Need a 2TB or 3TB storage drive.

[GagHalfrunt]

Getting some distressing hard drive error warnings, it's time to get a new drive and do a full backup. I need a 2TB or 3TB internal drive just for storage. Speed is not an important factor, so I don't care if it's 5,400 or 7,200. Just want something reliable and hopefully inexpensive. Any brands and models I should be avoiding and are there any that are considered to be particularly trouble-free? Thanks.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

I'm still a Toshiba fanboy, but realistically, they're all about the same.

 

[Coup27]

Get a WD Green of whatever capacity you choose. Good balance of reliability and cost. HGST drives are generally considered the most reliable on the market but they're also the most expensive. Seagate drives, especially the 3TB DM series are pretty shocking drives with massive failure rates.

For some additional reading, see here - http://forums.anandtech.com/showthread.php?t=2454767

Backblaze are a data centre which publish failure rates on the drives they buy. They've also written a number of blogs and studies which you can find on their site.

 

[Charlie98]

Pretty much whatever is on sale... except the Seagate Barracuda 3TB. (I actually have one of those drives... it hasn't given me a lick of trouble, but I wouldn't buy another based on some of the (anecdotal) data I've seen.

I have current drives both internal and external from the big 4 (Toshiba, WD, HGST, Seagate) and they all work.

 

[larryccf]

i've got six WD Green 4TB HDDs, had 4 of them over a year, no issues

i've gotten lucky twice, catching them on sale for $99 shipped, but normal price is $135, which still = $33.75 / TB

 

[smitbret]

Toshiba 3TB is gonna be your bang for the buck champ. They'll perform better than the WD Greens at about the same price point.

The 3TB Seagates will be cheaper but as has been mentioned, you don't want them. The 2TB Seagates are pretty good, though.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

3TB Toshiba on the way. Thanks.

 

[AshS1n]

What about Western Digital Black drives?

 

[eton975]

What about Western Digital Black drives?

If you don't mind the price, they're probably the best in terms of reliability aside from HGST/enterprise drives. Really noisy seek though...

 

[Spungo]

G Seagate drives, especially the 3TB DM series are pretty shocking drives with massive failure rates.

Yep. I had 2 of them. Both failed.

One thing to consider is an external hard drive. If you catch the right sale, an external drive is sometimes cheaper than an internal drive. WD external drives will contain a WD Green drive. Almost all other brands will contain a Seagate drive.

 

[Shmee]

WD black would get my vote.

 

[master_shake_]

i've had more deaths with my toshibas than i have had with seagates at this point.


small sample size but 13 seagate 2tb one dead and 24 toshiba 2tb drives 3 dead.

1 of the toshibas was DOA.

also seagate lies about their "power of one" campaign.

all the 2tb seagats i have are not 2 platters. they are 3.