Came every close to buying this today but noticed in time that it only runs at 5,400rpm

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B009HQKQ3E/ref=s9_simh_gw _p147_d0_i5?pf_rd_m=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE&pf_rd_s=center-2&pf_rd_r= 1BBMKW1HPY8NZE5FMR8D&pf_rd_t=101&pf_rd_p=358549767&pf_rd_i=4 68294

what is the point of giving the drive a superfast transfer rate when it's such a slow drive? I am looking for a thunderbolt drive to run as my samples drive as my MacMini only has a 500GB HD and it's getting eaten up with the 50GB Live 9 instruments but it needs to be 7,200 or faster.

Haaahahaha funny stuff

But it's got Thunderbolt connection. [sarc]

The Thunderbolt still gives you faster transfer rates regardless of the HD spin speed?!

Ref: http://eshop.macsales.com/item/Buffalo/HDPA1.0TU3/

Click on the "benchmarks" tab at the bottom.

Just an example.

The only thunderbolt SSD drive out there is made by Elgato, I bought it last year for my new Macbook Pro at an obscene price, but it's amazingly fast and very reliable.

Sure but the harddrive is holding it back, even if the interface can manage higher speeds it's pointless if the drive itself isn't up to scratch. Plus these things are expensive, the least they could do is not put a cheap harddrive in them.

thats hilrious.. go to the trouble (and expense) of doing TB enclosure to only put a 5400 in it LOLz

Couldn't I say the same thing about a 7200rpm drive as well?

If so then shouldn't they only come with SSDs?

pretty much yes..

I am bemused too, but LaCie quote the following:
Average Transfer Rate : (Thunderbolt & USB 3.0) :
SSD: 385MB/s
HDD: 110MB/s
(using the Blackmagic Speed Test)

And according to this:
http://www.techarp.com/showarticle.aspx?artno=511&pgno=4
5,400 rpm disks can transfer up to 139 MB/second

Or is the test artificial - one huge file?

i cant get an Standard 7200 to benchmark that high.
dont know how a 5400 will..

the 110 is about right for a 7200
also you cant compare one test to another has to be the same test..

My latest Baracuda runs 222 mb/s peak on the outher track, with an avarage
on 164 mb/s, its about density, and they came a long way on that for sure !

So a average on 110 mb/s for an slow 5400 rpm seems likely

As in the old days, slower drive, less noise/heat.