26 best hard drives

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The modern hard drive market is replete with a variety of models with a wide variety of technical parameters – capacity, nominal read and write speed, form factor, and more. This segment of the electronics market has become especially capacious after solid-state SSDs gained competitiveness. Experts have figured out the incredible variety of available hard drives and have formed for you a rating of the best models for certain tasks.

Rating of the best hard drives

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The best SSD drives for a desktop	1	Plextor PX-512M8SeY	RUB 16 960
	2	Corsair CSSD-N1920GBXTI	RUB 56 398
	3	Intel SSDPED1D960GAX1	RUB 95 850
	4	Western Digital WD BLU E 3D NAND SATA SSD 500 GB (WDS500G2B0A)	RUB 7,590
Best HDD hard drives for a desktop computer	1	Seagate ST4000DM004	RUB 7 074
	2	Western Digital WD Blue Desktop 2 TB (WD20EZRZ)	RUB 4,155
	3	Toshiba DT01ACA300	RUB 4,960
Best SSD hard drives for laptop	1	Samsung MZ-V6E500BW	RUB 11,999
	2	ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 480GB	RUB 9 720
	3	Plextor PX-256S3G	RUB 4,890
Best HDD hard drives for laptop	1	Seagate ST500LM021	RUB 2,945
	2	Western Digital WD Black 1 TB (WD10JPLX)	RUB 4,450
	3	Toshiba HDWL120UZSVA	RUB 5,626
Best server hard drives	1	HGST HUSMM3240ASS204	RUB 45 675
	2	Seagate XF1230-1A0960	RUB 22,307
	3	Intel SSDSC2KI010T801	RUB 22,951
	4	Western Digital WD Gold 1 TB (WD1005FBYZ)	RUB 5,900
	5	HGST HUS726040ALE614	RUB 10,710
Best external hard drives	1	Samsung Portable SSD T5 500GB	RUB 10,000
	2	Transcend TS240GJDM725	RUB 14,080
	3	ADATA SD600 256GB	RUB 5 355
	4	Western Digital My Passport 2 TB (WDBUAX0020B)	RUB 5,218
	5	Toshiba CANVIO BASICS 500GB	RUB 3,050
	6	ADATA HV620 2TB	RUB 5 600
Best hard drives – HDD + SSD hybrids	1	Seagate ST2000LX001	RUB 6,920
	2	LENOVO 4XB0M33238	RUB 14,430

The best SSD drives for a desktop

To begin with, let's look at the best, according to our experts, solid-state SSD-drives, which every year more and more confidently squeeze their predecessors – mechanical HDDs. Experts have identified four notable models from different manufacturers. All devices presented support the extended format, in which sector sizes are 4 KB.

Plextor PX-512M8SeY

Rating: 4.9

The first number in the review is a very good drive from the prominent Plextor trademark (Taiwan). Its capacity is 512 GB, TLC memory (three bits per cell) is used. Writing data at 1K, reading at 2.45K MB per second, random writing at 175,000 IOPS. The buffer is allocated 1024 MB. The data streams are controlled by the Marvell 88SS1083 controller, and this is a distinct advantage of the model due to its power and efficiency.

The high speed is partly provided by the high-speed PCI-E 3.0 x4 connection type. There is compatibility with the NVMe standard, the TRIM command is supported. The total recording resource is 320 TB.

The physics of the drive is as follows: dimensions – 22.39 × 121.04 × 176.33mm, the device weighs 200 g. In operation and during storage, its shock resistance is 1500 G – a very high indicator. The operating temperature limit is 70 ° C.

Although the drive is intended for installation in a desktop computer case, it is not devoid of aesthetic qualities. The impressively sized heatsink smoothly wraps around the blue logo insert with bending fins, and on the upper edge there is another glowing Plextor logo and an LED strip. All this gives the device an expressive, even 'gaming' look, and the drive looks very impressive in an open or transparent case.

Advantages

• powerful, highly efficient controller;

• spectacular design;

• high-quality cooling;

• easy setup, management and updating;

• sufficiently high write / read speed.

disadvantages

• pronounced disadvantages are not noticed.

Corsair CSSD-N1920GBXTI

Rating: 4.8

Further in the rating, experts suggest for consideration the Corsair drive, which the manufacturer itself positions as a gaming one. Indeed, its technical characteristics speak for its high suitability for modern video games, as well as for working with heavy, resource-intensive graphics. The 2.5 “form factor allows you to install the hard drive not only in desktop PCs, but also in many laptops.

