SSD cache. Plus you can cancel it at any time and it will go back to a normal HDD. You didn't even need to move or reinstall anything on that HDD for it to work the same.

Now you have larger and faster HDD ( 7200RPM ) with a much larger SSD cache ( 64GB ).

[˜lokkandload˜™]

The Seagate 2 and 4Gb SSHDs are fully 7200RPM SATA 3/6Gb and have 8Gb of SSD Flash, I'm not sure why you think they aren't 7200RPM.

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST2000DX001/dp/B00EIQTKAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432152383&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+hybrid+2tb

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Cache-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST4000DX001/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432152606&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+hybrid+4tb


Check the specs and description at the bottom of the page. Both are 7200rpm SATA3. I use the 2Tb and its fast as hell.

[Pavol]

Originally posted by Azza ☠:

SSHD - Is normally a slower HDD ( 5400RPM ) with a small SSD cache ( only 8GB ). The design is done for people that don't want to setup or just have a single SATA connector available in their PC. Mostly it's ideal for Laptops.

If your motherboard support "Intel Smart Response", you can create you own larger and faster version.

Just get a 64-128GB SSD...
Recommend: 128GB Samsung SSD 850 PRO

Install into your system on another SATA cable, but don't format or use it.

Download and install "Intel Rapid Response" from Intel:
https://downloadcenter.intel.com/

Boot to BIOS (normally F2 upon system starting), and configure the SATA controller to "RAID" mode.

You should get an accelerate option under Intel Rapid Response now. Double-click the RST icon, and in the resulting control panel click the Accelerate menu button; then select the SSD and specify how much storage space to dedicate to Smart Response Technology. SRT can use up to 64GB of SSD space for caching.

Select the HDD you want to accelerate and apply maximum performance.

It will automatically do the rest for you like the SSHD. Caching most commonly used files and games into that SSD cache. Plus you can cancel it at any time and it will go back to a normal HDD. You didn't even need to move or reinstall anything on that HDD for it to work the same.

Now you have larger and faster HDD ( 7200RPM ) with a much larger SSD cache ( 64GB ).

Adding a small SSD doesn't help really, I need at least another 1TB added and I don't want two storage units. Thanks though.

[Pavol]

Originally posted by ~Dirt Na$ty~™:

The Seagate 2 and 4Gb SSHDs are fully 7200RPM SATA 3/6Gb and have 8Gb of SSD Flash, I'm not sure why you think they aren't 7200RPM.

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST2000DX001/dp/B00EIQTKAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432152383&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+hybrid+2tb

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Cache-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST4000DX001/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432152606&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+hybrid+4tb


Check the specs and description at the bottom of the page. Both are 7200rpm SATA3. I use the 2Tb and its fast as hell.

I'm sure the 1TB & 2TB units were 7200 rpm and the 4TB was 5200 or something. When I found it I thought wtf that's a sneaky way of ripping people off.

[Pavol]

Just found it on your 4TB link its 5900 RPM. They reduce it for the higher capacity units. Cheeky Seagate.

http://imgur.com/HxUNw4z

[The Grapist]

Originally posted by Sun:

Originally posted by ~Dirt Na$ty~™:

The Seagate 2 and 4Gb SSHDs are fully 7200RPM SATA 3/6Gb and have 8Gb of SSD Flash, I'm not sure why you think they aren't 7200RPM.

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Desktop-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST2000DX001/dp/B00EIQTKAS/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432152383&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+hybrid+2tb

http://www.amazon.com/Seagate-Cache-3-5-Inch-Internal-ST4000DX001/dp/B00FQH7MQ2/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1432152606&sr=8-1&keywords=seagate+hybrid+4tb


Check the specs and description at the bottom of the page. Both are 7200rpm SATA3. I use the 2Tb and its fast as hell.

I'm sure the 1TB & 2TB units were 7200 rpm and the 4TB was 5200 or something. When I found it I thought wtf that's a sneaky way of ripping people off.

Back to the Raid 0 Question.

No, It doesn't matter which drives you choose.
As long as they are the same size you're fine. I once got a deal for 10 160GB SATA 7200RPM Maxtor hard drives, so I raid 0'd them all together. My god. I'd never seen speeds like that with hard drives before. If I remember correctly I was looking at like ~350MB/s Write and ~430MB/s read. Of course this was back when a 128GB SSD was like 300$.

If you want to use just a bunch of disks as storage (Say you have 5x 500GB, 2x 1TB, 4x 320GB) or something like that you bought at an Ebay Lot auction, you could even use RAID JBOD (Just a bunch of disks) and use them all as one disk. Just no speed improvements.

There are tons of options. I still think SSD's are too expensive though, and would advise away from the larger capacities unless you have a certain usage case. I have a 500GB 850 EVO in my Netbook, but that only has one drive bay.

[Pavol]

Originally posted by Viceroy:

Originally posted by Sun:

I'm sure the 1TB & 2TB units were 7200 rpm and the 4TB was 5200 or something. When I found it I thought wtf that's a sneaky way of ripping people off.

Back to the Raid 0 Question.

No, It doesn't matter which drives you choose.
As long as they are the same size you're fine. I once got a deal for 10 160GB SATA 7200RPM Maxtor hard drives, so I raid 0'd them all together. My god. I'd never seen speeds like that with hard drives before. If I remember correctly I was looking at like ~350MB/s Write and ~430MB/s read. Of course this was back when a 128GB SSD was like 300$.

If you want to use just a bunch of disks as storage (Say you have 5x 500GB, 2x 1TB, 4x 320GB) or something like that you bought at an Ebay Lot auction, you could even use RAID JBOD (Just a bunch of disks) and use them all as one disk. Just no speed improvements.

There are tons of options. I still think SSD's are too expensive though, and would advise away from the larger capacities unless you have a certain usage case. I have a 500GB 850 EVO in my Netbook, but that only has one drive bay.

I'd like to try the RAID option and buy another 2TB HDD like the one I have. But I don't know how difficult it is to set up. Is it worth taking a look at or is it a long and complicated process?