Seagate Exos vs Barracuda

[EggyRepublic]

Is the Exos supposed to be more reliable? Should I go for a single 8TB Exos (best value) or two 4TB Barracuda drives in raid 1? Both options have similar prices but if the Exos isn't significantly more reliable than the Barracuda I'll go with the two 4TB option so I won't lose data.

[nox_]

9 minutes ago, EggyRepublic said:

Is the Exos supposed to be more reliable? Should I go for a single 8TB Exos (best value) or two 4TB Barracuda drives in raid 1? Both options have similar prices but if the Exos isn't significantly more reliable than the Barracuda I'll go with the two 4TB option so I won't lose data.

Do you need enterprise level storage? What are you gonna store on it? Important work related stuff?

[SkyHound0202]

While the degradation of a hard drive is a gradual process, the chance of a sudden failure in a drive is still random. That's why the MTBF (mean time before failure) value in hours is only a theoretical indicator for the lifespan of a drive.

 

Indeed, Exos drives has a higher MTBF rating and carries a longer warranty, it doesn't mean it would be more reliable than any other drives. It's just it's "less likely" to fail under normal workload.

 

Running two 4TB Barracuda drives in RAID only gives you 4TB of actual storage capacity, which is smaller than the single 8TB drive can offer. But it does provide better redundency in case of a single drive failure. However, it will not protect you against theft, accidental deletion, ransomware, etc. You still need regular backup and good practices.

 

Ideally you should get two enterprise drive running RAID 1, but since that's expensive as hell, you can run two Barracuda in RAID. If you want extra "peace of mind", you can get those Barracuda/Ironwolf Pro drives with recovery plan.