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April Hard Drive Price Guide

By SharkyExtreme.com Staff : April 28, 2006

Introduction

Welcome to the Sharky Extreme Hard Drive Price Guide, which is a monthly feature that complements our CPU, Memory and Video Card prices guides. This will help provide a snap-shot of the overall market, and follows the same basic pattern as our weekly and monthly price guides. We'll start off with individual price lists for both Parallel and Serial ATA drives, and then by using various sorted lists, move into a more detailed look at overall value and pricing.

The hard drive price lists are not meant to duplicate the vendor selection of online price engines like PriceWatch or PriceGrabber, but instead will present an overview of the PATA and SATA hard drive marketplace. We have included a wide range of desktop hard drives from the most popular manufacturers, as well as ensuring a wide selection of capacities and features.

* Please note that unless otherwise stated (using an Retail designation) the listed hard drives are OEM models.

* All listed hard drives are 7200 RPM, other than (as noted) the 10K WD Raptor models

Parallel ATA Hard Drives

The Parallel ATA hard drive selection rivals that of SATA, and the market is still quite strong. For standard desktop use, these range from basic 80GB models with 2-MB of cache, all the way up to a monster 400GB and 500GB drives with 8-MB and 16-MB of cache. These are the two extremes, and the most popular models strike a nice balance, usually sitting in the 200GB to 320GB range, and sporting 8MB of internal cache. We've got all the angles covered in our PATA hard drive price list, and along with the usual drive, price and price change columns, we've also included one for $/GB (cost per GB) and model number.

The start of 2006 showed very consistent Parallel ATA drive prices, but since then, things have really been heating up. April has been no different, and we have another seven double-digit price cuts to report, along with virtually no movement at the other end of the chart - the biggest price increase was only $4. The largest price cuts included $20 off the Hitachi 400GB, a $15 cut to the Maxtor DiamondMax 11 400GB, and a $12 drop to the Maxtor DiamondMax 11 500GB drive. The aggregate chart movement matches these figures and showed a $157 overall drop.


Parallel ATA Hard Drive Price List

Hard Drive
Price
Change
$/GB
Vendor
Model #
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$90
-$1
$0.56
Computer Giants
14R9248
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$93
-$5
$0.37
Mwave
0A31611
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$206
-$20
$0.52
Mwave
0A30228
Hitachi 500GB (8MB)
$336
$0
$0.67
ZipZoomFly
0A31613
Maxtor 80GB (2MB)
$54
$1
$0.68
Ajump.com
6Y080L0
Maxtor 80GB (8MB)
$60
-$2
$0.75
Computer Giants
6Y080P0
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
$0.63
Xtreme Gear
6Y120L0
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$72
n/a
$0.45
Computer Giants
6L160P0
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$90
-$10
$0.45
ZipZoomFly
6Y200P0
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$77
-$11
$0.48
XPCGear
6B160P0
Maxtor DM10 200GB (16MB)
$90
-$4
$0.45
Computer Giants
6B200P0
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$0
$0.38
Allstarshop
6B250R0
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$121
$0
$0.40
Allstarshop
6B300R0
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB)
$195
-$15
$0.49
ZipZoomFly
6H400R0
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB)
$286
-$12
$0.57
ZipZoomFly
6H500R0
Samsung SP 80GB (2MB)
$55
$0
$0.69
NewEgg
SP0822N
Samsung SP 120GB (8MB)
$84
$0
$0.70
Upgrade Nation
SP1213N
Samsung SP 160GB (2MB)
$73
-$8
$0.46
ZipZoomFly
SP1604N
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB)
$84
-$3
$0.42
ZipZoomFly
SP2014N
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$4
$0.36
ZipZoomFly
SP2514N
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB)
$116
$1
$0.39
Computer Giants
HD300LD
Seagate 80GB (2MB)
$49
-$2
$0.61
Ajump.com
ST380011A
Seagate 120GB (2MB)
$77
$4
$0.64
ZipZoomFly
ST3120022A
Seagate 120GB (8MB)
$82
$1
$0.68
Computer Giants
ST3120026A
Seagate 160GB (8MB)
$82
-$4
$0.51
ZipZoomFly
ST3160023A
Seagate 200GB (8MB)
$92
$0
$0.46
ZipZoomFly
ST3200822A
Seagate 250GB (8MB)
$94
-$2
$0.38
NewEgg
ST3250823A
Seagate 300GB (8MB)
$111
-$2
$0.37
ZipZoomFly
ST3300831A
Seagate 300GB (16MB)
$115
-$1
$0.38
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622A
Seagate 400GB (8MB)
$199
-$8
$0.50
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832A
Seagate 500GB (16MB)
$313
-$10
$0.63
TigerDirect
ST3500841A
Western Digital 80GB (2MB)
$50
-$2
$0.63
eWiz
WD800BB
Western Digital 120GB (2MB)
$69
$0
$0.58
ZipZoomFly
WD1200BB
Western Digital 160GB (2MB)
$69
-$7
$0.43
ZipZoomFly
WD1600BB
Western Digital 200GB (2MB)
$82
-$4
$0.41
ZipZoomFly
WD2000BB
Western Digital 250GB (2MB)
$84
-$11
$0.34
NewEgg
WD2500BB
Western Digital SE 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
$0.63
ZipZoomFly
WD800JB
Western Digital SE 120GB (8MB)
$69
-$2
$0.58
ZipZoomFly
WD1200JB
Western Digital SE 160GB (8MB)
$77
$0
$0.48
Ajump.com
WD1600JB
Western Digital SE 200GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
$0.40
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JB
Western Digital SE 250GB (8MB)
$83
-$5
$0.33
ZipZoomFly
WD2500JB
Western Digital SE 300GB (8MB)
$113
-$2
$0.38
Computer Giants
WD3000JB
Western Digital SE 320GB (8MB)
$109
-$1
$0.34
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JB
WD RAID Ed. 120GB (8MB)
$83
-$2
$0.69
Computer Giants
WD1200SB
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$90
$2
$0.56
NewEgg
WD1600SB
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$105
$0
$0.42
NewEgg
WD2500SB
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$135
-$2
$0.42
NewEgg
WD3200SB

