09.25.2017 at 17:29 · Pavlofox · 4 540

Reliability rating of external hard drives

External hard drives are indispensable devices that allow you to store large amounts of information without depending on a desktop computer. Today there is a huge range of external devices on the market. When choosing such a device, it is very important that it has a high degree of reliability. Therefore, we invite readers to study the best external hard drives, the reliability rating of 2017 of which is located below. The drives included in the list have proven themselves well and are in great demand among buyers.

10.

opens the list of the most reliable external hard drives of this year. The gadget is made in a metal case, which provides it with an additional degree of protection in case of an accidental fall from a height. This device stands out from the external hard drives presented below with its simply enormous memory capacity of 8 terabytes. Another advantage of this model is the possibility of its placement both vertically and horizontally due to its shape. In addition, when purchasing this gadget, the user is given 200 gigabytes of Microsoft cloud storage for free.

9.

Freecom mHDD Slim has proven itself to be a reliable external hard drive among users. It is made of aluminum alloy metal body and has good impact resistance. The connection interface is made using USB 3.0. This device has good reading and data transfer speeds. The manufacturer provides a two-year warranty for this model and unlimited helpdesk support. The gadget is supplied to the market in two volume variations: 1 and 2 terabytes. The drive comes with a small but powerful free utility called MHDD.

8.

Seagate 5 TB Expansion is one of the most reliable external drives currently available on the market. The hard drive provides fast data transfer using a USB 3.0 connection. Transfer via USB 2.0 is also supported. The manufacturer provides a two-year warranty on its device. The device has a large memory capacity of five terabytes, has excellent speed performance and will last a long time, as the manufacturer itself assures, providing a good warranty period.

7.

Western Digital My Passport included in the top ten most reliable external drives of 2017. It comes in a variety of memory sizes ranging from 1 terabyte to 4 terabytes. The device comes with WD backup software. Among its competitors, Western Digital My Passport 4TB can boast excellent reading and data transfer speeds. Reviews about this external hard drive are mostly positive.

6.

Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC Positioned as one of the most reliable external hard drives. The first advantage of this drive is its increased impact resistance and moisture resistance. This external device can survive a drop of one and a half meters in height, and is also not afraid of dust and splashes. It is produced in two volume variations - 1 and 2 terabytes. The drive can be connected via USB 3.0. The main disadvantage of the Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC, which is highlighted by users of this device, is the low operating speed.

5.

Toshiba Canvio Basics placed in the middle of this year's ranking of reliable external drives. Memory capacity varies from five hundred gigabytes to two terabytes. The warranty provided by the manufacturer is up to three years, which is already an indicator of reliability. This model does not come with any free software. Information transfer interfaces are supported by USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. The drive is designed for use with Microsoft and Mac. The downside of this drive is that it performs lower than the devices below in the list.

4.

Rightfully included in the list of the most reliable external drives. There are five hard drive options on the market with different storage capacities that reach up to four terabytes. The disadvantage of this device is the lack of software included. The model has support for both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. Like most drives, the Expansion comes formatted in NTFS, so it needs to be reformatted to be compatible with Mac. The main advantage of this model is the high writing and reading speed, which is superior to the rating leaders below.

3.

It is one of the best external drives that you can trust to store your important information. This model comes with very high quality software. The hard drive comes with four variations of memory capacity from five hundred gigabytes to three terabytes. A special feature of this drive is the ability to use it remotely using a mobile application. Thus, the device also acts as a cloud storage of information. The device has excellent speeds, both writing and reading. If you need to use it with a Mac, you need to install a special program.

2.

Included in the list of the most reliable external drives. The hard drive is available in five variations with different memory capacities from five hundred megabytes to four terabytes. It can be purchased bundled with the Seagate Dashboard application. Power supply and information transfer occurs using a USB cord. Two interfaces are supported - USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. Initially, the drive is formatted in NTFS, so to be able to work with a Mac you need to install the appropriate driver or reformat the drive.

1.

