The best external hard drives 1 terabyte. Choosing the best external hard drive

Demand external media information became especially obvious in last years. The reason for this was not only the constantly increasing weight of multimedia content, but also the daily growing activity of virus attacks and the risk of data loss.

In the huge variety of HDDs and SSDs, it is difficult to determine which one to choose - the most productive or the cheapest. The purpose of this article is to give an objective idea of all aspects of choosing this device.

Why do you need a hard drive?

Portable HDD is a portable storage device.

Its main functional features:

high capacity. The device allows you to store and transfer huge amounts of information - from hundreds of gigabytes to several terabytes. It can be used as a second hard drive, as a bootloader operating system;
mobility. Can be connected to several computers via a standard USB interface and transferred from place to place;
safety. You can duplicate and store information outside of your PC or laptop and limit access to it by third parties.

Higher data storage reliability and necessary files always at hand.

Selection options

Among the criteria for choosing an external hard drive USB can be noted for capacity, bandwidth, warranty period, low power consumption.

making it easier to work with the disk;
convenient copy saving mode;
improved energy saving;
encryption of information;
synchronization with the system;
the ability to restore files, etc.;

appearance. Pocket options are available in a wide range. Creative people will appreciate devices in a bright, eye-catching case. Models in a stylish aluminum case will complement the image of a respectable businessman. Stationary hard drives are less varied, but they can be selected to suit any interior;
guarantee. Depending on the manufacturer, from 1 to 5 years.

Format factor: pocket and desktop

The format factor is one of the key indicators of a hard drive.

Photo: Seagate Slim Portable Drive 2.5 inches

SSD and HDD hard drives 2.5 inches are the most popular. Their dimensions do not exceed the size of a smartphone - they easily fit into a pocket or handbag. These devices are characterized by low power consumption and can operate from standard USB connector on a computer or laptop. Their volume does not exceed 2 TB.

Photo: Samsung STORY™ Station 3.5 inches

3.5-inch drives are stationary options. Compared to pocket models, they weigh more significantly (up to 1.5 kg) and have a maximum capacity of up to 4 TB. They may require separate power to operate. Some manufacturers produce sets of several hard drives. The volume of such a kit can reach 20 TB.

Photo: Toshiba-STOR E-STEEL 1.8 inches

Ultra-mobile options – 1.8-inch SSD drives.

Type: SSD or HDD?

Based on media type, hard drives are divided into SSD and HDD.

Photo: magnetic (HDD) hard drive A-Data

HDD is an electronic-mechanical device made of aluminum or glass plates coated with a ferrimagnetic layer. During operation, the plates rotate, and the magnetic heads hover above the surface at a height of 10-12 nm and do not touch the surface of the plates.

Solid state drives are chip-based storage devices.

The write/read speed of an SSD is approximately 5 times higher than that of a HDD, but its capabilities are limited by low-speed interfaces.

SSDs are absolutely silent, resistant to mechanical damage. Their disadvantages are the high price at minimum volumes and a limited number of rewrite cycles. Some enthusiasts have long predicted victory solid state SSD over HDD, but the price of such an alternative is too high.

Connection interface

The speed of the portable drive depends on the connection interface.

The most common is USB 2.0 with a transfer speed of 480 Mbps. This is not a high figure.

Today almost everything modern laptops are equipped USB interface 3.0 with speeds up to 4.8 Gbit/s.

Additionally you can use:

FireWire – high-speed interface 400 – 800 Mbit/s;
eSATA – standard with bandwidth up to 3 Gbit/s;
Ethernet is an interface that turns an external drive into a network drive.

Ethernet and FireWire only support 3.5-inch hard drives.

Video: selecting an external drive

Which brand is better to choose an external drive?

Which company's external media are the best? Fierce competition in this market segment has long driven out the weak. The remaining “old” manufacturers are Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba.

Seagate Technology is the largest American company founded in 1979. Produces SSD, HDD and hybrid models. She owns trade marks Barracuda, Cheetah, Savvio, Constellation, Pulsar, DiamondMax, Momentus. Bought out the production segment hard drives Samsung.

Seagate hard drives are characterized by the highest performance.

Western Digital is an American computer electronics manufacturer. The only company that provides a service warranty for the return of a faulty product. In 2012, it acquired the Hitachi Global Storage Technologies division. Carriers Hitachi data are considered one of the most reliable.

Toshiba is a large international concern specializing in various areas of electronic technology.

Although Samsung and Hitachi exist only as brands, their products have a wide presence in the market.

Among younger companies we can note Transcend Information, ADATA Technology, Silicon Power.

For 500 GB

Pocket media with a capacity of 500 GB is the most compact, reliable and silent. Conventionally, they can be divided into 2 classes: high-speed devices with a rotation speed of 7200 rpm and economical ones with a rotation speed of 5400 rpm. Economical models are almost comparable in price to solid state drives the same volume.

