Seagate Backup Plus 8tb External Desktop Drive 3.0 Read and Write Speeds
The research
- Why you should trust us
- Who this is for
- How we picked
- How nosotros tested
- Our option: Toshiba Canvio Flex (4 TB)
- Our selection: Flaws but not dealbreakers
- Also great: Seagate Backup Plus Hub (4 TB)
- Also great: Flaws but non dealbreakers
- Other good hard drives
- The competition
Why you should trust us
Wirecutter has researched and recommended hard drives since early 2012. For this guide update, we spent 60 hours researching and testing 20 unlike external hard drives, both portable and desktop, to recommend the all-time options for a multifariousness of needs. To notice out how portable and desktop drives differ in quality and build, nosotros spoke to product experts from Western Digital and Seagate—companies that manufacture both types of drives. We also spoke to Andy Klein of Backblaze, a cloud-backup company that publishes statistics on hard drive failure rates each year.
Who this is for
Y'all can utilise an external drive to back up important files or to add storage to your PC without opening it. For most people performing regular backups or quick transfers from one computer to another, a portable hard drive that receives power and transfers information over a unmarried cable is the best option considering such drives have a much smaller desk footprint and don't demand an external power cable. Just if you work with large music, image, or video files, you lot should opt for a desktop hard drive or splurge on a portable SSD instead. Both types are faster than a portable hard drive, simply SSDs are more expensive, and because desktop drives are designed to exist stationary, they may not withstand bumps or jolts too, and they crave an external power brick.
If you're not backing up the of import documents and photos on your estimator, you should start doing so. Your reckoner's internal drive volition stop working someday, and unless your data is backed up, it'll exist gone forever at that signal. Fortunately, backing up your data is easy, and getting started takes simply a few minutes: We take advice to help you gear up upward a organization that will support your files automatically both to an external difficult drive and the cloud. Only bankroll up to one or the other isn't plenty; having both on-site and cloud backups ensures that your information stays safety from net outages or disruptions to the cloud backup provider, as well every bit localized threats such as burn down, theft, or natural disaster.
How we picked
Ideally, an external hard drive is something y'all don't observe much. It should sit on your desk, quietly spinning abroad, storing and backing upward your information without a lot of setup or ongoing maintenance. Because desktop drives can exist large, bulky, and sometimes an eyesore, we wanted to run into if smaller, portable drives could perform the aforementioned functions well enough for most people. These are the features we looked for in an external hard drive:
Input: The drives we considered had a variety of USB port types—USB Type-B, Micro-B, or Blazon-C—but regardless of the port nosotros looked at only those drives that support the most current USB speed, USB 3.ii Gen 2. Drives using older USB standards take longer to transfer information back and forth. Nosotros dismissed drives built exclusively for Thunderbolt 3 because they price also much and don't perform noticeably better for well-nigh people.
Operation: Transfer speed is the characteristic that virtually people notice on a daily basis. We evaluated each bulldoze with tests that replicated dissimilar real-world uses, and we focused on the drives that consistently outperformed the other contenders. Drives that did well on some tests but failed others were too unreliable to recommend. We outline our testing procedure below.
Price: Although we considered drives of all prices, we limited our testing to models priced below $150, and we compared their value on a dollar-per-terabyte basis. We dismissed drives that cost more because they didn't offering standout features that suggested meliorate performance or superiority in build or design.
Capacity: We focused on 4 TB hard drives because of the balance they strike betwixt value and full cost. Most people don't demand more than storage than that, but many desktop hard drives are available in capacities of 14 TB or more.
Reliability: All hard drives dice eventually, and there's no definitive reply on when that day will come up. We recommend replacing your backup drives between the third and sixth years of use, if possible. Unfortunately, it's difficult to get metrics on which hard drive models are more reliable over the long run, and nonetheless, in that location will always be outliers and failures that occur sooner than expected. Although nosotros examined Amazon reviews to decipher which drives might survive for longer, nosotros also outline the limitations of customer reviews in our testing department beneath. In improver, we analyzed Backblaze's hard drive failure reports, which have their own shortcomings. To best protect your files from being lost in a hard bulldoze failure, double up with a cloud backup service, avoid third-political party sellers when you're shopping for a bulldoze, and purchase a bulldoze that carries a warranty you're happy with.
Durability: For the most office, we don't recommend buying 1 hard drive over some other based on an expectation of durability—no hard drive should be tossed around. Because a difficult bulldoze contains physical moving parts, it's more prone to failure due to jostling or drops than a solid country drive, which has no mechanical parts and within bears a closer resemblance to a computer chip. You should go an SSD if you desire your bulldoze to have extra protection confronting getting knocked around, and if you don't heed spending significantly more for it. In about cases, the cloth of the drive's outer case doesn't affect immovability much, either: "Product enclosure materials do non necessarily directly interpret to immovability," Kevin Brangan, the manager of global marketing for Seagate, told us. "It simply does not matter whether nosotros use plastic surface or metal surface on the production, since they are all required to encounter the same durability standard."
