Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Seagate Momentus XT

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Seagate Momentus XT

    While there's lots of coverage of either SSD or tradition HD's around, I'm having a hard time finding anything about how Seagate's new hybrid drive works under Linux. I need to upgrade the disk in my laptop anyways, and am trying to decide if the extra ~$60CAD is worth spending for the hybrid drive VS a regular Momentus 7200.4. I'm doing this for both a capacity and speed upgrade (currently a 320GB 5400rpm drive), so I don't need people recommending a pure SSD that'll be too small and too expensive.

    A full-on review on Phoronix would be great - but anyone with experience with the drive under any Linux distro would be very helpful for me in making that decision.

  • #2
    +1

    I would also be happy to read this review or any user experience details.

    Thanks,

    Comment


    • #3
      "new" hybrid disks? Not really -- they've been selling hybrid disks for quite a while now.

      Think of hybrid disks as a magnetic disk with a NAND CACHE. It uses some proprietary algorithm to select what data is cached to the NAND in order to improve the performance of that particular data -- most likely it'll give you a partial boost in random read. Hybrid isn't going to magically make your machine super duper fast and the proprietary algorithms are no substitute for a proper understanding of YOUR USE.

      In general, it is a better idea to have a SMALL SSD and a BIG MAG. Things that you know need to be READ fast go on the SSD. Things that you know need to be WRITTEN fast go on the MAG.

      Comment


      • #4
        Hi,

        I have a Momentus XT 500GiB in my laptop since a few weeks and it is great: Turning on the Laptop to complete Ubuntu Desktop takes ca. 10 seconds (Grub delay set to 0). The previous WD Caviar Blue 500GiB takes more than double than that. Firefox with 30+ tabs opens very fast, as well as other apps I use regularly. BFS is still experimental, so I am running EXT4 on it, no special "SSD" settings applied.

        droidhacker might be correct to use a SSD and some storage device. However, my Laptop has only one 2.5" bay, so no two drives and an external disc is useless, as I would have to carry it with me all the time.

        For me personally and my use cases, this drive is perfect: More than enough storage, great speed (when things are in cache), quiet. I am currently considering that very same drive for my desktop machine...

        Comment


        • #5
          BFS? Brain Fu*k Scheduler?

          I think you mean BTRFS.

          BFS is DOA. Total piece of garbage.

          Comment


          • #6
            Asariati: Thanks for the reply - I think next time I'm near my local favorite parts store I'll pick one up.

            droidhacker: You're an idiot, go troll somewhere else. I know what a hybrid drive is, and that for a desktop machine most people recommend a SSD + magnetic disk. My first post quite clearly states that this is for a laptop, and though I didn't specify, the chances I have one capable of dual-drives is very slim (It's a 12" convertible multi-touch tablet - I'm lucky it fits an optical drive). Your second post just tries to take my thread even farther off-topic.


            I'd still love to see a full review of this drive done at Phoronix comparing it to some other options for us linux-laptop users. I'm reasonably certain that Seagate tuned the caching algorithm based more on Windows access patterns, and even all the windows-based reviews of it I've read have been a mixed bag.

            Comment


            • #7
              Well that's flagged.
              3 posts and talking like that?

              And you clearly have NO CLUE about laptops -- did you know that a lot of laptop SSD's go in the PCIe slot and not in the SATA slot? Wow, imagine that... you laptop can fit both at the same time.

              Comment

              Working...
              X