The largest hard drive in the world. The largest hard drive in terms of volume. The world's largest hard drive has been released. The most capacious external hard drives

Every year the flow of information to Internet users increases, so consumers are interested in larger data storage devices. Manufacturers of computers and peripherals are developing this direction, competing in the market.

Fierce competition for buyers in the IT sector is the engine of progress - if in 2015 the limit was an external hard drive of 8 terabytes, today the largest hard drive for ordinary consumers can hold 2 times more. If we talk about hard drives for corporate needs, the capacity of such devices is tens of thousands of times greater.

The world's largest hard drive for private consumers

Today, the record holder for memory capacity among data storage devices for personal computers SSD 15.36 TB from Samsung is considered; Such pleasure costs $10,000. Achieving such a record was made possible thanks to the development of NAND chips capable of storing many times more information than standard 128 GB modules. Progressive NAND chips accommodate 48 layers of V-NAND memory.

Just 4 years ago, 24 layers were considered the capacity record, but Samsung engineers showed creative thinking and placed the silicon elements not in one plane, but placed them on an edge - this orientation of the silicon elements allows the hard drive to work faster. NAND chips are three-dimensional, their concept is similar to the three-dimensional transistors in the latest generation processors, since the developers also optimally used the available chip area.

An innovative approach to chip design made it possible to increase the memory capacity in gadgets, and the South Korean company was an order of magnitude ahead of its main competitors Western Digital and Seagate. By the way, the 15.36 TB SSD solid-state drive was first announced back in 2015 at an IT exhibition, but capacious external drives appeared in stores only at the end of 2016 and caused a revolution in the market. The fact is that external HDDs with solid-state drives (SSDs) have traditionally had the following advantages:

• high-speed information transfer,
• compact sizes.

As for the minuses, previously external hard drives of the SSD type, compared to external HDDs with traditional memory (HDD), were distinguished by a relatively small amount of information storage, but as of 2017, this statement is no longer true. Samsung's capacious 15.36 TB SSD is already in stores. Naturally, the gadget is not intended for storing movies and toys - the price level of such a drive is too high.

Target audience of the largest external hard drive- professional photographers, engineers and other professionals who use “heavy” professional programs in their work. Competitors are breathing down Samsung's neck - most manufacturers are already able to offer customers external drives with a capacity of 10 terabytes, and therefore another record is possible in the near future, which will update the high bar in the portable hard drive sector.

Largest storage capacity hard drive for enterprise customers

For those consumers who want to keep intellectual property out of reach of hackers, a hard drive with a capacity of 100 petabytes is available - that's 100,000 terabytes, or 1,000,000 gigabytes. Such a device is portable, but you can’t put it in your pocket - the dimensions of the mega-gadget mean transportation using a sea container or a Snowmobile truck.

However, such storage facilities are not available in stores. The Amazon company, which owns the cloud storage Amazon Web Services (AWS), uses special 18-wheeled trucks to transport information - archives of companies, film studios, libraries, information databases of government agencies or the army, scientific and research institutes. The truck is filled with hard drives and equipment and is considered the largest storage capacity.

The Amazon Snowmobile service is available to those interested - files and file cabinets from mobile storage are delivered to the customer’s or AWS data center and transferred to the customer’s server or Amazon cloud storage via high-speed optical lines. The Snowmobile service is used to reduce the load on the fiber optic lines through which Amazon cloud storage users upload information to their 80 terabyte personal cloud. The transmission speed over optical fiber is not infinite and is 10 gigabits/second. So, to save time, the client transfers hard drives to Amazon, from which information will be uploaded to the cloud, bypassing the network.

Amazon has 10 such trucks at its disposal, which save time for the company's users. Cloud storage processes a gigantic information flow, and it takes 26 years to transfer 1 exabyte of information. AWS machines can transport this amount of information in 6 months - the difference is noticeable! How does information move using Snowmobile? Such a truck drives to the customer's home or office and connects to the network using several cables with a transmission speed of 40 gigabits/second. If you use a group of cables, the drives in the truck will be filled at a speed of up to 1 terabits/second. So 100,000 terabytes are loaded onto a truck in 10 days.

HDD, HDD or Winchester– a storage device for permanent storage of information based on the principle of magnetic recording. HDD stands for Hard Disk Drive, hence the name - hard: inside the device body there are disks made of metal or glass, on which magnetic coating is applied. It is on this layer that the data is written.

On the market today HDD format 3.5 inches are presented very widely, and there is a variety not only in the volume of hard drives, but also in the speed of their operation, internal structure, and type. It’s worth understanding these parameters to understand which hard drive is better to purchase.

Device and types of hard drives

As mentioned above, a hard drive is designed for permanent storage of information, and the difference between its memory and RAM is that it is non-volatile - that is, it is stored on the media when the power is turned off. A hard drive is an electromechanical device, meaning it has moving parts, and consists of several main parts.

This is an integrated circuit that controls the write/read processes and operation of the disk. It is installed on top of the main drive body. The heart of the hard drive is hidden in the case itself, consisting of a spindle (electric motor) that rotates the disk; the reading head (rocker arm), which is movable and reads information directly from the surface of the media, and the magnetic memory disks themselves (there can be a different number of them, they are located one above the other, in layers).

There are three types of hard drives currently common on the market:

Although the cache parameter itself is not very critical for the speed of the HDD, if the difference in cost is small, it is better to consider a model with a larger capacity.

Spindle speed – 5400 or 7200?

One of the main parameters of a hard drive that directly affects the speed of operation: the faster the read head is physically in the desired position, the faster the reading/writing will occur. Today there is an average spread in the speed of standard HDDs - from 5400 to 7200 rpm. There are also drives with speeds of 10,000 rpm or more, but today they are losing their meaning due to their high price, comparable to SSD drives or even more expensive, and at the same time inferior to them in speed and reliability.

Expensive HDD models may differ from cheap ones with the same volume precisely in the data transfer speed; it will be noticeably higher due to many factors: the cache memory may be better optimized, the electro-mechanical unit is organized differently, a different number of magnetic disks for the same volume. Also, expensive disks are often more reliable and resistant to external influences.

