HDD, HDD or Winchester- a storage device for permanent storage of information based on the principle of magnetic recording. HDD stands for Hard disk drive, hence the name - hard: inside the device there are disks made of metal or glass, on which magnetic sputtering is applied. It is on this layer that the data is written.
On the market today HDD format 3.5 inches are presented very widely, and there is a variety not only in the volume of hard drives, but also in their speed, internal structure, and type. It is worth understanding these parameters in order to understand which hard drive is better to buy.
The device and types of hard drives
As mentioned above, a hard disk is intended for permanent storage of information, and the difference between its memory and RAM is that it is non-volatile - that is, it is stored on the media when the power is turned off. A hard disk is an electromechanical device, that is, it has moving parts, and consists of several main parts.
It is an integrated circuit that controls the write / read processes and the operation of the disk. It mounts on top of the main drive body. In the case itself, the heart of the hard drive is hidden, consisting of a spindle (electric motor) that rotates the disk; a reading head (rocker arm), which is movable and reads information directly from the surface of the carrier, and the magnetic memory disks themselves (there may be a different number of them, they are located one above the other, in layers).
There are three types of hard drives currently on the market:
Expensive HDD models can differ from cheap ones with an equal volume of data transfer rate, it will be noticeably higher, due to many factors: the cache memory can be better optimized, an electro-mechanical unit is organized differently, a different number of magnetic disks for an equal volume. Also, expensive discs are often more reliable and resistant to external influences.
The data transfer speed is the cumulative result of all other parameters and technologies used in the disk, therefore, if your choice depends mainly on the disk speed, then it is convenient to navigate by it. The more high-speed the disc, the more expensive it will be.
How much should you choose?
· 250 - 500 GB- it is worth choosing how a budget option, or in an office PC when you do not need a lot of storage space for media files. However, there is enough space to install programs and systems. Also, a small amount, in the case of a high-speed model, can be used exclusively for installing the operating system, and data can be stored on a slower, larger disk.
· 1 TB - 4 TB- this volume is suitable for home computer, enough to store a large collection of HD movies. A minimum volume of 1 TB is now standard for the average user.
· 5 - 10 TB – maximum volume for hard disk drives today. It will cost you a lot, and rather necessary when working with large volumes of files, for example, for professional editing. Alternatively, create a RAID array of the same size from 1-2 TB disks, which will increase the speed.
What else should you pay attention to?
· Optimized for a RAID array... It will be needed if you want to create an array of several disks. The point is that instead of several separate disks, the system begins to see one combined, which increases speed or reliability in different types of arrays. It is definitely worth choosing if you need maximum reliability or maximum speed in an array.
Right? Which manufacturer should you prefer? How big should the hard disk be and why can't I see all the disk space on my system? Do you know such important characteristics of a hard disk as: form factor, cache, spindle speed, linear read speed, hard disk access time? How to check the hard drive and? What is an SSD and why is it faster than a simple hard drive HDD, but there is also? ? Why is it better to buy two disks: HDD and SSD for good performance of a new computer? We will answer all these questions in our article.
Hello friends, choose HDD not difficult at all, and the optical drive is even easier, but we will touch on this issue at the end of the article.
Disc types
Stationary personal computers (PCs) and laptops use hard disk drives (HDDs) and modern solid-state drives (SSDs) based on memory chips.
HDD(English HDD - Hard Disk Drive) is an electronic-mechanical device designed to store information on it. It has a large volume, but low speed and is used both for installing the operating system and storing user files.
The hard disk is made of aluminum or glass plates coated with a ferromagnetic layer and is a device that works on the principle of magnetic recording. When working inside a hard drive, everything is in motion. Magnetic heads that write, read, erase information hover above the surface of the magnetic plates of the hard disk at a height of 10-12 nm and never touch their surface, as they are easily damaged. HDD has long been obsolete and in the near future will be completely replaced by SSD.
SSD - Solid State Drive(SSD, solid-state drive) - a non-mechanical storage device created on the basis of memory chips similar random access memory or flash memory. SSDs are much more expensive than HDDs and have several times smaller volume, but high speed and are used to install the operating system and some programs to increase the speed of the PC. As you already understood, there are practically no mechanics inside the SSD. SSD is almost 5 times faster than HDD.
SSHD. There are also SSHD hybrid drives that have both magnetic platters for storing data and a small amount of solid-state memory for faster performance. But they have not yet taken root, since they are quite expensive and at the same time have little fast memory. The best option is to install separate HDD and SSD drives.
Form factor
The form factor is the size hard disk in inches. Main dimensions of hard drives:
2.5 "" - HDD drives for laptop and SSD.
3.5 "" - HDD and hybrid drives for desktop PCs.
For laptops, only 2.5 "" HDD and SSD are used.
For stationary PCs, 3.5 "" HDDs are used, and 2.5 "" SSDs are installed in the case using a special mount that sometimes comes with it, but more often you have to purchase it additionally. Read our article on SSD solid state drives for all the details there.
Please note that screws for attaching a drive in a PC case are rare, and if you do not have them and the case does not have screwless fasteners, then ask the seller for 4 things, usually they have a lot of them.
Interface
An interface is a combination of a data exchange technology (standard) and a corresponding connector for connection.
IDE- an outdated interface for parallel data transfer, used a wide 40 or 80 pin connector and a corresponding loop for connection. Data transfer rates up to 133 Mb / s. Disks with IDE interface are practically not produced anymore and are much more expensive.
A disk with an IDE interface can only be considered for connecting to a motherboard that does not have a newer type of connectors (SATA), but in most cases it is more advisable to purchase a more modern hard disk (SATA) and to connect it to an old board, it will come out cheaper and it will be possible in subsequently rearranged to a new computer.