Serial ATA Hard Drives

Serial ATA may be the interface of today, but SATA II/SATA 3.0 Gb/sec. (S2 in our charts) is the future, and the latest drive models are certainly making use of the new standard. Features such as NCQ and a higher overall data bandwidth really help take some SATA drives to a higher performance plane. For our selected brands and sizes, we've gone the same route as with our PATA list, and included everything from a standard 80GB model, to the top-of-the-line 500GB monstrosities and WD Raptor 10K RPM speed demons. As Serial ATA drives are a newer technology, these are decidedly high-end, even at the entry-level, sporting 8MB of cache and 7200 RPM speeds as the base minimum. Our SATA hard drive price list features entries for drives, prices and price changes, and columns for $/GB (cost per GB) and model number.

Once again, even in the face of significant PATA price movement, the Serial ATA chart still showed a higher overall chart drop, and more individual price cuts. The SATA aggregate chart movement was a very healthy $178 drop, which is a bit less than last month, but still very impressive. The individual cuts were not as deep either, but we still have eight that hit double digits, including the Western Digital 500GB (-$26), Seagate 7200.9 500GB (-$21), and Maxtor DiamondMax 11 500GB (-$14) drives. As with the Parallel ATA chart, there is very little upward price movement, with none hitting double digits, and nothing above $7.


Serial ATA Hard Drive Price List

Hard Drive
Price
Change
$/GB
Vendor
Model #
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$70
-$7
$0.44
ZipZoomFly
0A31637
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$97
-$5
$0.39
Mwave
0A31636
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$216
-$13
$0.54
Mwave
0A30229
Hitachi 500GB (16MB) S2
$350
-$8
$0.70
ZipZoomFly
0A31619
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
$0.63
Spartan Tech
6Y120M0
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
$0.50
Spartan Tech
6Y160M0
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$94
$0
$0.47
Spartan Tech
6Y200M0
Maxtor 250GB (8MB)
$92
$0
$0.37
eWiz
7Y250M0
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$76
-$3
$0.48
ZipZoomFly
6L160M0
Maxtor DM10 200GB (8MB)
$86
$0
$0.43
NewEgg
6L200M0
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$1
$0.38
ZipZoomFly
6L250S0
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$115
$0
$0.38
ZipZoomFly
6L300S0
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB) S2
$93
-$4
$0.37
NewEgg
6V250F0
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB) S2
$110
-$5
$0.37
ZipZoomFly
6V300F0
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB) S2
$195
-$5
$0.49
ZipZoomFly
6H400F0
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB) S2
$286
-$14
$0.57
Mwave
6H500F0
Samsung SP 160GB (8MB) S2
$73
-$11
$0.46
NewEgg
HD160JJ
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB) S2
$85
n/a
$0.43
ZipZoomFly
SP2004C
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB) S2
$87
-$8
$0.35
NewEgg
SP2504C
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB) S2
$125
n/a
$0.42
NewEgg
HD300LJ
Seagate 7200.9 80GB (8MB)
$56
n/a
$0.70
NewEgg
ST3808110AS
Seagate 120GB (8MB) NCQ
$81
$6
$0.68
Ajump.com
ST3120827AS
Seagate 7200.9 160GB (8MB)
$81
$0
$0.51
ZipZoomFly
ST3160812AS
Seagate 7200.9 200GB (8MB)
$93
n/a
$0.47
ZipZoomFly
ST3200827AS
Seagate 7200.9 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$5
$0.36
ZipZoomFly
ST3250824AS
Seagate 7200.8 300GB (8MB)
$132
$0
$0.44
Computer Giants
ST3300831AS
Seagate 7200.9 300GB (16MB)
$130
$7
$0.43
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622AS
Seagate 7200.8 400GB (8MB)
$200
-$5
$0.50
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832AS
Seagate 7200.9 400GB (16MB)
$192
-$6
$0.48
Mwave
ST3400633AS
Seagate 7200.9 500GB (16MB)
$275
-$21
$0.55
ZipZoomFly
ST3500641AS
Western Digital 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
$0.63
ZipZoomFly
WD800JD
Western Digital 120GB (8MB)
$85
$5
$0.71
Computer Giants
WD1200JD
Western Digital 160GB (8MB)
$79
-$10
$0.49
Xtreme Gear
WD1600JD
Western Digital 200GB (8MB)
$95
$0
$0.48
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JD
Western Digital 250GB (8MB)
$96
-$1
$0.38
Spartan Tech
WD2500JD
Western Digital 300GB (8MB)
$115
-$8
$0.38
Ajump.com
WD3000JD
Western Digital 320GB (8MB)
$117
-$1
$0.37
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JD
Western Digital 400GB (16MB)
$182
-$9
$0.46
ZipZoomFly
WD4000KD
Western Digital 500GB (16MB) S2
$274
-$26
$0.55
ZipZoomFly
WD5000KS
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$88
-$1
$0.55
Computer Giants
WD1600SD
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$127
$6
$0.51
Computer Giants
WD2500SD
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$126
-$1
$0.39
ZipZoomFly
WD3200SD
WD Raptor 36.7GB 10K (8MB)
$104
-$1
$2.83
ZipZoomFly
WD360GD
WD Raptor 74GB 10K (8MB)
$150
$0
$2.03
ZipZoomFly
WD740GD
WD Raptor 150GB 10K (16MB)
$264
-$11
$1.76
ZipZoomFly
WD1500ADFD
WD Raptor X 150GB 10K (16MB)
$329
-$10
$2.19
ZipZoomFly
WD1500AHFD