Data transfer speed is the combined result of all other parameters and technologies used in the disk, therefore, if your choice depends mainly on the disk speed, then it is convenient to navigate according to it. The faster the drive, the more expensive it will be.

What volume should I choose?

Price categories

Up to 5000 rubles– you can afford a standard hard magnetic disk with a capacity of up to 2 TB, without second level cache. In this group, it is better to pay attention to models with a capacity of RAID huge capacity array. The only option if the maximum storage volume is vital. It is worth purchasing in professional purposes, it is unlikely that an ordinary user will be able to fill such a number of terabytes.

To determine the fastest hard drive, you need to understand the parameters of the hard drive:

• capacity;
• interface;
• form factor;
• random access time;
• output and input operations;
• rotation speed, etc.

All computer hard drives have a specific connection interface. Most often, modern devices operate using SATA. Therefore, there should not be any difficulties in choosing.

Next you need to select the capacity of the HDD. Depending on the needs, models from 200 GB are available to the user. The 10 TB model is considered the most capacious. The form factor for a PC is 3.5 inches, and for a laptop - 2.5 inches.

The following settings directly affect hard drive activity. The fastest hard drive can be determined by the indicator It is determined by the number of revolutions per minute.

For home systems, it is enough to choose models that have an indicator of 5400 and 7200 rpm. The fastest computer hard drives operate at 10 and 15 thousand rpm. But these options are often used in high-performance systems and server stations.

Random access time also affects device performance. The range of this characteristic is from 2.5 to 16 ms. For comparison, almost all SSDs operate at 1 ms or less.

New: characteristics

Of course, you can try to find out which hard drive is the fastest by reviewing the parameters of each on the Internet. But in the spring of 2018, the record holder in this area was officially presented. At the exhibition, Seagate presented the fastest hard drive.

The multi-actuator drive has become a feature of the new product. Mach.2 provided a different positioning of the magnetic heads. 480 MB/s is a new record for data read and write speed. For example, all modern PC models that have 7200 rpm work with throughput 235 MB/s.

Thanks to the new technologies that the hard drive received, it turned out to be 60% more productive than models operating at 15,000 rpm.

Peculiarities

What is the secret of the new railway? High productivity was achieved due to the fact that the head blocks are located on separate rods. Therefore, commands can be sent to specific sectors. From here it became possible to run simultaneously reading and writing data.

With high performance, the fastest hard drive can be installed in productive data processing systems.

New technologies

The manufacturers did not stop there and introduced new technology HAMR. This is a thermomagnetic recording that has special operating parameters. First you need to install a laser in the head. This is necessary in order to spot heat the disk plate to 400 degrees. Thus, it will be possible to record up to 2 TB of data per square inch.

Other models

But until Seagate has released its model on the market, we will have to look for an alternative to it. Here it is important to look closely at the device parameters. If you set out to find a fast hard drive for your home PC, you can choose among models with 10,000 rpm performance.

You will also need to select the highest throughput. On average, this figure is 100-150 MB/s. You can find models in which this figure exceeds 200 MB/s.

For example, Western Digital WD4000FYYZ, which has 4 TB, is considered a good model. The model operates at 7200 rpm and a throughput of 171 MB/s. This version will cost 29 thousand rubles.

For laptops

The fastest hard drive for a laptop should be found among gaming models. For example, a good hard drive Seagate Laptop SSHD. It’s worth noting right away that this is a hybrid of SSD and HDD, and therefore, a priori, this HDD is fast and productive.

Adaptive Memory is a technology that affects the speed of the device. It also provides high reliability. Because it uses flash and disk technologies, the Seagate Laptop SSHD has a high level of data protection from damage.

Since it is a hybrid, it is most often installed in gaming laptops. Unlike a regular hard drive, this one is 5 times faster. But among the disadvantages of this model are considered to be noise and energy consumption.

external HDs

Finding the fastest external hard drive is quite a difficult task. Here you need to not only search for a good option in online stores, but also study reviews on forums.

The SanDisk Extreme 900 turned out to be a good model. The peculiarity of this device is that not a large hard drive was placed inside, but two thin solid-state drives. The SSD here works using RAID 0.

Many users speak positively about this model, but criticize its large size. This drive will be difficult to put in your pocket. Yes, and you will need a rather large handbag for it. Nevertheless, such dimensions are justified high speed and the use of technology.

The 2 TB model writes and reads data at a speed of 600-800 MB/s. For more comfortable operation, the device uses a USB 3.1 interface. Of course, such indicators will surprise anyone who wants to purchase the fastest external hard drive. But there is one catch - the cost. For speed and reliability you will have to pay $800.

Alternative

To avoid spending $800 on the previous model, you can take a closer look at the T5 SSD. This is a product from Samsung that costs only $350. Its advantage is the relatively high speed and compactness of the device.

The model is available in variations from 500 GB to 2 TB. The drive has a USB 3.1 interface. Of course, this model is not as fast as the previous one, but even it can transfer 20 GB in 110 seconds.

If this model also seems expensive to you, you can take a closer look at the Seagate Backup Plus Portable. Depending on the capacity, it can cost from 50 to 160 dollars. The model works with the USB 3.1 Gen 1 (5 Gbps) interface. You can purchase a 1, 2 and 5 TB drive.

There is also an option that works with two built-in SSDs in a RAID array. This drive has 4 TB of free space. The advantage of this model is the speed of transferring large files, but the hard drive works slower with small documents.

We've long recommended installing operating systems on SSDs. No matter what HDD you use, SSDs offer better performance. But it’s too early to scrap magnetic hard drives. Their advantage is their huge capacity and relatively low cost. And as users demand more and more storage space, manufacturers are looking for increasingly sophisticated technical ways to increase it. According to forecasts by the Advanced Storage Technology Consortium, which brings together storage manufacturers, by 2025 the capacity of magnetic hard drives should increase to 100 TB.

