See the Cheapest Terabyte in Each Condition
Three lists, one per condition, each ranked on its own
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The cheapest terabyte depends on which kind of drive you will accept, so this page keeps three lists apart. A new NAS drive is the baseline and sets the headline price. A renewed or used drive is ranked on its own list and comes with whatever cover the seller states. A desktop external bought to be opened is ranked on a third, since it costs you its warranty and you do not know the drive inside until you look. Each list is ranked only against its own kind.
New NAS and enterprise drives: the ten cheapest per TB
New, CMR, 4TB and up. This list sets the headline figure.
Renewed, refurbished and used drives: the ten cheapest per TB
Second-hand listings only. Read the warranty on the listing; none is stated here.
Shuckable desktop externals: the ten cheapest per TB
3.5-inch USB externals of 4TB and up. The price is for the whole unit; the drive inside is not guaranteed.
Renewed, refurbished and used listings
Shown for reference. These are not counted in the best price per TB above, and warranty terms differ from new drives.
What each list is, and is not
| What is in it | What you take on | |
|---|---|---|
| New | New NAS and enterprise SATA drives, CMR, 4TB and up | The highest price of the three |
| Renewed and used | The same kinds of drive, sold second-hand | A seller's warranty in place of the maker's, and a history you cannot see |
| Shuckable externals | 3.5-inch USB desktop drives of 4TB and up | Opening the case, losing the external's warranty, and an internal drive that is not specified |
Rules that apply to all three
From 22TB up, a drive is ranked only when a document from its maker states the model is CMR. Others are shown for reference with a badge, never in these lists.
A price has to be in stock and freshly checked to count, and listings whose price per terabyte is far out of line are held back as anomalies.
The lists are never merged, because a single ranking would put a used drive with a short warranty above a new one and call it the best price.
The fuller lists
Each condition has its own page with every listing.
NAS hard drives by price per TB · Best recertified NAS drives · Shucking tracker · Price per TB by capacity
Frequently asked questions
Why are new, renewed and shuckable drives not in one list?
They are different purchases with different warranties. One ranking would put the least protected listing first.
Which list sets the headline price per terabyte?
The new one. The headline on this site is always a new, in-stock drive.