by 1 reviews.
Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive (ST2000VM003) Review: A Mixed Bag of Performance and Reliability
When it comes to internal hard drives, the Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive (ST2000VM003) promises a lot. Designed for DVRs and high-definition consumer applications, this drive boasts a 2TB storage capacity, a 64MB cache, and a SATA 6Gb/s interface for fast data transfer. It’s optimized for 24x7 operation, making it ideal for always-on environments like media servers and surveillance systems. But does it live up to the hype? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on real customer experiences.
Pros: What Customers Love About the Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD Drive
1. Reliable Performance for Media Servers and DVRs
Many users have praised the Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD for its reliability in demanding environments. One customer mentioned using it in a media server for almost a year, with the drive handling constant streaming without any issues. Another user highlighted its ability to support up to 16 simultaneous HD streams, making it a great choice for multi-room video delivery.
"Despite being a 10-year-old drive, it's been working surprisingly reliably. And it's not a light workload either. It's being used on a media server! Constantly streaming media! And it still works almost a year after purchase!"
2. Affordable Storage Solution
For those on a budget, this drive offers a lot of storage for a relatively low price. Several customers appreciated the value it provides, especially for backup or secondary storage purposes.
"For less than $30, the price is amazing. If any fail, I’ll be okay because I’m using them in a RAID array."
3. Quiet and Energy-Efficient Operation
The drive’s low power consumption and silent operation were also highlighted as major advantages. It meets Energy Star standards, making it an eco-friendly choice for users who prioritize sustainability.
"It's quiet, and loads very quickly for the price. I can't complain."
Cons: Where the Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD Falls Short
1. Inconsistent Quality and Reliability
While some users had positive experiences, others reported significant issues with reliability. Several customers mentioned drives failing shortly after purchase, with one user stating that two drives died within days of each other.
"I bought 2 of these, and one crapped out one day after I couldn't return it to Amazon, and the other went the next day. I will never buy another Seagate product ever again."
2. Questionable Warranty Support
A recurring concern among customers is the lack of clear warranty support from Seagate. Many users reported that the warranty status on Seagate’s website directed them to contact the place of purchase, leaving them in a difficult position if the drive failed.
"Seagate themselves may not officially honor any warranty. Checking the warranty status via their website returns the message to contact the place of purchase for warranty support."
3. Misrepresented SMART Data
Some customers discovered that the SMART data on their drives had been wiped or manipulated, making it appear as though the drives were new when they were not. This raised concerns about the authenticity of the product and its previous usage.
"The S.M.A.R.T data on the drives was fake: it said that the drives had zero hours of use, but they were both >80% full of data already."
4. Slow Performance Compared to SSDs
While the drive is designed for DVRs and media servers, some users found its performance lacking compared to SSDs. This is to be expected given the difference in technology, but it’s worth noting for those accustomed to faster storage solutions.
"The drive seemed slow, but I figured it was just because it wasn't an SSD, which is what I was used to."
Conclusion: Is the Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD Worth It?
The Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive (ST2000VM003) is a mixed bag. On one hand, it offers affordable, high-capacity storage with reliable performance for media servers and DVRs. Its energy efficiency and quiet operation are also notable advantages. However, the inconsistent quality, questionable warranty support, and reports of manipulated SMART data raise red flags.
If you’re considering this drive, it’s best to use it in a redundant setup like a RAID array or as a secondary backup drive. This way, you can mitigate the risk of data loss if the drive fails. For primary storage or critical applications, you might want to explore more reliable alternatives from brands like Western Digital or Toshiba.
Final Verdict: The Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD is a budget-friendly option for non-critical storage needs, but proceed with caution and ensure you have a solid backup plan in place.
