Which drives are the most reliable?

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

I am looking for a couple of 1TB drives. I want to know which brand of drives and what drive in particular you would recommend for me.

kanewolf · Dec 3, 2017

1TB drives are commodity drives today. There is probably very little difference among models. Since you are looking for "a couple" are you intending to use these in RAID 1? If so, don't believe that negates the need for backups.

Dark Lord of Tech · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

WD is my go to 1TB drive when building.

PCPartPicker part list / Price breakdown by merchant

Storage: Western Digital - Caviar Blue 1TB 3.5" 7200RPM Internal Hard Drive ($41.89 @ SuperBiiz)
Total: $41.89
Prices include shipping, taxes, and discounts when available
Generated by PCPartPicker 2017-12-03 11:50 EST-0500

USAFRet · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

WD, Seagate, Toshiba, HGST.
On an individual drive basis, you personally will see zero difference in "reliability".

But....All drives die, eventually. All of them.
How to protect against that? A comprehensive, tested, backup situation.

If a drive dies, it is replaced. For free if still under warranty. But your data should never, ever be at risk, no matter what drive you buy.
Backups is the key word here.

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

kanewolf :

I don't know what RAID 1 is, but I'm not using them for that. I've got one on my current computer dying so I need a new one for that and another for a new build.

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

I'm assuming one like this wouldn't come with mounting brackets so I need to buy them. Do you know if all mounting brackets are the same? Will they all be able to fit the same HDD as long as they're the same size? I also want to know the same with SATA cables. Are they compatible with every mobo and HDD? Basically, are those things universally compatible?

USAFRet · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

All 3.5" drives are standardized mounting points.
Anything specific will come with your case.
Either just standard holes for the screws, or some tool-less mount brackets..

Cables? Universal. 1 from the PSU for power, 1 to the motherboard for data.

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

USAFRet :

Thank you very much. So I am going to be installing one into a prebuilt system and was wondering if some type of SATA cable and mounting bracket like this would be alright or work.

SATA cable: https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16812422811&ignorebbr=1&nm_mc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC&cm_mmc=KNC-GoogleAdwords-PC-_-pla-_-Cables+-+SATA+%2F+eSATA+Cables-_-N82E16812422811&gclid=CjwKCAiA3o7RBRBfEiwAZMtSCfTiq8uTlYbGRZk2bEB4Hd9dJLOM9xW9-OLq-xc-MnyWpjmay9LnShoCezAQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Mounting Brackets: https://www.disctech.com/Dell-3-5-Hard-Drive-Mounting-Tray?partner=1011&gclid=CjwKCAiA3o7RBRBfEiwAZMtSCfYFd8DmUJcU0aEbnvBe2GqDiM3Iq7MaTtx0TiHpqZTfvrU4NkUgJRoCPlUQAvD_BwE

Additionally, do most cases come with mounting brackets? And do motherboards come with SATA cables?
I am going to build my own computer for Christmas and wanted know if they do, I didn't want it to become time and not have everything to build it.

Dark Lord of Tech · Dec 3, 2017

Your motherboard usually comes with a least 2 SATA cables , if not the one you listed was fine and the case should come with whatever you need to mount the storage devices.

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

That answers my questions about my upcoming build, but not my current computer. It was prebuilt and we bought it like 5 years ago so any hope of finding mounting brackets is lost. Were the ones I listed fine or is there a better one?

Dark Lord of Tech · Dec 3, 2017

https://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16817994158&cm_re=HDD_mounts-_-17-994-158-_-Product
I have used these in the past.

USAFRet · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

That which you listed is to install a 3.5" drive in a 5.25" bay.
What your specific case requires is unknown.

Can you take a pic of it? Or the make/model?

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

It says 2.5", will it work with a 3.5"

Dark Lord of Tech · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

Sigle bay 2.5" HDD/ SSD bracket
Supports 2.5" HDD/SSD into 3.5" PC Bay
Eight (8) screws included.
Black Metal material
Product Size: 3.94" x 4.72" x 0.59"

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

USAFRet :

Oh I didn't know that. I know it currently has a Seagate Barracuda 3.5" drive and I checked the other day and it didnt look like there was an inch on either side. It came with this 3.5" so I'm assuming the thing is for 3.5" drives. The case is Gateway and the processor is like an AMD A6-5400k i think.

noahmorgans · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

Sigle bay 2.5" HDD/ SSD bracket
Supports 2.5" HDD/SSD into 3.5" PC Bay
Eight (8) screws included.
Black Metal material
Product Size: 3.94" x 4.72" x 0.59"

I don't think this will work. I need one that will house a 3.5" HDD.

USAFRet · Dec 3, 2017

noahmorgans :

And that which you listed is specifically for a Dell case.
On further look, not a 5.25->3.5" adapter, but rather just Dell specific.

Completely unknown what brackets may or may not be needed for your Gateway case.

Which drives are the most reliable?

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