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Seagate Barracuda vs WD Blue: Which Internal Hard Drive is Better?

Seagate Barracuda vs WD Blue

Here we researched for you the Seagate Barracuda vs WD Blue. Deciding on a storage solution for all your most important files, documents and apps is not easy an easy task. As technology improves, see Moore’s law, so does the amount of data it takes up, so before long our PCs need additional HDD storage in order to run smoothly.

The Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue are internal hard drives. They fit inside your PC and allow you to quickly and easily transfer content from your device to the hard drive, freeing up space on your PC.  The Seagate Barracuda comes in 1TB up to 8TB while the WD Blue starts at 500GB and the largest is 6TB. For this article, we will look at the features of the 4TB.

We will start by seeing how the Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue are similar and how they differ. All of the specifics can be found in a comparison chart for easy viewing. At the end of this article, you will have our final verdict, but not before some pros and cons of each 4TB internal hard drive.

Western Digital Blue and Seagate Videos

Let’s start by viewing these Western Digital and Seagate videos for a quick overview.

The total run time is only a few minutes to view these informative videos.

The videos are:

  • Western Digital Blue – Product Overview
  • Western Digital Devices Family
  • Seagate Drives Explained

 

 

 

Let’s begin with what the Seagate Barracuda and WD Blue have in common.

Seagate Barracuda vs WD Blue – Similarities

Quick Glance

Name
Seagate BarraCuda 4TB Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch Sata 6 Gb/s 5400 RPM 256MB Cache For Computer Desktop PC – Frustration Free Packaging ST4000DMZ04/DM004
Our Pick
Western Digital 4TB WD Blue PC Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD40EZRZ
Image
Seagate BarraCuda 4TB Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch Sata 6 Gb/s 5400 RPM 256MB Cache For Computer Desktop PC – Frustration Free Packaging ST4000DMZ04/DM004
Western Digital 4TB WD Blue PC Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD40EZRZ
Size
5.79 x 4 x 0.79 inches
5.79 x 4 x 1.03 inches
Weight
0.91lbs
1.52lbs
Form Factor
2.5 or 3.5 inches
3.5 inches
Storage Capacity
4TB
4TB
Ideal Uses
Gamers, film/music/video enthusiasts
Gamers, film/music/video enthusiasts
Compatibility
Windows and Mac with reformatting
Windows and Mac with reformatting
Cache
256MB
64MB
Revolutions per Minute
5,400RPM
5,400RPM
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
Read/Write Speeds
Up to 550MB/s read speed and 520MB/s write speed when used with SATA 6.0 Gb/s port
Up to 550MB/s read speed and 520MB/s write speed when used with SATA 6.0 Gb/s port
Software/ Technology
Multi-tier caching for faster loading. Optional data recovery
WD Acronis True Image software to easily copy data onto your new hard drive
RoHS Compliant
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
2-year limited warranty
Prime status
Amazon Prime
-
Price
Name
Seagate BarraCuda 4TB Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch Sata 6 Gb/s 5400 RPM 256MB Cache For Computer Desktop PC – Frustration Free Packaging ST4000DMZ04/DM004
Image
Seagate BarraCuda 4TB Internal Hard Drive HDD – 3.5 Inch Sata 6 Gb/s 5400 RPM 256MB Cache For Computer Desktop PC – Frustration Free Packaging ST4000DMZ04/DM004
Size
5.79 x 4 x 0.79 inches
Weight
0.91lbs
Form Factor
2.5 or 3.5 inches
Storage Capacity
4TB
Ideal Uses
Gamers, film/music/video enthusiasts
Compatibility
Windows and Mac with reformatting
Cache
256MB
Revolutions per Minute
5,400RPM
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
Read/Write Speeds
Up to 550MB/s read speed and 520MB/s write speed when used with SATA 6.0 Gb/s port
Software/ Technology
Multi-tier caching for faster loading. Optional data recovery
RoHS Compliant
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
Prime status
Amazon Prime
Price
Our Pick
Name
Western Digital 4TB WD Blue PC Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD40EZRZ
Image
Western Digital 4TB WD Blue PC Internal Hard Drive HDD - 5400 RPM, SATA 6 Gb/s, 64 MB Cache, 3.5" - WD40EZRZ
Size
5.79 x 4 x 1.03 inches
Weight
1.52lbs
Form Factor
3.5 inches
Storage Capacity
4TB
Ideal Uses
Gamers, film/music/video enthusiasts
Compatibility
Windows and Mac with reformatting
Cache
64MB
Revolutions per Minute
5,400RPM
SATA 6.0 Gb/s
Read/Write Speeds
Up to 550MB/s read speed and 520MB/s write speed when used with SATA 6.0 Gb/s port
Software/ Technology
WD Acronis True Image software to easily copy data onto your new hard drive
RoHS Compliant
Warranty
2-year limited warranty
Prime status
-
Price

The Interface

Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue have a SATA 6.0 Gb/s interface. This a third-generation interface. When connected to a SATA 6.0 Gb/s  port, you can have read speeds of up to 550MB7s and write speeds of up to 520MB/s. If your port is SATA 3 or SATA 1, the read and write speeds will be slower. The SATA cable isn’t included with the Seagate Barracuda or the WD Blue.

Revolutions Per Minute

This number speaks to the speed of the internal hard drive. It refers to the number of spins per minute the disc inside the hard drive makes. The higher the number, the faster the hard drive is. The Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue both have 5,400RPM.

Ideal uses

You can use the Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue for gaming PC, photos, applications, saving files and transferring music and videos.

Compatibility

You can use the Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue with Windows and Mac, although if you run Mac, you might have to reformat it.

