Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB vs Toshiba L200 1TB

SeagateBarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB1000 GB · 7200 · 64 MB · 3.5-inchLeads on Current best price
ToshibaL200 1TB1000 GB · 5400 · 128 MB · 2.5-inchLeads on Cache
In short

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is at least the equal of the other on every measure that decides this, and ahead on at least one.

SpecificationSeagateBarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TBToshibaL200 1TB
Capacity (GB)10001000
Current best price$62.13betterat Amazon.ca · captured 2026-09-13$88.52at Amazon.ca · captured 2026-09-13
Price per TB$62.13better$88.52
RPM7200better5400
Cache (MB)64128better
Form factor3.5-inch2.5-inch
Warranty (years)22

How these two compare

Sequential throughput

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is rated 210 MB/s read and 210 MB/s write; Toshiba L200 1TB, 150 MB/s read and 150 MB/s write. On a mechanical drive read and write track closely — platter speed and data density set the rate, not the direction — so it is the read figure that separates them, and Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB carries the higher one.

Price

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is $62.13 ($62.13 per TB); Toshiba L200 1TB is $88.52 ($88.52 per TB).

Spindle speed

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB turns at 7200 RPM, Toshiba L200 1TB at 5400 RPM. Higher RPM shortens the wait for data under the head; lower RPM tends to mean less power draw and a quieter drive.

Cache

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB ships with 64 MB of cache built in, Toshiba L200 1TB with 128 MB. The buffer lets the drive take in a burst of writes before the platter catches up and keeps recently read data close — useful under mixed, stop-start load, less so for a single large copy.

Form factor

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is 3.5-inch and Toshiba L200 1TB is 2.5-inch. A 3.5" drive fits a desktop bay; a 2.5" drive fits a laptop or a compact enclosure — the two are not a physical swap for each other.

Warranty

Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is warranted for 2 years, Toshiba L200 1TB for 2. The cover is the maker's own commitment; a longer one usually signals a drive built for heavier duty, though it is the mechanism, not the paperwork, that has to last.

Which to buy

Against the other, Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is even or ahead on every tracked measure and behind on none, the one case where the choice needs no compromise.

Common questions about this pair

Which is faster, Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB or Toshiba L200 1TB?
Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is rated 210 MB/s read and 210 MB/s write; Toshiba L200 1TB, 150 MB/s read and 150 MB/s write. On a mechanical drive read and write track closely — platter speed and data density set the rate, not the direction — so it is the read figure that separates them, and Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB carries the higher one.
Which costs less per terabyte, Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB or Toshiba L200 1TB?
Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is $62.13 ($62.13 per TB); Toshiba L200 1TB is $88.52 ($88.52 per TB).
Should you buy Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB or Toshiba L200 1TB?
Against the other, Seagate BarraCuda 3.5-inch HDD 1TB is even or ahead on every tracked measure and behind on none, the one case where the choice needs no compromise.
How we track prices

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