WD Green vs Blue

[Noyu]

Planning to get one (prolly in the 3TB or more range).

 

In my go-to shop, they are priced EXACTLY THE SAME.

 

Haven't checked with other shops yet but let's just assume for now that it will be same.

 

This will be used for storage of Movies/TV Shows/Pictures/Music, every little file that will not be on my SSD.

 

I will be accessing the files everyday though (since I tend to watch movies/tv shows while playing).

 

Any thoughts?

 

P.S. I already checked Seagate "Desktop HDDs", they're a tad bit pricier.

 

[Samfisher]

Old Blues stopped at 1TB.  If you see a WD Blue larger than that, it's the new rebrand where they merged Green and Blue, so either will be exactly the same.

[Enderman]

blue is better, its quite a bit faster

[spaiduhz]

think blues as common use hdd for when you dont want to pay the premium of blacks. and green as low power alternatives for stuff you dont need frequent read/write access.

 

i use greens for my use case scenario. which is similar to yours.

 

ssd as boot. black as intermediary for my game/large application installs. green for long term storage like backups, and videos.

[Clyne]

How much is a Seagate there, since the blue is 5400RPM while the Green has some adaptive RPM mode that goes everywhere while the Seagate desktop is 5900RPM.

If there's a drive that offers more GB/price but it's more expensive then you should get it.

Had a choice between 59 dollars for a WD Green 2TB or a Seagate Desktop 4TB for 88 dollars.

For everyone who thinks blues are faster, they aren't in the 2TB+ range.

They run at 5400RPM...

[Noyu]

Old Blues stopped at 1TB.  If you see a WD Blue larger than that, it's the new rebrand where they merged Green and Blue, so either will be exactly the same.

AAAAAAAAAAAH. hence the exact, same, price. ok ok thanks for this. basically no point in choosing between them now

but wait, when they merged green and blue, did they also remove the "adaptive rpm mode" thingy. This is what catches my fancy.

I'm not exactly going for performance here since I already have a 250GB SSD.

 

How much is a Seagate there, since the blue is 5400RPM while the Green has some adaptive RPM mode that goes everywhere while the Seagate desktop is 5900RPM.

If there's a drive that offers more GB/price but it's more expensive then you should get it.

Had a choice between 59 dollars for a WD Green 2TB or a Seagate Desktop 4TB for 88 dollars.

For everyone who thinks blues are faster, they aren't in the 2TB+ range.

They run at 5400RPM...

Seagates are 6-7$ more expensive on the same size. soooo yea. WD it is I guess. Unless Seagate has some "eco-power bla bla"

[Samfisher]

AAAAAAAAAAAH. hence the exact, same, price. ok ok thanks for this. basically no point in choosing between them now

but wait, when they merged green and blue, did they also remove the "adaptive rpm mode" thingy. This is what catches my fancy.

I'm not exactly going for performance here since I already have a 250GB SSD.

 

Seagates are 6-7$ more expensive on the same size. soooo yea. WD it is I guess. Unless Seagate has some "eco-power bla bla"

No, the aren't removed but look at the model name.  The last letter determines spindle speed. Z means 5,400RPM while X is 7,200RPM

[Noyu]

No, the aren't removed but look at the model name.  The last letter determines spindle speed. Z means 5,400RPM while X is 7,200RPM

okay. this case is solved then..

 

thank you very much (I'm sorry, I could've answered the question myself if I did research before asking hahaha)

[Captain_WD]

~snip~

 

Hey there Noyu

 

As @Samfisher explained, WD Green gets integrated into the WD Blue line hence the similar specs and price. Here's all the WD Blue models with their rpm and model numbers:

http://i.imgur.com/gnwg8Vm.png

 

For the purpose of watching movies and simply storing general data and media I would say that both drive would do a perfectly good job. you would hardly notice any difference between them. You can compare their specs (speed, noise, power consumption, etc.) on their spec sheets and see which one seems more appealing:

WD Blue: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=g5P4C8

WD Green: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=3mbcrJ

 

Feel free to ask if you happen to have questions  

 

Captain_WD.

[Clyne]

AAAAAAAAAAAH. hence the exact, same, price. ok ok thanks for this. basically no point in choosing between them now

but wait, when they merged green and blue, did they also remove the "adaptive rpm mode" thingy. This is what catches my fancy.

I'm not exactly going for performance here since I already have a 250GB SSD.

