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▷ The best hard drives on the market 【2020】?

Table of contents:

Anonim

Most users are surprised when they discover that they can store hundreds of music CDs on a dimensioned PC hard drive (HDD). For example, the famous iPod digital player was simply a hard drive: an incredibly efficient device that used simple magnetism to store large amounts of information.

Hard drives were invented more than 50 years ago and have been used in personal computers since the mid-1980s. Do you want to know more about one of the most popular PC components? In this guide we will solve the most common doubts and we will show you the most recommended models according to the use we want to give it.

Index of contents

What is a hard drive

A hard drive is a storage device for computers that can store several terabytes of data in a single drive that is just 3.5 inches in size.

Who invented the hard drive

Like many innovations in 20th century computing, hard drives were invented at IBM as a way to provide computers with quickly accessible random access memory.

The first hard drive was developed by Reynold B. Johnson and announced on September 4, 1956 as the IBM 350 Disk Storage Unit.

At the time, the problem with other memory devices, such as old punched cards and magnetic data storage tapes, was that they were only accessible serially (in order, from start to finish), so if the bit of data you wanted to recover was somewhere in the middle of the tape, you had to read or scan completely to find the data you needed.

But nowadays everything is much faster with a hard disk, which can move its read / write head very quickly from one part of the disk to another; any part of the disc can be read as easily and quickly as any other part.

The first hard drive could only contain 5 million 6-bit characters (probably 3.75 MB) of data storage capacity, and whose diameter was 50 inches.

How magnetism is used to store information

The science of magnetism is complicated. However, if you've ever played around with a magnet and some nails, you'll know that the technology is pretty simple. Iron nails start without being magnetized, but if a magnet is rubbed several times over them, they can be made magnetic so that these nails stick to each other.

Magnetism has several practical and simple uses. To cite an example, junkyards use electromagnets (large magnets that can be turned on and off electrically) in order to collect and move scrap metal piles.

A bit is a binary digit, either a number zero or a number one. On computers, numbers are not stored as decimals (base 10), but as patterns of binary digits. For example, the decimal number 382 is stored as a binary number 101111110.

Letters and other characters can also be stored as binary numbers. Thus, computers save as a capital letter A or a binary number 1000001 if they want to store the decimal number 65.

If you want to store the number 1000001 on your computer, you are going to need to find an unused seven-bit row. Thus, the system would have to magnetize the first digit (to store a 1), leave the next five demagnetized (to store five zeros) and magnetize the last digit (to store a 1).

How a hard drive works

On your computer's hard drive, there is only one large, round, shiny plate of magnetic material called a tray or plate, divided into billions of tiny areas. Each of those areas is capable of having either magnetization independently (to store a 1) or demagnetization (to store a 0). Magnetism is used in computer storage because it continues to store information even when the PC is turned off.

If you magnetize a nail, it stays magnetized until you demagnetize it. In the same way, the information (or data) stored on your PC's hard drive will remain there even when you turn off the PC.

Plates are the most essential parts of a hard drive. As its name indicates, these are discs made of a hard material such as glass or aluminum, coated with a thin layer of metal that can be magnetized or demagnetized.

A small hard drive typically has only one platter, but each side has a magnetic overlay. The larger drives have a series of stacked discs (plates) on a central axis, with a small gap between them. The discs rotate at up to 10, 000 revolutions per minute (RPM) so that the read / write heads are able to access any part of them.

On HDD hard drives there are two read-write heads, one that is responsible for reading the top surface and one that is responsible for the bottom surface, so a hard drive that has five platters (for example) would need ten separate read / write heads.

The read / write heads are attached to an electrically controlled arm that moves from the center of the unit to the outer edge and vice versa. To reduce wear, they don't actually touch the platter - there is a layer of liquid or air between the head and the platter surface.

Magnetic storage media and devices store data in the form of tiny magnetized dots. These points are created, read, and erased using magnetic fields created by very tiny electromagnets.

There are two types of hard drives, those that are sealed with air (it is the most normal) and those that are sealed with Helium. What benefits does this type of hard disk offer us with Helium? This element has a lower density (weighs less) than air, making the friction of the dishes less, and in turn, making your dishes less hot. Another plus point is that the noise is much lower than that of a traditional hard drive. For this reason, this technology is more common in HDDs oriented to high performance servers and for very high-end HDD NAS.

Reading and writing data

The most important thing about memory is not being able to store information, but being able to find it later. Imagine that you store a magnetized bit in a stack of 1.6 million identical bits and you will have some idea of ​​how many problems your PC would have if it did not use a very methodical way of archiving its information.

When the computer stores data on its hard drive, it not only throws magnetized bits into a tray, it also mixes them. The data is stored in a very orderly pattern in each of the trays that make up the hard drive.

