[gr8fl4porsche]

I have a pile of dead drives - all brands.

Bottom line is if you use them often (the cheap consumer ones) - its just a matter of time before they die.

I play with huge files - audio and video. The drives then to write and access for a long time. Maybe that's why my drives only make it 3-4 years.

I buy from Newegg and stay away from the models (not brands) that people return the most. Read the reviews. If you notice a trend in lots of DOA and dead drives after a few months, then move on to the next one down the list.