Media from Transcend and Western Digital are reliable and travel well. The devices are made in thin cases and come with software that implements a wide range of security functions.

Seagate Slim and Samsung G2 Portable are some of the most compact devices available today.

G2 Portable has average performance, but has several original innovations:

designed using special USB on-board technology (the USB controller is located directly on the hard drive board);
comes with software that allows you to encrypt data in real time and set a password to access important information.

Transcend StoreJet 25M3 has the best shock protection, as it is mounted on special shock-absorbing suspensions. It also features fairly good throughput – 89 MB/s.

For 1 TB

1 TB is the most popular capacity.

For those who value the miniature size of their device, the WD My Passport Ultra is an excellent choice. You won't find a more compact terabyte.

If the safety of information is your first priority, then you should opt for the Transcend StoreJet 25M3, which works best with large files and has a super-shockproof case.

The 3.5-inch Transcend StoreJet 35 Ultra combines large volume, high speed transmission and efficient energy consumption. The portable drive from the same series, StoreJet 35T, has a lower transfer speed, but a very attractive price.

For 2 TB

2TB devices are chosen by those who store large amounts of data.

Photo: WD My Passport Wireless WDBDAF0020BBK-EESN

WD My Passport Wireless model WDBDAF0020BBK-EESN supports Wi-Fi networks and reads external SD cards. The device is made in a 2.5-inch form factor. It combines all the popular technologies, is independent of the power source and is very reliable.

Hitachi hard drives, unlike media using Advanced Format technology, allow you to install the OS without partition alignment.

The STBV2000200 model leads the Seagate drive line in terms of performance.

Review of prices by manufacturer

Although the price of storage media is falling, 1 TB portable hard drives are still leaders in sales.

	500 GB	1 TB	2 TB
Seagate Expansion Portable	From 2935 rub.	from 3,550 rub.	from 4,800 rub.
Western Digital Elements Portable	From RUB 2,999	From RUB 3,799	From 6,999 rub.
Toshiba Stor.E Plus USB 3.0	from 2,860 rub.	from 3,820 rub.	from 5,890 rub.
Samsung HX	From 3,440 rub.	From RUB 4,169	From 6500 rub.
Hitachi Touro USB 3.0	From RUB 3,880	From 4,070 rub.	From 4,420 rub.

With the advent of the third version of the USB interface, external media can provide a significant increase in data exchange speed.

When choosing a portable hard drive, you need to decide on its tasks. If you need it at home to store media files, it is better to choose spacious, but not the fastest models.

If you plan to use it for work, compact, shock-resistant units are suitable. In any case, it is desirable that the device is compatible with modern interfaces. Don't save money when buying hard disks dubious brands. There is a high risk of losing not only money, but also important information. U famous brands

1		blunders in the form of mass marriage also happen. Therefore, before purchasing, it is better to go to the manufacturer’s website and read reviews about a specific model.
2		Best speed and reliability
3

Best price External hard drives are designed for convenient storage and moving large amounts of text and multimedia information. Modern models

are lightweight and compact. This allows you to easily transfer information from one computer to another, download movies to disk and connect to a TV, and take the device on the road or travel.
Volume – completely depends on your requirements. However, in most cases it is better to ignore models with a capacity of less than 1 TB. More volume means higher price, but at the same time, as the volume increases, the cost of 1 GB of memory decreases. USB interface version - most devices are equipped with a USB 3.0 interface with a theoretical throughput of 8 Gbps. If the connector USB Type-C
- better. The new port will not add speed, but it is more convenient to use. Buffer volume (MB) – operational disk. The higher this indicator, the higher the data transfer speed.
Quality of the case – ideally, the case of the device should include not only plastic, but also metal and rubberized inserts. This makes the device resistant to drops, scratches, etc.
Weight of the product – if the device is often planned to be taken on the road and traveling, the weight of the disk will be of serious importance. Modern external drives weigh from 140 to 300 g (or more).
Dust and moisture protection - if you know that the external hard drive will be used in difficult conditions or if you are not confident in your accuracy - choose models with certified protection(IPXX or military standard)
Reliability - before purchasing, it is better to study forums, reviews and long-term tests in order to be sure that a freshly purchased hard drive will serve you not for a month or two, but for several years.
Software from the manufacturer - proprietary software can often facilitate or automate the backup of information, protect data from unauthorized access, and much more. Again, look at reviews and tests.

Best 500GB External Hard Drives

500 GB is the most budget category of external drives. 500 GB of disk space is enough to store 300 movies or 2000 CD albums in excellent quality. This amount of memory is suitable for using the device as a backup copy of information from a PC.

All the models presented below use the best USB 3.0 interface to date, which significantly increases the speed of multimedia data transfer.