Reading and writing an SSD

The data bits are arranged in circular and concentric paths called tracks. In turn, each track is divided into smaller areas, called sectors. Every hard disk keeps a map with the sectors that have already been used and the sectors that are available for use. In Windows, this map is called a File Allocation Table, or FAT.

When the computer needs to save new data, it checks the map to find some free sectors. It then instructs the read / write head to move through the tray to the exact location and store the data there. To read the information, the same process is executed in reverse mode.

Hard Drive Controller

How does a computer manipulate all the mechanical details on a hard drive? There is an interface (a connecting device) between them called a disk controller. It is a small circuit that operates the actuators, selects specific tracks for reading and writing, and converts parallel sequences of data from the computer to serial sequences of data that are written to disk (and vice versa). The controllers are built into the disk drive's own circuit board or part of the computer's main board (motherboard).

The problem of dirt on an HDD

With so much information stored in such a small amount of space, an HDD hard drive is a remarkable piece of engineering. That brings benefits, like being able to hundreds of movies and music, but also drawbacks. One of them is that hard drives can fail if they accumulate dirt or dust inside.

A small piece of dust can cause the read and write head to bounce up and down, hitting the platter (tray) and damaging its magnetic material. This can cause the loss of all information on a hard drive.

These hard drive failures generally occur outside of the famous blue screen, without any warning that can allow you to fix the problem in time. That's why you should always keep backup copies of your important documents and files, be it on another hard disk, on a compact disc (CD) or DVD, or in a removable flash memory.

Internal and external hard drives

There are only two types of HDD available on the market and these are internal and external.

The external hard drive connected to your computer or laptop via USB is generally used as a storage device for file backups.

Internal hard drives can store and process data on the computer where external hard drives are used as backup or perhaps network storage. External drives are also called removable hard drives.

Internal hard drives generally use two ports: data ports and power port. The data port is used for the advanced technology accessory that helps the computer interact with the disk drive and process the data, while the power port is used to connect the accessory to electrical power to operate.

Different sizes of a hard drive

There are three different sizes of hard drives available in the market: the first is 3.5 inches which is mainly used in desktop computers, and the second is 2.5 inches which is mainly used in laptops and last but not least. common the 1.8 inch.

Performance of a hard drive

Today, people don't care how things work or their history, but what matters most is speed and capacity.

Everyone needs greater storage capacity to store all the enormous amount of data that we all use on a daily basis and the other main need is to be able to count on performance to store all the data as fast as possible.

Finding the operation of the hard disk is very simple and looking at the specification you can identify each one according to its functions:

RPM

The hard drive consists of a motor and a rewritable tray, where the entire data structure is read or written. And the performance of the hard drive depends on how fast the engine is to make this process of writing and reading faster, and that is the reason why there are various types of engines available on the market mainly described as RPM, which is not more than the revolutions per minute of the disc.

Hard drive cache or buffer

They are mainly used to process current process data and the only thing you will need to remember is that the higher the cache size the better the disk will work.

SATA interface

There are two types of SATA interface: SATA 2.0, which offers 3 Gb / second of data transfer speed; and SATA 3.0, which provides up to 6 Gb / second of data transfer speed.

The microprocessor in a PC is the bit that does all the work of thinking and calculating, but it is the hard drive that gives your computer its prodigious memory and allows it to store digital photos, music files, and text documents.

Recommended hard drives for PC

Below we detail what we consider the best hard drives for our home PC. Where Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung and Toshiba are the leading and most trusted brands of hard drives.

Seagate Barracuda

Seagate Barracuda - 1TB Internal Hard Drive (3.5, 64MB SATA cache 6GB / s up to 210MB / s), Silver
  • 1TB Capacity Hard Drive Size: 3.5'Rotate Speed ​​(rpm) 7200 rpm
39.81 EUR Buy on Amazon

We have a lifetime with the Seagate Barracuda series. They are hard drives with a base speed of 7200 RPM, a speed commensurate with main hard drives, but it may be somewhat noisy if we want to combine it with an SSD. There are also versions running at 5400 RPM that are ideal for second hard drive storage.

All Barracuda units have multi-level cache technology: Multi-Tier Caching Technology ( MTC ), useful enough to take advantage of its cache memory. Additionally they only have a 2 year warranty. A bit fair compared to Western Digital, although it competes with the Blue series.