It deserves to take a leading position. The device is available with various amounts of memory, starting from 500 gigabytes. This external drive is perfectly compatible not only with Windows, but also with Mac. To use the latter, you need to reformat the drive for the HFS+ file system, since it is initially set to NTFS. The model comes complete with several utilities for comfortable work with the device. The software is presented in full on the manufacturer’s official page, from where it can be downloaded for free. The drive is password protected so your data is always protected with WD My Passport Ultra.

Readers' Choice:

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 operation, low noise level 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:

Hard drive type	Advantages	Flaws
HDD (Hard Drive Disk)	Large capacity Low price Popularity (availability on store shelves) Good reliability	Not resistant to mechanical damage and shaking Slow reading speed Vibration during operation Low access speed
SSD (Solid State Drive)	Absolutely silent Low power consumption Resistance to mechanical damage Compact dimensions Higher data transfer speed	High price Limited memory capacity (usually up to 1 TB) Sensitivity to voltage changes in the network
Hybrid (HDD+SSD)	High performance Low power consumption Reliability, resistance to damage and shaking	Limited memory Poor assortment

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 ₽
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 in recent 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: RUB 20,228
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 data storage device because it combines the positive aspects of 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.

2 Seagate ST2000DX002

The most capacious hybrid hard drive
A country: USA (made in Thailand)
Average price: 7,300 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.7

Do you need the capacity of a classic HDD with the speed of an SSD? There are no miracles; it is impossible to combine these qualities in one device, but the model that opens the category comes as close as possible to this. The capacity of the “hard” part is 2 TB, which should be enough for even the most demanding users. The 8 GB flash memory is designed to ensure performance.

The test results are not amazing: sequential read speed is about 180 MB/s, write speed is 220 MB/s. Top classic HDDs can boast similar results. But the ST2000DX002 has an important feature - the effect of its work will become visible over time. The drive analyzes which files are most frequently used (usually system files and most frequently used programs) and transfers them to flash memory to make them run as quickly as possible in the future.

Separately, it is worth noting the excellent acoustic comfort - the drive is almost inaudible during operation - and the traditional 720-day warranty for hard drives (service life 5 years).

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. The main difference from the previous participant is the 2.5’ form factor. 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'll 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 HGST HTS721010A9E630

Best speed among laptop drives
Country: USA
Average price: 3,830 RUR
Rating (2019): 4.7

The leader in the ranking is a model from HGST, which is a subsidiary of Western Digital. The format, as befits a laptop model, is 2.5-inch. Storage capacity is the usual 1000 GB, which is the golden mean for most users. The speed of operation is not surprising - due to the high rotation speed (7200 rpm), the read speed is about 115-120 MB/s. It is worth noting the high speed of Track to track access - only 1 ms. Average latency 4.2 ms.

Other features include fairly low power consumption - 1.8 W, which is especially valuable for a laptop, and low shock resistance - the hard drive will withstand overloads of up to 400 G during operation without consequences for the stored information.

The best external hard drives

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 WDBUZG0010BBK-EESN

Popular 1TB external drive
Country: USA
Average price: 4,201 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.6

In second place in the ranking of the best external hard drives of 2019 is the Western Digital WDBUZG0010BBK-EESN model. The USB 3.0 data port provides high-speed data exchange between the storage device and a third-party device. The storage capacity is 1 TB, which allows you to store not only text files and photos, but also movies. The main storage device is 1 HDD disk with a 2.5” form factor.

In numerous positive reviews, buyers talk about its small size, good reliability and quiet operation. Among all the models presented in the TOP, this one has the lightest weight - only 130 grams. In addition to the drive itself, the package includes a data cable. Among the weaknesses of this model are the fragile plastic case and problems with drivers.

1 ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB

The optimum ratio of price and quality
Country: China
Average price: 4,369 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 3.0 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 its pleasant appearance, good operating speed and shock-resistant body. 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 Seagate ST1000VX000

Favorable price for a high-quality 1 TB HDD
Country: USA
Average price: 4,011 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.4

The Seagate ST1000VX000 model closes the top three in the ranking of the best hard drives for a server in 2019. This device has the lowest cost compared to its competitors, however, it is in no way inferior to them in terms of characteristics. This hard drive is specifically designed for installation in video surveillance systems, which determines its ability to function around the clock for a long time. High reading speed of 210 Mbit/s will allow you to quickly access stored information.