3 Seagate STEA500400

Cheapest and lightest
Country: USA
average price: 3,195 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.6

The external hard drive from Seagate, which opens the category, pleases with several parameters at once. The first is cost. Yes, it’s only a hundred rubles cheaper than its competitors, but that’s good. The second is lightness. For home use backup storage a weight difference of 100 grams does not play any role, but people who are constantly on the move will undoubtedly be pleased with a weight of only 170 grams. The design is also pleasing: the top edge is covered with a minimalistic geometric pattern, and a useful but unobtrusive load indicator is hidden in the corner. The remaining edges are made of matte plastic and, apart from the USB 3.0 connector on one of them, do not carry anything.

Inside there is a 2.5' 500 GB disk with an unknown rotation speed. Data transfer speeds via USB 3.0, based on data from user reviews, are about 110 MB/sec for reading and 75-80 MB/sec for writing. Quite decent indicators. Users also cite very good endurance as an advantage. Some copies have already worked for more than one year of regular use. The only serious drawback is the short (only 40 cm) cable. For use with a desktop computer, it is advisable to find another one.

Advantages:

Easy
Nice design
Not bad speed

Flaws:

Short included cable

2 TOSHIBA CANVIO BASICS 500GB

The most practical case
Country: Japan
Average price: 3,200 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.6

One of the most budget models, from those presented in the rating, is Toshiba Canvio Basics 500 Gb. In addition to the basic set of characteristics, the device has modern and stylish design. Robust housing with rounded corners Made of matte black plastic. The rough surface will not allow hard drive accidentally fall out of your hands. And four rubberized feet on the bottom of the device dampen vibration and provide a stable position on the table. On the front side of the device there is an indicator that blinks unobtrusively while transmitting information.

When working with Windows, the disk does not require additional software. To transfer data, just connect the device using the included cable. The cord is durable and the likelihood that it will break at the bends is minimal. Good speed guarantees connection via USB 3.0, but the device also supports the previous interface. It is worth considering that when transferring information using USB 2.0, the speed will be significantly lower. Lightweight, compact and powerful at the same time portable disk It will appeal not only to ordinary users, but also to professionals.

Advantages:

Practical housing with thoughtful ergonomics
Durable cable

Flash drives (familiar “flash drives”) and external hard disks are completely different classes of devices. Their only similarity is information storage. But let’s look at the differences in a comparative table.

Comparison criterion	"Flash drive"	External hard drive
	The most capacious model currently holds 2 TB	Portable models up to 4 TB, stationary network drives (NAS) can accommodate up to 12 hard drives. The most capacious disks are 10 TB, i.e. in total we get about 120 TB!
Price	The same flash drive with a capacity of 2 TB costs 58 thousand rubles. For 4,000 rubles you can buy a 128 GB model	A 1 TB disk costs about 4 thousand rubles, 2 TB – 6 thousand
Operation speed	High-quality models provide writing speeds of at least 80 MB/s, reading speeds from 140 MB.	The best representatives: write – 90-95 MB/s, read – 100-110 MB/s
	Compact
Protection from external influences	Flash drives withstand shaking better, but there are protected models in both classes
	Flash drives have a significantly smaller resource, but for the vast majority of users this will be enough

1 TRANSCEND TS500GSJ25M3

Of the external drives reviewed in the TOP 3, only the TS500GSJ25M3 has an additional power connector. For correct operation The device needs energy, so the developers added another connector. For example, not all laptops or TVs can supply enough current through a single port. IN included Y-shaped cable, with universal USB 3.0 interface.

It is worth saying that all products in the Store Jet M series have been awarded for impact resistance. Therefore, the external hard drive from Transcend is very strong and is not afraid of falls. The combination of black and green makes the rubberized body fashionable and modern. Another advantage of the model is the instant backup button - One Touch. User reviews indicate that the function helps to transfer large files without wasting time.

Advantages:

Rubberized, impact- and scratch-resistant housing
Additional connector for stable power supply
Separate button for backup

Video review

Best 1TB External Hard Drives

External hard drives with a capacity of 1 TB (i.e. 1024 GB) are the most popular. The volume is quite enough to store a fairly large media library, backup copies important documents and system backups. For example, a model from this category can accommodate about 200 two-hour FullHD quality films. At the same time, the cost is quite affordable, so you can buy the device large quantity of people.

3 Lacie STFD1000400

Best design. Type-C connector
Country: France
Average price: 5,615 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

Let's open the category with the most advanced hard drive. First of all, attention is drawn to the appearance of the device. It’s not for nothing that the Porsche Design inscription is emblazoned on the top edge. The case is minimalistic, metal. No patterns or textured surfaces - flat, pleasant to the touch and great-looking aluminum everywhere. The thickness is also pleasing - only 10 mm - even hard drives with a capacity of 500 GB are thicker. Another advantage is the use of USB Type-C, a promising connector that is now used in smartphones, laptops, and many other devices. In short, using this connector allows you to carry just one cable with you, which is suitable for both charging devices and connecting external hard disk.

