Need an update on HDs..

[ScoobyDoo69]

Hey guys,

Need a quick refresher on what's what these days. Just after a 500+gb SATA HD, but needs to be reliable. Back in the day, I've always gone for Seagate, are they still reliable? Are others better/worse than Seagate?

Literally the HD is just for movies, music, and general day to day use.

Thanks for your help.

ScoobyDoo69

 

[Undesirable]

Well, after seeing people having plenty of failures with Samsung and Seagate drives, I would opt Western Digital.

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-274-WD

I have heard that Seagate's 7200.12 drives aren't as bad as the ol' 7200.11 though.

 

[geekyEd]

I would go for any of the main brands, but specifically find the one with the longest warranty.

 

[Rroff]

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-273-WD&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=940

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-245-WD&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=940

http://www.overclockers.co.uk/showproduct.php?prodid=HD-206-SE&groupid=701&catid=14&subcat=940

Any of those 3 would be my reccomendation depending on your needs. Seagate 7200.11 are shocking but the .12s so far seem to be a return to form - I've bought a few of them with no problems so far...

 

[Atom]

I just ordered a Western Digital Green after doing a lot of reading up.

 

[CaptainCrash]

Back in the day, I've always gone for Seagate, are they still reliable? Are others better/worse than Seagate?

Other than isolated incidents (eg the 7200.11's self-bricking "feature"), there's no decent statistical data to suggest that any one brand is consistently more or less reliable than any other (at least as far as I'm aware). You mainly tend to find anecdotal evidence from people who've had a bad experience with a small sample size, and then proclaim authoritatively: "Western Seasungs are carp, I always use Hitgate Digitals which have never let me down".

I'm afraid it's largely down to pot luck - any mechanical HDD can fail without warning at any time, and if you value your data your best bet is to buy two drives (preferably different models and from different suppliers) and use one as a backup.

 

[Arthalen]

Just had my first hard drive failure that significantly affects me and was worth sending off for RMA for. Western Digital RE-2 (had a pair in Raid 0).

Vista now running on one drive, other drive currently in the either. WD's RMA service proving to be easy to use and fairly quick.

Would recommend WD drives without hesitation (good warranty length as well).

 

[domyboy]

Up until january 2009 Seagate had 5 year warranty as standard, this made me buy all my hard drives from them, but now with them being 3year (along with everyone else) there isnt any difference between drives, they are all equally as fast , the only difference is probably a fiver or so. Unless you go for the higher priced ones which do have a 5 year warranty.
Iv had had HD from Hitachi, Samsung, Seagate, western Digital, Toshiba and Fujistu. Iv had one seagate and one Toshiba drive fail, only because they were 10 years old.

 

[.G0]

Seagate have dropped the ball lately, WD are now kings of HD's imho.
Caviar black if you want both performance and reliability or go for the Green if speed isn't important.