Is there? I want to get a new HD since the one I have now is only 5gig :( I was looking at the prices and I noticed I could get an ATA100 5400RPM 40gig drive for about $50, whereas the ATA100 40gig HD runs about $100. I looked at all of them at pricewatch, and even though they run about $60 dollras, they like to addd about $45 dollars for shipping. As long as they run at the same speed of 100 is there a huge difference between the two? Also, does an 7200 RPM HD get really hot? That is the last thing I need in my PC is more fans, I have about 5 in there already. Thanks

I meant ATA 7200 RPM 40gig for $100**

It depends what you use the HDD for, if it is only for Windows/Gaming then a 5400 HDD will be fast enough. If your PC is going to be a small server or will be using theings like KAZAA over a broad band connection, then a 7200 drive will increase system performance by a few percent. It if often a better idea to buy a more reputable 5400 drive, such as Western Digital or IBM, then an OEM 7200 or one of the cheaper Maxtor ranges. Joni

I have bought many hard drives in the past and I can tell you from experience that you (the user) will not notice a HUGE gain in speed/accessibility to your files if you use 7200 rpm over 5400 rpm. The only real difference is the price. Just get a larger 5400 rpm drive instead of the 40 gig 7200 rpm. You could get a 80 gig 5400 rpm drive by IBM from tigerdirect.com or pricewatch.com

Yeah, I will only be gaming, and downloading off of Kazaa :) So IBM will work in a PC? It is just the name brand or it right? Thanks

You will notice a huge performance boost if you switch from 5400 rpm to 7200 rpm.

That's only true, depending on some of the following. For example: 1. Your hard disk performance will not *APPEAR* to be any faster at all, if you're upgrading to a much larger disk, since the write/seek time now takes longer, in order to access your data. 2. Even if the new and faster disk isn't much larger - there's still the question of: Are you using partitions (which you should anyway)? If you are, then the same thing applies as before - meaning that if your primary user partitions are 50 - 100 percent larger, the drive will require more seek time to get to the info., thereby making things apear to be just as slow or fast as before. BUT - If you're upgrading from an old mobo with an old 8 or 10 GB UDMA33 drive, to the newer & large ATA100 or ATA133 drives, then you will absolutely see a difference in speed. Just be sure that you have a mobo that supports the newer ATA100/133 standard though - otherwise you'd be wasting your money (if you didn't replace the mobo in that case too). I just upgraded my 30 GB 5400 RPM ATA100 drive to a 40 GB 7200 RPM drive by IBM, last night. I honestly wasn't expecting much of a difference, and I honestly didn't get much of a difference in speed. With a PC, it's the CPU, Memory, Hard Disk, *AND* Display Adapter that dictate actual and physical performance, quite literally as a team of sorts. The BEST and most VISUAL performance increase that I have ever seen in the past 5 - 10 years, has been by a really top notch display adapter. Those can make an immediate difference in your life, without changing the hard drive (unless you want to). Memory causes nice, smooth performance, and great stability for large applications and games. The chip (CPU) does that too. But again, an awesome 4X AGP display adapter over an old and worn out crap_y PCI adapter, will make everything perform faster than the difference of the two hard drive speeds that I mentioned above . . . Hey Intel, AMD rulez!