Acronis True Image 2017  at NewEgg
 
$30 with code EMCRJRJ54
$30 mail in rebate, free shipping
 
Windows, Mac, iOS, Android & Facebook
Image backup - local and cloud
File and folder backup
Cloud storage and remote access
File Sync and Share
Mobile device backup to local computers
Archive to offload files and free up local disk space
Touch-enabled UI for computer application and web portal
 
Please note that this product is non-returnable and non-refundable.

Oops - this should have been posted under Deals forum.
There are a lot of True Image fans here on the Cake forums.

I ended up uninstalling this recently. I'm not a fan of the container backups. Would rather it just save the folder tree.

I use True Image to backup disks, partitions or folders depending on the need - all the parameters are customizable or at least to the same extent that I've seen in the better backup packages.
I've seen the term container backups used in reference to backing up virtual machines but not in reference to nonvirtualized workstations or end user systems. Maybe I'm not understanding your reference. 
 
I switched to Macrium for a short while but for me it had issues i.e. it's reliance on the Windows shadow copy system caused me some major headaches but YMMV; I know a number of people here use it without issues.
 
Also you can use True Image to clone drives and create an USB bootable rescue/backup/cloning flash drive which has come in handy many times.
 
Anyway didn't post this to sell True Image (not affiliated) its a tool I use and I saw the sale this morning...
 
Peace out
...Steven

If I had a gripe with Acronis it would be with their subscription cloud backup options which I no longer use.
I find cloud backups of large amounts of data (such as a drive of one or more terabytes) totally impractical - way too slow and over priced IMHO.   
I do use cloud storage but not for system backups.
 
and that they track installations. This became a pain when I was trying to work through my system issues recently and keep having to restore images because my hd data kept getting corrupted.  Tip make yourself a rescue CD or bootup flash drive to avoid having to install it on test systems for a single use.

I don't do system backups, really.
 
What I mean by containers is that Acronis saves everything in .tib files rather than just copying folders over in an accessible way. This basically means you always have to use Acronis to access those backups. I don't particularly care for that method of backing things up. I'd rather a program just copy specific folders to a specified location and keep them updated once a week or so if things in my native folders change.

Also, Acronis runs like a turd. It's quite possibly the slowest backup software I've ever used. So there is that as well.
 
I see its value if doing an entire system backup and that could be a life saver in that case, but I typically don't do those (even though I probably should). I may keep my copy around for that purpose eventually but if something really terrible happens that I need to do a restore, I typically want to just reinstall Windows completely anyway. All my samples and such are on different drives so less of that to deal with.

So far True Image has been the most reliable system of the many that I've tried. Performance is comparable to the others and decent unless you go for Max compression but they all suck when you do that. Only have an issue with the containers, as you call them, if I'm trying to extract or restore files with a machine that doesn't have True Image installed but most (all?) professional backup programs have their own proprietary containers as well.  Ran into that issue when I needed to pull some files from a Macrium backup after I stopped using it.
I currently only use a clone/mirror process like you describe to backup highly volatile files and my downloads. Tip - Beyond Compare by Scooter Software is an invaluable tool (and cheap) for comparing and syncing files and folders.
Like I said previously YMMV, I've had some terrible experiences with stuff others here love and the vice versa is true.
 
I do try to keep regular full backups.  I don't have a PC dedicated to audio, I can only budget for one high performance PC so I've got all my stuff on it. It literally takes me a couple of months to reconfigure my system after a fresh Windows install. Between installing and configuring my various audio apps, plugin installations / registrations, my programming apps, etc. - getting back to where I was is a major PITA process.
My sample libraries are on external drives or backed up - so while I don't have to reinstall them I still need to install and configure Kontakt, Play, etc and point them to the proper locations.  
 
I used to hate iLok but I've drunk the coolade and have been converted. It made my life so much easier during my recent PC refresh. Not having to individually activate those plugin licenses was a blessing.
 
Peace out
...Steven
 

All imaging programs use a proprietary file format for the backup image file (container).  Windows image backup uses .vhd, which can be attached as a drive for browsing the image folders/files in any version since Win 7, without any special software. 
 
The downside to the Windows image is that it is a manual process, and you must manage the archived version yourself.   I use Macrium regularly, but still take an occasional Windows image for extra security in case Macrium gets nuked someday and I can no longer access it.

I've basically been looking for something that just mirrors folders once a day/week or so rather than a backup image program. I got Acronis because it came in a Humble Bundle. :P