The most noticeable feature of the hard drive is its capacity, which is 1920 GB. In many ways, it was this circumstance that influenced its more than tangible cost. Uses MLC memory (two bits per cell), which has a number of important advantages over TLC, like the previous model, and a minimum of disadvantages.

The nominal read speed is 550 MB / s and the same indicator for writing. This is noticeably less than that of the model discussed above, but this indicator is more realistic and better correlates with the bandwidth capabilities of the interface. The device is connected via SATA 6Gbit / s. Random write – 85K IOPS.

The physical characteristics of the drive are as follows. Dimensions – 70x7x100 mm, weight – 55 g. Shock resistance in static and operating mode is 500 G. Limitation on operating temperature – 70 ° C.

The manufacturer provides a five-year warranty for this model. The delivery set includes a 9.5 mm adapter.

Advantages

• 5 years warranty;

• high-quality protection against power surges;

• increased reliability;

• game;

• improved error correction methods.

disadvantages

• not marked.

Intel SSDPED1D960GAX1

Rating: 4.8

Now, within the framework of the rating prepared by our specialists, we will consider a high-performance SSD from the 'avant-garde' of the microelectronics market – Intel. At half the size of the previous model (960 GB), the device is twice as expensive. This is a significant disadvantage from the point of view of an ordinary buyer, but there are very good reasons for this.

This model uses high-performance and fast 3D XPoint memory, which was presented by companies Intel and Micron literally 'yesterday' – in mid-2015. Operation speed: writing – 2.2 thousand MB / s, reading – 2.6 thousand MB / s. Random write – as much as 550K IOPS. The connection is via PCI-E 3.0 x4. Compliant with NVMe standard. There is a built-in data encryption function.

The physical data of the drive is as follows. Dimensions – 17.2×68.9x168mm, weight – 230 g. On average, during operation, it consumes about 16.40 W of electricity. The safe operating temperature limit is 85 ° C. The shock resistance of the device is the lowest in this group – 50 G in statics and in operation, but this indicator is still incomparably better than that of any mechanical disc.

The engineers Intel even paid serious attention to the drive's appearance. It has a striking and slightly predatory design with LED backlighting. Therefore, the model is perfect for gamers, although it is not directly positioned by the manufacturer as a game one.

Advantages

• highest speed and performance;

• spectacular design;

• exceptional durability;

• innovative type of memory;

• the fastest write / read speed in the group.

disadvantages

• high price.

Western Digital WD BLU E 3D NAND SATA SSD 500 GB (WDS500G2B0A)

Rating: 4.7

The final point in the first group of the rating is an inexpensive, and at the same time definitely worthy of attention, a drive from Western Digital. Despite the very 'budget' cost, the hard drive is positioned by the manufacturer as a gaming one, and quite objectively.

The drive is made in a 2.5 “form factor, which allows it to be installed both in desktop PCs (possibly through an adapter) and in laptops. Its capacity is 500 GB, TLC 3D NAND memory is used. It is controlled by a high-performance Marvell 88SS1074 controller. with a speed of 560 MB / s, write – 530 MB / s, random write – 84 thousand IOPS.Connects via the SATA 6Gbit / s interface.NCQ and TRIM command are supported.The total resource of the recorded information is 200 TB.

The linear dimensions of the device are 69.85x7x100.2 mm, the minimum weight is only 37 g. The safe operating temperature is limited to 70 ° C. The hard disk has a high shock resistance in static and operation – 1500 G. In operation it consumes about 3.35 watts.

The manufacturer's warranty period is 36 months.

Advantages

• game;

• minimum power consumption;

• powerful controller;

• affordable price.

disadvantages

• not marked.

Best HDD hard drives for a desktop computer

Now let's take a look at traditional drives – mechanical HDDs with reversible magnetic platters. Analysts ranked three notable models from the world's most famous companies – Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba.

All three hard drives have a number of common characteristics: support for extended format (4 KB sectors), 3.5 “form factor, connection via SATA 6Gbit / s interface, 600 MB per second – external data rate.

Seagate ST4000DM004

Rating: 4.9

It opens the top three HDDs for PCs 'hard drive' produced by the famous American company, which has been associated exclusively with this class of components for decades.

This is the largest drive in this group – 4 thousand GB. In addition, it is also distinguished by an impressive space allocated for the buffer memory – 256 MB, which has the most positive effect on the speed of working with data.

