The hard disk is always a key component of computers, since it is its fixed memory, the one that retains data even if the computer is turned off for a long time. You can buy a hard disk either to replace an old hard disk or to have an additional backup hard disk, to increase the boot performance of the operating system or programs or to increase the space in which to save photos and files. Being the hard drive generally the slowest component of a computer, changing hard drives on a PC a few years ago can really make a difference in its performance, especially if we focus on the latest technologies (SSD). When choosing a new disk or "hard drive", it is important to keep in mind certain important factors that distinguish the various models from each other and consider any problems in the replacement.
READ ALSO: How to replace the hard disk to upgrade your PC in an hour
Buying a new hard drive today is really easy. While before it was necessary to go to a specialized computer shop where it was also easy to get screwed, today just go to the Amazon site, where the choice is really wide and it is also easy to make mistakes. In the following points we see things to consider before buying the PC hard drive .
Disc features and differences between PC hard drives
Hard Disk or SSD
First you need to understand if you want a hard disk or solid state drive .We have already seen, in detail, the differences between Hard disk and SSD that we summarize here in a synthetic way. Technically, the hard disk is a disk that rotates mechanically and a head that reads it while the SSD is a flash memory chip, such as a USB stick, from which data is read and written. An SSD is fast, much faster than the normal Hard disk and is also more resistant to shocks and less energy-consuming, but it also costs more for the same space available.
If you want a very spacious disk then it is better to choose a hard disk while if you want to replace the primary disk of the computer it is certainly better to have a faster SSD. If the price is not a problem, then it is always worth choosing the SSD and considering the hard drives only as secondary disks where you can save the most voluminous data to keep (since SSDs still have a reduced capacity).
In another article you can read how to move Windows to SSD without reinstalling everything that also applies to normal hard drives.
Size and type
Once you decide between an HDD and SSD, you have to choose the size and type . Fortunately, there are only two types of computer disks, a large 3.5-inch and a 2.5-inch drive. Traditional hard drives are usually 3.5 inches large with a maximum capacity of 4TB, while portable disks tend to be 2.5 inches with a maximum capacity of 2 TB. SSDs can be smaller because they have no moving parts, usually 2.5 inches.In reality, however, the size only matters if you are forced to use a small 2.5 disk, otherwise, you can always mount an SSD in a 3.5-inch connector with the adapter that can always be found on Amazon, at 3 Euros.
As for connections, most hard drives - both hard drives and SSDs - use SATA connectors. If you buy an external drive, it will connect to a USB port.
READ ALSO: How to connect disks to the PC via USB: SATA adapters, cases and docking stations
Specifications and performance
The main specification of a hard drive is, of course, space . HDDs are larger, at the same price, than SSDs as already explained in point one.In general, a hard disk can be a maximum of 4 TB while a maximum SSD a TB. As with any part of the computer, the disc may also vary from model to model based on performance. In particular, for hard disks, one must look at the speed of rotation which influences the speed of data transfer, reading and writing. The speed of a disk is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM) and the higher it is, the faster it is.
Another value to consider when deciding whether one hard drive is better than another is cache space, a memory similar to RAM where data is temporarily stored before being transferred from one section to another. A larger cache allows you to transfer data faster.
Modern HDDs can have cache sizes ranging from 8 MB to 128 MB. SSDs, on the other hand, have a high sequential read and write speed that can only be limited by an old SATA socket on the motherboard.
Duration and resistance
As for durability and resistance, since HDDs are mechanical, they wear out over time. Not all HDDs are the same though, with some models that can break within 6 months, while others with a lifespan of even 6 years.In another article, the guide for the care and maintenance of the hard disk the causes of disk failure and prevention.
Modern SDDs tend to last longer (on average 2 million hours) than modern HDDs (average default rate of 1.5 million hours), however, for long-term data retention when kept unplugged, a HDD disk is much more reliable than an SSD.
In this regard, it may also be important to know which brand of hard disk is better.
READ ALSO: Best, most reliable hard drives that last and don't break
Exterior or Interior
An external hard disk is convenient for attaching it to the TV and for transferring data by carrying it around, from home to the office or on the road. External drives are also perfect for backing up important data. External disks are slower in data transfer speed, compared to internal disks unless you have support for the USB 3.0 socket, which significantly increases the speed of reading and writing bringing it close to the values obtainable with a SATA port. To clarify, any data unit can be used internally or externally if it has compatible connectors. When used externally, the disc is simply enclosed in a protective case, so if an external disc can always be removed, the case can be used internally.READ ALSO: Disc types for PC, hard disk or SSD drive, internal and external
Prices
Based on the above, hard drive prices vary widely depending on the type, space and technical specifications.If you prefer to buy an SSD, I have already reviewed the best SSD drives to buy to make your PC go as fast as a tablet .
For hard drives, however, you can look at the list of best sellers to find the ones that, today, are the most appreciated, the least expensive and those with a better performance on most desktop computers.
Best PC hard drives to buy
Below we have collected the links where you can find a series of SSDs and hard drives that we can buy to enhance or improve our PC, both fixed and portable.2.5-inch SSD (desktop and portable)
- Samsung MZ-76E250B Internal SSD 860 EVO 250 GB (61 €)
- Crucial MX500 250 GB 3D NAND (62 €)
- Sandisk SDSSDA480G 480 GB SSD (82 €)
- Crucial MX500 500 GB 3D NAND (97 €)
- Samsung MZ-76E500B Internal SSD 860 EVO 500 GB (103 €)
- Kingston SSD A400, 480 GB (€ 50)
3.5-inch HDD (desktop PC)
- WD WD10EZEX Blue 1TB (38 €)
- Seagate ST1000DM010 Barracuda 1 TB (€ 38)
- WD Blue WD20EZRZ 2 TB (€ 62)
- Seagate ST2000DM006 Barracuda 2 TB (63 €)
- Seagate FireCuda ST2000LX001 2 TB (98 €)
2.5-inch HDD (portable)
- Western Digital Blue 2, 5 '' 1TB (48 €)
- Seagate Barracuda 2, 5 '' 1 TB (47 €)
- WD WD2500LPLX 2, 5 '' 1 TB (75 €)
- Seagate ST1000LMZ48 / LM048 1 TB (63 €).