Everything is much simpler inside. A regular 2.5' disk with a capacity of 1 TB is used. Write and read speeds are approximately the same and amount to 118-122 MB/sec. According to users, this is enough to edit 4K video directly on the hard drive.

The model has one drawback – cost. Behind Beautiful design And modern port the buyer will have to pay about one and a half thousand rubles.

Advantages:

Great design
USB interface version - most devices are equipped with a USB 3.0 interface with a theoretical throughput of 8 Gbps. If the connector
Decent read and write speeds

Flaws:

Expensive

2 ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB

The most durable case
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 4,100 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

The second position in the ranking is occupied by the ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB - an external hard drive with a stylish modern design. Perfect for young people who keep up with the times. The device is characterized by operation with virtually no noise or vibration. The shockproof case with rubberized inserts will protect the product from various mechanical damages.

Compatibility with any devices containing a USB input and high data transfer speeds are the main advantages of ADATA. The device is quickly recognized by the computer, and the large memory capacity makes it possible to store many files.

Thanks to reliability important information will always remain safe and sound. From several options color range you can choose the one that suits your taste. Men will appreciate the black color scheme, while women will love the elegant and glamorous design pink color. The small size allows you to easily carry the hard drive in your pocket or purse.

The main disadvantages, according to reviews from real customers, include the insufficient length of the USB cable and a weak connector on the disk itself, which becomes loose over time, which can lead to contact breakage.

Feedback from the buyer:

After purchasing the disc I have never regretted it. It often happens that the stated parameters do not correspond to reality. IN in this case everything coincided. Works well, speed is high, does not slow down. I was very pleased with the appearance and size. The device looks modern and compact. The covering is made of high quality material. Fits all TVs in the house, which is very convenient. You can watch your favorite movies anywhere. Very pleased with the purchase.

Advantages:

Durable shockproof housing
Large selection of colors

Flaws:

Short cable
Weak USB connector

1 Western Digital My Passport 1 TB (WDBBEX0010B)

The optimum ratio of price and quality
Country: USA
Average price: 4,128 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.8

Western Digital is one of the most famous and respected companies in the information storage industry. The 1TB model in question is sold in a huge number of stores, which means you'll almost certainly find it at your local electronics store. The design is typical for the “My Passport” series - the body is entirely made of glossy plastic, but is texturedly divided into two parts: smooth and corrugated. The plastic, unfortunately, is easily soiled and does not resist scratches well. But there are a lot of colors - there are both classic (black, white) and bright (yellow, blue, red, etc.) colors. There are rubber feet at the bottom to prevent slipping on the table. The weight is small - only 170 grams. With ports, everything is traditional - one USB 3.0 connector.

Inside, like most other participants, there is nothing remarkable. A 1 TB HDD with a rotation speed of 5400 rpm is used. average speed read/write at the level of competitors - 110-120 MB/sec. Note that WD has specialized software that allows you to easily make backups to an external hard drive, check the performance of the disk, protect data with a password, etc.

Advantages:

High reliability
Useful proprietary software
Good speed performance

Best 2TB External Hard Drives

2 TB is a serious volume. It is enough for a giant photo or audio library, storing a huge amount of video, and a full system backup. Even 4K UltraHD movies, which occupy approximately 30-50 GB each, will fit about 50 pieces. We can recommend these models to people who are used to storing all their data in own storage, but want to maintain portability.

3 Transcend TS2TSJ25M3

Military standard protection. Powered by two USB
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 6,650 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.6

Some people use external hard drives as large home file storage, but many more people transport them regularly. It is very important for them to keep their data safe. Yes, information can be encrypted, but encryption will not save the hard drive from simply falling or drowning. But a protected case, like that of the bronze medalist in the rating, will save you. It meets the military standard MIL-STD-810F 516.5, which means it will survive drops, shocks and submersion. But the connectors are not covered with plugs. And users complain that over time they become loose, which is why contact is lost.

The speed of work is also frustrating. The average read speed is about 32 MB/s, which is a little strange considering the presence of a USB 3.0 interface. Power is supplied via two USB ports for greater stability. The only pity is that the cost is the highest among the top three.

Advantages:

Military standard security
Powered by two USB

Flaws:

Loose connector
Low speed
Highest cost

2 Seagate STDR2000200

The most compact and lightest
Country: USA
Average price: 5,728 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

Once again, Seagate products earn the title of lightest and most compact. It’s not for nothing that the model is included in the Slim line - the thickness of the 2 TB disk is only 12.1 mm. Most competitors are at least 20mm thick! Small and weight - 159 grams versus 250 for the leader of the rating. But don’t think that this is a Chinese product – numerous tests and user reviews indicate high reliability. The case is combined: metal on top, glossy plastic on the sides, durable matte plastic on the bottom.

