Hard drive dilema.... 2.5" or 3.5"?

**3Tripnip** · 01-14-2006, 12:17 AM

OK, here's the deal. I am building my carputer right now, and I misread the specs of the case. I thought it said it can hold one 2.5" hard drive, when in fact it can hold a 3.5" hard drive. Unfortunately, I already ordered the hard drive and it arrived today. It's a Hitachi 80gb 7200rpm notebook hard drive. If I return it, I have to cover shipping and a 15% restocking fee (got it from Newegg). However, I could get a good chunk of my money back and buy a bigger 3.5" drive.

Couple of question that I need feedback on:

-Is 80gb enough? Has anyone filled a drive bigger than that?

-Should I stick with the 2.5" since I already have it and take advantage of the smaller size, less heat, etc?

-Should I return it and get a 3.5" hard drive?

I'm gonna be running a M2-ATX PSU, so I'm sure it can handle the 3.5" drive. Thoughts? Any feedback would be great. Thanks!

-Ben

**Caelric** · 01-14-2006, 12:27 AM

2.5" are generally built a bit more shock resistant, since they are generally intended as laptop HD's, so you would have that going for you

As you said, less heat, and less power is always better as well.

Try and figure out what you are putting on the drive to determine of 80 gB is enough for you or not. My laptop drive is 100 gB, and I have 20 gB of mp3's on there, 4 games, including Civ 4, and probably about 10 gB of other personnel data, and I still have about 40gB free. You may be different. I know I don't have any movies on my laptop, and those can take up a good bit of room. It all depends on what you plan on putting on there.

Dave

**EsKALad** · 01-14-2006, 12:30 AM

hey 3trip. i have a 200 gig west digital drive...wanna trade and ill throw extra 50 through paypal? i was just about to buy the same drive from neweggg whadya say?