MaxDigitalData is the go-to brand for an inexpensive yet dependable hard disk drive. Owned by Goharddrive, this white-label company offers a 14TB enterprise hard disk drive for less than $120. It is not only the most affordable hard disk drive per TB, but it also includes a full five-year warranty. Additionally, for just $14.99, you can add a 3-year data recovery plan from Amazon and use Seagate's Rescue Data recovery service if needed.
At under $8.60 per TB (unformatted capacity), it is cheaper than any optical media available. For example, a 25GB bulk BD-R spindle costs roughly $15 per TB, almost twice the price of MaxDigitalData's hard disk drive.
It is important to note that MaxDigitalData is not one of the recognized hard disk drives vendors like Seagate, Western Digital, or Toshiba. Instead, they source stocks of end-of-line hard disk drives that look new. MaxDigitalData sells both refurbished and non-refurbished models, so be sure to select the correct one. It can be confusing because there is another 14TB model from MaxDigitalData, the MD14000GSA12872, which costs the same but has a shorter warranty.
The MD14TGSA25672E is likely a rebadged SATA-based Western Digital DC HC530 with a 7200RPM rotational speed, 256MB cache, and a 550TB/year 24x7 workload rating. It is ideal for DVR, CCTV, surveillance, etc. Cloud storage providers and hyperscalers, such as Facebook, Google, Microsoft, or Amazon, favor this particular model. Its enterprise label means that it is built for long-term reliability.
If you prefer a more reputable brand, the Seagate Barracuda ST80000DM04 is the next most affordable option at under $100 for 8TB (under $12.50 per TB). Although slower with a 5400RPM speed and 256MB cache, it is a big name in the industry.
Remember, no storage device is completely secure, which is why backing up your data is crucial, particularly when dealing with terabytes of data. A Network Attached Storage (NAS) device with RAID capabilities can help reduce the risks of data loss, especially when combined with a cloud backup solution like iDrive, Internet, or BackBlaze.
It's worth noting that MaxDigitalData is somewhat controversial, and there are Reddit threads discussing the brand. However, it is reassuring to know that they offer a refund policy and warranty, providing a way out if something goes wrong.