The only drawback is that it is not always possible to install an operating system (OS) on a disk connected through such a controller, since the drivers are installed on the controller after the system is installed. But such a disk can be used as a file storage.
SATA- the first version of the high-speed serial interface, uses a thin pin connector and a corresponding ribbon cable for connection. Data transfer rates up to 1.5Gb / s. This version of the interface was used on the first 2.5 and 3.5 "" HDDs and such drives are no longer produced, but they are compatible with newer versions (SATA 2 and SATA 3) and can be connected to a motherboard with a connector of any of these versions.
SATA 2- the second version of the high-speed serial interface, uses the same connector and ribbon cable as the SATA of the first version. Data transfer rates up to 3 Gb / s. This version of the interface is still used on 2.5 "and 3.5" "HDDs and older 2.5" "SSD models. It is compatible with both the older (SATA) and newer (SATA 3) interface versions and can be connected to a motherboard with a connector of either version.
SATA 3- the third version of the high-speed serial interface. Data transfer rates up to 6 Gb / s. This version of the interface is used on modern HDDs 2.5 and 3.5 "" and SSD 2.5 "". It is compatible with older (SATA and SATA2) interface versions and can be connected to a motherboard with a connector of either version.
Please note that cables from older interface versions (SATA and SATA 2) are not suitable for SATA 3, since they have insufficiently high frequency characteristics. SATA 3 cables are thicker and usually black in color. They come with motherboards with SATA 3 connectors, but they can be purchased separately.
It should be noted that the speed of the interface in any case significantly exceeds the capabilities of any modern hard disk, and for a disk with a SATA 3 interface, the SATA connector of the first version on the motherboard may be quite enough. However, in practice it happens differently, therefore it is still recommended that the SATA version of the motherboard interface be no lower than the SATA version of the hard drive interface. This is especially true for fast SSD drives that have a SATA 3 interface, which should preferably be connected to the same SATA 3 connectors on the motherboard, otherwise the drive may not work at full speed (up to 30% slower).
The first SSD drives had a SATA2 interface and can still be found on the market, but they usually do not differ in high speed.
Power connectors
In addition to differences in interface types (IDE and SATA), old and new disks also differ in power connectors.
The drives with IDE interface had a 4-pin Molex power connector.
Transitional models of drives with SATA interface, for the purpose of compatibility with old power supplies, had two power connectors: the old 4-pin Molex and the new 15-pin SATA power connector.
At the same time, they usually had a warning note that it was impossible to connect power to both connectors at the same time, but some users managed to do this.
All modern drives with a SATA interface have a 15-pin SATA power connector, but if there is no such connector on the old PC's power supply, they can be connected through a special adapter from a 4-pin Molex connector.
By the way, it is customary to call a wire for data transmission - an interface loop, and for connecting a power supply - a power cable.
Capacity
Modern HDDs for PCs (3.5 "") have a capacity (volume) from 500 to 3000 Gigabytes (3 Terabytes).
HDD drives for notebooks (2.5 "") have capacities from 320 to 1000 GB (1 TB).
Fast solid state drives (2.5 "") have a capacity of 60-240 GB.
For a modern home PC, the standard today is a 1 TB HDD, which will allow you to place about 700 films or 5,000 songs in normal quality, or 290,000 photos in high quality, or 100 modern games (usually in various combinations).
For a simple office PC, a minimum size of 320 GB will suffice.
For a laptop, if it is not used for storing multimedia or archival data, the optimal disk size is 500 GB, but 320 GB is possible. If it is used as the main home PC, then it is better to take a closer look at the 750-1000 GB disk.
For professional use or serious hobby, you may need a 2-3 TB hard drive, or maybe several such drives. Note only that if your motherboard's BIOS does not support UEFI, then when you install the OS on a 3 GB disk, the system will not see its entire volume, about 700 GB will remain unused.
SSD drives are not used for storing information, as they have small volumes and high costs. They are used only to install the system and some programs to improve the performance of the PC. A 60 GB SSD drive is enough to install Windows 7 or 8, but it is still advisable to purchase an SSD with a volume of about 120 GB, since firstly Windows is inherent in "growing", and secondly, you may want to install some powerful one on this drive. a program or a toy, and thirdly, such a volume is not promising. A 240GB SSD is cool, but still expensive and basically unnecessary.
When choosing a disk, keep in mind that it is not a reliable data storage and it is recommended to duplicate them on an external disk, otherwise you risk losing everything. If you plan to follow this advice, then keep in mind that you will need to purchase an external drive that is similar in size. For example, to create copies of files from 2 home PCs (or PC and laptop) with 500 and 1000 GB drives, you will need an external drive with a capacity of 1500 GB. If you buy a 3 TB drive for your PC, how much more will you need to spend on a similar external drive ?! Better buy 2 disks of 1 TB.
Spindle speed
The bulk of modern HDDs 2.5 and 3.5 "" have a spindle rotation speed of 5400 or 7200 rpm. In general, the higher the spindle speed, the higher the drive speed.
Most of the 2.5 "" HDD has a spindle speed of 5400 rpm, in principle this is normal, since the noise and heating and consumption of such a disk in a laptop will be less.
Most 3.5 "" HDDs have a spindle speed of 7200 RPM, but there are models with a speed of 5400 RPM. I would not recommend taking the latter, since such a solution seems questionable for a normal high-quality PC disk and they work a little slower.
There are also fast HDD 3.5 "" with a spindle speed of 10,000-15,000 RPM (for example, the WD Raptor series), but they are quite expensive (from $ 200 for 1 TB), and only 30% faster. In addition, they are also quite noisy. Better for this money to buy a 128 GB SSD and 1 TB HDD.
An SSD does not have any spindle, since it consists of memory microcircuits, so there can be no question of its rotation speed.
