What's the difference in these 3TB drives?

eton975

Senior member
Jun 2, 2014
283
8
81
They absolutely are not. What are you talking about?
The PH3300U-1I72 are the boxed version of the DT01ACA300, which are renamed Hitachi Deskstar 7K3000.Bs (Toshiba acquired some of Hitachi's 3.5 inch HDD factories when they liquidated their HDD business). How is this shady?

OP, just pick the older one. As far as I can tell, the P300 is the same thing as the PH, just with a shorter warranty :(
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,718
144
106
They are the same. If there are any differences it's likely just a minor firmware revision.
Nobody has even bothered reviewing them.
Look at the pictures and the pcb's appear identical.
Toshiba just changed the label and box a bit as part of their refreshed lineup.

Either choice is fine imo, I'd personally get the cheaper option.
The promo code on the older one is -$20
 
Last edited:

Mike64

Platinum Member
Apr 22, 2011
2,108
101
91
I asked the same question, only about the 2TB drives, here, and got pretty much the same answer you have. (And then someone else brought up the same subject again here.) I mentioned noting a couple of potentially "new" features, but upon further digging, I'm not at all sure they are in fact new at all. I ended up going with the older drive - as much because it's a "known quantity" as because it was a little cheaper, though the longer warranty on the older drive didn't hurt either...

I haven't installed it yet, though, so can't comment further than that (except to note that between one thing and another, I was dumb enough to let the 30 day return-to-Newegg period run out without so much as unboxing it. I really hope it's not DOA now...)
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
I'm close to ordering the Toshiba 5TB 3500 for $145. Any reason not to or good pick? Reliability/performance/quiet.

Reviews are the usual, one review saying bad quality the next good, one review saying noisy the next one of the most quiet.
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
I have a brand new Toshiba 5TB in my HTPC, to replace the evil 3TB Seagate that was there. In my limited experience, this drive runs very hot... 3-4C hotter at idle, 8-9C hotter in use that the other 2 HDDs in the case (the 3TB Seagate, and a 3TB Red.) I have a 1TB Toshiba I just bought that shows the same 'run hot' tendency just in early testing... based on that, I probably won't buy any more Toshibas. YMMV
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
The Toshiba is about as noisy as my old 500GB Hitachis, that is to say, noisier than the Seagate or WD. Where I wouldn't normally hear the HDDs spool up at boot, I can hear the Toshi.
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,718
144
106
noise is very subjective
I've seen a lot of people say WD blacks are loud, I never thought they were. I never even thought the raptors were loud.
I've got a Toshiba 5TB and don't think it's loud, for what that's worth :)
 

Soulkeeper

Diamond Member
Nov 23, 2001
6,718
144
106
It doesn't bother me, but it's a fact that the Toshiba is louder than the Seagate or WD stacked on top of it.

Just curious... what temps are you seeing with your 5TB Toshiba?

29 (Min/Max 22/40)

for my 3TB seagate mounted next to it:
27 (Min/Max 21/31)

This is with 2x 120mm pwm intake fans
 
Last edited:

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
29 (Min/Max 22/40)

for my 3TB seagate mounted next to it:
27 (Min/Max 21/31)

This is with 2x 120mm pwm intake fans

Check. Same setup here, but my minimums aren't ever that low. That is consistent to what I've seen with both my 3TB and 1TB Toshibas.
 

Craig234

Lifer
May 1, 2006
38,548
350
126
Just checking once more on this - I bought the 5TB older PH3500U for $145 at Amazon, it's still unopened and the newer 5TB X300 is now $5 less, $140. I could switch them.

Any suggestion which?

Argument for the 3500: a little more proven, 3 year warranty instead of 2

Argument for the X300: newer, some reviews say quieter
 

Puffnstuff

Lifer
Mar 9, 2005
16,166
4,863
136
Warranty length is one of the reasons that I use WD blacks plus I've good service from their rma process when needed.
 

Charlie98

Diamond Member
Nov 6, 2011
6,292
62
91
I just checked... mine is a 3500U. Again, I'm less concerned about noise than I am the extended higher temps... hence the longer warranty.