If yous're deciding between an external desktop difficult drive and a portable hard bulldoze, ask yourself how often you lot'll exist moving it around and how careful you are. "Since portable drives are meant to be taken with you, they are designed to be more durable in terms of the everyday wear and tear of taking them along with y'all. Desktop drives may be less resistant to drops and are designed to be stationary," a product expert from Western Digital told us.
Nice-to-have features: Desktop drives generally take power switches so you can be certain they're off when you're moving them, and such switches may also aid the drives waste product a piddling less energy when they're non in use; in contrast, portable drives generally lack power switches. Fill-in software is another dainty perk, but you can observe lots of free alternatives and other neat options among online backup services. If you don't need the extra features that such software provides, setting it upwards on every reckoner you use isn't worth the fourth dimension and endeavor. Dragging and dropping files works just fine for performing transmission backups, and your OS's built-in backup utility suffices for running automatic ones.
Warranty: Virtually every bulldoze we tested had either a two- or iii-twelvemonth warranty. If all else were equal, we'd always recommend a longer warranty. But because we've read some customer reviews complaining about warranty claims being unexpectedly rejected, we wouldn't value this over other aspects of a smashing drive.
Speed (in rpm): Hard drives incorporate spinning disks, or platters, that read and write your information. The faster these platters spin—rated in rotations per minute—the faster the bulldoze can access data and transfer it to your computer. Some of our readers in the past have asked united states of america to recommend drives with vii,200 rpm speeds, only we've institute that rotations per minute isn't an of import benchmark to judge past. As Seagate's website says, "A 7200-RPM difficult drive is obviously faster than a 5400-RPM hard drive. But with external drives, you'll inappreciably notice a difference between the ii RPM speeds."
How we tested
Going by our initial research and criteria, we settled on 9 external desktop hard drives and five portable models to test. We first tested them using the benchmarking programme HD Tune. For a more real-earth measurement, we then timed the transfer of a xv GB Blu-ray film and a 31 GB binder of music. Nosotros performed each test 6 times, and we determined the boilerplate read and write speeds to rule out functioning hiccups. After comparing results for each bulldoze, we took the tiptop performers and timed their backups on a 2019 MacBook Pro using Time Machine.
In one case we finished testing, we sifted through hundreds of Amazon reviews for our finalists. We eliminated drives for which v% or more than of the full reviews were only one-star ratings, considering that many complaints was disproportionate to what nosotros saw for most drives. Although you tin observe negative reviews for every drive complaining about an unexpected failure or incompatibility with a computer, nosotros selected models that kept such reviews to a minimum.
Assessing negative client reviews has its shortcomings. For one, people are more probable to mail a review when they accept a problem. Also, because of the express information available in some reviews, information technology tin exist hard to differentiate between hardware failures and software issues or user errors that could cause problems with a drive. Looking at the proportion of reviews, rather than the totals, helped us account for that. But all the drives shared the aforementioned bones complaints no matter which one we looked at: All had reports of failure spanning anywhere from day one to a few years in. Nevertheless, we used the information in owner reviews to the best of our ability to weed out drives that seemed particularly unreliable.
Our selection: Toshiba Canvio Flex (4 TB)
Our choice
Toshiba Canvio Flex (4 TB)
The all-time portable difficult drive
The Toshiba Canvio Flex offers the best mix of versatility, speed, and affordability, which makes information technology a good choice whether you lot're bankroll up the computer at your desk or using it with your laptop at the office (or on the burrow).
Nosotros recommend a portable hard bulldoze for well-nigh people because portables offering simplicity and versatility whether you're backing upwardly files on a laptop, expanding your computer's storage chapters, or transferring files from ane computer to some other. The best portable hard drive for nigh people is the Toshiba Canvio Flex (iv TB) because it's the fastest of all the portable models nosotros tested and too one of the most affordable—its cost per terabyte makes information technology a better value than most. Information technology has cables to connect to USB-A and USB-C ports depending on which one you need for your laptop, and unlike a desktop drive, it doesn't need to be plugged into a wall outlet.
Portable difficult drive real-world transfer test results
All times are expressed in minutes:seconds. Our tests included a variety of data transfers to mimic real-world situations. The Toshiba Canvio Flex was the only drive that didn't neglect whatsoever examination or come in last identify. The Toshiba Canvio Gaming failed the HDTune Benchmark tests, which aren't listed hither.