Seagates are 6-7$ more expensive on the same size. soooo yea. WD it is I guess. Unless Seagate has some "eco-power bla bla"

Depends if you want the extra 500RPM speed for 6-7 more dollars. Blue is at 5400RPM with 64mb cache while desktop Seagate has 5900RPM with 64mb cache.

[Noyu]

 

Hey there Noyu

 

As @Samfisher explained, WD Green gets integrated into the WD Blue line hence the similar specs and price. Here's all the WD Blue models with their rpm and model numbers:

http://i.imgur.com/gnwg8Vm.png

 

For the purpose of watching movies and simply storing general data and media I would say that both drive would do a perfectly good job. you would hardly notice any difference between them. You can compare their specs (speed, noise, power consumption, etc.) on their spec sheets and see which one seems more appealing:

WD Blue: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=g5P4C8

WD Green: http://products.wdc.com/support/kb.ashx?id=3mbcrJ

 

Feel free to ask if you happen to have questions

 

Captain_WD.

 

Thanks for the addt'l input. Will be purchasing them first thing next year. )

 

Depends if you want the extra 500RPM speed for 6-7 more dollars. Blue is at 5400RPM with 64mb cache while desktop Seagate has 5900RPM with 64mb cache.

Nope. More RPM = more noise = more heat.

[Clyne]

Thanks for the addt'l input. Will be purchasing them first thing next year. )

 

Nope. More RPM = more noise = more heat.

Not much, it depends on the amount of platters too.

[techguru]

Im a little worried about the wd blue line now....since the greens are being integrated..and they are much less reliable...does that mean the blues are going down in quality or up in quality...basically...are they using the higher quality parts for the greens now from the blues or the lower quality parts in the blues from the greens now...the blacks are obviously the best..but too expensive as well

[Noyu]

....since the greens are being integrated..and they are much less reliable...

hmmm. greens are much less reliable? I thought the only con from having a green vs a blue is the "eco-power" thing which the user has no control over.

 

@Captain_WD care to explain his point? ahahaha

[flexluthor]

Where are you located in the Philippines? Because a 3TB Seagate only costs P100($2.11) more compared to a 3TB WD in my local computer store.

[techguru]

hmmm. greens are much less reliable? I thought the only con from having a green vs a blue is the "eco-power" thing which the user has no control over.

 

@Captain_WD care to explain his point? ahahaha

no theres a defiant quality diff

[Noyu]

Where are you located in the Philippines? Because a 3TB Seagate only costs P100($2.11) more compared to a 3TB WD in my local computer store.

I'm in the metro. I check prices from TPC. Besides, even with the 100 price difference, if the advantage is just performance and no other, I'm going for the WD. Since I don't explicitly need performance

 

no theres a defiant quality diff

source please

[flexluthor]

I'm in the metro. I check prices from TPC. Besides, even with the 100 price difference, if the advantage is just performance and no other, I'm going for the WD. Since I don't explicitly need performance

 

So you would rather have a 5400rpm drive than a 7200rpm one since it costs $2.11 less. Okay I'm done.

[Noyu]

So you would rather have a 5400rpm drive than a 7200rpm one since it costs $2.11 less. Okay I'm done.

 

YES COZ I'M NOT CHOOSING FOR PERFORMANCE. AGH.

[flexluthor]

YES COZ I'M NOT CHOOSING FOR PERFORMANCE. AGH.

 

I don't care if you're not into performance because like it or not you will read a file in your hard drive, copy/write unto/from it and also defrag it. My lunch costs $2, do you think it's a good investment to have a 5400rpm rather than a 7200rpm? And refrain from going all caps, it shows what breeding you have.

[Noyu]

I don't care if you're not into performance because like it or not you will read a file in your hard drive, copy/write unto/from it and also defrag it. My lunch costs $2, do you think it's a good investment to have a 5400rpm rather than a 7200rpm? And refrain from going all caps, it shows what breeding you have.

5400 rpm = less speed = less noise = less heat = less power draw = slightly less performance = slightly better reliability.

 

Again, I'm not in for the performance.

[flexluthor]

5400 rpm = less speed = less noise = less heat = less power draw = slightly less performance = slightly better reliability.

 

Again, I'm not in for the performance.

 

This is just sad. Okay I'll be the one to burst your bubble:

 

1. less speed = less performance

2. less noise = I actually went a full month without hearing my Barracuda, heck even my electric fan (on 1) 6ft from me makes more noise 

3. less heat = My Barracuda sits at 41-42°C

4. less power draw = The most savings you could get out of in a year would probably be around $2-$3.

