I watch the "Good Deals" section for drive purchases. I see a lot of activity for 2TB and 3TB drives ($90 and $130 currently). But I rarely see 4TB drives discussed, even though the sales typically include 4TB drives at $190 for an external.

 

Those prices come to;

2TB = $45/TB

3TB = $43/TB

4TB = $47/TB

 

So, why the reluctance to move to 4TB drives?

A) the 10% price bump?

B) the external, void warranty?

C) don't need that much space?

D) 4TB is too big for single parity?

 

I watch the "Good Deals" section for drive purchases. I see a lot of activity for 2TB and 3TB drives ($90 and $130 currently). But I rarely see 4TB drives discussed, even though the sales typically include 4TB drives at $190 for an external.

 

Those prices come to;

2TB = $45/TB

3TB = $43/TB

4TB = $47/TB

 

So, why the reluctance to move to 4TB drives?

A) the 10% price bump?

B) the external, void warranty?

C) don't need that much space?

D) 4TB is too big for single parity?

 

It is likely the initial price outlay to get the 4TB drive.

 

We have sold a couple of Greenleaf servers with 4TB drives and they have been working fine as far as I know.  I just precleared another for a customer and did not have any hiccups with it.

Am I doing the math wrong?

 

36TB (easy size for example math)

(19) 2TB drives $1710

(13) 3TB drives $1690

(10) 4TB drives. $1900

Am I doing the math wrong?

 

36TB (easy size for example math)

(19) 2TB drives $1710

(13) 3TB drives $1690

(10) 4TB drives. $1900

 

Your math is correct, however, you have to also take into consideration that the hardware behind 10 vs 19 drives is quite a bit.  You need a much larger case, two more controllers, and a bigger power supply.

 

I have a 15-bay case and I cannot imagine "upgrading" to a 24-bay (or larger) case.  I would prefer to upgrade my drive density than the number of drives.  I will be adding one more data drive to my system for a total of 12.  That gives me 48TB with 4TB drives.  by the time I fill that up, Im sure 6-8TB drives will be affordable.

Your math is correct, however, you have to also take into consideration that the hardware behind 10 vs 19 drives is quite a bit.  You need a much larger case, two more controllers, and a bigger power supply.

 

I have a 15-bay case and I cannot imagine "upgrading" to a 24-bay (or larger) case.  I would prefer to upgrade my drive density than the number of drives.  I will be adding one more data drive to my system for a total of 12.  That gives me 48TB with 4TB drives.  by the time I fill that up, Im sure 6-8TB drives will be affordable.

 

And that makes sense for newer builds.  For someone like me who started very early I don't like to get rid of drives that are still working without issue.

 

I have a quite a few 1TB drives in my machine, along with 1 500GB and 1 750GB in my production server.  I also have a 3TB i want to move into the parity location but have not been willing to move it into place... if it ain't broke don't fix it.

Your math is correct, however, you have to also take into consideration that the hardware behind 10 vs 19 drives is quite a bit.  You need a much larger case, two more controllers, and a bigger power supply.

 

I have a 15-bay case and I cannot imagine "upgrading" to a 24-bay (or larger) case.  I would prefer to upgrade my drive density than the number of drives.  I will be adding one more data drive to my system for a total of 12.  That gives me 48TB with 4TB drives.  by the time I fill that up, Im sure 6-8TB drives will be affordable.

 

And that makes sense for newer builds.  For someone like me who started very early I don't like to get rid of drives that are still working without issue.

 

I have a quite a few 1TB drives in my machine, along with 1 500GB and 1 750GB in my production server.  I also have a 3TB i want to move into the parity location but have not been willing to move it into place... if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

To each their own!

 

The next time I catch 4TB Hitachis on sale, the last couple of 1.5TB Seagates will be pulled from my unRAID.

Your math is correct, however, you have to also take into consideration that the hardware behind 10 vs 19 drives is quite a bit.  You need a much larger case, two more controllers, and a bigger power supply.

