Rating of the best HDD (hard) drives for PC in 2020

The hypothalamus is responsible for memory in the human body, as well as the limbic system located on the inner surface of the temporal lobes. And for the memory of a personal computer - semiconductor, magnetic, electrostatic, perforating, magneto-optical, as well as optical devices that are responsible for processing and storing, input and output of information. In this article, we will consider the magnetic type of devices, namely, hard drives for a PC (HDD).

Not sure how to choose the right hard drive and at what price? mytop.techinfus.com/en/ offers you a rating of quality HDD drives for 2020, which will include the following information:

• decoding and other meanings of the HDD abbreviation;
• information about what the HDD is and how it works;
• information about other types of storage;
• characteristics of hard drives;
• Review of the best hard drives for personal computer for 2020.

Information about hard drives

What is another name for HDD?

• HDD or HMDD - means Hard Magnetic Disk Drive, that is, a hard magnetic drive;
• Winchester. The exact meaning of this term is unknown, but it is believed that it came from the name of the cartridge 30-30 Winchester. The name was consonant with the short name of the hard disk model HDD 3340 - 30-30;
• Screw - short for hard drive;
• Hard is also an abbreviation for HDD;
• HDD. Disks with hard platters and floppy disks with soft magnetic disks appeared on the market almost simultaneously. In order to eliminate confusion in the names, they began to use clarifying words;
• NMJD is an abbreviation for non-removable magnetic hard disk.

What is HDD?

A drive is required for long-term storage of data on a computer. The hard disk does not depend on electrical power, which is why all movies, photos, documents, music, programs, the operating system and its files are saved on the computer after the power is turned off.

How does HDD work?

The principle of operation of a hard drive is similar to a turntable with vinyl records. All data is written to and read from rotating discs (also called platters or pancakes). HDD can consist of one or more platters located on one axis and connected by a spindle.

Plates are made of metal or glass, and the top is covered with a ferrimagnetic material. Chromium dioxide is often used. Reading or writing data occurs using a magnetic reading head, which works while the plate is rotating.

An important distinguishing feature from the operation of a vinyl player is that when reading or writing information, the read head does not touch the surface of the plate. The head works at a distance of several nanometers due to the flow of air that is generated by the rapid rotation.In the passive state, contact of the head with the plates is also excluded: the heads are located next to the spindle or in the parking zone. Eliminating contact between moving parts increases the reliability and durability of the hard drive.

What other types of drives are there?

An alternative to the HDD disk, which is based on magnetic recording, is the SDD drive. SDD (solid-state drive) is a solid-state drive for long-term storage of information. Unlike HDDs, SDDs have no moving parts. Place them in the drive using microcircuits. The advantages of a solid-state drive over a hard drive are increased shock resistance, compact size and weight, and high write speed. The disadvantages are high cost and less recording resource. SDD, like HDD, can be used for a stationary computer, as well as for a laptop and netbook.

If the question is still about which drive is better to buy, then you can pay attention to a hybrid hard drive. The hybrid is a combination of a solid state drive and a hard drive. By purchasing a hybrid hard drive, you can speed up your work by saving the operating system and some programs to SDD. And storing music, movies, photos and other data on the HDD will help increase the operating time.