Among the advantages of the device in reviews, users highlight the volume (here it is 1 TB), low cost and low noise level during operation. Thanks to two write heads, a maximum recording speed of 156 Mbps is achieved. NCQ support enables multitasking. The weaknesses of this HDD include the low instantaneous transfer speed and difficulties with the firmware.

2 Seagate ST1000NM0033

Best operating speed (buffer capacity 128 MB)
Country: USA
Average price: 6,830 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.5

The second place in the ranking of the best hard drives for a server is occupied by the Seagate ST1000NM0033. The storage capacity is 1 TB, which allows you to store a fairly large amount of data in permanent memory, and this is important for a server. The buffer volume is 128 MB - twice as much as that of competitors. This indicator ensures high operating speed and service life, as declared by the manufacturer, up to 1,400,000 hours.

The strengths of the device in customer reviews include excellent data transfer speed, high reliability and the presence of a humidity sensor. In terms of all its characteristics, this is one of the best models for a server, but the power consumption is quite high, amounting to 8.1 W. The disk has a good protection system and will save data upon impact with a load of up to 300G. Among the disadvantages are heating during operation and a fairly high noise level during recording.

1 Western Digital WD20EFRX

The best ratio of price and quality
Country: USA
Average price: 6,861 ₽
Rating (2019): 4.5

The leader in the rating of the best hard drives for a server is the Western Digital WD20EFRX model. The drive has a capacity of 2 TB and, thanks to the SATA 6GB/s interface, provides a maximum information transfer speed of 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 its high cost and fairly stringent requirements for the ambient temperature during operation.

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 of the 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.

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.

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?

A portable hard drive is a portable storage device.

Its main functional features:

1. 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;
2. mobility. Can be connected to several computers via a standard USB interface and transferred from place to place;
3. 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.

1. making it easier to work with the disk;
2. convenient copy saving mode;
3. improved energy saving;
4. encryption of information;
5. synchronization with the system;
6. 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.

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.

Ultra-mobile options – 1.8-inch SSD drives.

Type: SSD or HDD?

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

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 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

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 of the same capacity.

Media from Transcend and Western Digital are reliable and withstand transportation 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. 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.

HDD is one of the most important parts of any laptop or computer.

Since almost all files are stored on it, its choice must be taken with full responsibility, because the performance of your device and the safety of documents will depend on it.

When purchasing a HDD, you need to pay attention to various factors: reliability, manufacturer, technical characteristics (depending on the required tasks), compatibility with other components of your PC or laptop.

External HDD: basic parameters

Basically, when choosing external hard drives, you need to focus on the following characteristics: memory type, form factor, disk space, interface.

You also need to take into account the speed at which the disk rotates, the speed at which data is transferred, and additional functions (for example, the ability to recharge USB devices). Let's look at the main ones.

External HDD: Form factor

The dimensions of the external drive are determined by the form factor.

• 3.5". The largest of the form factors. The main advantage: large capacity (up to tens of terabytes). The disadvantages include heavy weight and cost.
• 2.5". The most common type of disk at the moment. Pros: light weight, can be powered from a USB connector, capacity up to 500 gigabytes.
• 1.8". Today they are the most compact. The main advantage is small dimensions. The downside is that there is a small selection, since they began to be produced relatively recently.

External HDD: Interface

Interface HDD– this is a way to connect the disk directly to the computer (into which connector it is connected). The most common options are:

• USB is the most universal connection method. The most current standard today is USB 3.0. Allows you to read data at speeds up to 5 Gb/sec.
• SATA is gradually leaving the market due to its low speed (compared to USB). Mainly used for internal drives.
• eSATA is a type of SATA, differing in a different connector shape.
• FireWire. Quite a rare type of connector, the main disadvantage is low speed (up to 400 Mbit/s).
• Thunderbolt - created for Apple computers, has a specific connector, and therefore is incompatible with other devices. It has a high transfer speed – up to 10 Gb/sec.

External HDD: Memory type

External HDD Compatible with both traditional memory (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD).