 

I have a 15-bay case and I cannot imagine "upgrading" to a 24-bay (or larger) case.  I would prefer to upgrade my drive density than the number of drives.  I will be adding one more data drive to my system for a total of 12.  That gives me 48TB with 4TB drives.  by the time I fill that up, Im sure 6-8TB drives will be affordable.

 

And that makes sense for newer builds.  For someone like me who started very early I don't like to get rid of drives that are still working without issue.

 

I have a quite a few 1TB drives in my machine, along with 1 500GB and 1 750GB in my production server.  I also have a 3TB i want to move into the parity location but have not been willing to move it into place... if it ain't broke don't fix it.

 

To each their own!

 

The next time I catch 4TB Hitachis on sale, the last couple of 1.5TB Seagates will be pulled from my unRAID.

 

The 4TB drives are currently "on sale" at $190 for external Seagate and $194 for external WD (often called Hitachi). See your local Amazon.com.

Thanks!  That's actually a 5900 rpm drive.  I'm only buying the 7200rpm model.  Im interested in the WD Black 4TB, but it needs to come down in price.

 

http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Deskstar-3-5-Inch-Internal-0S03355/dp/B005TK3HNI

http://www.frys.com/product/7057131;jsessionid=qpMkjpDiz-WXwKKurGdZDA__.node4?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

Frys puts the on sale for $199 every now and then. 

 

Im not hurting for more storage right now, so Ill just wait until they go on sale again.

Am I doing the math wrong?

 

36TB (easy size for example math)

(19) 2TB drives $1710

(13) 3TB drives $1690

(10) 4TB drives. $1900

 

Your math is correct, however, you have to also take into consideration that the hardware behind 10 vs 19 drives is quite a bit.  You need a much larger case, two more controllers, and a bigger power supply.

 

I have a 15-bay case and I cannot imagine "upgrading" to a 24-bay (or larger) case.  I would prefer to upgrade my drive density than the number of drives.  I will be adding one more data drive to my system for a total of 12.  That gives me 48TB with 4TB drives.  by the time I fill that up, Im sure 6-8TB drives will be affordable.

 

I think on "smaller" builds, the 4TB provides even more value. If you look at incremental value of replacing 1TB drives with 2TB, 3TB, or 4TB, the cost for the increased capacity is;

 

2TB = $90/TB (replace 1TB with 2TB yield 1TB increase for $90)

3TB = $65/TB

4TB = $63/TB

4TB externals at Costco for $160, 3TB still $130, so the scale has tipped.

Thanks!  That's actually a 5900 rpm drive.  I'm only buying the 7200rpm model.  Im interested in the WD Black 4TB, but it needs to come down in price.

 

http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Deskstar-3-5-Inch-Internal-0S03355/dp/B005TK3HNI

http://www.frys.com/product/7057131;jsessionid=qpMkjpDiz-WXwKKurGdZDA__.node4?site=sr:SEARCH:MAIN_RSLT_PG

 

Frys puts the on sale for $199 every now and then. 

 

Im not hurting for more storage right now, so Ill just wait until they go on sale again.

 

Funny, I just checked the Fry's link and they're on sale for $199 right now.

The Costco 4TB externals have Seagate 7200rpm drives in them for $160.

Externals often have no warranty after you crack the housing open...  something to consider.

Externals often have no warranty after you crack the housing open...  something to consider.

 

I think for me the bigger consideration is right now I have 2TB and 3TB drives.  It's not as simple as adding just one 4TB drive at $160, that would only gain me an additional 1TB of available storage.

 

In reality I need to buy 2 for $320 to gain a total of 4TB of storage.

 

If I catch another sale for 3TB drives, I could potentially add 6TB for $200, and spend another $100 on an additional Icy Dock cage so I can install more drives.  I would have gained an additional 2TB of storage and added room for more disks.

 

I think in the end it is just about how much room you have. 