Buffer size
Buffer size is the size of the cache, made in the form of a memory chip on the electronic board of the hard disk controller and designed to speed up its operation. The larger the cache memory, the higher the speed of the disk.
Older hard drives had a buffer size of 8-16 MB.
Modern HDDs have 32-64 MB of cache memory.
In principle, the difference in the operating speed of identical hard drives with 32 and 64 MB of cache memory is insignificant (less than 5%). But it makes no sense to buy a hard drive with a buffer size of less than 32 MB.
Most modern and expensive hard drives have 128 MB of cache, but they are not yet very common.
Linear reading speed
Linear read speed refers to the speed at which data is continuously read from the surface of platters (HDDs) or memory chips (SSDs) and is the main characteristic that reflects the actual performance of a disk. It is measured in megabytes per second (Mbps).
Older IDE HDDs had an average linear read speed of 40 to 70 MB / s.
Modern SATA HDDs have an average linear read speed of 100 to 140 Mb / s.
SSD drives have an average linear read speed of 160 to 560 MB / s.
The linear read speed of HDD disks depends on the density of data recording on the magnetic surface of the platters and the quality of the disk mechanics. Basically, all HDD disks of the same generation have a similar recording density, so a higher speed speaks primarily of the quality of the mechanics. At the same time, an HDD with better mechanics does not cost much more. The main thing here is to be able to choose the right disk model, which is complicated by the fact that sellers rarely indicate their speed parameters. You have to look for this information yourself.
The linear read speed of SSD drives depends on the speed of the memory chips. But unlike HDDs, SSDs with faster memory are significantly more expensive. It is much easier to choose an SSD disk model, since sellers always indicate their speed characteristics.
For modern HDDs, a good indicator is an average linear read speed of 120 MB / s, for SSD drives - 450 MB / s.
There is also such a parameter as the linear write speed, which accordingly reflects the write speed to the disk and is also measured in MB / s. For HDD disks, the write speed is usually less than the read speed and is not taken into account when choosing a disk. But for SSD disks, the write speed can be the same as the read speed or less, and you need to pay attention to this. It is desirable that the SSD drive has the same write and read speed, for example 450/450 MB / s.
Access time
Access time refers to the speed at which the disk finds the required file after the operating system or a program has accessed it. This time is measured in milliseconds (ms). This parameter has a big impact on disk performance when working with small files and not a big one when working with large files.
HDD disks have access time from 12 to 18 ms. A good indicator the access time is 13-14 ms, which indirectly speaks about the quality (accuracy) of the disc mechanics.
SSD drives have an access time of the order of 0.1-0.2 ms, which is 100 times faster than HDD drives! Therefore, you can ignore this parameter when choosing an SSD drive, and it is usually not indicated by sellers in the price lists.
Manufacturers
The main manufacturers of HDD drives are:
Fujitsu- the Japanese company, previously famous for the high quality of its products, is currently represented by a small number of models and is not very popular, but has a very democratic pricing policy.
Hitachi- the Japanese company, both earlier and now, is distinguished by the stable quality of hard drives, since it implements only proven reliable technologies, therefore the model range of this company is updated somewhat slower than that of its competitors. Buying a Hitachi hard drive you won't go wrong by getting good quality for a reasonable price.
Samsung- this Korean company entered the hard drive market later than the others, and their quality at that time left much to be desired. Samsung drives were made in cheap cases, warmed up and quickly failed. To date, Samsung, in my opinion, has overtaken all its competitors and produces the fastest and highest quality HDD disks. They may be priced slightly higher than the competition, but worth it.
Seagate Is an American company, a pioneer in the field of technologies used in hard drives. It was once famous for its advanced solutions and the quality of its discs. Unfortunately, the quality of hard drives from this company leaves much to be desired. I do not recommend purchasing them.
Toshiba Is a Japanese company, about which you can say everything the same as about Fujitsu - it was also famous for its high quality, and now it is represented by a small number of models on our market. In this regard, there may be problems in the service of such manufacturers.
Western Digital (WD) Is an American company specializing in the production of hard drives. Its discs have always been considered more reliable. For example, they used higher quality bearings than the competition, but because of this they were always noisier. Like Hitachi, WD drives have always had a more or less stable workmanship. But, lately, the disks of this company do not stand out with outstanding characteristics, as for example Samsung. I would position them between Hitachi, stable in quality, and Seagate, which has rolled into consumer goods.
In general, I would advise you to choose between Samsung and Hitachi as the highest quality, fastest and most stable.
SSD manufacturers
With the choice of the manufacturer of SSD drives, the situation is somewhat different. Since they are made up of memory chips, they are produced by the RAM companies.
As established manufacturers, I would recommend the following: Corsair, Crucial, Intel, Kingston, OCZ, Samsung, Sandisk, Toshiba, Transcend.
Better not to buy SSDs from well-known Chinese brands such as: A-Data, Apacer, Silicon Power.
Price
As for HDD disks, their price depends more on their volume. The dependence on the brand, model and even quality is not so significant (5-10%), since buyers rarely pay attention to such moments. Accordingly, it is not particularly advisable to save on hard disk space. Just pick the size you want, a good manufacturer, and compare specifications such as linear read speed and access time. I will not quote prices for HDD drives, as the pricing in this segment is not adequate and depends more on marketing gimmicks. Their prices can fluctuate 2-3 times from year to year, both in the direction of reduction in price and in the direction of rise in price. I described a similar situation in the article on RAM. For example, after the flood in Taiwan in 2011, prices for hard drives soared 2.5 times on average, and there is another wave of the financial crisis, etc., due to which prices for them have not yet returned to adequate technological progress level.
Theoretically, the parameters of an HDD disk can be found out by the model number on the manufacturer's website, but in practice I rarely succeeded, since it is rather difficult to find and understand these parameters on the manufacturer's website. But there is a much easier way.