Everything inside is standard. Read/write speeds may vary between instances. In reviews, users talk about 110-112 Mb/s, tests of profile resources are 120-125 Mb/s. In any case, these speeds will be enough for most users. Already from the factory there is about 500 MB of data on the disk. This is a proprietary Seagate Dashboard utility for backing up data, warranty terms and other useful information.

Advantages:

Thin and light body
High reliability
Availability of proprietary software

Flaws:

As with the entire line, the cable is short and stiff

1 Western Digital My Passport 2 TB (WDBUAX0020B)

The most reliable
Country: USA
Average price: 5,800 ₽
Rating (2018): 4.7

Western Digital is one of the recognized leaders in the production of data storage systems. External hard drive WD My Passport 2 TB in terms of technical characteristics differs little from its competitors. Reading speed is about 100-110 MB/s. The interface, of course, is USB 3.0.

Judging by the reviews, there are no complaints about the device. The build quality is excellent, the materials are nice. Except that the gloss very quickly becomes covered with scratches, taking on an untidy appearance. The hard drive itself does not sin bad sectors. Reliability is simply excellent. The manufacturer himself is confident in this, and therefore offers a 3-year warranty.

Advantages:

Good technical characteristics
Excellent reliability
3 year warranty
Excellent branded software

Flaws:

Glossy body, susceptible to scratches

The best 4TB external hard drives

Filling up 4 TB of disk storage is not an easy task. The average user is unlikely to accumulate that much information. But, for example, professional operators will find such devices very useful. Even a hefty 4K video will fit approximately 500 hours. However, it is worth considering that not all models will be portable. Most of the storage facilities of this volume are stationary, and therefore are not of interest to us within the framework of this article.

3 Lacie STFS4000800

Highest speed. Protected housing
Country: France
Average price: 17,590 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.6

Let's open the category with a disc from a company that is not very popular among the bulk of users - Lacie. Like the previous representative of the company, STFS4000800 is significantly more expensive than its competitors. But this time the high price tag is not due to cool design, but to reliability and advanced technology. Let's go in order.

At first I am attracted by the design. Before us is a very massive (34 mm thick) and heavy (600 grams) aluminum block in a rubber protective shell. This allows the device to withstand impacts. There is also protection against water and dust according to the IP54 standard - you should not bathe in water, but the hard drive will survive splashes of water or light rain.

The next point that deserves attention is interfaces and speed. To connect to a computer, you can use not only USB Type-C, the advantages of which we described above, but also Thunderbolt. The speed of work is difficult to estimate. For different testers, write and read readings ranged from a modest 50 MB/sec to an unattainable 250 MB/sec for most competitors. We advise you to test the selected copy on your computer before purchasing.

Advantages:

Security
High speed
Two current interfaces for connection

Flaws:

High price tag

2 Seagate STDR4000200

Best price
Country: USA
Average price: 8,290 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.7

The external hard drive from Seagate is a solid mid-ranger. The case is as minimalistic as possible - just a small block of matte plastic with small glossy inserts. Practical and looks good at the same time. The operating speed is slightly lower than that of the leader in the rating, but still decent. Average write speed is about 85 MB/s. USB 3.0 interface. Yes, and the hard drive would not start through old usb 2.0. Complaints about vibration, noise or high temperatures no – all indicators are within reason. But the reliability is mediocre. Quite often you come across defective models, so be prepared for the fact that you will have to go to a service center.

Advantages:

Lowest cost
Practical body
Good speed performance
Minimal vibration, noise and heat

Flaws:

Defective hard drives found

1 Western Digital My Passport 4 TB (WDBUAX0040B)

blunders in the form of mass marriage also happen. Therefore, before purchasing, it is better to go to the manufacturer’s website and read reviews about a specific model.
Country: USA
Average price: 8,520 RUR
Rating (2018): 4.8

Once again, the first line of the rating is occupied by the propeller from WD. This model is a copy of the leader of the previous category. The body is the same, including dimensions. Accordingly, the problems remain the same - it gets scratched. But a 4 TB hard drive is installed inside. The recording speed is slightly higher - about 115 MB/s, USB 3.0 interface. Heating is moderate. The only drawback identified by customers is vibration. Due to the small legs, it is transferred to the table, which is not very pleasant. But there are no problems with reliability - after all, Western Digital are deservedly considered leaders.

The disk comes pre-installed with several useful utilities. WD Backup allows you to set up automatic backups important files to an external hard drive. WD Security – protects your data from unauthorized access using a password. You can also provide your information so that if the disk is lost, the finder can find you.

Advantages:

High speed
Better reliability
Useful proprietary utilities

Flaws:

The glossy body is scratched

Good day.