And today we have what we have. The capacity of traditional 3.5-inch drives is limited to 10 TB. So, Seagate Enterprise Capacity 10TB is a measure of all HDDs not only in terms of capacity. It ranks first in the 3.5-inch internal HDD category in CHIP's rankings and hence emerges as the winner in the 8TB and 10TB HDD comparison tests. It would seem that eight or ten terabytes means, first of all, only more capacity. But no, both figures also point to interesting changes regarding data storage and recording: after all, conventional technologies cannot provide more than 8 TB, because the basic principles of magnetic disk drives have not changed over the past decade.

Ways to increase data storage density

Today's hard drive cases contain thin platters of magnesium or aluminum alloy coated with a very thin layer of magnetic material. Movable read/write heads magnetize microscopic areas of the platters that spin at breakneck speeds, delivering data transfer speeds of 200 MB/s. But this technology has its limits. Up to six magnetic plates can be installed in one 3.5-inch case, placing them one above the other. Each of them can currently store up to 1.33 TB of data. That is, if you do nothing, the maximum capacity will be 8 TB.

If you follow the example of our test winner and the devices that took second and third place (HGST Ultrastar He10 and Seagate IronWolf) and fill the case with helium, you can achieve a capacity of up to ten terabytes. The advantage of using an inert gas, which is lighter than air, in the sealed area of ​​the hard drive is to reduce the turbulence that occurs during the rotation of the plates and reduce the power consumption of the spindle motor. As a result, manufacturers were able to reduce the thickness of the magnetic plates, increase their number in a 3.5-inch case to seven and achieve a capacity of 10 trillion bytes - in binary terms this is 9.3 TB.

Big means fast

The highest-capacity hard drives we've tested read and write the fastest. We used the CHIP Diskbench benchmark, which shows the data transfer speed when reading and writing, as well as access time to hard drives. We pay more attention to read speed because in typical desktop or network-attached storage usage, data is read more often than it is written.

Three hard drives with a capacity of 10 TB showed excellent results in terms of read and write speed. The test winner, Seagate Enterprise, achieves speeds of 201 MB/s and a very short access time of 12 ms - results that no other device can challenge. In terms of write speed, the HGST Ultrastar He10 is slightly faster, showing 200 MB/s and an access time of 6 ms. The reason for such high performance of ten-terabyte hard drives is the use of proven perpendicluar magnetic recording (PMR) technology instead of the new shingled magnetic recording (SMR). Tiled magnetic recording is another way to increase the capacity of hard drives.

Unlike helium filling technology, SMR does not require any special costs. High storage density using SMR technology is achieved by reducing the distance between tracks on magnetic plates: each subsequent track partially overlaps the previous one, like a tiled roof. The width of the read head is smaller than the width of the write head, so a narrow part of the tracks is sufficient for the read head. But writing data using this technology becomes more difficult and much slower, since the wider recording head overwrites data on an adjacent track each time.

Therefore, before changing, all relevant data is read and temporarily stored, and only then can the recording head update and rewrite it. Of the tested devices, only Seagate Archive uses SMR technology. In terms of write speed (157 MB/s), it lags significantly behind top models, and the access time of 284 ms makes it impossible to compete with hard drives that can be used to store system files. But it costs about two to three times less than ten terabytes with helium - the price of a gigabyte is 2.2 rubles.

Small means cheap

Speaking of prices. Top-end 10 TB drives turn out to be the most expensive hard drives on average. Eight-terabyte models tend to be cheaper than their larger counterparts - with the exception of the Seagate IronWolf. From a purely economic point of view, larger drives are only beneficial if the large space is used regularly. For the home, the best price/quality ratio are disks with a capacity of 4 to 6 TB. More capacious HDDs are currently relevant primarily for data centers, since a six-terabyte disk takes up exactly the same amount of space as a ten-terabyte one would require.

If there is no financial issue, then good option it would be to acquire the leader of our testing. Seagate Enterprise 10TB with a price of 3.2 rubles per gigabyte will cost even less than the top-end drive HGST Ultrastar He10 10TB with its 6.1 rubles per gigabyte - one of the most expensive drives. Moreover, both devices come with a five-year warranty. Seagate IronWolf, which took third place, clearly demonstrates that helium-filled drives do not have to be expensive - 2.9 rubles per gigabyte. It is perfect for building a huge network storage. In general, users usually buy high-capacity hard drives just for network storage. All devices are equipped with a SATA 6 Gb/s interface and, as manufacturers say, are designed for long-term use, even if the characteristics of any drive do not indicate that it is optimized for network storage.

Ideal for network storage

In addition to IronWolf, two eight-terabyte Enterprise NAS and NAS HDD models are ideal for assembling home network storage. Their speed is high both when writing and when reading; data is transferred at speeds of more than 190 MB/s. Other eight-terabyte devices are quite far from them: the data transfer speed of the HSGT Ultrastar He8 is about 160 MB/s, Western Digital Red or Western Digital Purple is about 150 MB/s. The tested 8TB Seagate models benefit from a 256MB cache, while others have only 128MB.

In addition, the disk rotation speed of Western Digital devices is 5400 rpm - the rest accelerate to 7200. The Seagate Enterprise NAS has an affordable price, so it is perfect for the home, despite the fact that it is intended for corporate use. If you are not planning to purchase network storage, take a closer look at the Seagate Archive 8TB - the most inexpensive drive with a price of 2.2 rubles per gigabyte.

Large Capacity Alternatives

Huge disk space is required not only for PCs and network storage, but also for mobile devices and laptops. We present leaders of various categories.

2.5" SSD

The Samsung 850 EVO is currently the highest capacity SSD available with a whopping 4TB of memory. The top model from our rating produces the best results in terms of read and write speed. It uses 3D V-NAND flash memory technology and a huge cache.

External drive 3.5 inches

Seagate Innov8 is one of the highest-capacity external 3.5-inch hard drives. It will fit as much as 8 TB of information.

However, large amounts of data are transferred slowly: the disk's write speed and access time are not impressive. But the reading speed is decent.

2.5" SSHD

Until now, the capacity of 2.5-inch hard drives for laptops was limited to 1 TB. Seagate FireCuda increases storage space up to 2 TB and with a thickness of 7 mm fits into any laptop.

The built-in eight-gigabyte flash memory significantly increases reading speed.