There is a fairly popular program for testing the speed (and some other parameters) of the hard disk - HDTune. The manufacturer's website has a paid (with a limited trial period) and a free version of this program.
http://www.hdtune.com/
But we do not need it to select a disk. We are only interested in the results of tests in this program, made by other users.
HDTune allows you to define two main parameters - linear read speed and random access time.
In addition, by the very nature of the graph, you can determine the quality of the disc mechanics.
Here is an example of a disc with conventional mechanics
But with a very high quality and accurate
Did you notice the difference? If the disk has good mechanics, then in addition to its speed parameters, such as the linear read speed and access time, the linear speed graph will have a nice, cyclically repeating shape, and the random access time measurement points will be quite obese.
In order to find the test results of the disc you are interested in, enter its model number in the image search in Google. Now almost all sellers indicate the model number in the price list, before there were problems with this and you had to go to a store or warehouse to look at the disc live, or get the sellers by phone, which for some reason they really didn’t like)
Find at least 2-3 similar pictures to be sure of the objectivity of the tests carried out. Pay attention to the fact that the required model would be indicated in the picture.
Optical drive
We define the interface: IDE - for old PCs without SATA connectors or SATA - for all new PCs. If you cannot find an IDE drive for your old PC, then you will need to purchase a SATA drive and a PCI-SATA controller.
Determine which drive you need: DVD-RW (also called DVD Super Multi) or Blu-Ray (more expensive drive for discs of the same name). If you do not have Blu-Ray discs and do not know why you need it, then you do not need such a drive).
We choose popular manufacturers: ASUS, LG, Samsung and choose the cheapest available model, they will hardly differ in anything. If you like to be reinsured, you can choose the most expensive model, the difference in price will be negligible (no more than $ 5).
You can also purchase a drive from such manufacturers as: BENQ, HP, Lite-On, Pioneer, which may have special recording modes and proprietary software, if you know why you need it. Ordinary users do not need this, but they can add problems with warranty service.
What you should pay attention to is the color. It happens: black, silver and white (already rare). This is important if you want the drive to blend in harmoniously with your PC case design. If your PC case is black or silver, then black is more suitable. In addition, the black drive panel is made of black plastic, while the silver one is always painted and may wear off during use.
A DVD drive costs $ 20-30. The optimal price is $ 25.
The cheapest Blu-ray drive costs $ 65. The optimal price is $ 75-85.
That's all friends. We really hope that we helped you choose a hard drive for your computer!
The hard drive is one of the key components of every computer. It is used to store information. It is installed operating system, user data is recorded - photos, music, videos, programs are installed, and so on. The hard drive must be reliable, otherwise the user may lose their data. As part of this article, we will consider how to choose a hard drive, what parameters to pay attention to, when it is better to give preference to SSD drives and other issues.
Table of contents:What are the disks
In the minds of users there is a well-formed familiar concept of "hard disk". But if earlier it meant one device made on magnetic platters (HDD), now it also includes hybrid drives (SSHD) and solid-state drives (SSD). Let's take a closer look at each of the disk types:
- HDD disk. The cheapest of the three listed options, calculated on the basis of the amount of free space. Modern HDD disks range in size from several hundred to several thousand gigabytes. Such disks have a speed of about 120-150 Mb / s. They can be used to store any information;
- SSD disk. It is not entirely correct to call an SSD drive a disk, since there are no disk elements as such. This is a solid-state device, something like a flash drive, with a high operating speed (from 500 Mb / s). The cost of such drives in terms of volume is much higher than the price of HDD drives. On sale you can find SSD drives of various sizes, from tens to hundreds of gigabytes. There are also terabyte options, but their price is extremely high. Usually SSD drives are used to install an operating system on them.
Please note: SSD drives are different, depending on the type of memory on which they are built:, V-NAND, 3D NAND.
- SSHD disk. This is a hybrid drive that includes elements of SSD and HDD disks. That is, the bulk of such a drive is performed on magnetic platters (HDD), and a small amount of solid-state (SSD). Usually, the solid-state part of SSHD disks is used to install the operating system, and the main information is stored on the HDD part.
Physical dimensions of hard drives
At the moment, hard drives on sale can be divided into two groups according to their physical dimensions (that is: width, length, height):
- 3.5 inches are standard HDD drives for computers (stationary system units);
- 2.5 inches are SSD drives, as well as HDD drives for laptops.
Please note: If you are installing a 2.5-inch hard drive in the computer system unit, you will most likely need to purchase a special additional mount that allows it to be securely fixed in the case. This mount is included with some models of SSD drives.
HDD connectors
We recommend reading:Each hard drive has 2 main connectors:
Hard disk space
The main parameter that you should pay attention to when choosing a drive for your computer is its volume. Depending on what tasks a particular drive and computer will face, some algorithms for selecting the optimal volume can be distinguished.
Hard disk space (HDD) for a computer or laptop
Operating room Windows system currently occupies about 10-20 GB on the drive, depending on the version and edition. Accordingly, the rest of the drive will be allocated for storing other information - programs, multimedia, documents and others. We recommend using the following methods for selecting an optimal hard drive size:
- Choosing a hard drive for an office computer, on which you work with documents and interact with the Internet, you can opt for a drive from 320 to 500 gigabytes;
- For a home computer that will store movies, various programs, etc., it is better to choose a drive with a volume of at least 1 terabyte. Considering that nowadays photos and films are weighing more and more due to high resolution, a drive up to 1 terabyte will be extremely quickly filled with information;
- For a home computer that will be used as a data storage, and games, heavy applications (for example, for editing or creating 3D graphics) will be installed on it, it is better to choose a hard drive with a volume of 2 terabytes or more.