The hard drive is designed and manufactured in a 3.5 “form factor, contains two magnetic plates and four heads. The spindle rotation is 5400 rpm. The nominal data transfer rate is 190 MB / s. It is connected via the popular SATAIII interface (6 Gb / s). Supported hardware command sequence (NCQ) According to users' observations, the real speed of reading large sectors is fully consistent with the declared one.

The physical parameters of the device are as follows. Dimensions – 101.6×20.17×146.99 mm, weight – 490 g. In operation, it consumes about 5 watts. Operating temperature limitation – 60 ° C. The maximum declared noise level is 27 dB, and according to numerous reviews of real users, this figure is completely true.

The manufacturer provides a 24-month warranty for this model.

Advantages

• favorable combination of cost and volume;

• quiet;

• minimum heating;

• large amount of cache memory.

disadvantages

• low revs (partly offset by a large cache).

Western Digital WD Blue Desktop 2 TB (WD20EZRZ)

Rating: 4.8

Further in the ranking, we present another worthy model from an equally worthy manufacturer. This hard drive is half as large as the previous one – 2 thousand GB, but also significantly cheaper. In addition, it has some important benefits.

The hard disk is made in the 3.5 “form factor with dimensions of 101.6×26.1x147mm and weighing 600 g. The nominal declared read speed is equal to the write speed – 147 MB ​​/ s. 64 MB of disk space is allocated for the buffer. The spindle operates at a speed of 5400 rpm. SATA III ports (6.0 Gb / s)

The physical characteristics of the device are noteworthy. If Seagate tries not to advertise its shock resistance especially in relation to the above model, then this parameter is even emphasized here – 30 G during operation and 250 G in static storage. The nominal noise does not exceed 27 dB at full load and 23 dB at idle. The safe operating temperature limit is 60 ° C. Average power consumption – 4.10 W.

With all the visible advantages, this model is not without a drawback, since it is easily curable. By default, the hard drive is too zealous with head parking – the bill can go to thousands of parking lots per day, and this is a direct path to a quick failure. Therefore, it is recommended to correct this setting through a special utility.

Advantages

• quiet;

• does not overheat;

• shockproof;

• affordable price.

disadvantages

• head parking frequency.

Toshiba DT01ACA300

Rating: 4.7

And the rating of the best HDDs for PCs according to the version is completed by the hard drive produced by the super-authoritative Japanese old-timer of the Toshiba electronics market. Here it is necessary to clarify that the presented model was developed within the walls of Hitachi and produced on their own equipment, which after the sale of Western Digital's business went to Toshiba. In this particular case, the product only benefited from such a 'multi-way'.

The hard disk capacity is 3 thousand GB. The buffer is allocated 54 MB of disk space. The average read and write speed is quite high due to the accelerated spindle rotation – 7200 rpm. A very good indicator of track to track access speed is 0.5 ms.

The dimensions of the drive are 101.6×26.1x147mm, weight. Like the previous model described, this hard drive is characterized by increased mechanical resistance – 70 G in operating mode and 300 G in static storage. The nominal noise in operating mode should not exceed 28 dB. Some users note a noticeable crunch when working, but there are no obvious complaints at this point. The nominal idle noise is almost the same at 27 dB.

A suspiciously noticeable percentage of reports of rapid failures can be found on the network, but with in-depth analysis it turns out that these incidents are mostly related to improper device operation. Therefore, our experts did not take this circumstance into obvious shortcomings.

Advantages

• favorable 'price of a megabyte';

• quiet enough;

• high speed;

• does not overheat without external airflow (if there are no overloads).

disadvantages

• hypersensitivity to power outages.

Best SSD hard drives for laptop

Now, as part of our rating, we will consider a group of solid state drives suitable for installation in laptops and all-in-ones. The main requirement for such devices is compactness. This is why our experts have chosen the best SSDs exclusively from the minimum 2280 form factor.

We will look at three models from different brands – Samsung, ADATA and Plextor. All of them support extended format (4 KB sectors), connected via an M.2 connector.

Samsung MZ-V6E500BW

Rating: 4.9

Let's start with a solid-state drive from South Korean tech giant Samsung. This is the most expensive model in this group, but due to a number of characteristics for solving certain problems, its acquisition is quite reasonable.

The storage capacity is 500GB on TLC 3D NAND flash memory. The device has a remarkably high write speed of 1800 MB / s. The read speed is almost twice as high – 3200 MB / s. Random write – 330k IOPS. Connection interface – high speed PCI-E 3.0 x4. NVMe and TRIM command are supported. Built-in data encryption function.