Parallel ATA Hard Drive Value

The following chart takes a slightly different angle on Parallel ATA hard drive prices, and attempts to discern overall value using a price per GB figure, and then sorting by it. This chart pushes the lowest $/GB rating to the top, and uses a tried-and-true method of illustrating where the best overall values may exist, Of course, no method is foolproof, and other factors like performance or features certainly come into play, but it does give us a different view on which brands, speeds and capacities offer the best bang for the buck.

The Parallel ATA market continues to show consistent trends and the top overall drive value still exist at the 250GB to 320GB level. These drives account for the top eleven PATA values, but we have had a slight changing of the guard at the top of the chart. Due to falling prices, the Western Digital SE 320GB drive loses the top spot to a couple of WD 250GB models, and is being pushed hard by the Samsung 250GB and Seagate 300GB drives. Overall value continues to get better in the PATA market, but only at the 250GB to 320GB range, and we now have eleven PATA drives sitting below the 40-cents per GB barrier, a gain of only one compared to last month. At the bottom of the chart, we find the usual selection of 80GB and 120GB models, along with the expensive Hitachi Deskstar 500GB.


Parallel ATA Hard Drives Sorted by $/GB

Hard Drive
Price
Change
$/GB
Vendor
Model #
Western Digital SE 250GB (8MB)
$83
-$5
$0.33
ZipZoomFly
WD2500JB
Western Digital 250GB (2MB)
$84
-$11
$0.34
NewEgg
WD2500BB
Western Digital SE 320GB (8MB)
$109
-$1
$0.34
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JB
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$4
$0.36
ZipZoomFly
SP2514N
Seagate 300GB (8MB)
$111
-$2
$0.37
ZipZoomFly
ST3300831A
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$93
-$5
$0.37
Mwave
0A31611
Seagate 250GB (8MB)
$94
-$2
$0.38
NewEgg
ST3250823A
Western Digital SE 300GB (8MB)
$113
-$2
$0.38
Computer Giants
WD3000JB
Seagate 300GB (16MB)
$115
-$1
$0.38
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622A
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$0
$0.38
Allstarshop
6B250R0
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB)
$116
$1
$0.39
Computer Giants
HD300LD
Western Digital SE 200GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
$0.40
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JB
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$121
$0
$0.40
Allstarshop
6B300R0
Western Digital 200GB (2MB)
$82
-$4
$0.41
ZipZoomFly
WD2000BB
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB)
$84
-$3
$0.42
ZipZoomFly
SP2014N
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$105
$0
$0.42
NewEgg
WD2500SB
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$135
-$2
$0.42
NewEgg
WD3200SB
Western Digital 160GB (2MB)
$69
-$7
$0.43
ZipZoomFly
WD1600BB
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$72
n/a
$0.45
Computer Giants
6L160P0
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$90
-$10
$0.45
ZipZoomFly
6Y200P0
Maxtor DM10 200GB (16MB)
$90
-$4
$0.45
Computer Giants
6B200P0
Samsung SP 160GB (2MB)
$73
-$8
$0.46
ZipZoomFly
SP1604N
Seagate 200GB (8MB)
$92
$0
$0.46
ZipZoomFly
ST3200822A
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$77
-$11
$0.48
XPCGear
6B160P0
Western Digital SE 160GB (8MB)
$77
$0
$0.48
Ajump.com
WD1600JB
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB)
$195
-$15
$0.49
ZipZoomFly
6H400R0
Seagate 400GB (8MB)
$199
-$8
$0.50
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832A
Seagate 160GB (8MB)
$82
-$4
$0.51
ZipZoomFly
ST3160023A
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$206
-$20
$0.52
Mwave
0A30228
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$90
-$1
$0.56
Computer Giants
14R9248
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$90
$2
$0.56
NewEgg
WD1600SB
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB)
$286
-$12
$0.57
ZipZoomFly
6H500R0
Western Digital 120GB (2MB)
$69
$0
$0.58
ZipZoomFly
WD1200BB
Western Digital SE 120GB (8MB)
$69
-$2
$0.58
ZipZoomFly
WD1200JB
Seagate 80GB (2MB)
$49
-$2
$0.61
Ajump.com
ST380011A
Western Digital 80GB (2MB)
$50
-$2
$0.63
eWiz
WD800BB
Western Digital SE 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
$0.63
ZipZoomFly
WD800JB
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
$0.63
Xtreme Gear
6Y120L0
Seagate 500GB (16MB)
$313
-$10
$0.63
TigerDirect
ST3500841A
Seagate 120GB (2MB)
$77
$4
$0.64
ZipZoomFly
ST3120022A
Hitachi 500GB (8MB)
$336
$0
$0.67
ZipZoomFly
0A31613
Maxtor 80GB (2MB)
$54
$1
$0.68
Ajump.com
6Y080L0
Seagate 120GB (8MB)
$82
$1
$0.68
Computer Giants
ST3120026A
Samsung SP 80GB (2MB)
$55
$0
$0.69
NewEgg
SP0822N
WD RAID Ed. 120GB (8MB)
$83
-$2
$0.69
Computer Giants
WD1200SB
Samsung SP 120GB (8MB)
$84
$0
$0.70
Upgrade Nation
SP1213N
Maxtor 80GB (8MB)
$60
-$2
$0.75
Computer Giants
6Y080P0

Serial ATA Hard Drive Value

Just as in the previous PATA chart, we are also taking a close look at our Serial ATA drives and determining exactly which models and capacities offer the best overall value. We do this through the tried-and-true method of determining hard drive value, or "price per GB", which is then used as a sorting criteria to ensure the best $/GB deals rise to the top. Of course, no method is foolproof, and other factors like performance or features certainly come into play, but it does give us a different view on which brands, speeds and capacities offer the best bang for the buck.

The Serial ATA value chart shows the same basic trends as we found with PATA hard drives, with the 250GB to 320GB range offering the best overall value, and making it the place to get the best bang for your buck. This range also encompasses the top thirteen SATA drives, which is a repeat for the third month in a row. The Samsung SpinPoint 250GB takes over the top spot, followed by the Seagate 7200.9 250GB, Western Digital 320GB, Maxtor DiamondMax 10 300GB, and last month's leader, the Maxtor 250GB, in fifth spot. We also have twelve SATA drives sitting below the 40-cents per GB level, a gain of three since March, Naturally, the Western Digital Raptor drives are in their usual position at the bottom of the chart, as this line of high-end 10K RPM drives has always been about pure performance and quality, not value.