Please note: If you have a 4K monitor connected to your computer, it makes sense to choose a larger hard drive, since a single 4K movie can weigh about 100 gigabytes.
The amount of SSD drive for a computer or laptop
The choice of SSD storage volume depends entirely on the buyer's finances. SSD drives are much faster than HDDs, but they also cost a lot more.
If you need an SSD drive to install only an operating system on it, then you can choose options with a volume of 32 gigabytes or more. But it should be noted that in some situations it is more profitable to purchase an SSHD drive, that is, a hybrid drive with a small amount of solid-state memory for installing an operating system.
If the SSD is purchased for a computer on which the user is actively working with "heavy" applications, for example, Adobe photoshop, After Effect, Sony Vegas and others, it makes sense to install such applications on a solid state drive to make them run faster. Accordingly, you need to choose the size of the disk based on how much space such applications will take on it. A 128-256 gigabyte SSD will be sufficient for most users.
Please note: Several terabytes of SSD can be found on sale now. Their price is ten times different from the cost of HDD drives of similar volumes.
Which is better: one large disk or several small ones
When choosing a hard drive for a computer, the user may have a question whether it is most optimal to purchase one drive or several.
If you are purchasing a drive for a laptop, you have to start with the available space in the laptop case. More often than not, it has room for one or two discs.
If you are purchasing a hard drive for a desktop computer that has enough space to install drives, it is better to buy several drives than one large one. It is optimal when the operating system is on a separate disk (better than an SSD), so that in the event of a problem with the drive, the rest of the files are not damaged. It is also better to store working programs and files on a separate disk, while making a backup of the essentials to another large hard disk.
It is convenient to buy a hard drive for several terabytes (it may not be the fastest in terms of speed) in order to store various information on it - backups, photos, films, etc. A separate hard disk (SSD) is allocated for the system, and another one for working programs.
Please note: When purchasing a hard drive for a desktop computer, you should not choose the SSHD option. Such solutions are focused primarily on laptops.
How to choose a hard drive: specifications
Hard disk space is an important parameter, but the speed and durability of the device does not depend on it. There are a number of parameters of HDD and SSD drives that directly affect their operation. We recommend that you pay attention to them when choosing a drive.
Rotational speed
The primary parameter for each hard disk made using magnetic plastic, that is, for HDD and SSHD options. SSD disks do not have rotating elements, so this parameter cannot be specified for them.
The speed of the disk spindle depends on its speed of work. The rotation speed parameter is limiting, and it cannot be increased indefinitely, otherwise it will lead to a greater chance of failure of the device. At the moment most of discs on the market have a rotation speed of 5400 to 7200 rpm.
The higher the rotational speed, the faster the data is read from the disk. But at the same time, the device works more, heats up more, consumes more energy.
Memory buffer size
The size of the hard disk memory buffer refers to the size of the cache memory. That is, it is memory that allows you to quickly perform minor operations. In modern hard drives, the size of the memory buffer does not exceed 128 MB. Wherein for normal work hard disk enough buffer of 32 MB because the information sent to the hard disk cache is usually insignificant.
Linear read speed
This parameter refers to the speed of the hard disk. It depends on the components of the device themselves, as well as on the rotation speed, if we are talking about HDD or SSHD drive options.
In modern hard disks (HDD, SSHD), the normal read speed is about 150-200 MB / s. We do not recommend buying slower hard drives that have linear read speeds below 100 MB / s, especially if an operating system is installed on such a drive.
Please Note: Slow, large hard drives can be considered as information storage, such as storing photographs.
When it comes to SSD drives, they are significantly faster. On average, the speed of consumer SSDs is in the range of 450-500 MB / s. There are also slower (and cheaper) options, but it is impractical to choose them in terms of cost and characteristics; it is better to give preference to a high-speed HDD.
Important: The linear read speed is usually not indicated in the characteristics of the hard disk - HDD or SSHD. You can check it using applications. For SSD drives, the read speed is indicated.
Linear recording speed
We recommend reading:As the name suggests, this is the rate at which information is written to the hard drive. Typically, disks have a slower linear write speed than a linear read. This is due to the fact that this parameter practically does not affect the speed of the disk - the time of loading the operating system, the response of programs, and so on.
Important: For high-quality SSD drives, the linear read speed is equal to the linear write speed.
Access time
Another important parameter to pay attention to is the access time. The speed of reading and writing information to the hard disk directly depends on it. How less time access is better. This time indicates at what time, when accessing the hard disk from the side of the system, the drive gives an answer, that is, provides the necessary data.
For HDDs, the access time usually varies from 13 to 15 ms when it comes to high-quality drives. It is not recommended to purchase discs with higher indentation times, especially if the drive will contain an operating system. This will seriously slow down your entire computer.
Manufacturers usually do not specify the access time parameter for SSD drives, since it is hundreds of times lower than that of HDD drives.
The best manufacturers of HDD and SSD drives
There are hard drives from dozens of different manufacturers on the market. Depending on who released the drive, the duration of its uninterrupted operation depends. When buying a hard drive, we recommend giving preference to trusted manufacturers, such as:
- Seagate- a company whose main field of activity is the production of SSD and HDD drives. This manufacturer holds patents for many key technologies that enable their hard drives to perform faster than competitors' options;
- Samsung- the largest brand that, among other things, is engaged in the production of hard drives. Often laptops come with Samsung hard drives;
Everyone may have a moment when an old hard drive no longer meets the necessary requirements or fails. It becomes necessary to replace, but before making a purchase, it is worth figuring out which hard drive you should choose. There are external and internal drives for laptops, solid-state and magnetic, it is not so difficult to replace external media, but how to choose the internal one correctly?
