Hard Drives

How to shop for a hard drive

A hard drive provides permanent storage for your computer and records data in binary code on magnetic platters that rotate at high speeds, typically at 7,200 revolutions per minute (RPM) for a desktop computer. Most desktops have hard drives that can store 120 to 300 gigabytes (GB), but the Hitachi Deskstar 7K1000 can hold up to 1 terabyte (TB), or 1,024 GB. Hard drives also typically transfer media from the drive to the CPU at rates ranging from 5 megabytes (MB) to 40 MB per second. Hard drives generally take about 10 to 20 milliseconds to send the first byte of information requested after it is initially sought.

A second internal hard drive can often be added on top of your computer’s original hard drive if you’re running low on storage space. However, if there are already two drives stored in your hard drive case, then an external hard drive may be necessary. External hard drives can be installed on your computer through USB 2.0 or FireWire connections. They hook up easily and can be detached and reattached as many times and to as many machines as you require, though they are generally slower than internal hard drives. They can also be used as backup for your internal hard drives.

The magnetic method of storing memory can be easily erased or altered, but it is also extremely reliable, remembering the magnetic patterns stored on the platter for long periods of time. The mean life span of a hard drive is 500,000 to 1,000,000 hours; that’s 57 to 114 years. However, not all hard drives last this long and sometimes they crash, potentially losing all your saved data. Fortunately, there are many hard drive recovery services to salvage lost information. The need to reformat hard drive may arise in the case of a virus or other computer problem, but this can simply be done on your own after backing up any vital information.

Must-Have Features

• You’ll need a drive over 40 GB if you work with a significant amount of graphics, audio or video.
• Two smaller drives will often be cheaper than one large drive.
• A 7,200 RPM or higher performance hard drive is needed if you edit images or videos.

Major Considerations

• How much space do I need?
• Can my computer make effective use of an additional or new hard drive?
• Do I need an internal or external hard drive?
• Do I need a low noise disk drive?
• Do I need a hard drive with shock resistance?

Top Manufacturers

• Seagate
• Western Digital
• Hitachi
• Samsung
• Toshiba

Common Accessories or Add-Ons

• Hard drive retail kit
• FireWire or USB 2.0 connectors for external hard drives
• Interface card
• Grounding bracelet for use in installation

Price Range

Depending on the capacity of the hard drive, hard drives cover a wide spectrum of prices. A cheap hard drive with a very small capacity can go as low as the single digits, but even higher performance and storage space are becoming increasingly affordable. A suitable amount of space can be purchased for between $200 and $300. Of course, others can reach far above this amount, and your needs will be a key determining factor in the price you can expect to pay.

Summary

A hard drive is essential to your computer; without one, there would be no way to store or access programs, operating systems or data. With audio, video and graphics becoming more and more essential to the average user, extra permanent storage is often required. Fortunately, hard drives can be found in a variety of sizes, forms and prices to accommodate the unique needs of each individual computer user.