External drive 2.5 inches

The practical advantage of the five-terabyte Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive, housed in an external 2.5-inch case, is that it does not require separate power.

The disc is great for use on the road. But due to SMR technology, the recording speed is not the best.

PHOTO: manufacturing companies; CHIP Studios

08/27/2014, Wed, 14:08, Moscow time, Text: Sergey Popsulin

At the end of 2014, Seagate plans to begin mass shipping of the world's first 8 TB hard drive. The company believes that this is not the limit, and by the end of 2015 they plan to reach a capacity of 20 TB.

American Seagate Technology announced the development of the world's first hard drive with a capacity of 8 TB. The device is made in a 3.5-inch form factor and is equipped with a SATA interface with a data transfer rate of 6 Gbit/s. Other parameters are not noted.

The new hard drive is designed for commercial data centers and data centers serving the public sector, and allows for the highest data storage density to date, according to an official statement.

“Private and public data centers strive to achieve maximum storage efficiency for large amounts of unstructured data,” commented IDC Vice President of Hard Drive Market Research John Riding(John Rydning). “The Seagate 8TB hard drive offers IT teams the ability to increase storage density and thus have the ability to cost-effectively host some of the largest and fastest-growing categories of information.”

The capacity of the new drive is 33% higher than the capacity of the hard drive released by Seagate in April 2014. And exactly the same volume (6 TB) was achieved in the line of Seagate’s main competitor, Western Digital. Western Digital, which released a 6TB hard drive in November 2013, said it had to fill the device's cavity with helium to increase capacity because the gas reduces friction and places the platters closer together. In turn, Seagate decided to do without gas, as they found a way to increase the surface recording density.

Seagate still doesn't use helium in the new 8TB drive. At the same time, the manufacturer does not specify how it managed to increase the capacity.

Seagate will begin shipping 8 TB hard drives next quarter

Using Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) technology in recent generations of its hard drives, last year Seagate reached a maximum recording density that allows placing no more than 1 TB of information on one platter. Therefore, the company switched to Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) technology. Seagate expects to be able to produce 20 TB hard drives using the new method by the end of 2015.

The vendor plans to begin shipping the world's first 8 TB hard drives in the fourth quarter of 2014. The cost has not been announced.

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1. Laptop case – $11 million

The world's most expensive laptop case, Diamond Laptop Sleeve, from the Dutch company CoverBee, is hand-decorated with 8,800 rare diamonds from different parts of the planet. The cover is trimmed with natural black sable fur from Siberia - the designers claim that they used only the fur of animals that died of natural causes. The diamonds are attached to the skin, and the fur on the inside of the case will reliably protect the laptop and keep it warm at sub-zero temperatures. The diamond case took two years to create.

2. iPad 2 with T. rex bone – $8.1 million

The world's most expensive laptop, the iPad 2 with a gold casing, was designed by British jeweler Stuart Hughes, who specializes in premium gadget design. To decorate the tablet, 2 kg of gold (24 carats) and 750 grams of ammolite, an ancient precious stone of organic origin, were used. The design of the iPad 2 uses fragments of Tyrannosaurus rex bone weighing a total of 57 grams. The Apple logo is made of 53 diamonds. A large diamond weighing 8.5 carats is inserted into the center of the home button. The designer gadget is offered to customers in only two copies.

3. Diamond iPhone 4 – $8 million

The world's most expensive phone - iPhone 4 with 32 GB memory - was also designed by Stuart Hughes. The phone case is encrusted with 500 diamonds weighing about 100 carats. The phone's navigation is made of platinum, and the main button in the center is a solid 7.4-carat pink diamond. The back cover of the phone is made of rose gold and the Apple logo is decorated with 53 diamonds. An individual box made of granite is provided for the smartphone. This iPhone was created in only two copies by order of an unknown Australian rich man.

4. Organic Harmony speaker system – $6.95 million

The world's most expensive Hi-End speaker system Organic Harmony was created by Shape Audio in a limited edition. Precious and noble metals were used as the main materials for its manufacture, thanks to which, according to the developers, it was possible to achieve the highest sound quality of the acoustics and combine the qualitative and aesthetic characteristics of the device. The system was developed with the active participation of Shape Audio President Luciano Pasquarelli and is a five-way active speaker system. Organic Harmony has an almost omnidirectional polar pattern and is available in three versions - with a case plated in 18-karat gold (priced at $6.95 million), 925 silver ($416,000) and bronze ($87,400). The system includes a Class D amplifier with an output power of 1000 W, equipped with a stereo analog input and digital inputs DSP, S/PDIF, USB and Ethernet.

5. Supreme Rose TV - $2.3 million Stuart Hughes again took part in the development of the world's most expensive TV - the 55-inch PrestigeHD Supreme Rose Edition - with the support of Metz and PrestigeHD. The model was released in only three copies. The frame of the TV is made of 28 kg of rose gold and is decorated with 72 round one-carat diamonds, as well as inlaid with amber and amethysts. The back of the TV is trimmed with crocodile leather.

6. Beats by Dre headphones – $1 million

The most expensive headphones in the world were created by Beats By Dre in collaboration with the jewelry company Graff Diamonds, one of the most famous and innovative dealers. precious stones in the world. Studded with 114 carats of diamonds, these headphones were created specifically for the American Football Super Bowl, which traditionally features halftime performances by music stars, and these headphones were worn by LMFAO's SkyBlue during their show with Madonna. According to the manufacturer, these are high-definition wireless headphones, so comfortable that you feel the music, not the headphones. The velvet ear pads are covered with ultra-soft, breathable material to prevent your ears from sweating.

7. Nintendo Wii Supreme - $481,250

The British also created the most expensive game console in the world, covering the standard Nintendo Wii console with two and a half kilograms of 22-karat gold. In addition, the front console buttons are decorated with 78 diamonds weighing 19.5 carats. It took the designer six months to produce this luxurious device: only four months less than the previous work of the master - the diamond iPhone 4 - took. In total, only three similar consoles were released.

