Options for getting 500+ GB of storage.

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Devnull

[H]F Junkie
Joined
Apr 21, 2000
Messages
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So I am working on a bit of a HTPC style setup here. I've seen 500GB SATA drives for $300+, but I also noticed these 300GB Maxtor drives for $109 on outpost http://shop1.outpost.com/product/4116853

Is there any reason not to get two of these drives? CA tax is ~$20 and overnight shipping $14, free 2nd day shipping. Only shows as a 1 year warranty, but otherwise this looks like the best deal.
 
Well, I won't buy newegg because they leaked by credit card information to "authorized individuals" according to my card issuer, causing me to have to get a new card. And the price on that seagate just isn't low enough. That's over $300 for both drives. I never actually expect to get rebate money back in a timely fashion(if at all).
 
If you're buying online as opposed to B&M, stick with ZipZoomFly. Their shipping practices are much better than Newegg's, and in the absence of information about Outpost's I'd venture a guess that they use bubble wrap/peanuts like the other 90% of the e-tailers I've seen rather than foam boxes like ZZF uses.

 
Devnull said:
Well, I won't buy newegg because they leaked by credit card information to "authorized individuals" according to my card issuer, causing me to have to get a new card. And the price on that seagate just isn't low enough. That's over $300 for both drives. I never actually expect to get rebate money back in a timely fashion(if at all).
Click to expand...
Did you check the box to save your credit card info at New Egg? If so that may be why because
your info was saved in their database.

Why don't you expect to get rebates back? Problem wih people breaking into your mailbox?
Most mail-in rebates specifically state 60 to 90 days for delivery.
 
unhappy_mage said:
If you're buying online as opposed to B&M, stick with ZipZoomFly. Their shipping practices are much better than Newegg's, and in the absence of information about Outpost's I'd venture a guess that they use bubble wrap/peanuts like the other 90% of the e-tailers I've seen rather than foam boxes like ZZF uses.

Click to expand...


My main concern with shipping is speed. I'm ordering retail drives, so you don't have to worry so much about how carefully they package it. Also ZZF takes up to a week to ship your stuff, it took them 5 business days to ship my LCD and as long as you order before midnight EST, outpost ships it out the same day. Ordering from outpost, I always get my stuff the next day around 10am if I order before 9pm my time. Sweetest shipping, but I don't buy from them often due to their prices.
 
Susquehannock said:
Did you check the box to save your credit card info at New Egg? If so that may be why because
your info was saved in their database.

Why don't you expect to get rebates back? Problem wih people breaking into your mailbox?
Most mail-in rebates specifically state 60 to 90 days for delivery.
Click to expand...


No, I never allow a site to save my CC info. And if they do it themselves I go in later and manually erase it. The problem was that they have no idea how to handle sensitive information at newegg and they had virtually no clue how to process an order, alarm bells were ringing at my bank. Very incontinent for me.


I've had my mail stolen before, but no one would break into the mailbox as its on the porch and someone's always here as the mail arrives. Stuff gets lost in mail(epecially when full time postal workers are being replaced by part-time, untrained immigrant workers), postal workers steal things(I've received envelopes that were supposed to contain cash or checks with them having been opened and the $$$ removed). Also companies handling rebates tend to go out of business(happened to me more than once) and just generally have two speeds: stop and slow. Never buy something unless you're 100% willing to have the non-rebate price be final.
 
Anyways I decided to go with the 2 drives from outpost. Hopefully they'll do the job fine. I'll start filling them after I get home tomorrow :D
 
Sorry to read of your troubles Devnull.

About I can say is that all of the mail-in rebates I've submitted over the years have worked out.
And Poll threads in the forums would seem to suggest I am not alone in that regard.

Best of luck with the Outpost purchase.
 
unhappy_mage said:
If you're buying online as opposed to B&M, stick with ZipZoomFly. Their shipping practices are much better than Newegg's, and in the absence of information about Outpost's I'd venture a guess that they use bubble wrap/peanuts like the other 90% of the e-tailers I've seen rather than foam boxes like ZZF uses.

Click to expand...
What difference does it make if the drive is in a plastic casing and wrapped with bubble wrap or if its in foam casing? I've never had a problem with any drive from either ZZF or Newegg...
 
live2sk8 said:
What difference does it make if the drive is in a plastic casing and wrapped with bubble wrap or if its in foam casing? I've never had a problem with any drive from either ZZF or Newegg...
Click to expand...
Was just wondering that myself sk8. I can see 2 possible areas of concern.

1] - Static from the styrofoam and/or plastic.
That shouldn't be an issue since HDD's are packaged inside anti-static bags.


2] - Environmental concerns.
That is something I can relate to somewhat.

Something else perhaps?
 
The problem is simple - shifting. Foam peanuts can re-settle and move around, so you end up with the drive moving too. Then it can be directly up against an edge when the box lands, and that's a problem. Bubble wrap would (I think) be okay but for the fact that you have to tape it to attach it, and there's too much human error in it. The foam packing leaves no room for error. Or lots of room for error, depending on how you look at it.

The upshot is, if you look at the RMA procedures for Seagate, WD, Maxtor, Fujitsu, or Samsung, they *all* say to use foam, and won't accept anything else. I wonder what that implies ;)

 
That makes sense unhappy_mage. Might be one reason to choose retail over OEM since
the former is usually in a box with foam from the manufactuer.

Though I must say the HDD's that I have received from the Egg are packed in peanuts tightly
with no room to move around. Plus bubble wrap.
 
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