The thing with 4TB drives is you have to purchse 2, working plus parity, to get the first 4TB of storage.  That intial $400 hit is a lot when you can sometimes catch them on sale in the $110/$120 range

 

The on sale price of 4TB is about equal to the everyday price of the 3TB on a per TB basis.  Until the next generation 5/6TB drive appear that will probably stay true as the drive manufactures have no real incintive to drop the price on their top model.

Externals often have no warranty after you crack the housing open...  something to consider.

 

I think for me the bigger consideration is right now I have 2TB and 3TB drives.  It's not as simple as adding just one 4TB drive at $160, that would only gain me an additional 1TB of available storage.

 

In reality I need to buy 2 for $320 to gain a total of 4TB of storage.

 

If I catch another sale for 3TB drives, I could potentially add 6TB for $200, and spend another $100 on an additional Icy Dock cage so I can install more drives.  I would have gained an additional 2TB of storage and added room for more disks.

 

I think in the end it is just about how much room you have.

 

Assuming you have a free port and you are using a 3TB parity, then installing a new 4TB as parity and moving the 3TB parity into a data slot, you then gain 3TB not 1TB.  True it is at a price premium over just buying anew 3TB, but you are now ready to take full advantage of adding future 4TB into data slots.  But in the mean time, you've still at least upped your capacity by 3TB.

I think for me the bigger consideration is right now I have 2TB and 3TB drives.  It's not as simple as adding just one 4TB drive at $160, that would only gain me an additional 1TB of available storage.

 

In reality I need to buy 2 for $320 to gain a total of 4TB of storage.

 

If I catch another sale for 3TB drives, I could potentially add 6TB for $200, and spend another $100 on an additional Icy Dock cage so I can install more drives.  I would have gained an additional 2TB of storage and added room for more disks.

 

I think in the end it is just about how much room you have.

 

Assuming you have a free port and you are using a 3TB parity, then installing a new 4TB as parity and moving the 3TB parity into a data slot, you then gain 3TB not 1TB.  True it is at a price premium over just buying anew 3TB, but you are now ready to take full advantage of adding future 4TB into data slots.  But in the mean time, you've still at least upped your capacity by 3TB.

 

Well said! The yield and cost of switching drives is complex.

Externals often have no warranty after you crack the housing open...  something to consider.

 

I think for me the bigger consideration is right now I have 2TB and 3TB drives.  It's not as simple as adding just one 4TB drive at $160, that would only gain me an additional 1TB of available storage.

 

In reality I need to buy 2 for $320 to gain a total of 4TB of storage.

 

If I catch another sale for 3TB drives, I could potentially add 6TB for $200, and spend another $100 on an additional Icy Dock cage so I can install more drives.  I would have gained an additional 2TB of storage and added room for more disks.

 

I think in the end it is just about how much room you have.

 

Assuming you have a free port and you are using a 3TB parity, then installing a new 4TB as parity and moving the 3TB parity into a data slot, you then gain 3TB not 1TB.  True it is at a price premium over just buying anew 3TB, but you are now ready to take full advantage of adding future 4TB into data slots.  But in the mean time, you've still at least upped your capacity by 3TB.

 

My apologies, I was at work, so that was work Math =)

I'm still waiting for prices to drop a bit more. That and the shortened warranties drives seem to come with these days makes it tough to change up all the drives. The shorter the warranty period the better pricing I'm waiting for. Have not seen any real hot deals since 3tb from newegg for $90 on black friday. Had hoped we would see another sale on these for under $100 by now.

 

I did buy a 4tb drive from costco, too many reviews reported high temps with them, makes me reluctant to use them in my n40l, it only has one fan and holds 6 drives. Will probably use the 4tb at a usb drive, to backup images for now of the 2 laptops and desktop os. 

My apologies, I was at work, so that was work Math =)

 

Oh no apology necessary.  I don't know your setup.  But I have been giving it a lot of thought as my array start to fill. I happen to have an open sata port still so for me the economics aren't too bad.

 

PS but [derp] I do now see it right there in your sig