5. slightly less performance = If by "slightly" you mean more or less double the performance. Watch this and compare how long the open office opened on a 5400rpm and a 7200rpm 

 

I believe you think you know more than you do. I wish the best of luck to you and hopefully in the future, I can see you here in the forums well-informed.

[Noyu]

This is just sad. Okay I'll be the one to burst your bubble:

 

1. less speed = less performance

2. less noise = I actually went a full month without hearing my Barracuda, heck even my electric fan (on 1) 6ft from me makes more noise 

3. less heat = My Barracuda sits at 41-42°C

4. less power draw = The most savings you could get out of in a year would probably be around $2-$3.

5. slightly less performance = If by "slightly" you mean more or less double the performance. Watch this and compare how long the open office opened on a 5400rpm and a 7200rpm 

~snip~

 

I believe you think you know more than you do. I wish the best of luck to you and hopefully in the future, I can see you here in the forums well-informed.

1.) Yes, agreed. But not entirely. But for now, agreed.

2.) Noise is relative. Running at a lower speed MIGHT lower noise too. So your experience does not matter.

3.) If your Barracuda sits at 41-42°C, what's stopping a 5400rpm drive to run lower than that. The actual temperature doesn't matter. It's the idea of "this drive will run cooler than this drive" that matters.

4.) Yes, agreed. Savings is still savings..

5.) ~~

 

You still don't understand my point. This HD will only be for storage. The only time that it will run is when I'm transferring files to/from it, AND, when I'm playing movies/music from it. I DO NOT need the performance advantage. I currently have an SSD to deal with everything that "runs" on my PC.

 

Upon checking the spec sheets at 3-4TB, Seagate's "Desktop HDD" does not specify an RPM (these may be running at 5900 for all we care). I think these are just rebranded Barracudas so most probably running at 7200 rpm.

It is specified that the 3TB runs at 210 MB/s transfer rate, which is >50 MB/s higher than a 3TB WD Blue (I can now see where you are coming from.)

However on a 4TB, the speed difference goes down to about 20 MB/s.

 

Even with all of this, I am still going for the WD Blue. It is just common sense that if the drives run slower, relatively, the drive life will be better.

Regarding the performance, yes it will show a performance drag when transferring files, but when just watching movies and stuff, I doubt it'll show.

BUT, if someone can confirm that these Seagate drives run at 5400~5900RPM. I might go with the Seagate and eventually thank you for your relentless replies to this thread.

 

Yes I may not know a lot, since I have zero experience in high storage drives. But I think, I have read enough though to warrant my own choice and opinion.

[flexluthor]

1.) Yes, agreed. But not entirely. But for now, agreed.

2.) Noise is relative. Running at a lower speed MIGHT lower noise too. So your experience does not matter.

3.) If your Barracuda sits at 41-42°C, what's stopping a 5400rpm drive to run lower than that. The actual temperature doesn't matter. It's the idea of "this drive will run cooler than this drive" that matters.

4.) Yes, agreed. Savings is still savings..

5.) ~~

 

You still don't understand my point. This HD will only be for storage. The only time that it will run is when I'm transferring files to/from it, AND, when I'm playing movies/music from it. I DO NOT need the performance advantage. I currently have an SSD to deal with everything that "runs" on my PC.

 

Upon checking the spec sheets at 3-4TB, Seagate's "Desktop HDD" does not specify an RPM (these may be running at 5900 for all we care). I think these are just rebranded Barracudas so most probably running at 7200 rpm.

It is specified that the 3TB runs at 210 MB/s transfer rate, which is >50 MB/s higher than a 3TB WD Blue (I can now see where you are coming from.)

However on a 4TB, the speed difference goes down to about 20 MB/s.

 

Even with all of this, I am still going for the WD Blue. It is just common sense that if the drives run slower, relatively, the drive life will be better.

Regarding the performance, yes it will show a performance drag when transferring files, but when just watching movies and stuff, I doubt it'll show.

BUT, if someone can confirm that these Seagate drives run at 5400~5900RPM. I might go with the Seagate and eventually thank you for your relentless replies to this thread.

 

Yes I may not know a lot, since I have zero experience in high storage drives. But I think, I have read enough though to warrant my own choice and opinion.

 

If you're having a WD Blue then why are we even having this conversation.

[Noyu]

If you're having a WD Blue then why are we even having this conversation

I don't know about you, you keep on insisting about the advantage of 7200rpm drives.