I have an external hard drive that I’ve used for backup that may have gone bad. I have another external drive backup plus Backblaze so I’m not concerned about the files. I’ve gone through all necessary Disk Utility options and have spoken with an Apple Senior support specialist to make sure this is not an M1 and/or Big Sur issue.
This means I probably need to replace it. I’m looking for a fast, reliable external 2T drive to use for backups. Any recommendations?
I did search the forum but many of the hits concern technical problems or the recommendations are a bit outdated.
I know the cost/speed trade off for spinning drives vs. SSDs.
But is there a trade off in longevity and risk of failure too? In other words, are spinning drives, with all their moving parts, kore likely to fail sooner than SSDs?
This might be helpful – though Newegg has a stake in making you worry, of course.
Check to see if the manufacturer of the drive you’re interested in publishes any sort of reliability data. A good rule of thumb is the warranty on offer. Beyond the edge of the warranty period, you might start thinking of replacing the drive, whether HDD or SSD. Everything dies.
I personally own a T5, but that decision was just because it was cheaper than the Sandisk. One of the things I’m not crazy about on the T5 is that it feels more fragile, and the Sandisk definitely addresses that issue. I’ve always considered Sandisk to make good stuff.
This is the best summary of post-COVID electronics pricing.