Hard drive (hereinafter HDD) is one of the most important parts of any computer or laptop. All the user’s files are stored on the HDD, and if it fails, then restoring the files is quite difficult and not always feasible. Therefore, choosing a hard drive is not the easiest task (I would even say that it is impossible to do without a certain amount of luck).

In this article I would like to talk in “simple” language about all the main HDD parameters, which you need to pay attention to when purchasing. Also at the end of the article I will provide statistics based on my experience on the reliability of certain brands of hard drives.

And so... You come to a store or open a page on the Internet with various offers: dozens of brands of hard drives, with different abbreviations, with different prices (even despite the same volume in GB).

Let's look at an example.

Hard Seagate drive SV35 ST1000VX000

1000 GB, SATA III, 7200 rpm, 156 MB, c, cache memory - 64 MB

Hard drive, Seagate brand, 3.5 inches (2.5 is used in laptops, they are smaller in size. PCs use 3.5-inch drives), capacity 1000 GB (or 1 TB).

Seagate hard drive

1) Seagate - hard drive manufacturer (about HDD brands and which ones are more reliable - see at the very bottom of the article);

2) 1000 GB is the volume of the hard drive declared by the manufacturer (the actual volume is slightly less - about 931 GB);

3) SATA III - disk connection interface;

4) 7200 rpm - spindle rotation speed (affects the speed of information exchange with the hard drive);

5) 156 MB - disk reading speed;

6) 64 MB - Cache memory (buffer). The more cache, the better!

Hard drive specifications

Disk capacity

Basic characteristics of a hard drive. The volume is measured in gigabytes and terabytes (previously, many did not even know the word): GB and TB, respectively.

Important note!

Disk manufacturers "cheat" when calculating the capacity of a hard drive (they count in the decimal system, but the computer uses the binary system). Many novice users do not know about this calculation.

On a hard drive, let’s say, the volume declared by the manufacturer is 1000 GB, but in fact, it actual size approximately 931 GB. Why?

1 KB (kilo-byte) = 1024 Bytes - this is in theory (how Windows will count);

1 KB = 1000 Bytes is what hard drive manufacturers think.

In order not to bore you with calculations, I will say that the difference between the real and declared volume is approximately 5-10% (the larger the disk volume, the greater the difference).

Basic rule when choosing HDD

When choosing a hard drive, in my opinion, you need to be guided by simple rule- “there is never too much space and what more drive- all the better"! I remember a time, 10-12 years ago, when a 120 GB hard drive seemed huge. As it turned out, after a couple of months I began to miss it (although there was no unlimited Internet then...).

By modern standards, a disk with a capacity of less than 500 GB - 1000 GB, in my opinion, is not even worth considering. For example, prime numbers:

10-20 GB - installation of the Windows 7/8 operating system will take;

1-5 GB - installed Microsoft package Office (most users absolutely need this package, and it has long been considered basic);

1 GB - approximately one collection of music, such as “100 best songs of the month”;

1 GB - 30 GB - that's how much one modern one takes computer game As a rule, most users have several favorite games (and there are usually several PC users);

1GB - 20GB - space for one movie...

As you can see, even a 1 TB disk (1000 GB) will be busy quite quickly with such requirements!

Connection interface

Hard drives differ from each other not only in volume and brand, but also in connection interface. Let's look at the most common ones today.

IDE- a once popular interface for connecting several devices in parallel, but today it is already outdated. By the way, my personal IDE hard drives are still working, while some SATA already went “to the next world” (although he treated both of them very carefully).

SATA- modern interface for connecting storage devices. The computer will be much faster when working with files using this connection interface. Today the SATA III standard is in force (bandwidth about 6 Gbit/s), by the way, it has backwards compatible, therefore, a device that supports SATA III can be connected to a SATA II port (although the speed will be slightly lower).

Buffer volume

A buffer (sometimes simply called a cache) is a memory built into the hard drive that is used to store data that the computer accesses too often. Thanks to this, the speed of the disk increases, since it does not have to constantly read this data from the magnetic disk. Accordingly, the larger the buffer (cache), the faster the hard drive will work.

Nowadays on hard drives, the most common buffer is from 16 to 64 MB in size. Of course, it is better to choose the one with the largest buffer.

Spindle speed

This is the third parameter (in my opinion) that you need to pay attention to. The fact is that the speed of rotation of the spindle will depend on work hard disk (and the computer as a whole).

The most optimal speed rotation is 7200 rpm per minute (usually the following designation is used - 7200 rpm). They provide a certain balance between the speed of operation and the noise (heating) of the disk.

It is also quite common to find disks with a rotation speed 5400 rpm- they differ, as a rule, more quiet operation(No extraneous sounds, grinding noise when moving magnetic heads). In addition, such disks heat up less, which means they do not require additional cooling. I’ll also note that such drives consume less energy (however, it’s unlikely regular user interested in this parameter).

