Exact-model lookup and specification database
Seagate BarraCuda 2.5-Inch Model List: Capacity, Height and Specifications
This model list prevents a common mistake: treating every BarraCuda 2.5-inch drive as physically interchangeable. Select an exact model to see its capacity, height, weight, startup current, power and appropriate installation path.
Quick answer
Model suffixes matter, but the five current base models are the starting point. Up to 2TB uses 7mm. The 4TB and 5TB models use 15mm and should not be marketed as universal laptop upgrades.
Exact model data
Current model-number database
| Capacity | Model | Height | Recording | RPM | Cache | Max transfer | Workload | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 500GB | ST500LM030 | 7mm | SMR | 5,400 | 128MB | Up to 140MB/s | <55TB/yr | 2 years |
| 1TB | ST1000LM048 | 7mm | SMR | 5,400 | 128MB | Up to 140MB/s | <55TB/yr | 2 years |
| 2TB | ST2000LM015 | 7mm | SMR | 5,400 | 128MB | Up to 140MB/s | <55TB/yr | 2 years |
| 4TB | ST4000LM024 | 15mm | SMR | 5,400 | 128MB | Up to 140MB/s | <55TB/yr | 2 years |
| 5TB | ST5000LM000 | 15mm | SMR | 5,400 | 128MB | Up to 140MB/s | <55TB/yr | 2 years |
Exact-model records are tied to the 2025 Seagate data sheet. The 4TB and 5TB power, weight and height values are also supported by the product manual.
Live catalogue
Current new offers for exact models
Verified exact-model listings remain eligible for at least 336 hours after successful confirmation. Amazon price and image observations use separate freshness clocks, so a missing featured price or image does not remove a still-verified listing. Exact model, capacity, 2.5-inch family and 7mm/15mm height are enforced.
Interactive decision tool
Look up a BarraCuda laptop-drive model
Choose a model to see its physical fit, capacity and main usage boundary.
The model number matters more than the family name
BarraCuda 2.5-inch drives share the same brand, interface, spindle speed, cache and recording technology, but their physical height changes at the 4TB boundary. ST500LM030, ST1000LM048 and ST2000LM015 are 7mm drives. ST4000LM024 and ST5000LM000 are 15mm drives.
A retailer title that says only “2.5-inch BarraCuda” is not enough to establish fit. Verify the full model number and the height supported by the laptop, mini PC, all-in-one computer, caddy or external enclosure.
All current models use SMR
The current 500GB through 5TB BarraCuda 2.5-inch family is listed as shingled magnetic recording. SMR is reasonable for ordinary laptop storage, media libraries, backups and mostly sequential access, but sustained rewrites can slow after the drive has absorbed a large burst of data.
A 7mm or 15mm measurement tells you whether the drive fits. It does not change the recording technology. Buyers who need intensive scratch-disk, RAID rebuild or constant write workloads should compare a SATA SSD or a different drive class.
SATA compatibility is necessary but not sufficient
These drives use the standard 2.5-inch SATA data and power connector. A system still needs a physical SATA bay, the correct mounting hardware, enough height, and firmware or operating-system support for the chosen capacity.
Many modern thin laptops no longer include any 2.5-inch bay. Others accept only 7mm drives. A spare M.2 slot is not a SATA 2.5-inch bay, and an M.2-to-SATA assumption should not be made without the laptop service manual.
Price per terabyte should include the fit cost
A 4TB or 5TB drive can look inexpensive per terabyte, but it is poor value when the internal bay accepts only 7mm. The real comparison may be a 2TB internal drive versus a 4TB or 5TB drive plus a compatible external enclosure.
Include the cost of a caddy, USB enclosure, cable, backup destination and any operating-system migration. A bare drive with no safe installation path is not the lowest-cost solution.
Backups remain essential
A drive upgrade can preserve or expand local storage, but no single HDD should become the only copy of important data. Cloning also copies corruption, unwanted files and some configuration problems, so maintain a separate backup before migration.
After installation, verify SMART status, run a controlled copy test and confirm that the system can read the entire expected capacity. Do not discard the old drive until the new storage and restore process have been tested.
Why old model numbers still appear
Amazon and third-party sellers may carry older generations, OEM drives, regional part-number suffixes or used stock. A family name alone cannot establish whether the item is current, new, covered by regional warranty or compatible with the target bay.
Cloudzat imports only the five exact current base models and requires a new-condition API search. It rejects obvious renewed, used, external, SSD, 3.5-inch and accessory listings.
How to verify the delivered drive
Compare the label model number with the order, check the serial number and warranty route, and inspect the drive for shipping damage before installation. A marketplace listing can change variation or seller while retaining an old review history.
Do not force a taller drive into a bay or remove structural covers to gain clearance without consulting the manufacturer service manual.
How Cloudzat evaluates BarraCuda laptop drives
Cloudzat attaches height, weight, recording technology, RPM, cache, transfer rate, workload and warranty only to an exact LM model. The catalogue rejects 3.5-inch DM drives, SSDs, external products, accessories and non-new listings. Capacity alone never proves physical fit.
Live offers are screened for the five exact current LM models, new condition, 2.5-inch SATA identity, plausible capacity and the correct 7mm or 15mm height. Obvious SSDs, 3.5-inch desktop drives, external products, enclosures, accessories, SAS products, multipacks, renewed, recertified and used listings are rejected. Price per terabyte uses the current single-drive price divided by decimal capacity. Every important file still needs an independent backup.
Frequently asked questions
Model-list questions
Is ST2000LM015 a 7mm drive?
Is ST5000LM000 7mm?
What is the maximum current 7mm capacity?
Do all models have 128MB cache?
Are all models 5,400 RPM?
Why might the full model include a suffix?
Primary sources
- Seagate BarraCuda 2.5-inch HDD data sheet, DS1907.4-2507US
- Seagate BarraCuda 2.5-inch support resources
- Seagate warranty and replacement support
Cloudzat may earn a commission from qualifying purchases. Product availability, pricing and specifications can change. Confirm the exact model, 7mm or 15mm height, seller, condition and regional warranty route before buying.