Serial ATA Hard Drives Sorted by $/GB

Hard Drive
Price
Change
$/GB
Vendor
Model #
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB) S2
$87
-$8
$0.35
NewEgg
SP2504C
Seagate 7200.9 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$5
$0.36
ZipZoomFly
ST3250824AS
Western Digital 320GB (8MB)
$117
-$1
$0.37
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JD
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB) S2
$110
-$5
$0.37
ZipZoomFly
6V300F0
Maxtor 250GB (8MB)
$92
$0
$0.37
eWiz
7Y250M0
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB) S2
$93
-$4
$0.37
NewEgg
6V250F0
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$115
$0
$0.38
ZipZoomFly
6L300S0
Western Digital 300GB (8MB)
$115
-$8
$0.38
Ajump.com
WD3000JD
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$1
$0.38
ZipZoomFly
6L250S0
Western Digital 250GB (8MB)
$96
-$1
$0.38
Spartan Tech
WD2500JD
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$97
-$5
$0.39
Mwave
0A31636
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$126
-$1
$0.39
ZipZoomFly
WD3200SD
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB) S2
$125
n/a
$0.42
NewEgg
HD300LJ
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB) S2
$85
n/a
$0.43
ZipZoomFly
SP2004C
Maxtor DM10 200GB (8MB)
$86
$0
$0.43
NewEgg
6L200M0
Seagate 7200.9 300GB (16MB)
$130
$7
$0.43
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622AS
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$70
-$7
$0.44
ZipZoomFly
0A31637
Seagate 7200.8 300GB (8MB)
$132
$0
$0.44
Computer Giants
ST3300831AS
Western Digital 400GB (16MB)
$182
-$9
$0.46
ZipZoomFly
WD4000KD
Samsung SP 160GB (8MB) S2
$73
-$11
$0.46
NewEgg
HD160JJ
Seagate 7200.9 200GB (8MB)
$93
n/a
$0.47
ZipZoomFly
ST3200827AS
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$94
$0
$0.47
Spartan Tech
6Y200M0
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$76
-$3
$0.48
ZipZoomFly
6L160M0
Western Digital 200GB (8MB)
$95
$0
$0.48
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JD
Seagate 7200.9 400GB (16MB)
$192
-$6
$0.48
Mwave
ST3400633AS
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB) S2
$195
-$5
$0.49
ZipZoomFly
6H400F0
Western Digital 160GB (8MB)
$79
-$10
$0.49
Xtreme Gear
WD1600JD
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
$0.50
Spartan Tech
6Y160M0
Seagate 7200.8 400GB (8MB)
$200
-$5
$0.50
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832AS
Seagate 7200.9 160GB (8MB)
$81
$0
$0.51
ZipZoomFly
ST3160812AS
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$127
$6
$0.51
Computer Giants
WD2500SD
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$216
-$13
$0.54
Mwave
0A30229
Western Digital 500GB (16MB) S2
$274
-$26
$0.55
ZipZoomFly
WD5000KS
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$88
-$1
$0.55
Computer Giants
WD1600SD
Seagate 7200.9 500GB (16MB)
$275
-$21
$0.55
ZipZoomFly
ST3500641AS
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB) S2
$286
-$14
$0.57
Mwave
6H500F0
Western Digital 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
$0.63
ZipZoomFly
WD800JD
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
$0.63
Spartan Tech
6Y120M0
Seagate 120GB (8MB) NCQ
$81
$6
$0.68
Ajump.com
ST3120827AS
Seagate 7200.9 80GB (8MB)
$56
n/a
$0.70
NewEgg
ST3808110AS
Hitachi 500GB (16MB) S2
$350
-$8
$0.70
ZipZoomFly
0A31619
Western Digital 120GB (8MB)
$85
$5
$0.71
Computer Giants
WD1200JD
WD Raptor 150GB 10K (16MB)
$264
-$11
$1.76
ZipZoomFly
WD1500ADFD
WD Raptor 74GB 10K (8MB)
$150
$0
$2.03
ZipZoomFly
WD740GD
WD Raptor X 150GB 10K (16MB)
$329
-$10
$2.19
ZipZoomFly
WD1500AHFD
WD Raptor 36.7GB 10K (8MB)
$104
-$1
$2.83
ZipZoomFly
WD360GD

Parallel and Serial ATA Hard Drives: Price Changes

The following chart takes all of the tracked PATA and SATA hard drives, and incorporates these into one monster price list, which is then sorted by the monthly price change. This gives us a slightly different view than in previous hard drive price lists, as it identifies the month's biggest movers and shakers, and can really help identify the areas to take advantage of. When used with the other price charts, this list can add another dimension to the monthly prices, but keep in mind that the largest cuts may not always translate into the best overall deal. We have also gotten rid of the $/GB column and replaced it with a SATA/PATA section to ensure there is no confusion about the interface of any drive models.

The overall price change list highlights the individual price cuts and spikes, as well as offering a direct comparison between the PATA and SATA hard drives. April's results are similar to what we saw in March in terms of overall chart drops, but we don't see the same deep individual cuts of a month ago. In terms of the PATA vs. SATA comparison, we see a repeat of last month, with Serial ATA and Parallel ATA hard drives each holding down five of the top ten spots. The top two price cuts did belong to Serial ATA models, but again, there is not the same disparity as in March. This does mirror the results we found in the individual hard drive charts, with the SATA models posting the largest individual cuts, and holding a slight advantage in terms of total chart movement.


