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Super Basic Question - Whats the best external hardrive(s) under $200

Hey everyone, 

 

I know, i know... the question is very basic. 

To be honest, i know almost nothing when it comes to external hardrives and the information i've seen everywhere else just doesn't convince me enough. BUT, i do trust this forum over reddit or any other non-specific forum so i thought id give my question a shot here. 

 

Im looking for an external hardrive (or 2) that i can use to back up my personal files as well as some work files. I guess it really only comes down to 2 hardrives which is WD and Seagate since they're usually the top picks of most and seem to be the most reliable. I dont plan on using the hardrive every single day, maybe 1-2 times per month (if that) .. Its mostly just to have a backup of my stuff so that i can do things like wiping a laptop to give to another family member, store old photos, keep an updated backup of my main laptop and maybe use it to store files that are important but nothing id urgently need daily.         

 

BUT, i could definitely see myself using a second external hardrive(other than the first one) to put temporary day-to-day files on instead of on my computer as its always possible my needs can change in the near future. I have a macbook pro '14 so the format would have to be changed to support a Mac, or if possible both Mac and PC. Id like a portable drive, but Im not completely stuck on it being portable. It would definitely be a lot more convenient but if desktop drives are more reliable then i would possibly reconsider to purchase a desktop drive.

 

Im looking for an external hardrive thats at least 2tb or up to 5tb for around $80-150 CAD each (I could spend a little more though, its just a general amount i want to spend) . My main reason for indecision is that reliability is my main concern. It's the most important to me. Dont really care about how fast it writes or reads, its more as a backup anyways.  I dont think an SSD would be the best option for me since i would likely need at least 2tb and dont want to spend an insane amount on one, plus iv'e heard they dont necessarily last longer than the HDD's , but i understand the reliability of a SSD & HDD are just different based on use. I saw backblaze's 2019 drive failure report and it definitely gave me a different perspective on how safe my backups actually are vs. how safe i thought they are. Based on the general consensus on the internet i came to the conclusion that WD's newer passport or Seagates slim back up drive would be best for my use cases but the failure rate of the drives are still bothering me and id like some other educated opinions.

 

Also , i know many people would say that if reliability and security of my data is SO important then i should just use something like a Synology Nas and have multiple drives copied etc etc. It makes a ton of sense; but, i know that even those can fail and im not mentally prepared to set them up at this point in time. Also, i dont want run the risk of something going wrong in the future and not knowing how in the world im going to fix it or secure it from attacks lol. I just dont think i am there yet nor do i have that much data. Plus, its not even somewhat portable. 

 

Id appreciate any help

You are free to make fun of my noob comment ONLY if you give me a suggestion lol  

 

Cheers

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Buy some nice hdd docking interface and just use normal reliable hdd like WD. You may then buy another normal drive when you'll need more space etc. Or use the same drive as second internal one when you'll want to. It may be more universal solution because you can connect some old hdds to that external bay if you have any. One device - many drives.

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I got a toshiba 7200rpm 3.5 drive and an inatech external usb 3 adapter (I'm gonna need you to get me those TPS reports)

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Just now, Orange1 said:

That is a cheap price,$189.99

 

Doesnt say in specs, the  UPC code doesnt bring anything up on 5400 vs 7200

it says its a 5400rpm drive, but its really a 7200rpm drive. I bought 4 of them, and got them today.

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6 hours ago, Electronics Wizardy said:

it says its a 5400rpm drive, but its really a 7200rpm drive. I bought 4 of them, and got them today.

Ooh.  In that case I may grab one.  Appears the sale ends today (at least that's what it says on bestbuy.com)

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7 hours ago, PineyCreek said:

Ooh.  In that case I may grab one.  Appears the sale ends today (at least that's what it says on bestbuy.com)

they seem to max out at around 250mB/s , and mine didn't need the 3v3 mod either.

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  • 2 weeks later...

thanks for the responses! 

 

Ive taken them into consideration!

 

@PineyCreekThanks for your recommendation!  the 14tb actually isnt on sale in canada! only in the US :'( 

But are the 14 tb drive the ones that were recently released or the ones from 3 years ago? cant seem to find when they first released.. Definitely want to stay away from the older drives lol. Does anyone know how to find out the dates that any drive releases?

 

Also,  thanks for the recommendation @homeap5, was thinking about steering more in the direction of the plug and play type drives in case i need to recover the data of a failed hard drive i imagine it would be somewhat easier. But i still might use this type of solution for things like some old courses i want to keep. Is there anything i should be installing on the drives before using them this way? 

On 10/31/2020 at 8:50 PM, homeap5 said:

Buy some nice hdd docking interface and just use normal reliable hdd like WD. You may then buy another normal drive when you'll need more space etc. Or use the same drive as second internal one when you'll want to. It may be more universal solution because you can connect some old hdds to that external bay if you have any. One device - many drives.

 

& Does anyone have any additional recommendations on portable drives?

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