Reliable portable external hdd?

[j.o.s.h.1408]

Hi i am looking for a the best reliable external portable hdd.

i have purchased many in the past, seagate, WD etc etc and all have failed miserably within 3-6months.

even the laptop hdd on my dell xps failed within a year!

are all portable hdd's unreliable?

Is there a reliable one out there or should i simply get alarge 3.5 hdd and enclosure and just use that plus a portable hdd?

the data i will store will be pics and those are priceless.

[Bonebreaker777]

Failed because of what ... ?

Did you use them while moving? - 2.5" HDDs are designed more to work while moving instead of 3.5". A SSD maybe the solution, as it does not have moving parts so can withstand massive acceleration or deceleration. (Personally can't really imagine a 2.5" HDD faile while moving beside maybe a F1 car or a rocket).

Did they failed because of the conditions and environment? - Too much humidity? High radiation?

Temperature changes? - Taking a hard drive from a frozen temperature to a room temperature environment can cause water to condensate on the electronics, which could lead to failure.

I personally used a 80GB WD for 5 years in a £2.99 PATA-to-USB enclosure and after I sold it (due to upgrade) it still works, even it was with me 5-6 days a week, enduring temperature changes and travel (2 x 1.3mil run, 40min trains). Just hard for me to imagine what did those hard drives had to withstand in order to fail

[kompukare]

Or maybe they failed at the USB connectors (I have seen that: silly Seagate used miniUSB straight onto a PCB so no surprises really): at least it was standard SATA inside.
Maybe get a reliable SSD plus your own case powered by dual USB? That way it's a) not mechanical b) standard SATA inside and c) no cheap PSU to cause issues. Sound your best option.

[j.o.s.h.1408]

i dont move my portable hdd's and it stays at home most of the time. i do not throw it around etc. i bought 3 and they all failed. cant be co incidence yet all my 3.5 drives have never failed at all.

i have a few 3.5 hdd that re just sitting on top of my shelf collecting dust and yet they still work.

[ehhhhhhh]

the data i will store will be pics and those are priceless.

I have built a nas with hot swap HDDs (in raid5) for my pictures and other stuff. I think the additional security worth the expense (around £350)

[j.o.s.h.1408]

I have built a nas with hot swap HDDs (in raid5) for my pictures and other stuff. I think the additional security worth the expense (around £350)

Has to be portable as will be used for my laptop when traveling

[insomnia84]

If that many HDD failed in such a short term use i would chage my style of using HDD's not HDD itself

[Bonebreaker777]

Military or industrial grade HDD/SSD in dust-water proof enclosure?