The physical characteristics of the device are as follows. Dimensions – 22×2.3×80 mm, weight – 8 g. High impact resistance – 1500 G in static and operating conditions. The maximum safe operating temperature is limited to 70 ° C. On average, the drive consumes up to 5.4 watts of electricity.

In order for the drive to perform at peak performance, some notebook models need to be changed to B IOS settings. This moment often becomes a factor in false and unfounded claims to the speed of the hard drive.

This model is covered by a 36 month manufacturer's warranty.

Advantages

• high speed of reading and writing;

• one of the best price-quality-performance ratio;

• high resistance to mechanical stress;

• TRIM command.

disadvantages

• there may be problems with the operation of RAPID Mode with AMD processors;

• high price.

ADATA XPG GAMMIX S11 480GB

Rating: 4.8

Now let's take a look at the second position of this rating group – an SSD-drive manufactured by ADATA (Taiwan). The model is notable for the ratio of miniature size, almost zero power consumption and more than decent performance.

The storage capacity is 480 GB. High speed of work (1.7 thousand MB / s – writing, 3.05 thousand MB / s – reading) is provided by the innovative TLC 3D NAND memory and the Silicon Motion controller. Random write – 280K IOPS. The device is connected via PCI-E 3.0 x4 interface, there is support for NVMe. The total recording resource is 320 TB.

Now a few words about the physical parameters of the drive. Its dimensions are 22×3.5×80 mm, weight is only 8 g. In operation, on average, it consumes very little electricity – 0.33 W. The maximum safe operating temperature limit is 70 ° C. Impact resistance in static and in operation – 1500 G.

The tiny size of the drive did not prevent the developers from creating an attractive 'gaming' appearance for it, and the manufacturer itself positions it as a gaming one.

ADATA provides a record warranty for this model – 60 months.

Advantages

• 'gaming' performance;

• durability;

• slight heating;

• microscopic power consumption;

• five-year warranty.

disadvantages

• not marked.

Plextor PX-256S3G

Rating: 4.7

And completes this group of ratings from the drive produced by the famous Taiwanese (originally Japanese) company Plextor. Like the previous model, the manufacturer describes this SSD as a gaming one.

The storage capacity is 256 GB. Used memory type TLC (three bits per cell). Data streams are controlled by a Silicon Motion controller. This combination provides 510/550 MB / s (sequential write / read) speeds. Random write – 71K IOPS.

The model is notable for more than an impressive space allocated for buffer memory – as much as 512 MB, due to which the overall performance is significantly increased. TRIM command and NCQ technology are supported. The drive is connected via the SATA 6Gbit / s interface. The total resource of the recorded information is 70 TB.

This model is even smaller than the previous one – 22×2.3×80 mm, weighs 10 g. The limitation on the maximum safe temperature is the same – 70 ° C.

Plextor provides this model with a 3-year warranty.

Advantages

• reliability and durability;

• slight heating;

• high speed;

• minimum dimensions;

• affordable price.

disadvantages

• no distinct deficiencies have been identified.

Best HDD hard drives for laptop

Now, in the rating from, we will pay attention to another three hard drives for laptops, only these will be classic HDDs with mechanics and magnetic platters inside. All proposed models support the extended format (4 kilobyte sectors), are made in a compact 2.5 “form factor, are connected via a high-speed SATA 6Gbit / s interface, and have extremely high shock resistance – 400 G in operation and 1000 G in static storage.

Seagate ST500LM021

Rating: 4.9

Let's start with a high-performance hard drive from Seagate. In addition to its excellent key features, this model is also the most affordable in comparison with the neighboring solutions in the group. The device is part of the Laptop Thin HHD series, and the nomenclature itself hints at its compact size.

The total hard disk capacity is 500 GB, with 32 MB of memory allocated for the buffer. The main working component is one magnetic disk and two heads. The spindle operates at 7200 rpm, which provides a high average data exchange rate – about 135 MB / s (independent tests show that this parameter is fully consistent with reality). Average latency is about 11 ms.

The physical data of the hard disk is as follows. Dimensions – 70.1x7x100.55 mm, weight – 95 g. Nominal noise in operation – 24 dB, in idle a little less – 23 dB. In operation, it consumes about 1.8 W of electricity.

Seagate provides a 24-month warranty on this model.

Advantages

• high speed;

• thin;

• quiet work;

• affordable price.

disadvantages

• there is reason to doubt the declared shock resistance.

