Opinions Please / Buying HDD's - RAID 1

[jaquith]

$262.56 ($131.28/ea) Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 1TB 7200 RPM 64MB Cache - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822148840
vs
$334.54 ($167.27/ea) Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ 1TB 7200 RPM 32MB Cache - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16822152185

$71.98 difference.

Q - Which one and specifically why?

Seagate took over Samsung HDD production in December 2011, the Barracuda ST1000DM003 is a newer model. In the past I always used the Spinpoint F3 with little issues, and sure I've used Seagate with the same experience. Now if the HDD's were $60/each I won't give a rip and 9/10 I'd get the F3. BTW - going on Intel X79 SATA2 ports.

Yeah, I know -> http://www.harddrivebenchmark.net/high_end_drives.html
1051 / Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003
876 / Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ

I also read the NewEgg noob reviews; grain of salt...

Thanks!

 

[rolli59]

For the money saved I would go with the Seagates although I bought two 7200.12 drives in the fall for the same purpose ($49.95 before flooding) and one failed within a month that is just the luck of the draw and the reason to go raid 1!

 

[jaquith]

Every build I do now is SSD (1 drive or RAID 0) and redundant RAID (including RAID 1, 10 or 5/nested with a dedicated card) HDD. I've typically used the Spinpoint F3; all of the posted builds on TH are with that HDD.

However, now all Samsung's and even the Spinpoint F3 are built by Seagate. So WTH?? is the difference, and the Barracuda ST1000DM003 is as if not faster.

What's got my head spinning is they're both Seagate now...

 

[rolli59]

Well the F3 design is getting old 32MB cache and SATA 3GB. I believe the new Seagate is a single platter drive at 1TB with 64MB cache and that is making it faster http://www.seagate.com/ww/v/index.jsp?name=st1000dm003-barracuda-7200-14-sata-6gb/s-1tb-hd&vgnextoid=43c89f39b1ec3310VgnVCM1000001a48090aRCRD&locale=en-AU&pf=1

 

[jaquith]

If it weren't from the fact that Seagate makes the F3 and I started seeing the same issues 'now' from both drives the choice would be perfectly clear.

Heck I've even considered Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000.D, and all consumer WD's are out - no TLER. Enterprise WD's for 'this build' are too expensive.

I suspect the performance on SATA2 will be negligible. Frankly, I'm more interested in dependability than factional difference in speed. RAID 1 or not it's a PITA to 'deal with' failures and the RMA process.

I'm willing to spend, swallowing hard, $170/HDD for rock solid dependability. However, if dependability is in question on any of the choices -- might as well save a few bucks. Hence the post.

 

[rolli59]

Well the one that failed in the fall is the first one that I have ever had fail and I have always bought based on price and comparable specs from a major manufacturer, IBM (now hitachi), Maxtor (now Seagate), Seagate and WD, never had a change to go Samsung because of price comparison when buying.

 

[jaquith]

All this consolidation can't be good for any of us; more competition yields improved quality and technology. Similarly, I wish there were more CPU manufacturers. Regarding 1 (2) vs 2 (4) {Platter (Head)} a single platter and two head doesn't phase me one way or the other, any failure yields a dead HDD either way.

The consolidation of manufacturing is the purpose of my post. What was yesterday isn't the same as today.

My 'feeling' is the Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 vs (Seagate) Samsung Spinpoint F3 HD103SJ will yield equivalent reliability - good or bad as Seagate now produces both HDD's.

 

[jaquith]

Best answer selected by jaquith.

 

[jaquith]

BTW - ended up ordering Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM003 in RAID 1, and found a good deal on Corsair Force Series GT CSSD-F180GBGT-BK 180GB SSD for $219.99 - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16820233211

 

[Mousemonkey]

This topic has been closed by Mousemonkey