  • Ideal for laptops, mobiles, computers and external storage 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, 1TB and 500GB capacity Available in 3.5 and 2.5 inches From 190MB / s to 220MB / s (Depending on model) 5400 and 7200 RPM 2 years warranty

Recommended models:

Seagate Barracuda - 2TB Internal Hard Drive (3.5 ', 64MB SATA cache 6GB / s up to 210MB / s) Solid reliability based on over 20 years of BarraCuda innovation; Versatility of options in capacity to adapt to any budget 68, 76 EUR Seagate Barracuda, 3TB, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5 in, SATA 6 GB / s, 7200 rpm, 64 MB, cache for Desktop and PC (ST3000DM008) Build on an internal hard drive technology backed by 20 years of innovation; Enjoy the long-term peace of mind provided by the Seagate BarraCuda Protection Plane, 4TB, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 5400rpm, 256MB Cache for Desktop and PC (ST4000DM004) Build on an internal hard drive technology backed by 20 years of innovation; Enjoy the long-term peace of mind provided by the protection plan EUR 105.72

Western Digital Blue

WD Blue - 1TB Desktop Hard Drive (7200rpm, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, 3.5 ") Blue
  • WD Blue discs provide performance, reliability and capacity, making them a great solution for day-to-day users NoTouch Ramp Load technology - securely positions the recording head off the surface of the disc to protect your data with reliability Legendary, each WD Blue disc is designed, tested and manufactured to offer maximum durability Ideal for storing large multimedia files such as 4K Ultra HD video or games Acronis True Image WD Edition software, available for download can clone discs and create copies security of your operating system, applications, settings and all your data
44.87 EUR Buy on Amazon

The WD Blue is one of the most common models that we can find in almost any configuration. It is a cheap hard drive, with quality components, quite effective durability, it runs at 7200 RPM and its price is usually quite tight. We usually hesitate between this model or the normal Seagate Barracuda. Which to choose? Possibly the cheapest one.

  • 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, and 6TB capacities 5400 and 7200 RPM speed Available in 3.5 and 2.5 inches Sustained data rates of 150MB / s Built-in Acronis True Image WD Edition NoTouch2 technology Years warranty
WD Blue - 2TB Desktop Hard Drive (5400 rpm, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, 3.5 ") Blue 67.42 EUR WD Blue - 3TB Desktop Hard Drive (5400 rpm, SATA 6 Gb / s, 64 MB cache, 3.5 ") blue Easy to use; Windows compatible; A plus of capacity for your files 84, 27 EUR WD Blue - Desktop hard drive 4 TB (5400 rpm, SATA 6 Gb / s, 64 MB cache, 3.5 ") blue Easy to use; Windows Compatible; A plus of capacity for your files 101, 69 EUR

Seagate Barracuda PRO

Seagate Barracuda Pro, ST2000DMZ09 - 3.5 Inch Internal Hard Drive (2TB, Barracuda Pro), Silver Color
  • Up to 14TB means you get the largest available storage capacity in the 3.5-inch PC class. 300TB / a or load limit means this unit has its back. It offers a spin speed of 7200rpm along with sustained data rates up to 195 MB / s. This drive is protected for 2 years from mechanical, accidental, or natural disasters. Designed and tuned for creative applications, with higher random performance and drive reliability than typical computer drives.
Buy on Amazon

It is a superior version to the previous one, at least in warranty support. It has higher available capacities (up to 14 TB) and a rotational speed of 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM (depending on model).

We know we pay a premium for this series, but it incorporates a Rescue data recovery plan. What does this mean? They offer the possibility of recovering the data from your hard disk for free for two years. Of course, it is necessary that you register previously on the Seagate website.

  • For high-performance laptops and computers Capacity 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, and 2TB Available in 3.5 and 2.5 inches Sustained data rates from 195MB / s to 250MB / s5 years warranty 7200 RPM

Popular models:

Seagate Barracuda Pro, ST4000DMZ06 - 3.5 "4 TB Internal Hard Drive Barracuda Pro, Silver Color 300 TB / a or load limit means this unit has its Seagate Barracuda Pro back, ST6000DMZ04 - 3.5" Internal Hard Drive, 6 TB, Barracuda Pro, Silver Color 300 TB / a or load limit means this unit has your back Seagate Barracuda Pro 3.5, ST8000DMZ004 - 8 TB Barracuda Pro Internal Hard Drive, Silver Color 300 TB / a or load limit means that this unit has your back 282, 78 EUR

Seagate FireCuda

Seagate FireCuda - 1TB SSHD Hybrid Internal Drive (3.5 ', 64MB SATA Cache 6GB / s up to 210MB / s) Silver
  • FireCuda mixes SSD with HDD for the instant performance and capacity you need The recommended upgrade for PC and console gamers, creative professionals and enthusiasts who want it all, now Play up to 5x faster than traditional 7200 RPMS hard drives Installs and operates as a standard hard drive; no additional drivers or software required sticker may be different
98.87 EUR Buy on Amazon

They are the famous hard drives with SSHD technology. That is, it has a small NAND flash drive inside that caches the hard drive. Improving times, but it has already been shown that a hard drive plus a 16 GB Intel Optane performs the same as an SSD.