Laptops are supplied with drives of several types:
HDD (hard disk drive)- is a mechanical device that stores recorded information. A special magnetic head writes data to plates (magnetic disks) located inside a sealed case. HDDs are not considered the fastest-performing devices today, but benefit from cost, capacity and long life when used properly.
SSHD (Hybrid Drive)- magnetic hard disk with integrated solid state drive. SSHDs have recently appeared on the market, in most models the volume is 8 GB. Hybrid storage is an affordable option designed to increase the overall efficiency of laptops through faster caching of data, a successful union of modern and widely available technologies, so to speak.
SSD (Solid State Drive)- a flash drive, unlike hard drives, has no moving parts. The advantages of SSD are high speed and resistance to mechanical damage. However, due to the inflated cost of solid state drives, HDDs are still popular in the sales market.
What are the requirements for a laptop hard drive?
1. Speed of work
Several factors are responsible for the speed of the hard disk: the size of the memory buffer, the connection interface, the spindle rotation speed, and additional technologies.
Connection interface. Modern laptops are equipped with a SATA II connector - up to 3 Gb / s and SATA III - up to 6 Gb / s. These interface generations are interchangeable, but connecting SATA III to a SATA II port and maintaining the maximum speed will not work.
Memory buffer size (cache) - type of random access memory for temporary storage of intermediate data. When working with small files, the cache allows you to read the same data without using the magnetic platters of the hard disk. In theory, a larger cache size allows you to store temporary information in the memory buffer and not disturb the HDD platters, but this is not always the case. The cache optimizes system performance only if you use programs that process a lot of small data. When choosing equivalent models, preference should still be given to a larger cache size. Modern HDD models are available with a cache ranging from up to 128 MB.
Spindle speed
- directly affects the efficiency of the hard disk. The higher the rotation speed, the faster the information is processed. Measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). Standard spindle speeds:
5400 RPM- low rotation speed, suitable for storing archived data. These discs are characterized by lower power consumption, quiet operation and long service life.
7200 RPM- high rotation speed, excellent solution for OS installation. The disadvantages include high power consumption and strong heating, which is quite critical in laptops.
IntelliPower- technology that controls rotation speed depending on the situation. Designed to reduce HDD power consumption and heat dissipation.
Hard drives, having the same set of characteristics, may differ in data exchange speed and cost. This is due to better optimization of the cache memory, a different organization of the electro-mechanical unit, different amounts magnetic disks for an equal volume. In laptops, the data exchange rate reaches 147 MB / s, which is enough for normal system operation.
2. Dimensions
Notebook hard drives come in a single 2.5 ”form factor, but thickness is not standardized. When choosing an HDD, first of all, it is necessary to proceed from the data on compatibility with a laptop. The thickness depends on the number of magnetic plates (from 1 to 3) and varies from 5 to 15.7 mm. The most common indicator is 9.5 mm (standard), in ultra-thin laptops, HDDs are 5 mm and 7 mm.
3. Volume
320 - 750 GB- suitable for those who store all information in the cloud or use a laptop for office work.
1 - 3 TB- the widespread volume of hard drives today. If you plan to install weighty games, graphic editor, downloading torrents and storing data is ideal.
From 4 TB- capacity, for which you will have to pay decently. Hard disks with such a volume are intended for storing archived data; they have several platters and are thicker than 15 mm. They are not distinguished by high speed, reliability.
Let's summarize
Based on the above, it is easy to weigh the pros and cons of HDD drives:
Price. An SSD costs on average 4 to 5 times more than a traditional drive with the same capacity.
+ Volume. HDD drives for laptops are represented by a wide range of 1, 2, 3, 4 TB capacities, while SSD in laptops reaches only 256 - 500 GB and significantly increases the cost.
+ Unlimited use cycle. In SSDs, the lifespan is directly related to the number of times the memory blocks are rewritten. The hard drive is not limited to rewrite cycles and is ideal for daily copying / deleting of large amounts of information.
+ Ability to recover data in case of breakdown.
Noise during operation. Any device with moving parts makes noise. The noise of modern hard drives is in the range of 20-35 dB (for example, a whisper - 30 dB). For 24/7 operation, manufacturers produce lines of low-noise hard drives.
- Low impact resistance. When using HDD, it is undesirable not only to subject them to shock, but also to strong shocks, especially in working condition. The reading head is located a few micrometers from the magnetic plates, even strong vibration can lead to the appearance of broken sectors. Most often, hard drives are vulnerable during transportation, do not throw / shake the laptop, even if it is in a protective case.
- Heat dissipation. Directly depends on the spindle speed and power consumption, HDD requires normal cooling.
- Read / write speed. The most significant point on which HDD loses to solid state drives. The speed differs at times, the difference is especially noticeable if the OS is installed on the drive.
The range of hard drives is so huge that figuring out which hard drive to choose for a particular task can be very difficult. Therefore, I tried to write a kind of short guide to the world of hard drives, in which I will talk about the directions of development of the industry of "screws" and give examples of the use of certain models.
I will not delve particularly deeply into history and tell about everything that has been invented and implemented over more than half a century of history, but I will talk mainly about what a modern user may encounter when he comes to a store or looks into a system unit.
Much has changed since the creation of the first HDD (Hard Disk Drive). Let me remind you that for such a long time, only the principle of operation has remained unchanged - rotating magnetized plates and heads that read information from them - this is what unites all the models.
The number of hard drive manufacturers is constantly decreasing - constant acquisitions and mergers have led to the fact that there are only three manufacturers left - Western Digital, Seagate and Toshiba, with the first two accounting for more than 90% of the market share. On the other hand, the number of models differing in size and technical characteristics, is constantly growing.
Seagate, Western Digital, Toshiba - all who managed to survive in a tough competition
And all because the scope is becoming wider, and the requirements are becoming more stringent. Modifications for special purposes appear for use in devices other than a computer.
