I've had similar experiences. Two that I couldn't access with anything, and would've needed to pay a professional data recovery person if I wanted the stuff. But I had two Hitachi ones which were similar too.

I now have a collection of internal drives in enclosures, and the first two, out of old laptops, have now outlasted any external drive I've ever had.

Only 1 external drive I've had has been good in my life. That's a Seagate. Dunno if it's a fluke but I'll just buy that brand in the future until I find out.