HDDs with less cache are more expensive?

[r0otctrl]

I'm looking to add some more storage, but I'm confused since drives with less cache are more expensive for some reason. Does anybody know why this is the case or what the differences are between the following models?

4TB -- 256MB Cache -- $123.00 (ST4000DM004)

vs

4TB -- 64MB Cache -- $124.99 (ST4000DM005)

3TB -- 256MB Cache -- $102.99 (ST3000DM007)

vs

3TB -- 64MB Cache -- $109.99 (ST3000DM008)

 

I can't even find the 64MB Cache models on Seagate's own website...

 

Thanks!!

 

[Electronics Wizardy]

The ones with more cache are old models and aren't sold by newegg. There just clearing old stock. THe newer ones will be faster due to different platter densities. You really can't compare the amount of cache in a hdd.

[r0otctrl]

6 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

The ones with more cache are old models and aren't sold by newegg. There just clearing old stock. THe newer ones will be faster due to different platter densities. You really can't compare the amount of cache in a hdd.

What exactly does platter density mean? The "storage" is squeezed into a tighter space on the disk?

Also, why aren't the "newer" drives listed on Seagate's website?

[Electronics Wizardy]

6 minutes ago, r0otctrl said:

What exactly does platter density mean? The "storage" is squeezed into a tighter space on the disk?

Also, why aren't the "newer" drives listed on Seagate's website?

IDk why.

 

But from those drives, id just get the cheapest, they will be basically the same

 

The denser the platter the more data you get per rotation.

[r0otctrl]

21 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

The denser the platter the more data you get per rotation.

Thanks.

 

Well, the 3TB 64MB cache model has a higher RPM, so I'd spend the extra $7 for that.

You'd think Seagate would list the newer drives on their website, not old drives???

[Electronics Wizardy]

22 minutes ago, r0otctrl said:

Thanks.

 

Well, the 3TB 64MB cache model has a higher RPM, so I'd spend the extra $7 for that.

You'd think Seagate would list the newer drives on their website, not old drives???

what are you using the drive for?

 

The rpm often doesn't matter and faster rpm doesn't always mean its faster.

 

 

[Boomwebsearch]

1 hour ago, r0otctrl said:

Also, why aren't the "newer" drives listed on Seagate's website?

I think that this is something which seagate would be able to answer @seagate_surfer although my theory is that the drives are being advertised differently with one of them being for different uses although I am not really sure about that.

 

1 hour ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

The ones with more cache are old models and aren't sold by newegg. There just clearing old stock. THe newer ones will be faster due to different platter densities. You really can't compare the amount of cache in a hdd.

You can compare the cache of a hard drive if they are the same model of drive. If you want a drive with more cache then that model with more cache would be better for you although the difference is basically inside the drive and it is because when the data is able to be read with less movement in general (due to data being in a generally closer area), the speed at which you can write increases. The best way to compare drives would be by their speed benchmarks which are a good indicator of their performance and can be used to compare different drives. Although in general having more cache is not a bad thing and would be better than a drive with the same model having a lower amount of it.

 

41 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

The rpm often doesn't matter and faster rpm doesn't always mean its faster.

 

 I agree with this because the term, RPM, refers to the calculation of how many times the disk/s revolve around within one minute and that is basically how fast the drive is rotating. Sometimes this can mean better performance (although more power consumption) although that is not always true. Usually, laptops use drives with a lower RPM to save battery life and be more efficient in general.

[r0otctrl]

59 minutes ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

what are you using the drive for?

 

The rpm often doesn't matter and faster rpm doesn't always mean its faster.

 

 

Storing large files

[r0otctrl]

23 minutes ago, Boomwebsearch said:

I think that this is something which seagate would be able to answer @seagate_surfer although my theory is that the drives are being advertised differently with one of them being for different uses although I am not really sure about that.

