Background:

1.  1st build.

2.  3 mos. ago minimal computer knowledge.  Went from learning what wi-fi and Bluetooth is  ---> challenging myself to do a build.

3..  Will be basic home PC.  Mainly file ( pic and home video storage ), with possible gaming.  Nothing crazy....?


What I have so far:

i7 4790k

gigabyte Z97X gaming 3 mobo

Noctua NH-D14 fan/heat sink

Crucial Ballistix ( sport) 16gb RAM  - 2 x 8GB sticks

Corsair AX 750 PSU

LG Blu-Ray internal OPTICAL drive w/ burner and BDXL

Samsung 500gb 850 PRO SSD

Internal card reader (don't laugh)

Corsair 760T case


What I still need to get:

HDD - for file storage

Another larger External HD

OS _ Leaning towards Win 7.  We have 8.1 -HATE it!!!

Will more then likely upgrading my exhaust fan

Would like to add an additional fan on TOP or underneath HDD  or HDD cooler case/fan

GPU-  Want to run 3 monitors.  Nothing crazy like 4k or too insanely expensive.  Mainly because we have lots of windows open ( online ) a time.  Do not intend to game with 3 monitors ( if I even game...?)


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So I want to put the most reliable, least amount of failure HDD in.  Would like to go with as much gb storage as possible.  ( Even though it will be backed up on an external HD).  Not sure if I am GOING to RAID1 as an additional HDD in case 1 fails.


After doing mainy searches and reviews.  It sounds like the 4gb HGST got some great reviews.


http://www.ryli.net/the-best-and-fastest-hard-disk-drive-hdd/


http://www.storagereview.com/best_drives


https://www.backblaze.com/blog/best-hard-drive/


Thanks everyone.

Would like to keep this as simple as possible.  Nothing insanely expensive.  Would like to keep $200 or less per HDD.
If you want your data to be safe from hardware failure, I'd look into using a RAID setup such as RAID 1 Mirror having 2 drives that store the same files so if one of them dies you still have your data on the other as a mirror copy to use.

Only draw back to this is that it doesnt protect you from an infection hitting both drives etc so if data gets corrupt as a result of malware etc, it will be on both drives.

If not going with RAID 1 Mirror, I'd just have an external that is as BIG as you need to store the data you have as a backup copy of it and this way if you got hit with a virus etc, hopefully you would know your infected before attaching the external and so you dont infect your backup and can clean up the damage and restore from backup etc.

I have a Hitachi Deskstar drive from 2004 that keeps chugging along, a 164.7GB SATA 1 drive that I use for video processing. It was a top of the line drive 11 years ago, but today its slow in comparison but its working flawlessly.