Carviar Blacks vs. VelociRaptor

[hmp_goose]

I'm helping a buddy plan out a new build, and we are juggling drive choices. We seem to have ~$440 for drives, and are going back and forth about the size of the SSD, and what the data drives should be. My boy loves VelociRaptors, but he just figured out two Carvair Blacks in a RAID 0 would be "better".

A RAID 0 is good for throughput, but what about I/0 (which my buddy says he likes)?

Or maybe the question should be "Would you rather have a 256GB SSD and a RAID 0 made out a' two 500GB Carviars, or a 128GB SSD and a VelociRaptor?"

 

[sminlal]

The reason you pay extra for a 10,000RPM Velociraptor drive is because it has faster access times than a 7200RPM drive. RAID doesn't change that - it can improve transfer rates but access times will be no better. So if you're considering Velociraptors for the right reason in the first place then two Black drives in RAID-0 isn't going to do them any better.

 

[tecmo34]

^+1...

I would go with a 256GB SSD and a 1 TB drive (no need for a RAID setup). Use your SSD for OS, most used Apps and Games, than use the 1 TB drive for USER folders and all others Apps and Games.

 

[hmp_goose]

Best answer selected by hmp_goose.