8. Gold RC1 Remote Control – $55,000

Created by Danish manufacturer Lantic Systems, the Gold RC1 universal remote control boasts a glamorous design and the ability to control almost any electronic device in the home - TV, video and DVD players, stereo, internet, email, home alarm, lights, curtains and curtains, air conditioning, CCTV and navigation system. The solid gold remote was first introduced in 2007 at METS in Amsterdam and has nearly doubled in price since then.

9. Flash drive Magic Mushrooms – from $16,500 to $36,900

Swiss jewelry company La Maison Shawish has turned an ordinary flash drive into a luxury item by launching a line of the world's most expensive USB flash drives, Magic Mushrooms, made in the shape of mushrooms encrusted with diamonds. The maximum data size of such flash drives is 32 GB. Depending on the precious stones used, the cost of the device varies from $16,500 to $36,900. The cheapest pink “mushroom” is covered with 11.34 carats of pink sapphires and white diamonds, the middle version, which costs $24,400, is made in red and decorated rubies of 11.34 carats, and the most expensive flash drive is decorated with emeralds of 9.18 carats, giving the product a green color. According to the designers, the appearance of flash drives should take us back to childhood and be associated with the fairy tale “Alice in Wonderland.”

10. The world's most expensive hard drive

The world's most expensive hard drive was developed by the French radioactive waste management agency ANDRA for the government. It is made of artificially grown sapphire and platinum. The sapphire hard drive, which consists of two twenty-centimeter thin fused disks, is expected to last one million years, so you don't have to worry about losing important data. The disk is capable of storing up to forty thousand miniaturized pages printed using platinum micropatterns. This data can only be read using a microscope.

11. Diamond Mouse – $25,700

The Pat Says Now Diamond Computer Mouse is a standard three-button USB optical mouse with a 300 dpi sensor resolution. The mouse is made of 18 carat white gold and framed with 59 diamonds. In addition, the mouse can be personalized with your name in diamonds. There are two designs - Diamond Flower and Scattered Diamond - and a choice of yellow, red and white gold. The top cover and buttons of the “Diamond Flower” are made of 18-carat white gold. Gold gets its color from an alloy with palladium, a precious metal similar to platinum. The amount of palladium in the alloy is 13%.

A hard drive or hard drive is one of the main elements of any modern computer, responsible for storing information. The device consists of magnetic disks - round aluminum or glass plates and a read/write head. The main qualitative characteristics of a hard drive are capacity, read and read speed, rotation speed, sector search time, noise level and shock resistance during operation (for HDD). In addition, for many users, when purchasing a hard drive, a very important characteristic is the reliability and durability of the device.

The best HDD hard drives for a desktop computer for 1-2 TB

HDD (Hard Drive Disk) is the most popular type of storage device for a personal computer. Such hard drives have been on the market for a very long time and are still in high demand due to their high capacity, affordable price and relatively long service life. The main disadvantage of HDDs is their low resistance to mechanical damage. In particular, such devices are afraid of shocks and shaking during operation. Therefore, when choosing a reliable HDD drive, it is important to look at parameters such as shock resistance during operation and storage.

The most popular manufacturers of HDD hard drives for desktop computers are Toshiba (Japan), Western Digital (USA) and Seagate (USA).

3 Western Digital WD10EZRZ

The best 1 TB HDD in terms of price and quality ratio
Country: USA
Average price: RUB 3,449
Rating (2019): 4.6

The inexpensive Western Digital WD10EZRZ model ranks third in the ranking of HDD hard drives for personal computers. The drive has a capacity of 1 TB and has an affordable price, which makes it quite popular on the market. Thanks to support for 4 KB sectors, the disk uses its usable space as efficiently as possible. Read speed and write speed are the same and amount to 150 Mbps.

Among the advantages in reviews, buyers indicate fast work, low level noise and low operating temperature. The device consumes little, only 3.3 W, so there will be no need to replace the power supply when installing the disk. An important parameter of the drive is the jumping time between different tracks, which here is 0.4 seconds, which ensures high operating speed. The only disadvantages include some difficulties with setup.

2 Seagate ST1000DM010

Low price
Country: USA
Average price: 3,040 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.7

The silver medalist in the rating is a very affordable model from Seagate. In terms of its characteristics, it is very close to the WD representative, but at a slightly lower cost it offers higher performance. Volume – 1 TB – the best option for most home users. Claimed read and write speeds are 156 Mbit/s, but user reviews indicate even higher figures – up to 200 Mbit/s for sequential reading.

Also among the advantages are the relatively low noise level and minimal heating: under load, the disk heats up to 41 degrees, although the maximum permissible is almost a third higher. The only complaint about Seagate is that the power saving controls are too strict. Yes, the hard drive consumes 5.3 W, but due to the factory settings, the drive goes to sleep very quickly, which is why there is a noticeable delay when switching music tracks, for example.

Today, there are three main types of hard drives: HDD (Hard Drive Disk), SSD (Solid State Drive) and Hybrid (HDD + SSD). Which type of hard drive is better? There is no definite answer, since each has both its advantages and disadvantages:

1 Toshiba HDWD120UZSVA

Largest volume (2 TB)
A country:
Average price: 4,554 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8

We will give leadership in the category to the most capacious hard drive. The Toshiba model with a capacity of 2 terabytes a few years ago might have seemed redundant and expensive, but today, due to the increasing volumes of information and cheaper technology, it is becoming quite relevant.

The device is made in a 3.5’ form factor. The disk rotation speed is 7200 rpm, which provides an acceptable speed of 150 MB/s for writing and reading. The manufacturer claims that during operation the disk produces only 28 dB of noise, which is confirmed by users in reviews. The disadvantage is high heating. Temperatures easily reach 50 degrees, with a critical level of 65 C. Among the pleasant features, we note the disk self-diagnosis function, which is designed to extend service life and maintain operating speed at the original level.

The manufacturer offers only a two-year warranty, but users talk about trouble-free operation for 4-5 years, and therefore there is no doubt about reliability.

Best Desktop Hard Drives Over 2TB

For most users, 1-2 terabytes of memory is enough for personal use. You can store all your files, music and even a collection of your favorite movies. But sometimes significantly more memory is required. Videographers, editors and other professionals working with very large files need 3-4, or even 10 TB of memory. For such people, we have selected the four most capacious hard drives.

