Why Seagate Barracuda and not Samsung SP P120?

[Ford Prefect]

I hope this will be my last thread to the topic "external HDD":
I read review about the Seagate Barracuda 7200.10. It is compared to Samsung SpinPoint P120 and the Hitachi Deskstar T7K250. The theoretic transfer rates (read/write) of the barracuda are amazing. But the measured seek time is with 11.2 ms realtivly high (Samsung 11.0, Hitachi 9.2 ms). The transfer rates in use (create/read/write/copy of defined data pattern) are even worse. The Seagate HDD is always the slowest one. According to this review, the Seagate is only recommended for people, who handle with hugh file-sizes like ISOs.

So here is the question: Why is the Seagate Barracuda HDD family recommended?

[NickH]

Reliability...

[Ford Prefect]

What do you mean with reliability? Do you have long time experiences with both HDDs?
For me the most important thing is the performance of PTLE. If the Samsung drive delivers a better performance, why should I buy a HDD that has a better reliability in the sense of life time but PTLE won't work as good as it could.
Or maybe you mean that the Seagate drive is more reliable when working with PTLE in sense of a constant recording/playback performance?

One word does not always tell all...

[spkguitar]

According to the Pro Tools Hard Drive Requirements, you need to be using a hard drive with a seek time less than 10.0 ms. This will exclude both the Seagate and the Samsung, and leave your only choice out of the three to be the Hitachi.

With that said, Hitachi Deskstars are notorious for a high failure rate. Regular backups are always recommended, but with the Hitachi, if you value your data, you should do it more frequently.

[NickH]

What do you mean with reliability? Do you have long time experiences with both HDDs?

Yes I have, I was in IT for far longer than I care to remember before getting into this game…

Lets put it this way, Seagate is the only brand I will have in ANY of my machines never mind my Daws, and there is a reason why companies like Glyph & Carillon only use Seagate… Also Seagate drive are very quiet which is a plus for remote audio, and having the session there in the morning is an even bigger plus…

And BTW the random read seek time of the Barracuda® 7200.10 Hard Drives is around <8.5 msec.

It’s always a good idea to believe the manufactures published spec on these things as that’s what Digi is referring to, not some 3rd party reviewer, who may or may not have a agenda/clue/computer etc…

Cheers

N

[auxsend1]

Every drive maker will have some rate of failure. This also depends on its usage, the ambient temperature, etc., etc. One of the things I love about Seagate drives is they all have 5 year warranties, retail or OEM (bare drives). Most other brands don't have that, or only have it on some lines.

[3over3]

And BTW the random read seek time of the Barracuda® 7200.10 Hard Drives is around <8.5 msec.

I've just bought the 7200.10 - I'm very happy with it and I'm getting a consistent 40Mb/s read from it over Oxford 911 FireWire, according to that nice Sandra lady program.

I did notice that actually finding an official-looking average seek time measurement for the drive is quite hard to do (sensibly I ignored this and bought one anyway) - do you have a source or reference for that figure?

[NickH]

do you have a source or reference for that figure?

yup, Seagate.com

Cheers

N

[sunburst79]

As far as I know the Hitachi are the prodigy of the infamous IBM "Deathstars" So nicknamed for their Colossal field failure rate.

Samsung and Hitachi drives are manufactured by partnership at the same facilities....

Do a google search on IBM deskstar and see what you can find.

I have had good luck with both WD and Seagate but the last load of Seagate's i bought from New Egg had a failure rate of 50%, I suspect that that was do more to some really substandard packing on New Eggs part. 6 Drives floating around in a half full box of packing peanuts shipped UPS ground is a good recipe for failure......I still like seagate but My advice is to spring the extra 4 bucks or so for the Retail version as opposed to the OEM version. the retail comes with the full packaging wear as the OEMs are just shrink wrapped.

The samsungs are said to be the quietest drives but I will try them in a non critical, Non PT application first.

People are still Mad about the IBM Deskstars. I suspect thats why they sold the drive division to Hitachi.

You Try one

By the way tell Arthur Dent he still owes me for dinner at a certain floating Bistro......

[Ford Prefect]

And now some GOOOOOOOOOOD news to all who tried to help and to those who actually helped me a LOT:

I MADE A DECISION!

HURRAY! For the sake of this community and the mental health of all helpers!

I buy a Seagate Barracuda with some GB and a firewire case with Oxford-911 or 912 chip set.

If there are any problems, I now know who can help...
And now finally: So long, and thanks for all the fish!