In our real-world transfer tests, the Toshiba Canvio Flex consistently performed faster than the other portable drives we tested. All the drives in our test group were rated for the latest, USB 3.two Gen 2 transfer speeds, and so in many cases the differences were negligible. But each of the portable drives other than the Canvio Flex had at least one major shortcoming in our testing: The Toshiba Canvio Gaming (four TB) failed to perform iii of our initial benchmark tests in a row, the LaCie Mobile Drive (5 TB) took virtually 10 times every bit long on both the large- and pocket-sized-file read tests, and the Seagate Backup Plus Slim (two TB) took roughly v times as long as the others on the modest-file write test.
In addition to consistently being the fastest drive nosotros tested, the Canvio Flex is at this writing the cheapest per terabyte. Whereas some of the other portable drives we evaluated tend to cost up to $xl per terabyte, the Flex typically costs near $25 per terabyte. Note that the Canvio Flex maxes out at 4 TB, which should exist enough to back up near laptops a few times over or to agree big media libraries. If you need a larger drive, though, you'll need to consider another option, and in that case your cost per terabyte may come downwards.
Y'all probably aren't getting your information dorsum if your drive fails—regardless of the warranty coverage—but Toshiba covers the Canvio Flex with a three-yr warranty, which may assist you lot relieve some money if the bulldoze does die early on. Most other drives have a two-twelvemonth warranty. When we looked at Amazon client reviews regarding reliability, the Canvio Flex had a lower proportion of one-star drive-failure complaints than the competition did. But there are always outliers, which is why we recommend that you apply a cloud fill-in service in conjunction with your external drive to protect your most important information. Or consider the more expensive portable solid-state drive choice if you desire an SSD'southward longer lifespan.
Nosotros like that the Canvio Flex comes with two Micro-B cables, 1 with a USB-A connector and the other with a USB-C connector, to match whichever port your computer has (or whichever ane your next calculator may have). The only other bulldoze nosotros tested that came with both kinds of cables was the LaCie Mobile Drive, which we dismissed for other reasons. Just the Canvio Flex'due south cables are short—less than iii feet in length—so y'all may take to buy a longer cable if you use the drive with a desktop computer. Similar other portable drives, however, the Canvio Flex is small enough that you tin more easily constrict it away in tighter spaces than a beefy desktop bulldoze.
Our pick: Flaws just not dealbreakers
The Toshiba Canvio Flex came out on top in our portable hard bulldoze tests, but compared with the desktop difficult drives, information technology was still a bit slower. Information technology's normal for desktop drives to be faster, and nosotros retrieve the convenience of a portable drive is worth a small cede in transfer speed. Another drawback: The Canvio Flex doesn't come in capacities larger than 4 TB—in fact, 5 TB is the largest y'all'll find amidst nearly portable drives—so if you recall you'll need more infinite, you should consider our other recommendation.
Also great: Seagate Backup Plus Hub (4 TB)
Also cracking
An external desktop hard bulldoze is bully for those working more regularly from their external drives or transferring large files frequently. Nosotros like the Seagate Backup Plus Hub (4 TB) because it offers speedy performance at a low toll and comes in a range of capacities up to x TB. Although information technology requires a free outlet for its ability supply and is bulkier than our portable pick, the Toshiba Canvio Flex, this desktop model is noticeably faster at transferring all kinds of information. It besides has 2 USB Blazon-A ports on the forepart that can charge devices, and so it's well suited to pairing with a desktop computer.
The Seagate Backup Plus Hub didn't top the charts in every category of our tests, but a few seconds' deviation, as we saw during our transfers, would exist negligible in twenty-four hour period-to-24-hour interval work. And all of the other drives we tested had drawbacks where the Backup Plus didn't: They either cost more per terabyte, performed inconsistently past succeeding in some tests but declining others, or had a concerning per centum of one-star Amazon reviews.
Desktop hard drive real-earth transfer test results
All desktop drives nosotros tested had a chapters of 4 TB. All times are expressed in minutes:seconds. The Seagate Expansion drive disconnected from our reckoner before we could perform a small-file transfer test, and information technology failed to connect again after. We tested the WD My Book and WD Elements drives in a previous update that didn't include the same small-file tests.
Considering such similar examination results, the Backup Plus Hub'due south fantabulous cost per terabyte of roughly $25 makes it a skilful value—other drives we considered cost up to $43 per terabyte. It ships with but a USB Blazon-A–to–Micro-B cablevision, which is fine for utilise with nearly desktop computers, but if you're using a newer MacBook or laptop with only USB-C ports, yous'll need to provide your own USB-C–to–Type-A adapter, USB-C–to–Micro-B (male) cable, or USB-C hub.