Parallel and Serial ATA Hard Drives Sorted by Price Change

Hard Drive
Price
Change
Format
Vendor
Model #
Western Digital 500GB (16MB) S2
$274
-$26
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD5000KS
Seagate 7200.9 500GB (16MB)
$275
-$21
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3500641AS
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$206
-$20
PATA
Mwave
0A30228
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB)
$195
-$15
PATA
ZipZoomFly
6H400R0
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB) S2
$286
-$14
SATA
Mwave
6H500F0
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$216
-$13
SATA
Mwave
0A30229
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB)
$286
-$12
PATA
ZipZoomFly
6H500R0
Samsung SP 160GB (8MB) S2
$73
-$11
SATA
NewEgg
HD160JJ
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$77
-$11
PATA
XPCGear
6B160P0
Western Digital 250GB (2MB)
$84
-$11
PATA
NewEgg
WD2500BB
WD Raptor 150GB 10K (16MB)
$264
-$11
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1500ADFD
Western Digital 160GB (8MB)
$79
-$10
SATA
Xtreme Gear
WD1600JD
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$90
-$10
PATA
ZipZoomFly
6Y200P0
Seagate 500GB (16MB)
$313
-$10
PATA
TigerDirect
ST3500841A
WD Raptor X 150GB 10K (16MB)
$329
-$10
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1500AHFD
Western Digital 400GB (16MB)
$182
-$9
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD4000KD
Samsung SP 160GB (2MB)
$73
-$8
PATA
ZipZoomFly
SP1604N
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB) S2
$87
-$8
SATA
NewEgg
SP2504C
Western Digital 300GB (8MB)
$115
-$8
SATA
Ajump.com
WD3000JD
Seagate 400GB (8MB)
$199
-$8
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832A
Hitachi 500GB (16MB) S2
$350
-$8
SATA
ZipZoomFly
0A31619
Western Digital 160GB (2MB)
$69
-$7
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1600BB
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$70
-$7
SATA
ZipZoomFly
0A31637
Seagate 7200.9 400GB (16MB)
$192
-$6
SATA
Mwave
ST3400633AS
Western Digital SE 250GB (8MB)
$83
-$5
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2500JB
Seagate 7200.9 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3250824AS
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$93
-$5
PATA
Mwave
0A31611
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$97
-$5
SATA
Mwave
0A31636
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB) S2
$110
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6V300F0
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB) S2
$195
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6H400F0
Seagate 7200.8 400GB (8MB)
$200
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832AS
Seagate 160GB (8MB)
$82
-$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3160023A
Western Digital 200GB (2MB)
$82
-$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2000BB
Maxtor DM10 200GB (16MB)
$90
-$4
PATA
Computer Giants
6B200P0
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
SP2514N
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB) S2
$93
-$4
SATA
NewEgg
6V250F0
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$76
-$3
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6L160M0
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB)
$84
-$3
PATA
ZipZoomFly
SP2014N
Seagate 80GB (2MB)
$49
-$2
PATA
Ajump.com
ST380011A
Western Digital 80GB (2MB)
$50
-$2
PATA
eWiz
WD800BB
Maxtor 80GB (8MB)
$60
-$2
PATA
Computer Giants
6Y080P0
Western Digital SE 120GB (8MB)
$69
-$2
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1200JB
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
PATA
Xtreme Gear
6Y120L0
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
SATA
Spartan Tech
6Y120M0
Western Digital SE 200GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JB