There are also combined systems (SSD is used for caching files, HDD is used for storing information).

• HDD is a classic of the genre. Best suited for long-term storage. Disadvantages include noise (due to moving plates).
• SSD – due to the fact that it is a solid-state drive, it does not (like an HDD) have moving parts. Main advantages: high data transfer speed, small size. One of the disadvantages is the relatively small amount of memory.

External HDD: major manufacturers

Several large companies specialize in the production of external HDDs. The most popular of them are:

Seagate (USA)

It is considered one of the largest manufacturers of external HDDs. Among the advantages, it is worth noting the affordability, the disadvantages are reliability; most often, it is the disks of this manufacturer that are handed over to service centers.

Western Digital (USA)

A fairly well-known manufacturer that produces reliable disks that rarely break. Some models differ in their “tricks” (for example, “cool” disks with low disk rotation speed).

Transcend (Taiwan)

It is considered the most popular manufacturer of external HDDs in Russia and other post-Soviet countries. They bribe you with an affordable price. The downside is low performance in various reliability ratings.

External HDD: the best drives of 2017

1 place. WD My Passport Ultra 1TB

The discs of this manufacturer have a well-deserved reputation for their reliability.

This model comes in five variants (depending on the capacity from 50 GB to 3 TB) and in four colors - white, blue, black and dark red.

Compatible with both Windows PCs and laptops, as well as Apple computers.

Comes with three special utilities (WD SmartWare Pro, WD Utility, WD Security).

To work on a Mac, you will have to download a special Time Machine utility, which has a clear interface.

Main characteristics:

• Interface: USB 3.0; USB 2.0
• Volume: 500GB; 1TB; 1.5TB; 2TB; 3TB
• Write/read speed: 118MB/s, 120MB/s

Additionally: software that allows you to access cloud storage and special coding.

2nd place. Seagate Expansion 1 TB

A new model from this manufacturer, STEA1000400, has been released onto the market, which is available in five versions (depending on memory capacity): from 500 GB to 4 TB.

The only “minus” of this model is the lack of software included, but it is easy to find and download for free on the Internet.

The device is capable of supporting data transfer via USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. One port is used for power supply and receiving information; the color of the disk is black.

Main characteristics:

• Interface: USB 3.0; USB 2.0
• Volume: 500GB; 1TB; 2TB; 3TB; 4TB
• Write/read speed: 129 MB/s and 121 MB/s

Additionally: optimal ratio of cost to disk space

3rd place. Toshiba Canvio Connect II 1TB

This disk is compact, reliable and comes with good software, including the Pogoplug PC program, which costs $30 if you buy it separately from the disk.

Sold in four versions, depending on the amount of memory - from 50 GB to 3 TB. Available in five colors - black, red, white-gold, blue and white.

Capable of working with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, however, users note possible difficulties with the first connection option.

Initially formatted in the NTFS system, for use with Apple equipment you need to install the special program Tuxera NTFS for Mac.

Main characteristics:

• Interface: USB 3.0; USB 2.0
• Volume: 500GB; 1TB; 2TB; 3TB
• Write/read speed: 98 MB/s, 100 MB/s

Additionally: there is the possibility of automatic backup; if necessary, you can configure access from any gadget to files in Canvio Connect II.

4th place. Seagate Backup Plus/Slim 1 TB

This HDD is available in five versions, depending on the memory capacity: from 500 GB to 4 TB.

A nice bonus: after registering the disk on the manufacturer’s website, you can get 200 GB of Microsoft OneDrive for free (if you buy separately, you will have to pay $95 for this).

However, hurry up, this promotion ends on June 30th. The Seagate Dashboard application is also included with this HDD.

This device is offered in two versions: Buckup Plus Slim (thickness - 0.5 inches, memory capacity - up to 2 TB, four color options) and Seagate Buckup Plus (thickness - 1.3 inches, memory capacity - 4 TB, black only ).

Main characteristics:

• Interface: USB 3.0; USB 2.0
• Volume: 500GB; 1TB; 1.5TB; 2TB; 4TB
• Write/read speed: 125 MB/s and 120 MB/s

Additionally: free 200 GB (storage period - 2 years).