Key HDD Features You Need to Know About

• Connection interface - required for communication between the motherboard and the hard drive. Internal hard drives use the following interfaces:
  — ATA (the names IDE and PATA are also used). The maximum data transfer rate is 133 Mb / s. It is a parallel interface that is suitable for both HDD connection and optical drive reading. This connector is not used on modern motherboards. It can only be found on older PCs;
  — SCSI Is a set of standards for transferring data and connections between a computer and a peripheral device. Bandwidth from 5 MB / s to 640 MB / s;
  — SATA - when working with budget boards, it is able to connect several devices, the more expensive one is designed for connecting one. SATA has revisions with different data transfer rates: SATA up to 150 Mb / s, SATA rev. 2.0 - up to 300 Mb / s and SATA rev. 3.0 - up to 6 Gbps.
  — SAS SCSI-like, SATA compatible. Data transfer rate - up to 24 Gbps;
  — USB, speed up to 380 Mb / s, suitable for different devices;
  — Fiber Channel - the serial interface provides high speed data transfer. The minimum bandwidth is 100 Mb / s, the maximum is 12800 Mb / s;
  — Firewire - high-speed bus for connecting multimedia and portable devices. The bandwidth ranges from 400 to 3200 Mbps.
• The capacity of a hard drive is where data is stored. The capacity of modern HDD disks reaches 10 terabytes. It should be noted that, despite the generally accepted binary prefix in computer science, manufacturers use multiples of thousands. This means that by purchasing a 500 GB hard drive, the actual capacity will be 465.7 GB;
• Form factor is the physical size of the drive, its width, expressed in inches. The standard size for laptops is 2.5 inches, for desktop computers it is 3.5 inches. Also used in sizes 0.85, 1, 1.3 and 1.8 inches;
• The buffer size is an intermediate high-performance memory, which is necessary to smooth out the difference in the speed of writing, reading and transferring data, as well as to speed up the drive;
• The number of spindle revolutions. The number of revolutions or spindle speed per minute is 4500/5400 revolutions in laptops, 5400/7200 in desktop computers and 10000/15000 in servers;
• MTBF is the average length of time a drive has been in operation between failures. Many hard drives now have S.M.A.R.T. technology, which allows you to assess the health of the hard drive;
• Noise level is the noise generated by a hard drive, measured in decibels. The optimum noise level is up to 26 dB;
• The random access time is the average time interval during which the head was positioned on an arbitrary part of the hard drive;
• Input and output operations made per second.The number of operations performed depends on the requests and the rotation speed. Modern hard drives perform 75-100 operations per second at 7200 revolutions per second;
• Data transfer rate. The outer part of the disk transfers about 150-200 megabytes per second, the inner part about 70-100 megabytes per second;
• Shock resistance - the hard drive's resistance to shocks and sudden pressure surges. Measurement takes place in off and on state, in units of allowable reset.

Best HDDs for a desktop

Seagate ST2000DM005

Dimensions (in cm):
width	10.16
height	2.017
length	14.699
weight (g)	415
Guarantee	2 years
Interface	SATA 6Gbit / s
Actual size	3.5
Heads	2
Plate	1
Body color	Gray
Actual memory (GB)	1862.6
Average price (in rubles)	4317

The Seagate BarraCuda range combines high performance and value for money. ST2000DM005, 2 TB, supports extended storage area format with 4K technology. The declared write speed and read speed are the same - 190 MB / s. For example, when copying a movie weighing 30 GB, the speed will stay within 170 Mb / s. The drive has an impressive 256MB of buffer memory.

The maximum interface speed is 600 Mb / s. The model supports hardware command sequencing (NCQ). Rotation speed - 5400 rpm. Winchester works very quietly, the noise level during operation is 23 dB, while idle is 21 dB. HDD does not turn off when idle, average latency is 6ms.

ST2000DM005 is also distinguished by minimal heating even during heavy loads: at the specified maximum temperature of 60 degrees, the hard drive heats up only to 41 degrees.
The model has shock protection of 80 G during operation and 350 G during storage.

The Seagate BarraCuda also has other modifications with capacities ranging from 500GB to 8,000GB.

• quiet work;
• support for NCQ;
• operating state during inactivity;
• large cache size;
• acceptable cost;
• minimum heating;
• high protection during operation and storage.

• not found.

Western Digital WD Blue Desktop WD10EZRZ

How much is	average price 2 883 rubles
Form factor	3.5
Dimensions (width / height / length)	10,16/2,61/14,7
Weight	450 g
Power consumption	3.3W
Interface	SATA 6Gbit / s, maximum speed 600 Mb / s
Colour	Gray
Guarantee	2 years
Spindle speed	5400 rpm
Impact resistance:
at work	30 G
during storage	350 G
Memory	1 TB

The WD10EZRZ model, with 1 TB of memory, has a number of positive characteristics. The first thing worth paying attention to is the most efficient use of usable volume, thanks to 4K support. The Winchester shows a high level of performance: the jump between tracks is 0.4 seconds at a spindle speed of 5400 rpm and a read / write speed of 150 Mbps.