4 Western Digital WD Blue Desktop 4 TB (WD40EZRZ)

The best option for home archives
A country:
Average price: 8,200 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.6

Let's open the category with a rather modest hard drive from the well-known Western Digital. The official disk capacity is 4 TB, in reality, users complain about the availability of only 3.63 TB. On the other hand, the average cost allows you to forgive many shortcomings.

The disk rotation speed is 5400 rpm, the cache volume is only 64 MB. Because of this, the overall operating speed is low - with sequential writing/reading, the speed remains at 149-155 MB/s. But such modesty made it possible to make the WD Blue Desktop 4 Tb as quiet and cool as possible. During operation, the noise level does not exceed 28 dB, vibrations are almost completely absent, and the temperature, even at maximum load, does not exceed 40 degrees. This allows you to build very quiet, reliable computers with several disks at once - assemble a couple of these HDDs in RAID 1 and you don’t have to worry about the safety of your data.

3 Seagate ST3000DM007

Affordable price
A country:
Average price: 6,690 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.7

The top three HDDs for desktop computers include the BarraCuda line model from Seagate. The price per terabyte is higher than that of the previous participant, but most ordinary users will probably be more interested in the bronze medalist. Capacity of 3.5' disk is 3 TB. This is more than enough to store a personal archive of photos, music and TV series.

The disk rotation speed is again only 5400 rpm, but due to the larger cache - 256 MB - slightly higher read/write speeds are provided - about 180-185 MB/s. Users will also be pleased with the low noise level: 27 dB during operation and only 22 dB when idle - it will not even disturb sleep! Heating is also extremely insignificant - users talk about 26-28 C under load. Finally, the drive consumes only 3.7 W when running.

There is practically no information from users about reliability. Officially stated service life is 1800 days (5 years), warranty is 720 days.

2 Western Digital WD Black 6 TB (WD6003FZBX)

Highest operating speed
A country: USA (manufactured in China, Malaysia)
Average price: 19,480 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8

If the “Blue” line from Western Digital is intended for home use, then the “WD Black” is positioned as a tool for professionals. The capacity of the model is 6TB. Such volumes will be useful, for example, to operators and editors who have to deal with “source files” of several tens or even hundreds of gigabytes.

The disk rotates at a speed of 7200 rpm, which, in combination with a 256 MB buffer, provides write and read speeds of 225-230 MB/s - these are record figures in the class. In this case, you will have to put up with a fairly high noise level: when operating, the disk produces 36 dB, when idle – 29 dB. The user will also have to ensure good ventilation in the PC case, because the operating temperature range is small (from 5 to 55 degrees), and the heating level is high due to the high operating speed. Power consumption – 9.1 W.

In addition to high speed, the manufacturer guarantees maximum storage reliability. Official guarantee 1800 days. What are the disadvantages? High price. 1 TB of memory on this disk costs one and a half times more than competitors (~3250 rubles)

The best hard drive manufacturers

As in any other field, there are clear leaders among storage drive manufacturers. Let's look at some of them.

• WesternDigital. This American company, founded in 1970, began producing its own hard drives back in 1988. Vast experience allows the company to always be on the crest of the wave and produce the most technically advanced devices. WD was the first to release a 10,000 rpm HDD, the first to create a 10 TB drive, and much more. The company's products are also famous for their very high reliability.
• Seagate. Another company comes from the USA. The company released its first “screw” in 1980. In 2009, Seagate's reputation was damaged by low-quality hard drives from the Barracuda11 line, but last years, judging by reports from large companies and user reviews, product quality has improved significantly. The company's products are distinguished by the best operating speed on the market. Seagate is also the largest manufacturer of hybrid HDD+SSD hard drives.
• HGST (Hitachi Global Storage Technologies). Previously an independent company, and since 2012 a subsidiary of Western Digital. The products are also highly reliable, but the range differs significantly. HGST specializes in the production of 2.5' format hard drives installed in laptops or all-in-one PCs.

1 Toshiba HDWR11AUZSVA

Best price for 1 TB
A country: Japan (made in China)
Average price: 20,228 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8

In contrast to the previous participant, we offer a model with a minimum memory cost. For 10 TB you will have to pay only 17-18 thousand rubles. The scope of application of the model is still the same - storage and processing of high-quality video materials. Of course, you can also look at models with a larger capacity - other manufacturers offer hard drives up to 14 TB for home use - but the cost of one terabyte of memory in this case will be much higher.

In addition, our leader can boast of not only quantitative, but also qualitative indicators. The disk rotates at a speed of 7200 rpm, the cache volume is 256 MB - read and write speeds are kept at 200 MB/s. The model is undoubtedly noisy - even when idle, the noise level reaches 34 dB. Unfortunately, due to the newness of the HDD, there are no reviews about its reliability, but the manufacturer provides a 730-day warranty and claims 600,000 hours between failures - an excellent result.

The best HDD + SSD hybrid hard drives

A hybrid hard drive is considered a more advanced storage device because it combines positive sides HDD and SSD drives. A hybrid drive first stores data on flash memory and then transfers it to magnetic storage. This increases the speed of information transfer, increases the service life of the media and reduces energy costs. The only significant drawback of the “hybrid” is the high price.

3 Seagate ST1200MM0129

Server hybrid drive
Country: USA
Average price: 13,750 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.7

Let's start our review of hybrid hard drives with the “not for everyone” model. The ST1200MM0129 model from Seagate - in fact, the only manufacturer of hybrid drives at the moment - belongs to the class of server drives. At the same time, the device can be safely used in consumer desktops. The format is 2.5”, but due to the thickness of 15 mm, the disk cannot be used in a laptop. The volume is not a record, only 1200 GB. But the flash memory capacity is 16 GB, which means the vast majority of files will be transferred at maximum speed. The disk part is also amazing - the spindle rotation speed is 10,000 rpm. An excellent result that most competitors don’t even come close to. It is also worth noting that it works via the SAS interface, which provides a theoretical data transfer speed of 1200 MB/sec. Finally, the advantage is the low latency - only 2.9 s - one and a half times lower than other hard drives.

