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Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB)

Joe Osborne
 & Joe Osborne Deputy Managing Editor, Hardware

Our team tests, rates, and reviews more than 1,500 products each year to help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology.

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Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB) - Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB)
3.5 Good

The Bottom Line

Product not yet reviewed by PCMag Editors.

Pros & Cons

    • Lots of storage space.
    • Does not require Host Bus Adapter to access full capacity.
    • Speedy.
    • Expensive.
    • DiscWizard software slightly clunky.

Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB) Specs

Disk Cache Size : 64 MB
Ports: SATA
Rotation Speed: 7200 rpm
Storage Capacity (as Tested): 3000 GB
System Type: Desktop
Type: Internal
All Specs

A 2TB hard drive running at 7,200 rpm on a 6Gb/s SATA connection, the Seagate Barracuda XT ($149.99 list) sports a 64MB cache, DiscWizard software for configuration and more. Other features include desktop RAID support, RoHS compliance, thanks to being comprised of 70 percent recycled materials and more.

Design and Features
The Barracuda XT measures 4.010 by 1.028 by 5.787 inches (WHD), and weighs 1.54 pounds. Inside, this hard drive sports random read and write seek times of 8.5 and 9.5 milliseconds, respectively. It also packs a 600MB per second I/O data transfer rate, and an average latency of 4.16 milliseconds.

The drive, thanks to its 6Gb/s SATA connection, has an overall sustained data transfer rate of 138Mb/s. This connection also makes the Barracuda XT compatible with both the latest operating systems and legacy OS like Windows XP. In addition to being comprised of 70 percent recycled materials, those used to manufacture the Barracuda XT were also 50 percent recycled.

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Final Thoughts

Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB) - Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB)

Seagate Barracuda XT (3TB)

3.5 Good

Product not yet reviewed by PCMag Editors.

About Our Expert

Joe Osborne

Joe Osborne

Deputy Managing Editor, Hardware

My Experience

After starting my career at PCMag as an intern more than a decade ago, I’m back as one of its editors, focused on managing laptops, desktops, and components coverage. With 15 years of experience, I have been on staff and published in technology review publications, including PCMag (of course!), Laptop Magazine, Tom’s Guide, TechRadar, and IGN. Along the way, I’ve tested and reviewed hundreds of laptops and helped develop testing protocols. I have expertise in testing all forms of laptops and desktops using the latest tools. I’m also well-versed in video game hardware and software coverage.

The Technology I Use

I have ebbed and flowed between Windows-based and Apple hardware and software throughout my life. My first computer was a hand-me-down Apple IIe with the green screen and spool printer. I soon learned Windows with a—yes, hand-me-down—Packard Bell.

Today, I prefer macOS to Windows for its more straightforward integration with the phone I use (an iPhone) and simpler keyboard shortcuts and file management. Also, the hardware and performance are always top-notch, especially with the latest MacBook designs. (Windows, admittedly, still has better multi-window management.)

As for gaming, I’m a Nintendo fan first, a retro gamer second, and a PC gamer third. Expertise aside, it’s a matter of time and preference—not to mention the lack of space I’m willing to give up for a gaming PC in my home.

Finally, I love 3D-printing new miniatures for the tabletop war games that I enjoy playing. I currently use an AnkerMake M5C filament printer to great effect, and I have probably printed more than 100 models between two armies of dwarfs and elves.

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