Users are also attracted by the low cost, low power consumption, quiet operation and low temperature. The hard drive only consumes 3.3W. With a high load, the maximum noise level of the hard drive is 24 dB. The temperature during operation is kept in the region of 35-36 degrees (at the specified 60 degrees). Shock resistance during operation of the disk - 30 G, during storage - 350 G. The volume of buffer memory is 64 MB.

Western Digital WD Blue is available in capacities ranging from 500GB to 6TB.

• efficient use of useful volume;
• high speed of work;
• low price;
• small electrical power consumption;
• quiet work;
• low temperature.

• customer reviews indicate that when buying this model, you often come across a marriage. Be careful!

Toshiba HDWD120UZSVA

average price	4237
Memory	2 TB
Buffer memory	64 MB
Form factor	3.5
Connection	SATA 6Gbit / s
Interface speed	maximum 600 Mb / s
Weight	680 g
Width x height x length	10.16 x 2.61 x 14.7 cm
Guarantee	2 years
Storage protection	350 G
Work protection	70 G

Reliability and speed are the main components of HDWD120UZSVA. The product warranty is only 2 years, but the device is able to operate smoothly for 5 years, as evidenced by consumer reviews. Maintains the working speed and prolongs the service life of the disc self-diagnosis function.Toshiba shows a good speed of 150 MB / s with 7200 rpm disk rotation. Winchester works relatively quietly: noise during operation - 27 dB, during downtime - 28 dB. The disc produces the highest noise level during self-diagnosis.

The weak point of HDWD120UZSVA is high heating. The temperature at disk load reaches 50 degrees, with the maximum indicated at 65. Therefore, when buying this model, you should pay special attention to the computer cooling system.

The power consumption of the drive is 6.40 W with an average latency of 4.17 ms.

The Toshiba HDWD is also available in capacities ranging from 500GB to 3,000GB.

• increased performance thanks to NCQ technology;
• long service life;
• self-diagnostic disc;
• relatively quiet work;
• good speed.

• high heating.

Western Digital WD Black WD6003FZBX

Average cost (in rubles)	18570
Memory capacity (TB)	6
Connection	SATA 6Gbit / s
Maximum speed (Mb / s)	600
Impact resistance (G):
in working order	30
during downtime	300
Colour	Gray
Guarantee period	5 years
Parameters:
weight	720 g
width height length	10.16, 2.61, 14.7

WD Black is a line designed for professional users. With a high buffer memory of 256 MB and a high rotation speed of 7200 rpm, the WD6003FZBX achieves staggering 227 MB / s read and write speeds. The device has a long service life - the manufacturer gives a five-year warranty on the disk.

Winchester will not please with silence and slight heating: during operation, the device produces 36 dB, during idle time 29 dB, and the operating temperature varies in the range of 5-55 degrees. Electric power consumption - 9.1 W.

The "WD Black" line also offers memory models from 500 GB.

• high memory capacity;
• reliability and long service life;
• five-year warranty;
• very high speed of writing and reading.

• high noise of work;
• high price;
• fast heating.

Western Digital WD VelociRaptor WD1000DHTZ

Form factor	3.5
average cost	15,000 rubles
Memory	1 TB
Connection and speed	SATA 6Gbit / s, 600 MB / s
Impact resistance:	65 G operating
	300 G storage
Dimensions (width, height, length)	10.16, 2.61, 15.7
Weight	500 g

The WD1000DHTZ model is designed for a server, but is actively used for other purposes by PC users. This "gaming" hard drive has high performance that gamers will definitely appreciate. Incredibly high speed of the device is 10,000 rpm, and the speed of writing and reading 200 MB / s. Despite the high rotation speed, the disc is not very noisy. During operation, the noise level reaches only 37 dB, while idle is 37 dB. Power consumption is not large - 5.10 watts.

The amount of memory is not impressive - 1 TB and 64 MB of buffer, but still, the capacity will be enough to create a decent library with games.

You can purchase models with other capacities from 300 GB.

• very high speed;
• low noise level;
• low power consumption.

• high price;
• small capacity.