There are also a lot of disadvantages. The most noticeable is the cost. For the bronze medalist you will have to pay about 13.5 thousand rubles. Also pay attention to the fact that to connect this HDD you need a SAS or SAS/SATA cage. A regular SATA cable will not work! However, the shortcomings are more than compensated for by the high speed of operation and the manufacturer's five-year warranty.

2 Seagate ST2000LX001

Largest hybrid hard drive ever
Country: USA
Average price: 6,790 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.7

Quite recently we were surprised at the presentations of hard drives with a capacity of 1-2 TB, and today we are looking at the ST2000LX015 model with a capacity of 2 TB and a thickness of only 7 mm! The form factor is 2.5”, which means the hard drive can be used in all types of devices – desktop PCs, all-in-one PCs and compact laptops. The spindle rotation speed, for the sake of silence and low power consumption, is 5400 rpm. The manufacturer claims a data exchange speed of 140 MB/s. Real measurements come very close to this figure.

But in the future, the HDD should work even faster, because there is 8 GB of flash memory, into which the most popular files are automatically loaded for faster access. It is difficult to directly assess the effectiveness of this solution, but in reviews users note an improvement in performance after some time from the start of use. At the same time, the cost differs slightly from classic competitors.

1 Seagate ST1000LX015

Best 2.5' hybrid disc
Country: USA
Average price: 4,333 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8

The leader of the rating is another representative of the Seagate hybrid drive line. Form factor 2.5'. This is suitable for installation not only on a desktop, but also on a laptop. The hard drive capacity is 1 TB, another 8 GB is carried by a flash drive. The disk rotation speed is only 5400 rpm, which can hardly be called a high result. Sequential read and write speeds of 140 and 110 MB/s, respectively.

Acoustic comfort, judging by the manufacturer’s statement, is simply excellent - only 22 dB during operation. However, some users report a slight noise when positioning the head. Although in everyday use you are unlikely to pay attention to it.

The best laptop hard drives

3 Western Digital WD5000LPLX

Profitable price. Popular HDD drive for laptop
A country: USA (manufactured in China, Malaysia)
Average price: 3,350 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.6

The top three best hard drives for laptops in 2019 opens with the Western Digital WD5000LPLX model. Thanks to the common 2.5” form factor, it will fit into the vast majority of laptop computers. The storage capacity is 500 GB, which is quite enough to store a large amount of documentation. HDD technology increases the service life of the media and allows it to be used for several years without having to be replaced.

The advantages of this model in reviews include good data exchange speed, a 5-year warranty and an acceptable cache size. The external data transfer rate is about 600 Mbit/s, which allows you to quickly display the requested documents. Among the weaknesses of this device are heating during intensive operation and a fairly high noise level when reading from the drive.

2 Seagate ST1000LM048

Excellent price/capacity ratio. Quietest model
A country: USA (made in Thailand)
Average price: RUB 3,590
Rating (2019): 4.7

We will give the silver category medal to the model from Seagate. Winchester is approximately in the middle between its competitors in both cost and performance. The capacity of a 2.5' drive is 1 TB - the optimal solution for most users. Spindle speed 5400 rpm. Together with a 128 MB cache, this provides a sequential read speed of 125 MB/s and a write speed of 88 MB/s.

Temperature and noise indicators, which are important for mobile computers, deserve special attention. If you believe the reviews, the disk heats up to a maximum of 27-28 degrees. It is worth considering that this indicator can vary greatly depending on the laptop model, namely, on its ventilation. The noise is still great. During operation, the volume does not exceed 22 dB - you will only hear it in the quietest room. Finally, shock resistance during operation - the ST1000LM048 can withstand overloads up to 400G!

1 Western Digital WD Blue Mobile 2 TB (WD20SPZX)

The largest hard drive for laptops
Country: USA
Average price: 5,800 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.8

For those who like to store all their files on a hard drive, a 2 TB Blue model from Western Digital is suitable. This is a series of mid-class drives. The WD20SPZX version is made in a 2.5” form factor and has a minimum thickness of only 7 mm. Due to this, it can be installed even in the most compact laptops or all-in-one PCs, not to mention huge desktop PCs. Spindle speed 5400 rpm. Maximum performance cannot be achieved this way, but power consumption (1.8 W) and noise (up to 24 dB during operation) are not a concern.

By technical specifications nothing outstanding. The disk produces about 125-130 MB/s for reading and writing. When the space is completely filled, the speed drops by half, as it should be in theory. As a result, we have a simple, but high-quality, quiet and very large hard drive for any task.

The best external hard drives

4 Seagate Expansion Portable Drive 5 TB

Largest external hard drive
Country: USA
Average price: 7,773 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.6

What size is your flash drive? What about computer storage? Whatever your answer, it is almost certain that all the information from them will fit on a single external hard drive from Seagate. The capacity of this monster is almost 5 TB. It communicates with HDD devices via USB 3.0 with a maximum throughput of 500 Mb/s. The real numbers will remain at the level of 120-140 Mb/s.

The design of the device is minimalistic - a rectangle with rounded corners is broken up only by a polygonal pattern on the top edge. The narrow strip of the status indicator pleases the eye - stylish and functional. We note that the disk is quite thick, 20 mm, but there is no other way with such a capacious storage. Also, users in reviews complain about the thin, sagging body. Perhaps this is a consequence of the pursuit of weight reduction.

3 Toshiba Canvio Ready 1TB

Favorable cost
Country: Japan
Average price: 3,980 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.5

Third place in the ranking of the best external hard drives is occupied by Toshiba Canvio Ready 1TB. This model has the lowest cost among its TOP competitors, but is in no way inferior to them in terms of characteristics. The storage device used is a 1 TB HDD, which copes well with storing large files. Thanks to the USB 3.0 interface, good data transfer speeds are achieved - up to 500 Mbit/s. The practical plastic case perfectly withstands mechanical loads and reliably stores the contents.

The advantages of this model in reviews from users include small dimensions, light weight and high reliability. In addition, the drive has sufficient protection from shocks and falls. Competent software allows you to pair the media with a variety of multimedia devices. The disadvantages include a short cord and a non-standard connector for connecting it on the hard drive side.