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
SATA
Spartan Tech
6Y160M0
WD RAID Ed. 120GB (8MB)
$83
-$2
PATA
Computer Giants
WD1200SB
Seagate 250GB (8MB)
$94
-$2
PATA
NewEgg
ST3250823A
Seagate 300GB (8MB)
$111
-$2
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3300831A
Western Digital SE 300GB (8MB)
$113
-$2
PATA
Computer Giants
WD3000JB
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$135
-$2
PATA
NewEgg
WD3200SB
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$88
-$1
SATA
Computer Giants
WD1600SD
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$90
-$1
PATA
Computer Giants
14R9248
Western Digital 250GB (8MB)
$96
-$1
SATA
Spartan Tech
WD2500JD
WD Raptor 36.7GB 10K (8MB)
$104
-$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD360GD
Western Digital SE 320GB (8MB)
$109
-$1
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JB
Seagate 300GB (16MB)
$115
-$1
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622A
Western Digital 320GB (8MB)
$117
-$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JD
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$126
-$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD3200SD
Western Digital SE 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD800JB
Western Digital 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD800JD
Samsung SP 80GB (2MB)
$55
$0
PATA
NewEgg
SP0822N
Western Digital 120GB (2MB)
$69
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1200BB
Western Digital SE 160GB (8MB)
$77
$0
PATA
Ajump.com
WD1600JB
Seagate 7200.9 160GB (8MB)
$81
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3160812AS
Samsung SP 120GB (8MB)
$84
$0
PATA
Upgrade Nation
SP1213N
Maxtor DM10 200GB (8MB)
$86
$0
SATA
NewEgg
6L200M0
Seagate 200GB (8MB)
$92
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3200822A
Maxtor 250GB (8MB)
$92
$0
SATA
eWiz
7Y250M0
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$94
$0
SATA
Spartan Tech
6Y200M0
Western Digital 200GB (8MB)
$95
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JD
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$0
PATA
Allstarshop
6B250R0
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$105
$0
PATA
NewEgg
WD2500SB
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$115
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6L300S0
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$121
$0
PATA
Allstarshop
6B300R0
Seagate 7200.8 300GB (8MB)
$132
$0
SATA
Computer Giants
ST3300831AS
WD Raptor 74GB 10K (8MB)
$150
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD740GD
Hitachi 500GB (8MB)
$336
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
0A31613
Maxtor 80GB (2MB)
$54
$1
PATA
Ajump.com
6Y080L0
Seagate 120GB (8MB)
$82
$1
PATA
Computer Giants
ST3120026A
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6L250S0
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB)
$116
$1
PATA
Computer Giants
HD300LD
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$90
$2
PATA
NewEgg
WD1600SB
Seagate 120GB (2MB)
$77
$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3120022A
Western Digital 120GB (8MB)
$85
$5
SATA
Computer Giants
WD1200JD
Seagate 120GB (8MB) NCQ
$81
$6
SATA
Ajump.com
ST3120827AS
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$127
$6
SATA
Computer Giants
WD2500SD
Seagate 7200.9 300GB (16MB)
$130
$7
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622AS
Seagate 7200.9 80GB (8MB)
$56
n/a
SATA
NewEgg
ST3808110AS
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$72
n/a
PATA
Computer Giants
6L160P0
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB) S2
$85
n/a
SATA
ZipZoomFly
SP2004C
Seagate 7200.9 200GB (8MB)
$93
n/a
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3200827AS
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB) S2
$125
n/a
SATA
NewEgg
HD300LJ

