Western Digital Caviar Black 2TB SATAII 64MB Cache Internal Hard Drive OEM

Just got this delivered and up on 30 Oct 2010. As long as you do not compare it with SSD, it is fine. However, amongst conventional HDDs, it is the fastest I have ever used for my basic HDD with windows 7. Over 2010, I have used conventional 7200 rpm Seagate 1 TB, and a Western Digital Caviar Black 1 TB wd 1002faex. Compared with these, 2TB caviar Black is around 15-20% faster than the 1 TB present Seagate, and more than 10% faster than 1 TB Caviar Black. Backups take lesser time (1-2 mins less for a 15-20 GB ghost/acronis/paragon image). Response and access is great. 2 TB is quite a lot but I have loaded my OS, photos, docs, music, and movies on this 2 TB. OS Image backups reside on a 1 TB Caviar Black, enabling faster backups and recovery. Other backups reside on a conventional HDD (spare internal Seagate 1 TB converted to external through an enclosure and connected to desktop PC via SATA which I find a faster solution than a pure external HDD connected with USB 2.0). Overall, this combination enables fast access, backups, and recovery.

SSDs are definitely faster but not in my priorities at this time with the price. Perhaps later in 2011 when I will put a SSD and use Caviar Black 2TB as the main HDD (for all other stuff except OS).

When they work, they do exactly when the spec says; fast and reliable - up to a point. Of the three I bought two failed within a week but I suspect this was more due to the near total lack of packaging supplied by eXpansys (one thin plastic Royal Mail envelope only).

That said eXpansys did take them back quickly and painlessly.

I have since replaced the faulty drive with more of the same but from a supplier who understands the need to pack these items with a little more care.

I have filled my mac pro with these drives, buying the first one when they were only 1 Tb versions available.
Great for video (PRORES) and no failures yet (!) Now have one as my boot drive and the machine is a little nipier than before.