Specification Seagate 2TB Pipeline HD SATA 6Gb/s 64MB Cache 3.5-Inch Internal Bare Drive (ST2000VM003):
Comments from Amazon:
I bought 2 of these and one crapped out 1 day after I couldn't return to Amazon, and the other went the next day. I will never buy another Seagate product ever again. The drive seemed slow, but I figured it was just because it wasn't a SSD which is what I was used to. 2 months without a hitch using them to back up my disks. So, what would have happened if these drives crapped out and so did my main disk? I'd have been up a river!! Seagate makes horrible hard drives and I cannot stress enough how unhappy I am with them. Two drives bought... Two drives dead!! I bought Toshiba, Western Digital, and even some white label hard drives that have had longer life then these two abominations!! I am done with Seagate. These are just the next in a long string of bad hard drives that I have bought from this company. I was willing to give them another try, but this is beyond inexcusable!! It is like they have rigged these things to last just long enough to work until the Amazon warranty runs out. I build computers and I build a lot of them! I will never again put a Seagate hard drive in to anyone's rig! I will warn them against it and I will tell them this story before steering them towards other more reputable companies! Too many people here have had the same problems and I do not see any end in sight. Seagate, you have lost thousands of dollars from me and my business!!
I purchased this on Jun 7, 2023, arrived quick. It worked fine, it was fast was well. I got ALL my photos and music on my new drive... Yesteryda Nov 6, it just died. Its completely gone. The computer now detects it as '4GB'. I did swap the cables, with know good, the issue changed to the new port. Their own test fails, cannot even re-format it from CMD. Also tried on linux... Now im stuck with this one with no warranty, their website takes to the 'place where you purchased it.
Despite being a 10 year old drive, it's been working surprisingly reliably. And it's not a light workload either. It's being used on a media server! Constantly streaming media! And it still works almost a year after purchase! Great way to get lots of storage for cheap!
One drive out of seven that I tested had a bunch of bad blocks. The other six worked perfectly. Zero bad blocks. There are several sellers of these drives and I think that they are getting them from different places. I got 5 drives from one seller and they are nearly silent but have lower read and write speeds than the drives sold by a different seller. The “new” drives from that seller were not new and the S.M.A.R.T data on the drives was fake: it said that the drives had zero hours of use but they were both >80% full of data already; someone merely wiped the partition table to make the disks look blank. Based on the recovered files, the drives apparently came from a “Sky Q 2TB Box” which is a digital video recorder. Log files left on the disks showed that they had been used for at least months, possibly much longer. After using one drive for about 13 hours, it now says that it has 13 hours of use so clearly the drives are capable of tracking their hours correctly. Someone must have reset the S.M.A.R.T. data. I am personally trusting these in a RAID array so that if any fail, I shouldn’t lose data. You could also use them for backups or for cameras. But I wouldn’t trust them as a primary drive without having really good backups. I’m still leaving four stars because, for less than $30, the price is amazing and if any fail I’ll be okay.
I needed a drive I could install Mint on, this works just fine, it's quiet, and loads very quickly for the price I can't complain.
I bought 4 of these and they were already failing. The SMART data was wiped clean so it didn't look like they were in failure already. I did a full scan and every single drive was failing. I tried to return them but Amazon did not give me my money back.
About the drive: Seagate 2TB (from US_Electronics) It works (as it should) - have only been using 1 week. Put it in my desktop RAID array and it rebuilt without a problem. As one reviewer pointed out, it seems that Seagate themselves may not officially honor any warranty. Checking the warranty status via their website returns the message to contact the place of purchase for warranty support (see picture). More importantly, there were no problems with the SMART data (indicates heath of the drive) and it indicates 0 hours of use and powered on/off only 3 times (a reasonable number for testing purposes, plus when 1 for when I powered it on myself). I don't believe the power on count or hours can be easily changed/forged so I'll believe the data. (see picture) About Other Reviews: When reading reviews to consider if I should buy this or not, I noticed some mentioned other sellers (and I thought one even mentioned another brand). I purchased from US_Electronics so can't speak to others. Also, given that this is in a redundant RAID array, if the drive did fail after the Amazon warranty period and the seller didn't do anything, I wouldn't have lost my data - just the money I paid (so I was willing to risk it, so so far no problems).