Parallel and Serial ATA Hard Drives: Full List

The following chart takes all of the tracked Parallel and Serial ATA hard drives and then incorporates them all into a monster chart, which is then sorted by retail price. It's a very extensive list, which gives you all the important price data, and can be a valuable shopping tool for those on limited budgets. This also gives us another way to view the data, and determine how each drive stacks up in terms of price, and then ensuring you make the best use of your gaming system dollar. As with the previous chart, we have replaced the $/GB figure with a SATA/PATA column to ensure there is no confusion about the interface of any drive models.

The overall price chart gives another view of the overall hard drive market, and while we don't see anything new in terms of pricing, this does make the individual "value points" much more obvious. The type of chart can also come in handy when pricing out your budget for a new system or upgrade buy, and determining exactly which hard drives are in the same basic price range. This level of price sorting also allows you to play with your budget and performance requirements a little, mixing and matching hard drives with other components, until you come up with the perfect combination.


Parallel and Serial ATA Hard Drives Sorted by Price

Hard Drive
Price
Change
Format
Vendor
Model #
Seagate 80GB (2MB)
$49
-$2
PATA
Ajump.com
ST380011A
Western Digital 80GB (2MB)
$50
-$2
PATA
eWiz
WD800BB
Western Digital SE 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD800JB
Western Digital 80GB (8MB)
$50
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD800JD
Maxtor 80GB (2MB)
$54
$1
PATA
Ajump.com
6Y080L0
Samsung SP 80GB (2MB)
$55
$0
PATA
NewEgg
SP0822N
Seagate 7200.9 80GB (8MB)
$56
n/a
SATA
NewEgg
ST3808110AS
Maxtor 80GB (8MB)
$60
-$2
PATA
Computer Giants
6Y080P0
Western Digital 160GB (2MB)
$69
-$7
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1600BB
Western Digital SE 120GB (8MB)
$69
-$2
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1200JB
Western Digital 120GB (2MB)
$69
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1200BB
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$70
-$7
SATA
ZipZoomFly
0A31637
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$72
n/a
PATA
Computer Giants
6L160P0
Samsung SP 160GB (8MB) S2
$73
-$11
SATA
NewEgg
HD160JJ
Samsung SP 160GB (2MB)
$73
-$8
PATA
ZipZoomFly
SP1604N
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
PATA
Xtreme Gear
6Y120L0
Maxtor 120GB (8MB)
$75
-$2
SATA
Spartan Tech
6Y120M0
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$76
-$3
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6L160M0
Maxtor DM10 160GB (8MB)
$77
-$11
PATA
XPCGear
6B160P0
Western Digital SE 160GB (8MB)
$77
$0
PATA
Ajump.com
WD1600JB
Seagate 120GB (2MB)
$77
$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3120022A
Western Digital 160GB (8MB)
$79
-$10
SATA
Xtreme Gear
WD1600JD
Western Digital SE 200GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JB
Maxtor 160GB (8MB)
$80
-$2
SATA
Spartan Tech
6Y160M0
Seagate 7200.9 160GB (8MB)
$81
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3160812AS
Seagate 120GB (8MB) NCQ
$81
$6
SATA
Ajump.com
ST3120827AS
Seagate 160GB (8MB)
$82
-$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3160023A
Western Digital 200GB (2MB)
$82
-$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2000BB
Seagate 120GB (8MB)
$82
$1
PATA
Computer Giants
ST3120026A
Western Digital SE 250GB (8MB)
$83
-$5
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2500JB
WD RAID Ed. 120GB (8MB)
$83
-$2
PATA
Computer Giants
WD1200SB
Western Digital 250GB (2MB)
$84
-$11
PATA
NewEgg
WD2500BB
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB)
$84
-$3
PATA
ZipZoomFly
SP2014N
Samsung SP 120GB (8MB)
$84
$0
PATA
Upgrade Nation
SP1213N
Western Digital 120GB (8MB)
$85
$5
SATA
Computer Giants
WD1200JD
Samsung SP 200GB (8MB) S2
$85
n/a
SATA
ZipZoomFly
SP2004C
Maxtor DM10 200GB (8MB)
$86
$0
SATA
NewEgg
6L200M0
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB) S2
$87
-$8
SATA
NewEgg
SP2504C
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$88
-$1
SATA
Computer Giants
WD1600SD