Western Digital WD Black 1 TB (WD10JPLX)

Rating: 4.8

Next in our ranking comes the compact 'notebook' hard drive from Western Digital. In terms of form-factor, the device coincides with the previous disk, but its thickness is noticeably larger, which imposes some restrictions on the possibility of its installation in one or another laptop model.

The hard disk capacity is twice that of the first model in the group – 1,000 GB. A similar amount of memory is allocated for the buffer – 32 MB. The spindle runs at 7200 rpm. Independent testing shows data exchange speeds of 127 MB / s (write) and 123.5 MB / s (read).

This model uses a proprietary dynamic caching algorithm developed by Western Digital, which minimizes latency and optimally allocates buffer memory between write and read operations.

The physical characteristics of the device are as follows. Dimensions – 69.85×9.5×100.2 mm, weight – 115 g. In operation, it consumes about 1.8 W of electricity. Nominal noise in operation – 27 dB, in idle – 25 dB.

Due to the fact that the hard drive case is noticeably thicker than that of the first model in the group, it will not fit into every laptop and will not be suitable for ultrabooks.

The manufacturing company provides this model with a serious warranty period of 60 months.

Advantages

• high speed;

• reliability;

• five-year warranty.

disadvantages

• noticeable heating and noise.

Toshiba HDWL120UZSVA

Rating: 4.7

And the last model in this rating group is a compact mechanical hard disk manufactured by Toshiba. This is the most voluminous model in the group and, as expected, the most expensive. The device is part of the L200 series, which Toshiba specialists have developed specifically for laptop computers, game consoles and various peripherals.

The capacity of the device is 2 thousand GB. The buffer is defined as 128 MB of memory. The spindle runs at 5400 rpm. Supports NCQ technology. The average latency is about 5.56ms. The manufacturer managed to qualitatively optimize all processes, due to which it was possible to achieve high rates of data exchange even at reduced spindle speeds. At the same time, heating and noise are minimal.

This model has the following physical parameters. Dimensions – 69.85×9.5×100 mm, weight – 117 g. Power consumption in operating mode – about 1.65 W. In operation, the nominal noise should not exceed 24 dB, in idle – 23 dB. The maximum safe operating temperature is limited to 65 ° C.

The shock resistance of the device during operation is nominally 400 G, in static storage – 1000 G.

Advantages

• spaciousness;

• sufficiently high speed of data exchange due to optimization of all processes;

• safety of data safety during transportation (ramp loading technology).

disadvantages

• not found.

Best server hard drives

Now let's move on to the rating of hard drives, the technical characteristics of which allow them to be used as part of servers. Our experts included five models in the review, including three mechanical manufacturers from HGST, Seagate and Intel; and two solid-state manufactures Western Digital and HGST.

Since server stations can use a whole array of hard disks, such a parameter as mean time between failures begins to gain weight, therefore experts added this characteristic to device descriptions. All of the samples listed support the extended format (4K sectors).

HGST HUSMM3240ASS204

Rating: 4.9

Let's start this part of the review with a solid-state SSD manufactured by the American company HGST (owned by Western Digital). The direct assembly of finished products is done in Malaysia.

The disk capacity is 400 GB, it uses innovative MLC 3D NAND memory. The write speed is 2050 MB / s, the read speed is 2100 MB / s. Random write 200K IOPS, random read 400K IOPS. Connects via SAS interface. The estimated MTBF is 2.5 million hours. Built-in Secure Erase function. External data transfer – 1200 MB / s. There is no built-in data encryption.

The hard disk is made in a compact 2.5 “form factor. Its dimensions are 70.1x15x100.6 mm, weight – 140 g. Shock resistance in operation – 500 G, in static storage – 1000 G. Restriction on safe operating temperature – 60 ° C .

The manufacturer provides a 60-month warranty for this model.

Advantages

• reliability;

• high speed of writing and reading;

• durability;

• five-year warranty.

disadvantages

• overpriced.

Seagate XF1230-1A0960

Rating: 4.8

The second position in today's rating is from – a voluminous, productive and relatively inexpensive enterprise-grade SSD-drive from Seagate.

This model is significantly more spacious than the previous one – 960 GB. EMLC type memory is used. Sequential write speed – 490 MB / s write and 560 MB / s read; random write – 16800 IOPS. The device is connected via a high-speed SATA 6Gbit / s interface. TRIM command and NCQ technology are supported. External data exchange speed – 600 MB / s. The estimated MTBF is 2 million hours.