2 Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro 2 TB

The most versatile external HDD. WiFi support
Country: USA
Average price: 14,777 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8

The silver medalist seems insanely expensive compared to its competitors, but the cost is more than offset by the range of features. First of all, you should pay attention to the storage volume - from 1 to 4 TB, depending on the version. In addition to the standard USB 3.0 interface for external HDDs, the device supports WiFi. With it, My Passport Wireless Pro can “communicate” simultaneously with several devices - computers running Windows, MacOS and Linux, as well as popular mobile operating systems. Moreover, external power is not required - inside, among other things, there is a 6400 mAh battery that provides up to 10 hours battery life. Finally, you can transfer information without connecting to a PC or mobile device - the case has slots for an SD card and a flash drive for automatic file transfer.

With all the wealth of functionality, we have a fairly compact device with dimensions of 126x126x24 mm. The design is not for everybody, but I wouldn’t dare call it boring. In conclusion, I would like to note that the model is perfect for photographers and camera operators.

1 ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 USB 3.1 1 TB

The optimum ratio of price and quality
Country: China
Average price: 3,560 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.8

The first place in the ranking of the best external hard drives of 2019 is occupied by the ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB. This 1TB drive is one of the most popular drives on the market today. Thanks to the USB 3.1 connection, data transfer speeds of up to 500 Mbps are provided. The standard 2.5” form factor makes the drive quite compact (weighs only 201 grams). The storage device has 1 HDD.

Among the strengths of this model in reviews, users highlight a pleasant appearance, good operating speed and shock-resistant housing. Engineers paid special attention to the strength of the device, since external drives are often subject to physical impacts. The disk is compatible with most modern devices, from laptops and smartphones to TVs. The disadvantages include a short cord and low build quality.

The best hard drives for a server

Hard drives for servers are characterized by increased reliability and operating speed (rotation speed up to 15,000 rpm). To connect a server disk, parallel (SCSI) and serial (SATA, SAS) interfaces are used. The failure-free operation time of such devices, as a rule, exceeds 1 million hours. The most common width (form factor) of server hard drives is 3.5 inches, but 2.5-inch devices have become increasingly popular. It is known that the smaller the width, the more economical the hard drive is.

3 Western Digital WD20EFRX

Excellent value for money and quality
Country: USA
Average price: 6,861 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.6

Third place in the ranking of the best hard drives for a server is occupied by the Western Digital WD20EFRX model. The drive has a capacity of 2 TB and, thanks to the SATA 6GB/s interface, provides maximum speed information transmission up to 600 Mbit/s. The failure-free operation time declared by the manufacturer is 1,000,000 hours, which indicates the high reliability of the device. Successful engineering solutions allow the disk to be stored at temperatures from -40 to 70 °C.

In numerous reviews, users talk about quiet operation, extended warranty and lack of vibrations as the strengths of this model. Thanks to the unique NCQ technology, the drive can process several commands at once, which has a positive effect on its performance. Compared to its neighbors in the TOP, it is the most economical - consumption is only 4.4 W. The disadvantages of this device include high cost and fairly strict temperature requirements. environment while working.

2 Seagate ST4000VN008

Excellent cost/volume ratio
Country: USA
Average price: 8,113 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.7

This server hard drive from Seagate can be classified as ordinary. Nothing outstanding, but the device does its job perfectly. The cost of the disk is a little more than 8 thousand rubles, which, with a capacity of 4 TB, gives an extremely “tasty” price per 1 GB of memory. Speeds are consistently good. About 130-140 MB/s. The spindle rotation speed is slightly higher than the standard - 5900 rpm.

Reviews praise the hard drive for its low noise and vibration levels. The model is intended for use in a NAS, but it will also fit perfectly on a regular desktop computer. At the moment, there is no information about the experience of long-term use of the ST4000VN008, but over the year, according to users, no incidents occurred. Also giving confidence is the stated operating time between failures - 1,000,000 hours. Not a record for server technology, but enough for the average user.

1 Western Digital Ultrastar DC HC530 14 TB (WUH721414ALE6L4)

Best volume (14 TB). Record MTBF
Country: USA
Average price: 27,930 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.8

Finally, a record-breaking hard drive in many respects. First of all, the model flaunts 14 GB of internal space. This capacity was achieved by filling the housing with helium. The speed characteristics are also encouraging. The disk outputs about 270 MB/s for reading and writing - an unattainable figure for most hard drives. Even when the board space runs out, the speed drops to only 130-140 MB/s. At the same time, temperatures outside the case reach 45 degrees - when placed in a desktop case, you should take care of good airflow.

Acoustic comfort is perceived differently by users. Some reviews complain about excessive noise, others praise it for its silence compared to its competitors. There is little information about reliability, but there is no doubt about the security of the data, because the manufacturer even duplicated the chip with firmware for greater reliability. It’s a pity that the official five-year warranty from the manufacturer does not work in our country.

How to choose the best hard drive

The hard drive, at first glance, is not the most important part of the computer. Yes, your PC will still work with the “wrong” model. But in order to choose a high-quality drive, pay attention to our tips.

• Drive type. First, decide which type of drive is right for you: HDD, SSD or HDD+SSD. Detailed information about them is in the summary table above.
• Manufacturer. Information is the main value modern world. To ensure that your data is preserved for many years, choose products from trusted manufacturers. For example, those we listed above.
• Capacity. For the OS and programs, 250 GB is enough. Store a lot of photos and music - 1 TB is your choice. You can’t raise your hand to delete your favorite TV shows and movies - look at the “screws” from 2 TB and above. The larger the volume, the higher the price.
• Form factor. Laptops are equipped with 2.5’ format hard drives, and desktop PCs – 3.5’. Be sure to check which format is supported by your device.
• Spindle rotation speed. It happens from 5400 to 10000 rpm. A higher indicator means better speed. The best option is models with a rotation speed of 7200 rpm.
• Noise. Many users assemble cooling systems that are as quiet as possible. This may cause the hard drive's cracking noise to become audible. You won’t be able to check this in advance - just know that this situation occurs.