Form factor 3.5 and 2.5 inches.
All the variety of hard drives can be roughly divided into two large categories, determined by the size (width) of the device in inches. In other words, there are so-called "large" hard drives - 3.5 inches, and small ones - 2.5 inches. The larger the drive, the bigger size each plate in it, and the more information is placed on the device.
The maximum amount of "large" hard drives reached 10 TB, while the majority of "small" hard drives limited their capacity to one terabyte (you can find 2 TB models on sale - they are too expensive).
Comparison of two- and three-inch HDD.
The difference in size and weight is visible to the naked eye.
Heat dissipation, noise level and power consumption also differ.
The first group (3.5 inches) is used in conventional desktop computers. In any desktop there is exactly such a device on which both the operating system and the user's files - images, videos, music and documents - are stored.
"Babies" are installed mainly in laptops. Due to their size, they do not take up much space, they do not greatly burden the laptop, and, moreover, they consume little power, extending the battery life.
However, there are additional uses for "small hard drives" - they are often used in home media players, allowing you to record a huge amount of video and audio materials in external hard drives connected directly to your computer (DAS), as well as in network file storage (NAS).
NAS is a typical example of using a hard drive.
This file storage is connected over the network and carries 4 hard drives
Here we come to the second important difference between these groups - energy efficiency. If tiny two-inch devices under load consume in the range of 2-2.5 watts (and at idle generally less watts), then the older ones are more voracious and can eat about 7-10 watts.
This quality allows small brothers to do without an external power source, they are powered directly from the USB port of a computer or even a smartphone (as well as a tablet). Let me remind you that a USB 2.0 port at a voltage of 5 volts outputs a current of 0.5 amperes, that is, the power delivered by the port is 2.5 watts (or 4.5 watts for USB 3.0).
An example of an external hard drive.
The USB port is used for connection.
Inside is a 2.5-inch hard drive
It is for this reason that "babies" are very often used in external hard drives - the power of the USB port is enough to feed the device. That is, such a drive is a self-sufficient device - it only needs a short cord to communicate with a computer.
But when using three-inch drives, external power is required. Therefore, they are not suitable for convenient transportation - not only can you not put in your pocket, you will also need to carry an external power supply with you, and in fact it sometimes takes up more space than the device itself. This explains the popularity of notebook hard drives as portable drives.
External HDD 3.5 inches.
The power supply is comparable in size to the device itself.
There can be no talk of any compactness
Multimedia players use both classes. But at the same time, compact models contain 2.5-inch hard drives - this not only significantly reduces the size, but also reduces power consumption, noise and vibration, which is important when watching a movie or listening to music. If you need a silent media player or storage, then such hard drives are the most suitable choice.
Medialer - allows you to watch videos and listen to music.
Connects to a TV and has a remote control.
But inside is the same 3.5-inch hard drive
Third important quality- the weight. "Adult" models weigh quite a lot, so their use is excluded in portable devices, hard drives, cameras, laptops, etc., while "little ones" do not drag the pocket down and do not make the equipment too heavy.
Lilliputians 1.8 inches.
There are also tiny 1.8-inch models. Their capacity is even less, but the price is quite high. Therefore, they were used only where exceptional compactness is required. For example, in portable mp4 players. However, due to the rapid development of flash-memory, they are less and less in demand. And at the moment they are almost superseded by the flash.
Tiny hard drive 1.8 inches (second from the top).
I could not stand the competition and was tested by the flash.
Below is a 3.5-inch HDD, on it is a 2.5-inch HDD
SATA and IDE interfaces
In simple terms, the interface is the connectors through which it is connected to the computer's motherboard or to another device.
IDE interface
Quite an ancient means of connecting hard drives. You won't find such HDDs on sale anymore - they have long been out of production, however, you can still find such hard drives on some not-new computer models.
They differ in that two devices are connected through one cable (loop). Moreover, on the HDD themselves, jumpers (jumpers) were required to set which device would be primary and which would be auxiliary. Old-timers remember very well how much nerves were spent on correct installation jumpers.
Flex cable for connecting two IDE hard drives to the motherboard
Maximum throughput - 133 MB / s - modern models have long exceeded this mark. How to connect such a device to modern motherboards that do not have an appropriate connector, you can read in the article How to connect an old IDE hard drive to a new computer.
SATA interface
Modern connection interface. Each hard drive is connected with a separate cable, which eliminates the hassle with configuration (like in IDE). In addition, the bandwidth of the interface is much higher. There are several versions of SATA, differing only in speed.
Detailed information on what the connectors look like is in the article “How to connect a hard drive to a computer”.
Moreover, while IDE hard drives have 2- and 3-inch specimens with different, incompatible connectors, SATA drives both classes of devices use identical plugs.
Hard disk thickness
While thickness does not play an important role in 3.5-inch hard drives, it is important in younger siblings. Nominally, its value for notebook hard drives is 9.5 mm.
HDD thickness is determined by the number of magnetic platters. The more platters, the greater the capacity of the hard drive, but the thicker the final device will be.
Portable discs usually carry one to three platters (“Large discs” - three to five platters). Therefore, their thickness can vary from 7 mm (with one plate) to 12.5 mm (with three plates).
The standard and most common option is 9.5 mm with two plates. These are the ones used in most laptops. When buying a thicker (and more capacious) model, you may be faced with the impossibility of installation in a laptop - the hard drive simply will not fit in the corresponding compartment.
Comparison of models with a thickness of 12.5 and 9.5 mm.
The first has one more plate.
The rest of the models do not differ
Therefore, when buying a device for replacement in a laptop, be sure to look at the thickness. What's more, ultrabooks are compact and only fit 7mm discs.
