Is the Mac mini HD lifespan comparable to that of a normal sized HD?

[MontrealMitch]

Last newB question, I promise! I'm just wondering about this, as I know the mini uses a laptop style HD and not a full-sized. Do laptop HD's typically last as long as full-sized ones?

 

[Alexis]

I can't see why they'd be any different, but HDs should last indefinitely, certainly 20 or 30 years.

 

[Aptmunich]

Sorry, but I'm going to have to disagree.

Aside from actual physical harddrive damage, magnetic drives will simply die sooner or later simply due to the way they save information. (Magnets lose their strength after a certain while).

Harddrives in laptops seem more prone to physical damage in my experience (we had 2 dead 2,5" harddrives in my family in 2 years), simply because they're also subjected to more movement and jolting.

Since this one is is used in a desktop machine, it should last as long as a 'regular' 3,5" drive.

But assume it could fail at any given moment and backup your data regularly, regardless of whether it's a laptop or desktop!


I'd say most harddrives have a life span of between 3-5 years.

 

[Hulk_SMASH]

I have no idea where you get 20-30 years from.... geez... The truth is the 2.5" drives are built tougher and to run cooler because they're normally slung around in hot laptops. Seeing as how it's in a cooler and stationary Mac Mini, I ssupect the life on them will be pretty good.