Go Back   Hardware Canucks > HARDWARE > Storage
Reload this Page Are there any External HD that don't suck?
Mark Forums Read
Media Gallery Register Members List LAN Calendar Search Today's Posts

    
Reply
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 >
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1 (permalink)  
Old July 12, 2008, 08:58 AM
Urotsukidoji's Avatar
Top Prospect
  
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Mississauga Ont
Posts: 66
Default Are there any External HD that don't suck?
Hi, just built a new system (with much help from folks on the board here). I want to pick up a 300 GB or so external hard drive, basically for moving data between computers, not so much as my back up (I'll have three 640 GB internal HDs on my new PC for back ups). However, evey one I read up on results in reviews about them failing after 2 - 4 months. Some of the horror stories on amazon are brutal. So, is there a reliable external HD out there? Even it I'm using it more as a transfer unit, I don't want to drop $100 bucks or more on something that will die right away.
Reply With Quote
  #2 (permalink)  
Old July 12, 2008, 09:45 AM
Supergrover's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
F@H
  
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Okanagan Falls, British Columbia
Posts: 4,244

My System Specs

Default
Just grab a 3.5 hdd, 500g or the 640g's and a vantec enclosure. Better setup than a "backup-box". You have the option of using the hdd of your choice and can replace just the hdd at anytime.

http://www.ncix.com/products/index.p...3&promoid=1051

Vantec Nexstar 3 External 3.5IN SATA Black Aluminum Hard Drive Enclosure eSATA USB2.0 - DirectCanada
__________________
R.I.P.

Quote:
Originally Posted by 3.0charlie View Post
My knuckles are bleeding from fishing through walls a new CAT6 network cable... I found fresh, untapped electrical outlets...
"It's all in the Reflexes"-Jack Burton
Last edited by Supergrover; July 12, 2008 at 09:52 AM.
Reply With Quote
  #3 (permalink)  
Old July 12, 2008, 12:46 PM
BrainEater's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
  
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: Calgary
Posts: 2,502
Default
I have 2 friends that run the Thermaltake BlacX....They really like em.

It's basically just a stand you plug any drive into.Check em out.

__________________
Intel 3930k /rIVe/32 Gb vengeance LP/Nvidia TITAN/760/760/Intel 520's/WD raptors/etc...
Reply With Quote
  #4 (permalink)  
Old July 12, 2008, 10:32 PM
Mibs's Avatar
MVP
F@H
  
Join Date: Jun 2007
Location: St. John's, NL
Posts: 311
Default
Like Supergrover said get yourself a nice 3.5", one that you trust, add an enclosure and you're good to go! That way you don't have to worry about those external drives units. Much better solution.
__________________
Intel C2D E6750 @ 3.52 GHz // EVGA 680i SLI Rev. A1 (P31) // 4 GB OCZ Platinum 800 MHz 4-4-4-15 // PC P&C Silencer 750 Quad // Antec P180 // EVGA 8800 GTS 512 // Samsung Syncmaster 226bw 22" LCD

WC Loop: D-Tek Fuzion V2 // Danger Den Maze 5 // Swiftech MCP655 // Swiftech MicroRes // Thermochill PA 120.2 + 4 x Noctua NF-P12
Reply With Quote
  #5 (permalink)  
Old July 12, 2008, 10:54 PM
MacJunky's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
F@H
  
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Creston, BC
Posts: 1,700

My System Specs

Default
Just make sure the enclosure has some sort of cooling.
Reply With Quote
  #6 (permalink)  
Old July 12, 2008, 10:57 PM
enaberif's Avatar
Hall Of Fame
  
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Calgahree, AB
Posts: 10,473
Default
vantec + hdd = ftw.

You don't need cooling in enclosures if they are built properly.
Reply With Quote
  #7 (permalink)  
Old July 13, 2008, 08:44 AM
Allstar
  
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Posts: 601

My System Specs

Default
I recommend the Antec MX-1 actively cooled enclosure. I've got one and it keeps my HDD as cool, if not a degree cooler than HDDs in my PCs. And it's fairly quiet too! Performance is great from it as well.
Reply With Quote
  #8 (permalink)  
Old July 13, 2008, 09:16 AM
kingnubian's Avatar
MVP
  
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Montreal
Posts: 302
Default
Build your own! I have a number of Vantec Nexstar 3 & other Vantec models with everything from 250gig drives & up & have no complaints. The beauty is since you have done it yourself, if the drive fails you deal with it's 3 or 5 year (Depending on the drive manufacturer) warranty apart from the seperate warranty fo the enclosure. This is much better than the measley 1yr warranty most pre-built external drives gives you & the reliability is great. I can recommend the Vantec enclosures without reservations.
Reply With Quote
  #9 (permalink)  
Old July 13, 2008, 09:45 PM
MVP
  
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Edmonton
Posts: 268
Default
Vantec Nexstar user here too.

Get one with eSATA; USB blows.
__________________
Gigabyte X58A-UD3R | i7 930 | Corsair H50
G.Skill RipJaws 4x2 GB DDR3 | HIS Radeon HD 5870
3x Intel X25-M 80 GB RAID-0; OCZ Agility 120 GB | Samsung SH-S243D
Corsair HX1000 | Dell 3007WFP & Samsung 204T | 7 Ultimate x64
Reply With Quote
  #10 (permalink)  
Old July 21, 2008, 12:10 PM
Urotsukidoji's Avatar
Top Prospect
  
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Mississauga Ont
Posts: 66
Default
The Vantec Nexstar don't seem to officially support Vista (as per the NCIX.com listing) . Any one know if this is an issue or not? My new machine will run Vista 64
Reply With Quote
Reply
Page 1 of 3 1 2 3 >


« Previous Thread | Next Thread »
Thread Tools
Display Modes
Linear Mode Linear Mode