But the industry does not stand still, and manufacturers have already presented hard drives with a thickness of only 5 mm (with one plate). But they are just appearing on the market and are quite expensive.
On the other hand, in portable external hard drives, it makes no sense to chase after thickness, so they sometimes use 12.5 mm hard drives. In this case, the capacity can reach up to one and a half and even up to two terabytes.
The rotation speed of the hard drives.
One more important point, which you need to pay attention to when buying a hard drive - the speed of rotation of the spindle (and plates). For "slow" models, it is in the range of 5200-5900 rpm (standard - 5400 rpm).
Such models do not get very hot, do not make noise, have almost no vibration, however, their performance is also relatively low. The main purpose is computers and devices with little or no cooling, as well as systems, the main requirement for which is silence, such as media centers and players.
The faster group with a frequency of 7200 rpm has a higher performance, but it heats up and makes much more noise. But the main problem at home use of such models is vibration, about which a little below. Previously, an operating system was installed on such hard drives - a high rotation speed provided a low access time to information, which had a positive effect on the responsiveness of the system.
The next group of hard drives - 10,000 rpm and more - is an extreme line of hard drives with extremely high performance. The heat dissipation is so high that such discs require a separate heatsink.
But with the advent of SSDs, the need for high-speed drives in the home sector has practically disappeared. The system is placed on a solid state device, and the data is stored on a traditional disk. The use of fast disks is justified only in the corporate segment, where the requirements for noise and vibration are low, where they are still in great demand.
It should be noted that the models of the latter group are especially quickly replaced by SSDs. The speed of thirstylers is incomparably higher, even in comparison with the fastest samples of hard drives - you can read about this in the article Comparison of SSD and HDD speeds. At the same time, they are completely silent, consume less electricity and hardly heat up, and the price for them is often even lower than "fast HDD".
Test results for SSD Vertex 3 and HDD Seagate 3 TB.
SSD performance is significantly higher
Thanks to the development of technologies and an increase in the recording density on platters, the read speed of "low-speed models" has exceeded 150-160 MB / s, which is higher than that of the fastest specimens 1 or 2 years ago. So they can be called slow only conditionally.
HDD capacity
The peculiarity of the current situation on the market is that, due to technological difficulties, the growth rate of storage capacity is constantly slowing down, so you should not expect a huge increase in the near future, as it was before.
At the moment, the maximum for 3.5-inch hard drives is 10 TB, but the most optimal at the price per gigabyte are five-terabyte models.
For notebook hard drives, everything is much simpler. Exotic models aside, the optimal volume is 1 TB, and it is also the maximum in a standard 9.5 mm case. For most purposes, this disc is more than enough.
Noise and vibration
Comfort is often one of the main requirements for home maintenance. No matter how strange it may sound, but in the first place in importance comes low level drive noise.
Models with low spindle speeds are usually much quieter than their fast counterparts, which emit a constant low frequency whistle. In addition, vibration is transmitted to the case of a computer (or other device), therefore, when two or more devices operate at high frequencies in one case, the vibration is amplified many times over.
You've probably heard the annoying low-frequency hum emitted by the chassis. The culprit is precisely the fast HDDs working in pairs (and more). The best solution is the use of economical low-speed models.
Temperature and stable food
Modern storage devices are very complex electronic devices, their durability is highly dependent on the operating conditions. First, drives (primarily 3.5-inch drives) need to be properly cooled. A heatsink clogged with dust in a laptop or improper organization of air flow in a desktop can lead to operation when elevated temperatures, which greatly shortens the life of the HDD.
Additional cooling from Zalman.
Allows you to reduce the temperature by 5-7 degrees.
Very effective in poorly ventilated enclosures
The comfortable temperature for the drive is below 40 degrees. The range of 40-45 is still tolerable, although not desirable. It is highly discouraged to use the disc at higher temperatures.
You can view the temperature with regular utilities or third-party programs, for example, HD Tune or CrystalDiskInfo (both free).
The second important point - stable power supply - is more relevant for stationary computers. An old power supply unit with dried out elements that does not smooth out power surges can cause the hard drive to fail.
Many times I have heard many unflattering reviews from buyers about HDD manufacturers, for example, when two disks bought in a row "die", but the reason ultimately turned out to be a poor-quality or old power supply unit, after replacing it everything returned to normal.
Hybrids
The story would be incomplete without mentioning hybrids. This is a type of HDD in which a traditional disk is supplemented with a small-capacity flash-memory drive (due to which the price is higher, but not much higher). A flash drive contains the most frequently used files (or blocks) on your hard drive, increasing performance. The capacity of a hybrid is the same as a conventional HDD, and much more than an SSD.
But in my opinion, hybrids have not really taken root. If you need to save money, it's better to do without an SSD at all, and if you need performance, it's better to buy a full-fledged solid-state device.
The only place where the use of hybrids is justified is in laptops, they have only one drive bay and you won't be able to install two devices right away.
When using 3.5-inch hard drives, I recommend using Western Digital's Green series drives, which operate almost silently, and for NAS (and media players), as well as when using two or more drives together, I recommend sticking to the Red series from the same manufacturer.
Western Digital Red Series.
A wonderful representative of silent hard drives.
Vibration in the Red line has been minimized, so that even when four units are running at the same time, vibration and annoying low-frequency rumble will be invisible.
Among notebook hard drives, Hitachi Travelstar series and WD Scorpio Blue series are quite good. It is only important not to forget about the thickness of the devices in case of replacing the HDD with a similar one with a larger capacity.
Seagate devices are not bad either, but they tend to be slightly more expensive (for 3.5-inch models) and have slightly higher noise levels.
And do not forget about the correct operation of any HDD, do not let the hard drive overheat, otherwise its life will be too fleeting.