 

You can compare the cache of a hard drive if they are the same model of drive. If you want a drive with more cache then that model with more cache would be better for you although the difference is basically inside the drive and it is because when the data is able to be read with less movement in general (due to data being in a generally closer area), the speed at which you can write increases. The best way to compare drives would be by their speed benchmarks which are a good indicator of their performance and can be used to compare different drives. Although in general having more cache is not a bad thing and would be better than a drive with the same model having a lower amount of it.

 

 I agree with this because the term, RPM, refers to the calculation of how many times the disk/s revolve around within one minute and that is basically how fast the drive is rotating. Sometimes this can mean better performance (although more power consumption) although that is not always true. Usually, laptops use drives with a lower RPM to save battery life and be more efficient in general.

Very informative. Thanks.

[seagate_surfer]

22 minutes ago, Boomwebsearch said:

I think that this is something which seagate would be able to answer @seagate_surfer although my theory is that the drives are being advertised differently with one of them being for different uses although I am not really sure about that.

Hello Boomwebsearch,

 

Our drives are divided in external and internal, each one has one use/application that's specific to the model, please let me know what device you are looking for:

External: https://www.seagate.com/consumer/ 

Internal: https://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/

 

[r0otctrl]

Just now, seagate_surfer said:

Hello Boomwebsearch,

 

Our drives are divided in external and internal, each one has one use/application that's specific to the model, please let me know what device you are looking for:

External: https://www.seagate.com/consumer/ 

Internal: https://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/

 

Refer to the original post.

I'm wondering how each drive stacks up against the other??

I can't even find the two 64MB cache drives on your website...

[Stefan Payne]

2 hours ago, r0otctrl said:

I'm looking to add some more storage, but I'm confused since drives with less cache are more expensive for some reason. Does anybody know why this is the case or what the differences are between the following models?

CMR vs SMR

The more cache versions have a different recording technology that requires more Cache.

[seagate_surfer]

11 minutes ago, r0otctrl said:

Refer to the original post.

I'm wondering how each drive stacks up against the other??

I can't even find the two 64MB cache drives on your website...

 

I see, please look at the models under 3.5-INCH MODELS section, I also looked for the model numbers you posted but I couldn't see them, most likely because those models had a revision, I'll get back to this post tomorrow and for the moment the most recent model numbers are these ones:

• https://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/hdd/barracuda/#specs-3-5

[r0otctrl]

3 minutes ago, seagate_surfer said:

 

I see, please look at the models under 3.5-INCH MODELS section, I also looked for the model numbers you posted but I couldn't see them, most likely because those models had a revision, I'll get back to this post tomorrow and for the moment the most recent model numbers are these ones:

• https://www.seagate.com/internal-hard-drives/hdd/barracuda/#specs-3-5

Yeah, I've checked your website already. I mentioned that in the original post. I'll be awaiting your response tomorrow!

[r0otctrl]

23 minutes ago, Stefan Payne said:

CMR vs SMR

The more cache versions have a different recording technology that requires more Cache.

Interesting. We are getting somewhere!

Are the new drives (4TB ...004, 3TB ...007) SMR?

I found this, but what is CMR?

[Stefan Payne]

7 hours ago, r0otctrl said:

I found this, but what is CMR?

Conventional Magnetic Recording

In contrast with that other one...

 

 

[seagate_surfer]

I am still waiting for some responses from another departments, the model number ST3000DM008 and ST4000DM005 for the moment need to be found by using our search engine located at the top right hand corner in our website. I will paste the link to these products description for your convenience, just look for the links "BarraCuda 3TB Product Manual" and "BarraCuda 4TB Product Manual" to see the specs, when you look at the manual you will notice it also applies to several other models:

• https://www.seagate.com/support/internal-hard-drives/desktop-hard-drives/barracuda-3-5/?sku=ST4000DM005#support

I still owe you the reason why it cannot be seen at first. The models remain but with each revision some things change, packaging, cache memory, labels, firmware number, etc... I am just assuming that it is just due to the revision number, they want to reflect the most updated data for our models and their corresponding revisions.