These units are designed to play and make excellent daily use of PC, but for us these units are not worth the higher price. According to Seagate it promises a speed 5 times faster than a conventional hard disk. Also its price is 'noticeably' higher than that of the normal Barracuda series.

  • 500 GB, 1 TB and 2 TB capacity 7200 RPM speed Available in 3.5 and 2.5 inches Sustained data rates of 156 MB / s 5 year warranty

Recommended model:

Seagate FireCuda - 2TB Hybrid SSHD Internal Disk (3.5 ', 64MB Cache, SATA 6Gb / s) Silver Choose from a variety of capabilities for optimized equipment; Low power consumption means a more cost-effective configuration

Western Digital Black

Western Digital Black 1 TB Performance Desktop Hard Disk Drive 7200 RPM SATA 6 GB / s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch
  • Ease of use Compatible Windows Plus capacity for your files
79.99 EUR Buy on Amazon

The WD Black series is born to meet the demands of the most enthusiastic gamers, content creators and Workstation teams. They are hard drives with better components than the WD Blue series and with 256 MB of cache.

  • 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, and 6TB capacity 7200RPM speed Available in 3.5 and 2.5 inches Sustained data rates of 227MB / s 5 year warranty

Recommended model:

Western Digital Black 2 TB Performance Desktop Hard Disk Drive 7200 RPM SATA 6 GB / s 64MB Cache 3.5 Inch NoTouch Ramp Loading Technology; Compatibility with: Windows / Mac 145, 94 EUR WD Black - Internal Hard Drive (6 TB, 3.5 "HDD, SATA III 6 GB / s, 7200 RPM, 256 MB Cache) Color Black 269, 55 EUR

Western Digital Gold

Western Digital WD1005FBYZ - Internal Hard Drive, 1 TB, Gold Color
  • Hard Drive Capacity: 1000 GB Hard Drive Size: 3.5 "Hard Drive Rotation Speed: 7200
99.59 EUR Buy on Amazon

Western Digital wants to give a little more than other manufacturers with its Western Digital Gold series of hard drives. Designed for high workload, storage in data centers and servers and uses HelioSeal technology.

As expected, it has the RAFF vibration protection that improves the life time in environments with a lot of movement in the plates of the hard drives: in Hot-Swap or a high-performance NAS equipment. We liked the TLER technology that allows real-time error recovery and its 5-year warranty.

  • Capacity 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB up to 1TB Speed ​​7200 RPM Available in 3.5 inches From 128 to 256MB of cache 2.5 million hours of mean time between failures (MTBF) 5 years warranty

Recommended models:

Western Digital Gold 3.5 "10000 GB Serial ATA III - Hard Drive (3.5", 10000 GB, 7200 RPM) Capacity: 10 TB; ms / cache / rpm: - / 256 MB / 7, 200 rpm; Design: 3.5 inches; Connection: 1x SATA / 600 590.01 EUR Western Digital Gold 6000GB Serial ATA III - Hard Drive (6000 GB, Serial ATA III, 7200 RPM, 3.5 ", Hard Drive, 128 MB) Western Digital; wd6002fryz; Available from day Next Hardware; Next Day Shipping; 6TB, 8.89cm (3.5 "), SATA 6Gb / s, 7200rpm, 128MB Western Digital, 12TB (3.5", Sata3 7200, 256MB) Easy Use; Windows Compatible; A Plus capacity for your files 459.30 EUR
Models Capacity RPM Warranty Additional features
Seagate Barracuda 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, 1TB and 500GB 7200 RPM 2 years - Available in 2.5 inches

- Multi-Tier Caching technology.

Seagate Barracuda PRO 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, and 2TB 7200 RPM 5 years - Available in 2.5 inches

- Multi-Tier Caching technology.

Seagate FireCUDA 2TB, 1TB and 500GB 7200 RPM 5 years - Available in 2.5 inches

- Incorporates FLASH memory to speed up startup.

WD Blue 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, 1TB and 500GB 5400 and 7200 RPM 2 years
WD Black 6TB, 5TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, and 1TB 7200 RPM 5 years
WD Gold 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, and 1TB 7200 RPM 5 years HelioSEAL technology and RAFF protection.

Hard Drives for NAS and Video Surveillance

Not all hard drives serve the same purpose, leading manufacturers have designed hard drives for professional storage and 24-hour video surveillance 365 days a year. Western Digital and Seagate have taken it very seriously and launched very competent units. We explain the best options!

