The Seagate BarraCuda is one of the least expensive 8TB hard drives you can buy, but this comes at the cost of performance. Seagate uses SMR technology to boost capacity up to 8TB at a relatively low price, but this has a negative impact on performance in write workloads and consistency. The 5400-RPM spindle speed doesn’t help, either. The BarraCuda does well in read workloads and is adequate for use as media and backup storage, but the competing 8TB WD Blue has similar pricing and uses faster CMR technology, making it a better buy for general storage.
Both the WD Blue and the Seagate BarraCuda are only warrantied for two years, but this is a lackluster warranty compared to more expensive alternatives. Additionally, the BarraCuda has a restrictive workload limit, whereas the WD Blue is unrestricted.
In contrast, Seagate’s 7200-RPM FireCuda is the better choice if you want a more robust three-year warranty with data recovery services. The FireCuda is also faster due to its CMR tech and faster spindle speed. However, this extra performance comes at a significantly higher price per TB, leaving the BarraCuda as a somewhat niche product.
