Why PC builders increasingly rely on cloud backups
A Verge writer recounts how a Dropbox subscription saved his work twice after SSD failures, comparing cloud backup pricing and alternatives.
Verge writer TC Sottek has shared why he has relied on Dropbox for eight years to back up files from his home-built PC. His story began in 2018, when working on a large crowdfunded project made him realize that losing locally stored files could cause serious trouble for himself and his collaborators.
Two drive failures
That decision paid off. Twice, his 2TB Samsung 970 Evo SSDs failed outright, becoming undetectable by his system after normal shutdowns. Both times, all of his work was safely mirrored in Dropbox, and after installing new storage — now a 2TB Samsung 990 Evo Plus — restoring his files from the cloud took less time than fixing the hardware itself.
Pricing and alternatives
His Dropbox family plan, covering up to six people, costs about $204 a year ($17 a month). An individual plan with 2TB runs about $120 a year, while 3TB costs around $143 a year. Alternatives mentioned include Backblaze, offering unlimited storage with no file-size limits for $99 a year, Apple iCloud Plus for Mac users, and Adobe Creative Cloud's backup feature.
Sottek notes that cloud backup only works well with a fast enough internet connection, particularly upload speed — he gets by with around 20Mbps. He also points out that cloud storage isn't the only option; local RAID setups or airgapped systems remain possible, though rising storage prices are making them costlier.
