Samsung SpinPoint F DT 1TB

We've long been fans of Samsung's internal drives, and the terabyte-sized SpinPoint F DT - rejoicing in the model numer HD103UJ - is for now the largest drive in the range.

Like all 1TB drives, it offers 930GB of usable storage in NTFS. But while competitors use four or even five platters to make up their capacity, Samsung has managed to squeeze all that storage into just three 334GB platters. That translates to a far higher data density, meaning the heads can read and write more information in a shorter time.

Coupled with its large 32MB cache, this enables the HD103UJ to deliver excellent performance. In our tests it achieved sequential read speeds of up to 124MB/s and a stellar burst speed of 237MB/s. In our last Labs round-up it came top of the class, beating the average performance across our various tests by nearly 8%.

It's environmentally friendly too, drawing 7W of power while most competitors demand 9W. And with a low noise footprint of 23dBA while seeking it's barely audible, making it a decent choice for a media centre.

We've loved all these features since the drive first came out back in January, but back then the £157 price tag was a bit much to swallow. But Samsung has done an incredible job of getting prices down, and now this huge drive can be yours for £74 - just 8p per gigabyte of usable space.

If a terabyte sounds like overkill, you can save money by going for Samsung's 500GB model (see opposite) - or compromise on the 750GB model. Like the HD103UJ, they're both good performers and good value choices. But the HD103UJ is so terrifically affordable that, unless your budget is very tight, we're inclined to go straight for the full terabyte. It's a small price premium, and you won't have to worry about hard disk space again for years.

Note: This verdict supersedes our previous review, written at the time of the drive's launch, when its high price held us back from recommending it.

Author: Darien Graham-Smith