The hard drive is made in a 2.5 “form factor with linear dimensions of 70.1x7x100.25 mm. The device weighs 85 g. Average power consumption is 4.20 W. Restriction on safe operating temperature – 70 ° C. Shock resistance in operation and static is 1500 G.

An important advantage of this model lies in the optimal combination of reliability and performance, while maintaining the full ability not to disturb legacy storage infrastructure. This allows the company to save maximum money when upgrading server systems.

Advantages

• Easy to deploy in legacy storage infrastructure

• Optimal IOPS performance matching to maximize random access speed

• favorable 'price of a megabyte';

• increased reliability and protection of the safety of enterprise data.

disadvantages

• no pronounced shortcomings were found.

Intel SSDSC2KI010T801

Rating: 4.7

Next in our ranking is the server solid state drive from the 'most' Intel. This model is comparable in cost to the previous example, but a little more spacious and has some additional advantages.

The disk capacity is 1024 GB. High-performance innovative TLC 3D NAND memory is used. The sequential write speed is 450 MB / s, the read speed is 550 MB / s. The device is connected via the SATA 6Gbit / s port. The estimated MTBF is 1.6 million hours. There is a built-in data encryption function.

The drive is made in a compact 2.5 “form factor with linear dimensions of 100x70x7 mm. The device weighs 82 g. Rated power consumption – 2.3 W. Shock resistance in operation and in static is 1500 G. Maximum operating temperature is limited to 70 ° C.

Intel comes with a 3-year warranty on this model.

Advantages

• increased reliability;

• favorable 'price of a megabyte';

• famous brand;

• durability;

• built-in data encryption.

disadvantages

• not found.

Western Digital WD Gold 1 TB (WD1005FBYZ)

Rating: 4.6

The penultimate model in this rating group is from a mechanical HDD from Western Digital. The model is clearly positioned by the manufacturer as a server model, and this is directly indicated by its characteristics. At the same time, this model is the most affordable in this review group.

The storage capacity is 1000 GB. The buffer is allocated 128 MB. The read and write speeds are identical – 184 MB / s. The spindle runs at 7200 rpm. The device is connected via the SATA 6Gbit / s port. Supports NCQ technology. The estimated MTBF is about 2 million hours.

The hard drive is made in a 3.5 “form factor with a linear dimensions of 101.6×26.1×147 mm. The device weighs 641 g. During operation it consumes an average of 8.10 W. It contains one magnetic plate and two heads. Shock resistance in operation is 65 G, during storage in static – up to 300 G. Nominal declared noise during operation – up to 28 dB, during idle time – no more than 25 dB.

Advantages

• increased reliability and durability;

• HelioSeal technology;

• the most affordable price in the group.

disadvantages

• not found.

HGST HUS726040ALE614

Rating: 4.5

And another drive from the HGST company closes the top five of the best server hard drives in the rating, this time a mechanical one. This is the largest disk in this group with the best 'megabyte price'.

The hard disk capacity is 4 thousand GB. The buffer is allocated 128 MB of memory. The average access time for reading is 7.6 ms, for writing – 8 ms. The average latency is 4.16 ms. The spindle runs at 7200 rpm. The device is connected via the SATA 6Gbit / s port. The estimated MTBF is about 2 million hours. Secure Erase and NCQ technology are supported.

The drive is made in the 3.5 “form factor with dimensions of 101.6×26.1×147 mm and weighing 715 g. In operating mode it consumes about 9.10 W. Shock resistance in operation is 70 G, in static – up to 300 G. The declared operating noise level should not exceed 36 dB, idle – 29 dB The working space of the device consists of as many as five plates and ten heads.

This model comes with a 60 month warranty.

Advantages

Advantages

• durability;

• five-year warranty;

• reliability;

• large volume;

• favorable price for such a volume.

disadvantages

• noisy.

Best external hard drives

Now let's move on to another important category in our ranking – portable hard drives. Here, our experts have identified as the best as many as six models, which can vary significantly in parameters, but each of them has certain key advantages. All models presented support the extended format with 4K sectors.

Samsung Portable SSD T5 500GB

Rating: 4.9

Let's start with a simple and laconic solution from Samsung, which, due to its remarkable qualities, has won the most serious market demand. This is a solid state drive manufactured in a 1.8 “form factor with dimensions of 57.3×10.5×74 mm and a weight of 51 g. The design of the device is as minimalistic as its dimensions.

The storage capacity of the media is 500 GB. Uses high performance TLC 3D NAND memory, TRIM command is supported. There are integrated data encryption tools – this function is not convenient for every user, and if desired, it can be disabled without problems. The carrier is characterized by high shock resistance – 1500 G, which is important for a portable device.