Although a warranty won't get your information back if a hard drive fails, it might assistance yous salvage some coin if the bulldoze does die early on. Seagate gives you a two-year warranty for the Backup Plus Hub; near drives we looked at had two or three years of coverage. This model also has a relatively low percentage of one-star Amazon complaints related to drive failure. Looking for the proportion of bad reviews isn't a perfect measure of reliability by any means, but we've found it a helpful step in our efforts to uncover products with major flaws. If y'all're using your bulldoze for expanded storage, you lot should always accept another copy of your data; we recommend using a deject backup service for redundancy.
Some external hard drives lie flat, but the Fill-in Plus Hub can stand upright like a book on a shelf, taking up a fiddling less space on a desk. It's non the biggest eyesore, only information technology's not peculiarly pretty, either—it's just a uncomplicated black box fabricated of plastic, with a honeycomb panel on the top. The One thousand-Technology 1000-Drive USB 3.0 (in our Other adept hard drives section) is more than modern and highly-seasoned, made of sleek, silvery metal with a design alike to Apple's aesthetic, but information technology lies flat and takes up more space, and its clean lines don't make up for concerns we had about reliability. And people who desire the smallest, well-nigh unimposing choice would be improve off with our portable pick, anyway.
Besides great: Flaws only not dealbreakers
Seagate'southward warranty is two years, in contrast to Toshiba's 3 years of coverage. The Fill-in Plus Hub likewise does not have an on/off switch, a feature we similar only was available only on drives that suffered from other, bigger issues.
Other practiced difficult drives
If you're willing to spend a fleck more for more storage: Attempt the WD Elements, which was our previous runner-up pick and is still a solid option especially if it'southward on auction. It's slightly more than expensive than our current picks, simply it has the widest range of capacities (from iii TB to eighteen TB), and it performed decently in our tests. Become it if you want a hard drive for your desktop and the Seagate Backup Plus Hub is out of stock, or if yous need a capacity larger than 10 TB.
If you want the fastest transfers: Become the G-Engineering science G-Drive USB 3.0, which blew all of the desktop and portable hard drives nosotros tested out of the h2o on transfer speeds, rising to the top of every benchmark and transfer examination. Its speed is impressive and we beloved its pattern, merely information technology'southward more expensive than our picks and has a concerning amount of reliability complaints on Amazon. Considering performance alone, it'south the all-time option for professionals working with hefty files or people who simply want the fastest drive and perhaps take additional backups in case of a failure.
The contest
External desktop hard drives
The Seagate Expansion drive performed fine in our large-file transfer tests but had the slowest speeds of whatsoever desktop drive we tested in our small-file transfer tests. It also asunder itself from our PC without warning in the midst of testing and failed to connect once more afterward.
Buffalo's DriveStation Velocity Hd-LXU3 performed but as well as the Seagate Backup Plus Hub in every test, but it tends to be a bit more expensive, and its reliability complaints on Amazon are copious.
Although the Fantom Drives Gforce three Pro is a 7,200 rpm drive, its transfer speeds were mediocre. It'south too heavy, more expensive than our main pick, and selective about which computer ports it connects to, a problem we didn't take with any other drive. We dismissed the Fantom Drives Gforce 3 considering it cost more than than the Pro model at the fourth dimension of our research and offered a slower rotations-per-infinitesimal speed.
The WD My Book was our previous main choice, only it didn't stack up well against the models we tested most recently. Compared with our new picks, it had slower transfer speeds across the board, and information technology took significantly longer to perform Time Machine backups on macOS.
Nosotros dismissed the WD Easystore because its smallest storage chapters is 8 TB, which is overkill—and not worth the money—for almost people.
As the name indicates, the One thousand-Technology M-Bulldoze USB-C offers USB-C compatibility, but it's expensive, and in our tests its transfer speeds in every category were unremarkable. Nosotros also dismissed the G-Technology G-Drive Thunderbolt three because we don't think Thunderbolt 3 is worth the exorbitant price for nearly people.
Portable hard drives
The Seagate Fill-in Plus Slim was our previous portable hard drive selection, but we bumped it in favor of the Toshiba Canvio Flex considering the Seagate model is more expensive per terabyte, its warranty is shorter, and it offers only up to 2 TB of space.
The Toshiba Canvio Gaming has firmware to ameliorate performance when it's fastened to a game panel, but it produced mediocre results in our standard testing. If you discover it on sale, information technology's not the worst portable drive you can purchase.
LaCie's Mobile Bulldoze costs manner too much for a drive that doesn't offering unique benefits, and it performed atrociously in most of our testing.
We dismissed the LaCie Rugged USB-C because it cost more the LaCie Mobile Bulldoze, and we thought the functioning would exist comparable. If you lot're drawn to a "rugged" bulldoze, consider buying a portable SSD instead, since it lacks moving parts and will survive crude handling ameliorate than almost hard drives.
Seagate Backup Plus 8tb External Desktop Drive 3.0 Read and Write Speeds
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/wirecutter/reviews/best-external-hard-drives/
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