HDD hard drive test 2023
In our HDD hard drive test, we present you with the best hard drives that are available on the market, so that you are well advised before buying a new hard drive. We also clarify important questions about how HDD hard drives work and give you valuable tips so that you can make a good decision.
If you are now curious about our guide to comparing HDDs, then you should definitely read our article to the end - with our help you will definitely find the best hard drive! At the end of this article you will also have the opportunity to learn how to install your HDD hard drive correctly and what you need to consider.
HDD test: The best HDD hard drives 2023 in comparison
- Amazon Exclusive
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- Store as much desktop data as you want using...
- Faster data storage via SATA interface with 6 Gbit/s to...
- AcuTrac servo technology from Seagate ensures reliable...
- WD HGST Ultrastar He10 10 TB Internal Hard Drive HUH721010ALE601 /...
- Product type: COMPUTER DRIVE OR STORAGE
- Brand: Generic
- The IronWolf internal hard drives are the ideal solution for ...
- Store more and work faster with a for NAS...
- The IronWolf was specially designed for NAS systems and offers ...
- ideal for digital receivers, media servers, media center PCs...
- ultra-cool and quiet thanks to innovative WD technologies
- The high capacity and large cache size allow for fast...
- Amazon Exclusive
- The SkyHawk is designed for fast DVR and NVR security camera systems...
- Supports workloads of up to 180 TB/year - that's 64...
- , capacity - 500 GB
- Interface, type - Serial ATA-300
- , Data transfer rate - 300 MBps
- Buffer Size: 64 MB
- Device type: hard drive - internal
- Features: Native Command Queuing (NCQ)
- Brand: Seagate
- Seagate Enterprise Capacity v7 ST12000NM0127Hard drive12TBinternal3,5...
The big HDD hard drive guide - everything you need to know before you buy!
In this section, we clarify different questions on various topics related to the HDD hard drive. Here you can find out how HDD hard drives work and learn more about the technology behind HDD hard drives.
We also give you valuable tips for evaluating hard drives before you buy them, so that you can choose the best hard drive for your personal needs, buy it and install it in your system!
What is an HDD hard drive and how does it work?
HDD stands for "Hard drive disc“, the magnetic storage medium in all HDD hard drives. In HDD hard drives, data is recorded onto a hard-magnetic surface coating on the rotating disc (So the actual hard drive) written by magnetizing the surface without contact.
The data is therefore stored in the form of the remaining magnetization of the hard disk and can be retrieved when reading the stored information by scanning the magnetization using a sensor on the hard disk surface.
HDD hard drives can only store information in data blocks that have a fixed size depending on the hard drive - for example 4096 bytes. So, the total storage size of the hard drive depends on the number of blocks and the size of the blocks.
The further apart the memory blocks are, the higher the reading speed of the HDD hard drive. Typical sizes of hard drives are 2,5 inches and 3,5 inches, for example, with laptop HDDs that have to meet technical size requirements being more likely to be found in the 2,5-inch segment.
Briefly summarized: HDD hard drives work with magnetic storage disks, on which various data are stored and retrieved by magnetization without touching them. There are different sizes of HDD hard drives, the reading and writing speeds of which can differ significantly.
How much does an HDD hard drive cost me?
We took a close look at both internal and external HDD hard drives in our HDD comparison and found that there is practically hardly any price difference between the two variants. Both types of hard disks are available at a price of just under 34,99 euros with a size of one terabyte and around 7200 revolutions per minute, which may benefit the writing and reading speed.
Fast hard drives with two terabytes can be purchased online for around €59,99. For about 89,99 euros you can also buy good hard drives with four terabytes, which have many revolutions and the SATA connection. If you are looking for a powerful and large hard drive with a lot of memory, then you should invest around 50 - 60 euros in order to be able to enjoy the new hard drive for a long time to come.
HDD Hard Drive Test - Useful accessories for your new HDD
If you want to buy a new HDD hard drive, there are also a lot of accessories on the market that you can use for your new HDD. This includes, for example, data cables that you need to connect your hard drive to the mainboard.
Or adapters, such as a SATA to USB adapter, with which you have the option of connecting your hard drive via a USB interface.
SATA: What does that mean?
The abbreviation "SATA" stands for Serial AT Attachment and stands for a computer interface for hard disks for data exchange. The normal SATA standard can transfer data at a speed of up to 6 Gbit/s, SATA Express hard drives are connected to a computer via the PCIe connector and achieve data rates of up to 16 Gbit/s.