The data exchange speed (both writing and reading), declared by the manufacturer, reaches 540 MB / s. Feedback from real users speaks of the full compliance of the nominal indicator with the actual capabilities of the device.

This hard disk is notable for its extended configuration. So, the package includes two additional cables for connecting to the USB Type C port and an adapter from Type C to Type A. The hard drive itself is optimized for connecting to a PC via a new generation USB – 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C.

The South Korean company provides a three-year warranty for this model.

Advantages

• minimum dimensions and weight;

• shock resistance;

• integrated data encryption;

• equipment;

• data exchange rate.

disadvantages

• very limited connection cable length.

Transcend TS240GJDM725

Rating: 4.8

Further, within the framework of our rating, we will consider another solid-state external drive of the well-known Transcend trademark (Taiwan). This is an extremely interesting commodity item, since in fact it is not even just an external hard drive, but a whole functional set for upgrading computers Apple. Thus, the disk can be used as an external one, or it can be installed permanently as an internal one.

The storage capacity is 240 GB, the reliable MLC memory is used. Reading speed reaches 570 MB / s, writing – 460 MB / s. Supported by TRIM team, NCQ and ECC technologies. The device is connected via USB 3.0.

The device is extremely compact – 37.2×10.8×110.9 mm, weighs only 65 g (the whole set weighs 250 g). The appearance of the drive fully corresponds to its 'specialization' – an elegant elongated case of a snow-white color.

Now a few words about the configuration. The delivery set includes the drive itself, an external aluminum case, installation tools (T5 and P5 screwdrivers), USB cable, screws for the case, rubber pad, shipping case, USB cable, installation instructions, documentation for the device.

The developers focused on one hundred percent compatibility of the disc with MacBook Pro (Retina) 15 “. Provided a manufacturer's warranty for a period of 24 months.

Advantages

• exceptional reliability and performance;

• full compatibility with MacBook Pro (Retina) 15 “;

• the ability to use as a stationary system disk;

• extremely rich equipment.

disadvantages

• not found.

ADATA SD600 256GB

Rating: 4.7

The third position of this group in the rating of the best external drives from is an extremely interesting solution from ADATA. This is a solid state SSD drive, and it is notable for its design and shape. It is made in a non-standard form factor with a bright “game” appearance.

The storage capacity is 256 GB, high-performance innovative TLC 3D NAND memory is used. The sequential write speed is 430 MB / s, the read speed is MB / s. ECC technology is supported, NCQ and TRIM commands are not supported.

The dimensions of the device are 80×15.2×80 mm, weight – 90 g. The device has the same high shock resistance as the previous models – permissible load up to 1500 G in operation and in static conditions. The permissible operating temperature range is 5 to 50 ° C. Connects to USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.

The manufacturer's warranty for this hard drive is 36 months.

Advantages

• shock resistance;

• high performance memory;

• spectacular design.

disadvantages

• no TRIM command support.

Western Digital My Passport 2 TB (WDBUAX0020B)

Rating: 4.6

The group of the rating of the best external media is continued by the mechanical hard disk produced by the famous company Western Digital. Along with the ADATA model, which we will look at next, this is the largest external drive in this group.

The device is designed for 2 TB of information, 32 MB of memory is defined for the buffer. The spindle runs at 5400 rpm. Average latency is 5.6ms. There is an integrated 256-bit AES data encryption.

The hard drive is made in a 2.5 “form factor with dimensions of 81.5×21.5×110 mm and a weight of 250 g. Working parts – one magnetic plate and two heads. The appearance of the device deserves special praise – a spectacular case, visually consisting of two halves with different texture, high-quality plastic , deep anthracite shade (there are also other bright colors.) Includes a long rigid 35 cm cord.

The drive is connected and powered via a USB 3.0 port. External bandwidth for data exchange is 500 Mb / s. The safe operating temperature is between 5 and 35 degrees.

In addition to the basic configuration, there is a set of convenient proprietary 'software' for backup, security, data safety, maintenance and other tasks.

Advantages

• bright, effective and at the same time practical design;

• slight heating;

• increased reliability;

• a set of convenient working utilities.

disadvantages

• there are cases of imbalance, causing increased vibration.

Toshiba CANVIO BASICS 500GB

Rating: 4.5

The penultimate position in the group of external storage ratings is a mechanical hard drive manufactured by Toshiba. In some respects, this solution loses to other models in the group, but has an important advantage – the extremely affordable cost.