Seagate IronWolf NAS

Seagate IronWolf, 1TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 5900rpm, 64MB Cache for Network Attached RAID Storage, Frustration Free Packaging (ST1000VN002)
  • IronWolf internal hard drives are the right solution for multi-user NAS environments up to 8 bays that require powerful performance Store more and work faster with a NAS-optimized hard drive that offers 1TB and up to 64MB cache memoryWolf Designed especially for NAS devices, it offers less wear, a total or almost total reduction of noise and vibration, an increase in the performance of file sharing Enjoy long-term reliability with a MTBF of 1 million hours Includes a plan protection
56, 66 EUR Buy on Amazon

Manufactured to withstand 365/24 use. It incorporates IronWolf Health Management technology that helps us keep our hard drive in top condition. This application informs us of the temperature, if the hard disk is healthy, have an exclusive fault log with its micro notification codes and notify us of any serious error, to quickly change our hard disk for another unit.

Both these models and PROs feature RV sensor technology. It mitigates vibrations from stacked hard drives, which is quite interesting for its durability on NAS systems. It is surprising that Western Digital does not incorporate these features into its hard drives. Available on 4 or more TB models.

  • Capacity 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB and 1TB Speed ​​from 5900 to 7200 RPM Available in 3.5 inches Up to 256MB of cache 1 million hours of mean time between failures (MTBF) Optimization for multiple users 180 TB / year 3 year warranty
Ideal for home users and small businesses

Recommended models:

Seagate IronWolf, 2TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 7200rpm, 256MB Cache for RAID Network Attached Storage (ST2000VN004) Enjoy long-term reliability with an MTBF of 1 million hours; Includes protection plan EUR 77.69 Seagate IronWolf, 3TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 5900rpm, 64MB cache for RAID network attached storage, Frustration Free Packaging (ST3000VN007) Enjoy long-term reliability with a MTBF of 1 million hours; Includes a protection plan 99.39 EUR Seagate IronWolf, 4TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5 in, SATA 6 Gb / s, 5900 rpm, 64 MB cache for RAID network attached storage (ST4000VN008) Includes a protection plan 115.92 EUR Seagate IronWolf - 6TB internal hard drive for Bay 1-8 NAS systems (3.5 ', 5900 RPM, 64MB cache up to 180MB / s, 180TB workload / ao) Black Multi-user technology to obtain a higher workload index; Be more productive with up to 12TB of Seagate IronWolf storage, 10TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 7200rpm, 256MB cache for RAID network attached storage (ST10000VN0004) Includes a protection plan 338.05 EUR

Seagate IronWolf PRO NAS

Seagate IronWolf Pro - Enterprise NAS Hard Drive (HDD, SATA 6Gb / s) gray
  • 1.2 million hours of time between failures Optimized for NAS with AgileArray. AgileArray is built for balancing. High performance means reducing delays, or downtime, for users. Seagate Rescue Data Recovery. 2 IronWolf Pro offers more peace of mind versus
104, 85 EUR Buy on Amazon

The AgileArray features are available for both the normal and PRO versions. This serves to improve the reliability and expandability of systems. In other words, it is compatible with multiple home systems , NAS and professional equipment. You include them in drives of 4TB or more.

Unlike other manufacturers, it has the Rescue Recovery Data Plan that allows us to recover data due to a broken hard drive. Is it available in all its units?

  • 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, and 2TB capacity 7200RPM speed Available in 3.5 inches Up to 256MB cache 1.2 million hours Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) Optimization Multi-user 300TB / year 5-year warranty
Ideal for home users, small and medium businesses

Recommended models:

Seagate IronWolf Pro, 4TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 5900rpm, 128MB Cache for Network Attached RAID Storage, Data Recovery (ST4000NE0025) Includes a plan of protection and two years of services Rescue Data Recovery Services 247.14 EUR Seagate IronWolf Pro - 6TB internal hard drive for Bay 1-16 NAS systems (3.5 ', 7200 RPM, 256 MB cache, up to 214 MB / s, 300TB / yr workload) Seagate IronWolf Pro - 8TB internal hard drive for Bay 1-16 NAS systems (3.5 ', 7200 RPM, 256MB cache, up to 214MB / s, 300TB workload / year) 374.62 EUR Seagate IronWolf Pro, 10 TB, NAS, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5 in, SATA 6 Gb / s, 7200 rpm, 256 MB cache for RAID network attached storage, recovery Data (ST10000NE0004) Includes a protection plan and two years of services Rescue Data Recovery Services 391.96 EUR

Western Digital Red

WD Digital 1TB Desktop NAS Hard Drive (Intellipower, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, 3.5 ") Red
  • Ease of use Compatible Windows Plus capacity for your files
61.99 EUR Buy on Amazon

Designed for NAS equipment and storage systems. Like other Seagate models, it incorporates an overheating system, supports RAID and is focused on medium and large companies. I have seen them mounted on different cloud systems for storage running 24/7 without any problem.

