Hi t,
More and more, I suspect it's got as much to do with shipping and handling as it does with brand (within reason). One of the largest shippers in the world (might start with U or something like that; let's just call them U for the heck of it) is known for trying to play basketball with packages they deliver. OK, slight exaggeration, but if I don't hear the truck pull up in front of the house, if I'm home, I always hear the package hit the cement porch. No exaggeration whatsoever. Windows and doors closed, AC on. I've taken to avoiding the free shipping offered by many places if it is this U shipper; I'd rather pay a few bucks for a safe delivery, not an airdrop of the ground shipped package. Someone commented that this U company allows (encourages???) a 6 foot drop of their packages. I do not know if that's a fact, but I wouldn't doubt it. Someone on newegg did a rather informal test and bought a number of the same brand/model HD; had half shipped by this U company, and the other by a company that might start with an F. Don't remember the exact numbers, but the ones shipped by the U company had like 2 out of 4 fail in a very short time frame (one DOA), and no problems with the 4 (or whatever number it was, 100%) shipped by the F company. I've seen several stories like that, and combined with the numerous airdrops on my porch, I'm convinced.