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$90
-$10
PATA
ZipZoomFly
6Y200P0
Seagate 7200.9 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3250824AS
Maxtor DM10 200GB (16MB)
$90
-$4
PATA
Computer Giants
6B200P0
Samsung SP 250GB (8MB)
$90
-$4
PATA
ZipZoomFly
SP2514N
Hitachi 160GB (8MB)
$90
-$1
PATA
Computer Giants
14R9248
WD RAID Ed. 160GB (8MB)
$90
$2
PATA
NewEgg
WD1600SB
Seagate 200GB (8MB)
$92
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3200822A
Maxtor 250GB (8MB)
$92
$0
SATA
eWiz
7Y250M0
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$93
-$5
PATA
Mwave
0A31611
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB) S2
$93
-$4
SATA
NewEgg
6V250F0
Seagate 7200.9 200GB (8MB)
$93
n/a
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3200827AS
Seagate 250GB (8MB)
$94
-$2
PATA
NewEgg
ST3250823A
Maxtor 200GB (8MB)
$94
$0
SATA
Spartan Tech
6Y200M0
Western Digital 200GB (8MB)
$95
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD2000JD
Western Digital 250GB (8MB)
$96
-$1
SATA
Spartan Tech
WD2500JD
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$0
PATA
Allstarshop
6B250R0
Maxtor DM10 250GB (16MB)
$96
$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6L250S0
Hitachi 250GB (8MB)
$97
-$5
SATA
Mwave
0A31636
WD Raptor 36.7GB 10K (8MB)
$104
-$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD360GD
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$105
$0
PATA
NewEgg
WD2500SB
Western Digital SE 320GB (8MB)
$109
-$1
PATA
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JB
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB) S2
$110
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6V300F0
Seagate 300GB (8MB)
$111
-$2
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3300831A
Western Digital SE 300GB (8MB)
$113
-$2
PATA
Computer Giants
WD3000JB
Western Digital 300GB (8MB)
$115
-$8
SATA
Ajump.com
WD3000JD
Seagate 300GB (16MB)
$115
-$1
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622A
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$115
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6L300S0
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB)
$116
$1
PATA
Computer Giants
HD300LD
Western Digital 320GB (8MB)
$117
-$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD3200JD
Maxtor DM10 300GB (16MB)
$121
$0
PATA
Allstarshop
6B300R0
Samsung T133 300GB (8MB) S2
$125
n/a
SATA
NewEgg
HD300LJ
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$126
-$1
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD3200SD
WD RAID Ed. 250GB (8MB)
$127
$6
SATA
Computer Giants
WD2500SD
Seagate 7200.9 300GB (16MB)
$130
$7
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3300622AS
Seagate 7200.8 300GB (8MB)
$132
$0
SATA
Computer Giants
ST3300831AS
WD RAID Ed. 320GB (8MB)
$135
-$2
PATA
NewEgg
WD3200SB
WD Raptor 74GB 10K (8MB)
$150
$0
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD740GD
Western Digital 400GB (16MB)
$182
-$9
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD4000KD
Seagate 7200.9 400GB (16MB)
$192
-$6
SATA
Mwave
ST3400633AS
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB)
$195
-$15
PATA
ZipZoomFly
6H400R0
Maxtor DM11 400GB (16MB) S2
$195
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
6H400F0
Seagate 400GB (8MB)
$199
-$8
PATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832A
Seagate 7200.8 400GB (8MB)
$200
-$5
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3400832AS
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$206
-$20
PATA
Mwave
0A30228
Hitachi 400GB (8MB)
$216
-$13
SATA
Mwave
0A30229
WD Raptor 150GB 10K (16MB)
$264
-$11
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1500ADFD
Western Digital 500GB (16MB) S2
$274
-$26
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD5000KS
Seagate 7200.9 500GB (16MB)
$275
-$21
SATA
ZipZoomFly
ST3500641AS
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB) S2
$286
-$14
SATA
Mwave
6H500F0
Maxtor DM11 500GB (16MB)
$286
-$12
PATA
ZipZoomFly
6H500R0
Seagate 500GB (16MB)
$313
-$10
PATA
TigerDirect
ST3500841A
WD Raptor X 150GB 10K (16MB)
$329
-$10
SATA
ZipZoomFly
WD1500AHFD
Hitachi 500GB (8MB)
$336
$0
PATA
ZipZoomFly
0A31613
Hitachi 500GB (16MB) S2
$350
-$8
SATA
ZipZoomFly
0A31619