  • 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB, and 10TB capacity 5900 RPM speed Available in 3.5-inch 64, 128 and 256MB cache 3-year warranty
WD Digital - Hard Drive for 2TB Desktop NAS Devices (Intellipower, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, 3.5 ") Red 139.90 EUR WD Digital - Hard Drive for 3T Desktop NAS Devices TB (Intellipower, SATA 6 Gb / s, 64 MB cache, 3.5 ") red Easy to use; Windows compatible; A plus of capacity for your files 107.98 EUR WD Digital - NASware 3.0 Hard Drive, TB (Intellipower, SATA 6 Gb / s, 64 MB cache, 3.5 "), Red 128.34 EUR Western Digital 10TB RED - Hard disk (10000 GB, 256MB, Serial ATA III, 5400 RPM, 3.5 ", NAS) Easy use; Windows compatible; A plus of capacity for your files 346.32 EUR

Western Digital Red PRO

Western Digital Red Pro 6 TB 6000GB Serial ATA III - Hard Drive (3.5 ", 6000 GB, 7200 RPM, Serial ATA III, 256 MB, Hard Drive)
  • Nasware 3.0 Technology Built for nas compatibility Enhanced nas crash protection in the bay
278, 10 EUR Buy on Amazon

The PRO version is more reliable because it has better components and incorporates NASware 3.0 technology. Although what we like the least is that it has 7200 RPM, but it saves the 5-year warranty.

  • 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB, and 10TB capacity 7200RPM speed Available in 3.5 inches Up to 256MB cache 5 year warranty
Western Digital Red Pro Hard Drive (3.5 ", 8000 GB, 7200 RPM, Serial ATA III, 256 MB, Hard Drive) Nasware 3.0 technology; Built for nas compatibility; Larger nas bay shock protection 364.93 EUR WD Red Pro - Hard Drive for 2TB Desktop NAS Devices (Intellipower, SATA 6GB / s, 64MB Cache, 3.5 ") 2TB; SATA3, 3.5 "; Easy to install 213.00 EUR

Toshiba N300

Toshiba N300 HDEXR01ZNA51- 4TB Internal Hard Drive
  • RELIABLE HARD DRIVE: This internal NAS disk is the right choice for installing high-performance computers and is ideal for private users, home-office and small businesses. This networked hard disk has a capacity of 4 TB that allows to store a large amount of data and programs. In addition, multiple users can simultaneously access this NAS server disk. An annual workload of up to 180TB is an outstanding value that demonstrates the performance capabilities of this NAS hard disk. This network hard disk maintains its high performance for continuous operation. It was specially developed for intensive use in data centers and is protected against high temperatures and data loss.
133.82 EUR Buy on Amazon

Toshiba is doing a very good job with its latest hard drives. For this reason, we have decided to add the Toshiba N300 to our list of recommended HDDs. This disk is server and network storage system (NAS) oriented. We find it a very interesting solution both for its technology and for its competitive price.

We believe that the versions that are most worthwhile are the 12, 14 and 16 TB, these models of hard drives come closed with Helium instead of air. It also has speeds of up to 7200 RPM and a cache memory of 128, 256 and 512 MB (depending on model). We put all this together, plus a 3-year warranty and we have a hard drive of ten.

  • 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 12TB, 14TB, and 16TB capacity 7200RPM speed Available in 3.5 inches Up to 512MB cache 3-year warranty
Toshiba HDWN180UZSVA N300 - Internal Hard Drive (6TB, NAS, 7200RPM, 128MB, 3.5 ", SATA), Silver 6 TB Internal Hard Drive; Designed for continuous operation; With integrated rotary vibration sensors EUR 183.29 Toshiba N300 - 8TB Internal Hard Drive (SATA 6GB / s, 7200rpm) Gray 8TB Internal Hard Drive; Designed for continuous operation; With integrated rotary vibration sensors € 219.65

Western Digital Purple

WD Purple - 1TB Video Surveillance Hard Drive (Intellipower, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, 3.5 ")
  • Ease of use Compatible Windows Plus capacity for your files
65.63 EUR Buy on Amazon

Many users use this model for their NAS equipment. They are fully compatible and with high efficiency in durability. Since its use is intended 24/7 for up to 64 video surveillance cameras. Possibly your guarantee is not very long (depending on model), but with 3 years we are more than enough for a good season?