RoHS Compliant

Both Seagate and Western Digital have ensured that these internal hard drives comply with the restrictions of hazardous substances in electrical devices. This means that they are safer to use and better for the environment.

Warranty

The Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue come with a 2-year limited warranty. Experience has taught us to make sure you buy them from a trusted seller and avoid 3rd party sellers to make sure that your warranty is valid.

Now, we will turn our attention to how the Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue are different.

Differences Between Seagate Barracuda and WD Blue

Appearance and Form Factor

Western Digital Blue

The design of the internal hard drives isn’t really important because you won’t see them. The size, however, is important.

 Seagate Barracuda

This is black and green and measures 5.79 x 4 x 0.79 inches. It weighs 0.91 pounds. These are the dimensions for the internal hard drive with a 2.5-inch form factor.  This hard drive also comes in the 3.5-inch form factor.

WD Blue

As the name suggests, the hard drive is blue. It only comes in the 3.5-form factor, so it measures 5.79 x 4 x 1.03. inches and weighs 1.52 pounds.

The Winner Is – The Barracuda Seagate Drive

Read next – WD Blue vs Black: Which Western Digital is Better?

The Cache

Seagate BarraCuda Comparison

The cache is where your data is temporarily stored while it is being transferred onto the new internal hard drive. A larger cache provides a smoother transfer and the feeling of more speed.

Seagate Barracuda

This comes with a good-sized cache of 256MB/s.

WD Blue

Surprisingly for Western Digital, we felt that this was quite a small cache at 64MB.

The Winner Is- The Seagate Barracuda

Read next – WD Black vs Seagate Barracuda: Which Hard Drive is Better?

Software and Technology

WD Blue Review

Each brand may have specific technology or certain software that will improve the use or performance of the internal hard drive.

Seagate Barracuda

As well as the larger cache, the Seagate Barracuda comes with multi-tier caching technology. This enhances the performance of the hard drive and your files and applications will be loaded even faster. There is optional data recovery, but this is not included.

WD Blue

This comes with WD Acronis True Image software. With this, you can easily copy all of your files, photos, videos, and apps onto the new hard drive. You can download it from the WD support website.

The Winner Is- A Tie

Read next – WD Red vs Gold: Which Western Digital is Better?

Value for Money

Seagate BarraCuda hard drive

When considering the value for money, it isn’t just about the cost of the internal hard drive. That being said, 4TB internal hard drives can range from $70 to $150.

Seagate Barracuda

On paper, it has all of the right numbers in terms of RPM and cache size. It sits in towards the middle of the price range and the 2-year warranty does help.

WD Blue

It is cheaper than the Seagate Barracuda and comes at the lower end of the price range. For the price, the specifics are quite good, and again, the 2-year limited warranty adds to its value.

The Winner Is- A Tie

Read next – WD Red vs Black: Which Western Digital is Better?

Pros and Cons

Check Out Comparison between WD Black & Barracuda

Your decision today may come down to the pros and cons of the Seagate Barracuda and the WD Blue.

Seagate Barracuda

Seagate BarraCuda

Pros:

  • We felt the price was good for the HDD storage capacity when looking at $ per GB
  • The read/write speed is generally excellent for both Windows and Mac
  • The installation is easy and certainly helped with the instructions on the Seagate website

Cons:

  • There is a lot of inconsistency with the quality of the product, some being dead on arrival, others only lasting a short period of time

WD Blue

WD Blue

Pros:

  • Better value for money when looking at the HDD storage capacity and the $ per GB
  • Good transfer speed considering the smaller cache
  • It’s really easy to use and overall quieter than the Seagate Barracuda

Cons:

  • There are no documents with it, nor screws or clips, so if you haven’t installed one before, you will need the website to help you

Video Comparison

 

Seagate Barracuda

 

 

 

WD Blue

 

 

Seagate Barracuda vs WD Blue Infographic: Similarities and Differences

Pick the right hard drive will save you time, money, your valuable date and many headaches. But how to you do that? This infographic explains these two different drives so that you can quickly make the decision that is best for you.

Seagate Barracuda vs Western Digital Blue hard drive infographic

Seagate Barracuda vs WD Blue infographic

 

 

Important Warranty Information

Click here to get the most reliable warranty information.

The warranty information from Amazon customer service always supersedes the information that is displayed here.

The Final Verdict

First of all, let’s recap on the similarities. The size and appearance of both are normal and didn’t affect our decision, although the Seagate Barracuda comes in two form factors which means it can be used in more PCs. The uses and compatibility are also the same, which makes both of these internal storage drives very versatile. It’s also nice that Seagate and Western Digital make the effort to follow RoHS compliancy.

In terms of speed, we were expecting the Seagate Barracuda to outshine the WD Blue because of the multi-tier caching technology and the larger cache. When actually using them, there was a slight difference but not a massive amount.

The software that comes with the WD Blue is good and it made transferring various files and apps an easy experience. At the same time, transferring data onto the Seagate Barracuda wasn’t complicated.

So, it was a very difficult decision. When we received the hard drives and considered the specifications, our initial thoughts were that the Seagate Barracuda was going to be the better internal hard drive, despite being more expensive. The main problem we have is that feedback we had from others was less than positive. There are always going to be the odd bad product but from Seagate, there were too many and the pros aren’t relevant when you receive a defective product.

With all of this in mind, we decided that the WD Blue was the better 4TB internal hard drive. It is an excellent value for money, and it was easy to install and use. It was quieter than the Seagate Barracuda, especially when the hard drive started to fill up. For the price, the transfer of data was very good. Overall, the WD is an excellent internal hard drive and above all, it is far more reliable.


Last update on 2024-03-22 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API