The storage capacity of the media is 500 GB. 8 MB are allocated for the buffer. Spindle rotation – 5400 rpm. Working parts – one magnetic disk and two heads. NCQ support is not implemented. The external data transfer speed reaches 500 MB / s, the nominal latency is up to 12 ms. The declared direct data exchange rate is up to 112 Mb / s. Independent tests have shown that the real figure is only slightly below the nominal, practically within the statistical error.

The drive is made in a 2.5 “form factor with a linear dimensions of 79x15x119 mm and a weight of 230 g. The body is made of aluminum with a black coating. The design is minimalistic, but elegant and attractive.

The package includes a useful utility for backing up NTI Backup Now EZ.

Advantages

• high build quality;
• low noise level;

• the most affordable price in the group;

• reliability.

disadvantages

• there may be problems setting the disk as bootable.

ADATA HV620 2TB

Rating: 4.5

And in conclusion of the rating of the best external drives, let us consider another model from ADATA, this time a mechanical one. Like the Western Digital solution discussed above, this drive is the largest in the group.

The disk capacity is 2 TB. The buffer memory is small and similar to the previous model – 8 MB. The working area consists of three magnetic plates and six heads. The spindle runs at 5400 rpm. Port data exchange rate – up to 500 MB / sec. NCQ compatibility is not provided.

A hard drive is made in the 2.5 “form factor with dimensions of 78x21x115 mm and weighing 230 g. It is connected via a USB 3.0 port. The body is made of high-quality black plastic. The mirror surface adds advantages to the attractiveness of the device, but automatically implies increased soiling. software – Quick Start Guide utility.

Advantages

• high-quality assembly;

• attractive design;

• large volume.

disadvantages

• very easily soiled case.

Best hard drives – HDD + SSD hybrids

Finally, the last group of devices in the rating-review from. These are hybrid media that combine both types of drives in one device – mechanical HDD and solid state SSD. Many analysts agree that the near future of hard drives lies precisely with such technological solutions. Our experts have identified two models from the current market offer – manufactured by Seagate and LENOVO. Both solutions support the extended format.

Seagate ST2000LX001

Rating: 4.9

Seagate marketers position this hybrid carrier as a gaming one. Actually, the very idea of ​​creating such hybrids was largely caused precisely by the desire to maximize the satisfaction of the requirements of 'professional' gamers.

The device is made in a 2.5 “form factor, which allows using it to equip not only desktop PCs, but also portable ones. Its dimensions are 69.85x7x100.35 mm, weight – 96 g.

The mechanical part consists of two magnetic plates and four heads. Mechanical capacity is 2 TB. As much as 128 MB are allocated for the buffer. Spindle speed – 5400 rpm. The track to track access parameter is 1.5 ms. The average delay time is 5.6 ms.

The solid-state part of the device has a volume of 8 GB and is formed from reliable MLC memory (two bits per cell). Compatibility with NCQ is provided.

The device is connected via a high-speed SATA 6Gbit / s port. The data exchange rate on the port is up to 600 MB / s. The disc is characterized by very good 'physics' – high shock resistance at the level of 400 G in operating mode and 1000 G in static storage. The nominal noise in operation does not exceed 24 dB, while waiting – 22 dB. The safe operating temperature limit is 60 ° C.

Advantages

• Ideal for PS4 PRO configuration;

• affordable, as for a hybrid, cost;

• a noticeable increase in performance compared to a conventional HDD;

• noise is within normal limits, like a normal HDD.

disadvantages

• no obvious disadvantages were noticed.

LENOVO 4XB0M33238

Rating: 4.8

Finally, the final position in this group of the rating at the same time completes the entire review. This is a hybrid hard drive from LENOVO, a Chinese manufacturer known for its budget but high quality electronics. Like the device described above, this hard drive is defined by the manufacturer as a gaming one.

The parameters of the amount of memory in this case are completely similar to the previous model – 2 GB mechanical disk and 8 GB – solid state part. There is a significant difference in the spindle speed – here it is significantly higher and amounts to 7200 rpm. The device is connected via a SATA 6Gbit / s port with a bandwidth of 600 MB / s.

The form factor, in which the device is made – 3.5 “, hints at the possibility of its use only in desktop PCs. Dimensions of the model – 101.6×26.1×146.99 mm.

Advantages

• reliability;

• quality service (warranty service);

• increased productivity.

disadvantages

• no pronounced shortcomings were noted.

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Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.