  • 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB, and 10TB capacity 7200RPM speed Available in 3.5 inches Up to 256MB cache 5 year warranty
WD Purple WD20PURX- Video Surveillance Hard Drive (2TB, Intellipower, SATA 6GB / s, 64MB cache, 3.5 ") Priority change for write and cache assignments; Compatibility with TLER and ATA transmissions 72.01 EUR WD PurpleWD30PURX - Video Surveillance Hard Drive (3TB, Intellipower, SATA 6GB / s, 64MB cache, 3.5 ") EUR 98.22 WD Purple WD40PURX - 4TB Video Surveillance Hard Drive (Intellipower, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB cache, 3.5 ") 4TB; SATA3, 3.5"; Easy to install 165.00 EUR WD Purple - 6 TB Video Surveillance Hard Drive (Intellipower, SATA 6 GB / s, 64 MB cache, 3.5 ") Easy installation; Maximum performance; Great quality 261.08 EUR

Seagate SkyHawk

Seagate SkyHawk, 1TB, Surveillance Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, DVR, NVR Security Cameras with Drive Status Management (ST1000VX005)
  • Designed for NVR and surveillance DVR security camera systems, the SkyHawk unit offers 1TB of optimized surveillance storage.It allows workloads of up to 180TB / year, i.e. the simultaneous transmission of 64 HD cameras with zero missing frames. Built-in rotary vibration allows units to maintain performance levels in multi-bay systems, offering the flexibility to scale systems when more storage is required. Low power consumption reduces heat emissions and increases reliability. Additionally, units can be easily monitored with SkyHawk Health Management
53.81 EUR Buy on Amazon

Designed for 24/7 video surveillance throughout the year. They are very similar to the IronWolf series but with the advantage that it accepts up to 64 high definition cameras, it minimizes the loss of frames and reduces downtime.

Within the Seagate website there is a calculator to check the amount of GB you need. It is quite useful because it allows us to choose the number of cameras we have, the FPS, hours per day active, the days you keep the files stored and the resolution of the files.

Models larger than 4TB incorporate IronWolf Health technologies and rotary vibration sensor. A fact to keep in mind when choosing these hard drives. Do they serve as NAS? Yes, although we recommend it if they are cheaper than those intended for these purposes.

  • Capacity 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, and 1TB Available in 3.5 inches From 64 to 256MB of cache 1 million hours of Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) 3 Years warranty
Special video surveillance for small and medium businesses

Recommended models:

Seagate SkyHawk, 2TB, Surveillance Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, DVR, NVR Security Cameras with Drive Status Management (ST2000VX008) 70, 89 EUR Seagate SkyHawk, 3TB, Surveillance Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, DVR, NVR Security Cameras with Drive Status Management (ST3000VX010) 137, 06 EUR Seagate SkyHawk, 4TB, Surveillance Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 64MB Cache, DVR, NVR Security Cameras with Drive Status Management (ST4000VX007) 110.28 EUR Seagate Surveillance Skyhawk HDD 6TB 6000GB Serial ATA III - Hard Drive (6000 GB, Serial ATA III, 3.5 ", Surveillance System, Hard Drive, 256 MB) Form Factor: 3.5"; Hard Drive Interface: SATAIII; With a speed of 5900 RPM; Data transfer rate: 750 MB / s 180.00 EUR Seagate SkyHawk, 8TB, Surveillance Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5 in, SATA 6 Gb / s, 256 MB cache, DVR, security cameras NVR with Drive Status Management (ST8000VX0022) € 371.99 Seagate SkyHawk, 10TB, Surveillance Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, SATA 6Gb / s, 256MB Cache, DVR, Cameras NVR Security with Unit Status Management (ST10000VX0004) 343.26 EUR

Seagate SkyHawk AI

Seagate Skyhawk ST8000VE0004 - Hard Drive (3.5 ", 8000 GB, 7200 RPM)
  • SkyHawk AI introduces ImagePerfect AI firmware to deliver superior image integrity for uninterrupted and random read workloads Get scalable support for up to 16 AI streams while recording up to 64 HD video streams Seamlessly cope with heavy usage videos Data with SkyHawk's 550 TB / aoMs workload capacity three times greater than that of units optimized for standard surveillance Benefit from a good total cost of ownership (TCO) with an MTBF of 2 million hours
336.48 EUR Buy on Amazon

Very similar to the normal version but with some improvements. We find a sustained transfer speed of 250 MB / s, a durability of 2 million hours versus a million hours than the basic version, durability of up to 550 TB per year and a 5-year warranty.

Each disc allows up to 16 simultaneous streams and up to 64 HD cameras. As expected, it incorporates the NVR vibration system for 16 or more hot-swap bays and the hard disk rescue service.

