Question HDD powered vs usb

sauzer

Honorable
Aug 29, 2012
33
3
10,535
Hello. I know there have been few studies (mostly from cloud services i think) about what kind of hdds are more likely to break, but anyone know if theres a difference in terms of longevity between a powered hdd and an usb one?
I read somewhere that usb ones are probably dying faster because the power from the usb is not as reliable thus it might cause problems in the long run, is this just rumors or its true?
Thanks!
 
I don't think there should be any difference in longevity.

I think It's all generally the same hardware with a different interface.

The power from the USB is reliable.....and cutting power to an HDD shouldn't hurt it anyway.

Although ONE thing I think may affect longevity with a USB drive.. The fact that it is external and more likely to get bumped and dropped etc.
 

popatim

Titan
Moderator
Most times the drive in an external is the same drive you can order as an internal drive.
Often ordering the USB drive will get you a nice HDD that is cheaper then the internal version.
For example, you can get an USB 8TB drive for ~$135 on sale and get an nice internal helium drive that sells for upto $100 more.
 

sauzer

Honorable
Aug 29, 2012
33
3
10,535
Most times the drive in an external is the same drive you can order as an internal drive.
Often ordering the USB drive will get you a nice HDD that is cheaper then the internal version.
For example, you can get an USB 8TB drive for ~$135 on sale and get an nice internal helium drive that sells for upto $100 more.

Yeah, i noticed the prices sometimes are lower. So you dont think usb power in the long term would be an issue compared to the ones with an external supply power? Thanks!
 
  • Like
Reactions: NightHawkRMX

popatim

Titan
Moderator
3.5" harddrives in externals usually have a dedicated power supply but the drive inside would usually be a normal Sata drive with normal connections.
2.5" are usually usb powered. Some of the drives inside are sata and some are usb-only.
Always check for 'shucking' instructions or videos to see if they can be used internally.

USB power is probably "cleaner" then some cheap power adapter they supply. USB drives usually die faster because of movement while in use, drops, or lack of properly 'ejecting' the drive before unplugging it from power (keep in mind a flakey/loose usb port could cause the same issue).