The net data rate of conventional SATA connections is 600 MB/s, Express hard drives manage up to almost 2000 Mb/s. SATA Express hard drives are also significantly more expensive.
Briefly summarized: SATA is simply a computer shortcut for hard drives. A distinction is made between SATA standard and SATA express. The difference lies quite simply in the transmission speed of data.
HDD or SSD hard drive? – The main differences as well as advantages and disadvantages
Should I retrofit a simple and inexpensive HDD hard drive or should I go for the faster and more expensive SSD hard drive? If you ask yourself this question, you must of course determine your personal requirements for the new PC system and decide on one of the two hard disk variants on the basis of this decision.
Nevertheless, we want to record all the important differences between HDD and SSD hard disks for you here. The clear advantage of SSD hard drives is the non-mechanical functionality, which makes an SSD hard drive significantly faster than an HDD hard drive.
On the other hand, SSD hard drives have a shorter lifetime overall, less storage for the same money and therefore higher overall costs. HDD hard drives are cheap and have a lot of memory, which can be used as a smart PC screwdriver for storing files that you don't need to access frequently. All in all, one can say that both types of hard disks are the most worthwhile at the same time.
The SSD hard drive is suitable for the operating system and frequently used (multimedia) applications, while an HDD can be used for less required data and information.
How big should the memory of my HDD hard drive be?
If you decide on a new HDD hard drive and ask yourself how much memory it should offer, the only thing that really matters is the budget. If you are willing to spend around 50-60 euros for your new hard drive, you can upgrade to mid-range models that are quite fast for HDD hard drives and have a lot of memory.
But there are also cheaper HDD hard drives with around two terabytes of storage space that you can order online for very little money – of course there are also more expensive HDDs, which then cost up to 150 euros and more, but provide a lot of storage space.
What is a Hybrid Hard Drive (SSHD)?
hybrid hard drives (SSHD, Solid State Hybrid Drive) are a combination of the HDD hard drive and the more powerful SSD hard drive (Solid State Disk). They should combine the advantages of both hard disk types: low price and high performance. This works because SSHDs have internal flash memory that enables fast data transfer rates.
In addition, SSHD hard drives consume less power than SSD hard drives because the mechanical read and write head does not always have to be activated thanks to the flash memory. This also leads to an increased service life compared to normal SSD hard drives - SSHD hard drives are therefore a good compromise between HDD and SSD hard drives.
New hard drive? This is to be considered when buying!
What should be important to me when buying my new hard drive? If you are asking yourself this question, you should definitely read this section. When buying a new hard drive, you should of course always plan and set a certain budget before you start looking for a new hard drive.
So you can be sure that you didn't end up spending more money than you originally planned. Once you have set a budget, you can start a thorough search for your new HDD hard drive.
When buying an HDD hard drive, you should value the price-performance ratio and the number of revolutions per minute if you really want a good hard drive. You can simply divide the price of the hard drive you like by the number of gigabytes offered to calculate the price per gigabyte and compare different manufacturers.
Of course, branded goods are always a little more expensive than no-name products, but it is usually worth investing in hard drives from Seagate, Crucial and Western Digital, as well as others.
Installing an HDD hard drive: How it works!
- Step 1:
Before you install your new HDD hard drive, you should first shut down your PC and unplug the power cable from the socket. So that you don't accidentally damage a circuit board with your body's electrostatic charge, you should be the first to ground yourself. You can do this very easily by touching a radiator. - Step 2:
Now you can loosen the screws of the PC case and remove the side panels. Then you should carefully loosen the 2 cables from your old hard drive and remove the hard drive. Once you have done that, you can already look for a suitable slot for your new HDD hard drive.
You should make sure that there is enough space between the drive and other components. Now connect the 2 cables to your HDD hard disk and make sure that the disk is firmly installed in the housing. - Step 3:
Now you're almost there! Now just check whether all cables are connected correctly and then screw the side panels back onto the housing. Now plug your computer back in and see if it boots up normally. If that's the case, you've done everything right...!
HDD hard drive test: conclusion
Now you actually know everything about HDD hard drives that you need to know in order to be able to make a good decision when buying your new hard drive. You can explain what SATA means, how mechanical HDD hard drives work and know the differences between HDD and SSD hard drives.
You also got to know SSHD hard drives, which aim to create a good compromise between the two designs.
Now it's up to you: Decide on your new hard drive and soon benefit from more storage space on your computer!