Relatively recently, disks with rotation speeds appeared 10,000 rpm in a minute. They are very productive and are often installed on servers, on computers with high disk system requirements. The price for such disks is quite high, and in my opinion, putting such a disk on home computer- it makes little sense...

Hard drive manufacturers. Which hdd is more reliable, which brand should I choose?

Today, sales are mainly dominated by 5 brands of hard drives: Seagate, Western Digital, Hitachi, Toshiba, Samsung. It is impossible to say unequivocally which brand is the best, just as it is impossible to predict how long this or that model will work for you. I will continue to base myself on personal experience (no independent ratings I don’t take it into account).

One of the most famous manufacturers hard drives. If we take it as a whole, then among them there are both successful batches of discs and not so good ones. Usually, if the disc does not start to crumble in the first year of operation, then it will last quite a long time.

For example, I have a disk Seagate Barracuda 40GB 7200 rpm IDE. It is already about 12-13 years old, however, it works perfectly, like new. No rattles, no rattles, works quietly. The only drawback is that it is outdated, now 40 GB is only enough for an office PC that has a minimum of tasks (in fact, the PC in which it is installed is currently occupied).

However, with the release of Seagate Barracuda 11.0, this disk model, in my opinion, has deteriorated greatly. Quite often there are problems with them; personally, I would not recommend taking the current “barracuda” (especially since many of them are “noisy”)...

Now the Seagate Constellation model is gaining popularity - it costs 2 times more than the Barracuda. Problems with them are much less common (probably still early...). By the way, the manufacturer gives a good guarantee: up to 60 months!

Western Digital

It is also one of the most famous brands of HDD found on the market. In my opinion, WD wheels are the most best option today for installation on a PC. Average price with fairly good quality, problem drives do occur, but less often than Seagate.

There are several different "versions" of discs.

WD Green (green, you will see a green sticker on the drive body, see screenshot below).

These drives differ primarily in that they consume less energy. The spindle speed of most models is 5400 rpm. The data exchange speed is somewhat lower than that of drives with 7200 - but they are very quiet, they can be installed in almost any case (even without additional cooling). For example, I really like them because they are quiet; it’s nice to work on a PC whose operation you can’t hear! In terms of reliability, it is better than Seagate (by the way, there were not entirely successful batches of Caviar Green drives, although I personally have not encountered them).

WD Blue

The most common drives among WD, can be installed on most multimedia computers. They are something between the Green and Black versions of the discs. In principle, they can be recommended for a regular home PC.

Reliable hard drives, probably the most reliable among the WD brand. True, they are the noisiest and get very hot. I can recommend it for installation on most PCs. True, it’s better not to install it without additional cooling...

There are also Red and Purple brands, but to be honest, I don’t come across them very often. I can’t say anything specific about their reliability.

Not a very popular brand of hard drives. There is one machine at work with this Toshiba DT01 drive - it works fine, there are no special complaints. True, the operating speed is somewhat lower than that of the WD Blue 7200 rpm brands.

Not as popular as Seagate or WD. But, to be honest, I have never encountered failed Hitachi drives (due to the fault of the drives themselves...). There are several computers with similar disks: They work relatively quietly, although they do get warm. Recommended for use with additional cooling. In my opinion, they are one of the most reliable, along with the WD Black brand. True, they cost 1.5-2 times more than WD Black, so the latter are preferable.

Back in 2004-2006, the Maxtor brand was quite popular, there were even a few working hard drives left. In terms of reliability, they are below “average”; a lot of them “fly” after a year or two of use. Then Maxtor was bought out by Seagate, and there is really nothing more to tell about them.

That's all. Which HDD brand do you use?

Don’t forget that backup provides the greatest reliability. Best wishes!

The demand for external storage media has become especially evident in recent years. The reason for this was not only the constantly increasing weight of multimedia content, but also the daily growing activity of virus attacks and the risk of data loss.

Why do you need a hard drive?

A portable hard drive is a portable storage device.

Its main functional features:

high capacity. The device allows you to store and transfer huge amounts of information - from hundreds of gigabytes to several terabytes. It can be used as a second hard drive, as an operating system bootloader;
mobility. Can be connected to several computers via a standard USB interface and transferred from place to place;
safety. You can duplicate and store information outside of your PC or laptop and limit access to it by third parties.

The reliability of data storage is higher and the necessary files are always at hand.

Selection options

Among the criteria for choosing an external USB hard drive are capacity, bandwidth, warranty period, and low power consumption.

making it easier to work with the disk;
convenient copy saving mode;
improved energy saving;
encryption of information;
synchronization with the system;
the ability to restore files, etc.;

appearance. Pocket options are available in a wide range. Creative people will appreciate devices in a bright, eye-catching case. Models in a stylish aluminum case will complement the image of a respectable businessman. Stationary hard drives are less varied, but they can be selected to suit any interior;
guarantee. Depending on the manufacturer, from 1 to 5 years.