Best HDDs for Laptops

WESTERN DIGITAL WD5000LPLX

average price	3 200 rubles
Capacity	500 GB
Colour	black-blue
Form factor	2.5
Interface and its speed	SATA 6Gbit / s, 600 MB / s
Shock protection during operation	400 G
Impact protection when idle	1000 G
Weight	92 g
Dimensions (width / height / length)	6.985 / 0.7 / 10.02 cm
Guarantee	5 years

The WD5000LPLX copes well with data exchange: at 7200 RPM per minute it steadily produces 120-140 Mb / s. With a capacity of 500 GB, the cache is 32 MB. The Winchester works quite quietly: at idle, the noise level is 23 dB, while operating at 25 dB. Power consumption is only 2 watts. Users note the rapid heating of the disk. If necessary, the cooling system should be improved.

The model is also suitable for desktops thanks to its standard form factor.

Models with capacities up to 8,000 GB are available.

• good speed;
• Quiet enough work;
• low power consumption;
• long service life;
• high impact resistance;
• 5-year warranty.

• heats up quickly.

SEAGATE ST1000LM048

Capacity	1 TB
Colour	Gray
average price	3 396 rubles
Connection	SATA 6Gbit / s
Interface speed	600 MB / s
Impact resistance (work, storage)	400 G, 1000 G
Dimensions (W x H x D)	6.985, 0.7, 10.035 cm
Weight	90 g
Guarantee	2 years

ST1000LM048 has a decent buffer memory size of 128 MB and a rotation speed of 5400 rpm, a good read speed of about 125 MB / s and a sufficient write speed of 88 MB / s. The maximum possible heating temperature is indicated at 60 degrees, as users write, the temperature is kept within 27-28 degrees. The disc works very quietly: during operation, the noise level is 32 dB, and when idle, 22 dB.

Despite the 2-year warranty, the life of the hard drive is 5 years.

There are also 500GB and 2TB models available.

• decent size of cache memory;
• sufficient speed;
• good impact protection;
• low heating;
• quiet work;
• long service life.

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• not found.

Toshiba HDWL120UZSVA

average cost	5 190 rubles
Body color	Gray
Form factor	2.5
Capacity	2,000 GB
Interface	SATA 6Gbit / s
Interface speed	600 MB / s
Impact protection (operation, storage)	400 G, 1000 G
Guarantee period	2 years
Dimensions:
width	6.985 cm
height	0.95 cm
length	10 cm
Life time	4 years

The spacious 2TB drive with 128MB of buffer memory has good performance characteristics: at 5400 rpm, the read speed is about 140 MS at the beginning and 66 MB / s at the end of the read. Winchester consumes little power - 1.65 W and is quite quiet in operation - 24 dB (simple 23 dB). MTBF is 600 thousand hours, average latency is 5.56 ms.

Judging by the reviews, the minimum disk temperature is 18 degrees, the maximum is 43. The average temperature during operation is kept at about 37 degrees.

Toshiba also offers 500GB and 1,000GB models.

• minimum heating;
• sufficient memory and speed
• high degree of shock protection;
• little noise at work.

• not found.

Western Digital WD Black WD10JPLX

Form factor	2.5
Capacity	1000 GB
Connection and speed	SATA 6Gbit / s, 600 MB / s
Shock resistance	400 and 1000 G
Guarantee	5 years
Weight	115 g
Overall dimensions	6.985 / 0.95 / 10.02 cm
average price	5 349 rubles

An HDD with a 32 MB cache and a rotation speed of 7200 rpm shows an optimal read speed of 128 MB / s and a write speed of 119 MB / s. The opinions of users on the account of the noise emitted are divided: some talk about the quiet operation of the device, as stated by the manufacturer (when idle - 25 dB, during operation - 27 dB), others write about loud enough operation.

This model consumes very little electricity - 1.8 watts.

Western Digital is sold in capacities of 320, 500, 2,000 GB.

• optimal speed;
• low power consumption.

• insufficiently quiet work (according to reviews of half of users).

We are confident that our review will help you choose a good hard drive for your desktop or laptop. But in order to eliminate possible mistakes when choosing, we recommend that you contact the specialists.