  • Capacity 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, and 4TB Available in 3.5 inches 256MB cache 2 million hours Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) 5 year warranty
Special video surveillance with high performance and AI

Recommended models:

Seagate Skyhawk ST10000VE0004 - Hard Drive (3.5 ", 10240 GB) More than three times higher than that of optimized drives for standard surveillance; Benefit from a good total cost of ownership (TCO) with a MTBF of 2 million hours 376.47 EUR
NAS / Video Surveillance Models Capacity RPM Warranty Additional features
Seagate IronWolf NAS 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, and 1TB 5900 RPM and 7200 RPM depending on model 3 years RV sensor to avoid vibrations and fault logs
Seagate IronWolf PRO NAS 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, and 2TB 7200 RPM 5-year guarantee RV sensor to avoid vibrations, AgileArray and Rescue Recovery Data Plan in +4 TB model
Western Digital Red 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 5TB, 4TB, 3TB, and 2TB 5400 RPM 3 years warranty
Western Digital Red PRO 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 5TB, 4TB, 3TB, and 2TB 7200 RPM 5-year guarantee NASware 3.0
Toshiba N300 16TB, 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, and 4TB 7200 RPM 3 years warranty 12, 14 and 16TB models are Helium sealed
Western Digital Purple 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 5TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, and 1TB 5400 RPM and 7200 RPM 3 years warranty Up to 64 cameras
Seagate SkyHawk 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 3TB, 2TB, and 1TB 7200 RPM 3 years warranty Up to 64 cameras. 180TB / year workload
Seagate SkyHawk AI 14TB, 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, and 4TB 7200 RPM 5-year guarantee Up to 64 cameras and 16 transmissions. 440 TB / year workload

Hard Drives for Cloud and Cloud

Yes, diversifying hard drives is being a bit of a hassle. But it is good, because it depends on our needs we can choose one hard disk or another. Eye, so can I build another model? Of course, but initially this range is designed to be used on a Cloud server: storage, servers, etc…

Seagate Exos E and Exos X

Seagate Exos, 1TB, Internal Hard Drive, Business HDD, 3.5in, 6GB / s, 7200rpm, 128MB Business Cache, Data Center, Easy Open Package (ST1000NM0008)
  • Get 1TB of data in an easy-to-integrate SATA HDD Drive seamlessly manage high-performance, high-performance applications Reduce total cost of ownership with customizable power options Advanced Write Caching and TurboBoost deliver good performance and limit the risk of data loss due at a drop of unexpected energy Enjoy long-term peace of mind with the protection plane
99.90 EUR Buy on Amazon

Both the Exos E and X series offer us the highest reliability for our servers and data centers. With the best components, it offers us a workload of up to 550 TB per year with uninterrupted operation, lower consumption with PowerChoice technology and a capacity of up to 12 TB.

  • Capacity 12TB, 10TB, 8TB, 6TB, 4TB, 2TB and 1TB Available in 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch 128 or 256MB cache 2 million hours Mean Time Between Failures (MTBF) 5 years warranty
Special datacenters and cloud. EYE YOU NEED TO HAVE A SAS CONTROLLER TO OPERATE.

Recommended models:

Seagate Exos, 8TB, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5in, 6GB / s, 7200rpm, 128MB Cache for Business, Data Center, Easy Open Package (ST8000NM0055) Get 8TB of Data in an easy to integrate SATA HDD; Manage intensive applications 24/7 with high performance 250, 77 EUR Seagate Exos, 12 TB, Internal Hard Drive, Enterprise HDD, 3.5 in, 6 GB / s, 128 MB cache for Business, Data Center Easy-Open Package (ST12000NM0007) Get 12TB of data in one easy-to-integrate SATA HDD; Manage intensive applications 24/7 with high performance 598.31 EUR Seagate Exos, 6 TB, Internal Hard Drive, HDD, 3.5 in, 6 GB / s, 7200 rpm, 128 MB cache for Business, Center Data, Easy Open Package (ST6000NM0115) Get 6TB of data in one easy to integrate SATA HDD; Manage intensive applications 24/7 with high performance 212, 80 EUR

Faster hard drives

Since the release of SSDs they are no longer as common in enthusiastic PC configurations and are quite difficult to find. The lower price of SSDs, the high cost of a 10, 000 RPM HDD and its low availability are not an attractive option for the user.

WD WD1600HLFS VelociRaptor - SATA Internal Hard Drive (160GB, 3.5 ", 10, 000rpm) Western Digital160GB; WD Velociraptor10000rpmwd1600hlfsSATA 122.43 EUR Western Digital WD1000CHTZ - 1TB Internal Hard Drive (SATA III, 2.5") 1TB; SATA3, 2.5 "; Easy to install 134, 76 EUR

Western Digital's Velociraptor series has been a classic. They are quite noisy and we believe that it does not compensate at all to spend these amounts, having SSD drives that are much more profitable. Currently we can buy the 160 GB and 1 TB models in some online stores. Does it already depend on each user?

  • How to format a hard drive at low level

With this we end our guide to the best hard drives on the market. We believe that we have informed you very well and recommended the best models that we can currently buy. What do you think of our article? We want to know your opinion!

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