Format factor: pocket and desktop

The format factor is one of the key indicators of a hard drive.

SSD and HDD hard drives 2.5 inches are the most popular. Their dimensions do not exceed the size of a smartphone - they easily fit into a pocket or handbag. These devices are characterized by low power consumption and can operate from a standard USB connector on a computer or laptop. Their volume does not exceed 2 TB.

Ultra-mobile options – 1.8-inch SSD drives.

Type: SSD or HDD?

Based on media type, hard drives are divided into SSD and HDD.

Solid state drives are chip-based storage devices.

The write/read speed of an SSD is approximately 5 times higher than that of a HDD, but its capabilities are limited by low-speed interfaces.

SSDs are absolutely silent and resistant to mechanical damage. Their disadvantages are the high price with minimal volumes and a limited number of rewrite cycles. Some enthusiasts have long predicted the victory of solid-state SSDs over HDDs, but the price of such an alternative is too high.

Connection interface

The speed of the portable drive depends on the connection interface.

The most common is USB 2.0 with a transfer speed of 480 Mbps. This is not a high figure.

Today, almost all modern laptops are equipped with a USB 3.0 interface with speeds of up to 4.8 Gbps.

Additionally you can use:

FireWire – high-speed interface 400 – 800 Mbit/s;
eSATA – standard with bandwidth up to 3 Gbit/s;
Ethernet is an interface that turns an external drive into a network drive.

Ethernet and FireWire only support 3.5-inch hard drives.

Video: selecting an external drive

Which brand is better to choose an external drive?

Which company's external media are the best? Fierce competition in this market segment has long driven out the weak. The remaining “old” manufacturers are Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba.

Seagate Technology is the largest American company founded in 1979. Produces SSD, HDD and hybrid models. It owns the trademarks Barracuda, Cheetah, Savvio, Constellation, Pulsar, DiamondMax, Momentus. Bought out the Samsung hard drive production segment.

Seagate hard drives are characterized by the highest performance.

Western Digital is an American computer electronics manufacturer. The only company that provides a service warranty for the return of a faulty product. In 2012, it acquired the Hitachi Global Storage Technologies division. Hitachi storage media is considered one of the most reliable.

Toshiba is a large international concern specializing in various areas of electronic technology.

Although Samsung and Hitachi exist only as brands, their products have a wide presence in the market.

Among younger companies we can note Transcend Information, ADATA Technology, Silicon Power.

For 500 GB

Media from Transcend and Western Digital are reliable and travel well. The devices are made in thin cases and come with software that implements a wide range of security functions.

Seagate Slim and Samsung G2 Portable are some of the most compact devices available today.

G2 Portable has average performance, but has several original innovations:

designed using special USB on-board technology (the USB controller is located directly on the hard drive board);
comes with software that allows you to encrypt data in real time and set a password to access important information.

Transcend StoreJet 25M3 has the best shock protection, as it is mounted on special shock-absorbing suspensions. It also features fairly good throughput – 89 MB/s.

For 1 TB

1 TB is the most popular capacity.

For those who value the miniature size of their device, the WD My Passport Ultra is an excellent choice. You won't find a more compact terabyte.

If the safety of information is your first priority, then you should opt for the Transcend StoreJet 25M3, which works best with large files and has a super-shockproof case.

The 3.5-inch Transcend StoreJet 35 Ultra combines large volume, high transmission speed and efficient power consumption. The portable drive from the same series, StoreJet 35T, has a lower transfer speed, but a very attractive price.

For 2 TB

2TB devices are chosen by those who store large amounts of data.

The WD My Passport Wireless model WDBDAF0020BBK-EESN supports Wi-Fi networks and reads external SD cards. The device is made in a 2.5-inch form factor. It combines all the popular technologies, is independent of the power source and is very reliable.

Hitachi hard drives, unlike media using Advanced Format technology, allow you to install the OS without partition alignment.

The STBV2000200 model leads the Seagate drive line in terms of performance.

Review of prices by manufacturer

Although the price of storage media is falling, 1 TB portable hard drives are still leaders in sales.

500 GB
1 TB
2 TB
Seagate Expansion Portable
From 2935 rub.
from 3,550 rub.
from 4,800 rub.
Western Digital Elements Portable
From RUB 2,999
From RUB 3,799
From 6,999 rub.
Toshiba Stor.E Plus USB 3.0
from 2,860 rub.
from 3,820 rub.
from 5,890 rub.
Samsung HX
From 3,440 rub.
From RUB 4,169
From 6500 rub.
Hitachi Touro USB 3.0
From RUB 3,880
From 4,070 rub.
From 4,420 rub.

With the advent of the third version of the USB interface, external media can provide a significant increase in data exchange speed.

When choosing a portable hard drive, you need to decide on its tasks. If you need it at home to store media files, it is better to choose spacious, but not the fastest models.