5th place. Toshiba Canvio Basics USB 3.0 1 TB

This HDD comes in five versions, depending on the memory capacity: from 500 GB to 2 TB.

For an unknown reason, the manufacturer provides different warranties for its devices, depending on the disk size: from 1 to 3 years.

The main disadvantage: the disc is sold without software, which you will have to download yourself.

This HDD is powered and transmits information using the same USB port.

The performance of this HDD is lower than that of its competitors: with a read speed of 95 MB/s, the write speed is only 89 MB/s.

Main characteristics:

• Interface: USB 3.0; USB 2.0
• Volume: 500GB; 750GB; 1TB; 1.5TB; 2TB
• Write/read speed: 95 MB/s and 89 MB/s

Additionally: the device has a built-in shock sensor, and technology has been introduced to reduce vibration during operation.

External HDD is not detected: what to do

Sometimes users encounter a problem when a laptop or computer does not see the external HDD.

The reasons may be different, let's look at the most common ones.

In most cases, they help deal with the problem without involving a specialist in solving it.

To begin (after installing the external HDD), go to computer management.

Go to the Control Panel

To do this, you need to select the control panel, go to system and security settings.

You need to pay attention to the column on the left. It contains a menu called “Disk Management”. Let's go here.

This menu displays all drives (internal and external) that are connected to your system.

Often, the computer does not see the connected RVV due to the fact that the drive letter is assigned to it incorrectly, which needs to be changed.

To do this, right-click on the external drive icon and select “Change drive letter.”

After this, the drive must be assigned a letter that is not in your operating system.

Format the disk

If the external HDD works on other devices (for example, it is seen by another computer or TV), then the reason for not being detected may be incompatibility with the operating system or the lack of necessary drivers.

In this case, the order of your actions is as follows.

First, check the USB port to which you are connecting the external HDD.

To do this, just connect a regular flash drive to it. If the flash drive is detected, then the problem is not with the USB port.

In this case, go to the device manager (click “Control Panel”, go to the “System and Security” tab, then select “Device Manager”.

We look at two tabs: disk devices and other devices.

This screenshot shows that the operating system did not see the drivers for the external HDD, which is why the computer did not find it.

There are two ways to correct the situation:

1. First, click the “Update hardware configuration” tab; after activating it, the drivers are installed automatically.

If the necessary drivers are not on your computer, one of the special driver search programs, of which there are many on the Internet, will come to the rescue, or search for the required driver on the manufacturer’s website.

2. The second option is preferable, since you may inadvertently download the wrong driver on the Internet and the device will still not work.

conclusions

An external HDD is a useful purchase for those who want to significantly expand the memory of their smartphone, laptop or computer.

The choice depends on the technical requirements for the device, the preferences of the person himself, and, ultimately, financial capabilities.

When choosing an external HDD, also pay attention to where the product is purchased.

In branded stores, devices may cost more than “on hand”.

However, the higher price will be paid off by such a “trifle” as a guarantee from the official manufacturer, which will allow you to exchange or return the faulty device for quite a long time.

Good day.

It is quite convenient to use for storing and transferring large amounts of information. external HDs. Many, of course, will object - after all, there are “clouds”. But not all information can be stored there (there is confidentiality and everything...), and our Internet is not always and everywhere fast.

Agree, it’s convenient when you have music, photos, movies, games on an external storage device and when you come to visit, you can quickly connect your drive to your PC and start playing a pleasant composition...

In this article I want to give a few important points (in my opinion) that you should pay attention to when choosing and purchasing an external drive. I, of course, have never been to a factory that produces such devices, and nevertheless, I have some experience (): at work I have to deal with three dozen similar media, and at home - a dozen more.

7 points when choosing an external HDD

⑴ Storage capacity

The bigger, the better!

This rule is also true for external hard drives (there is never too much space). Today, some of the most popular volumes are 1-4 TB (and the cheapest in terms of price/number of GB). Therefore, I recommend taking a closer look at disks of this particular volume.

About disks 5-8 TB and more...

These are also on sale today. But there are a couple of “buts” that I would recommend paying attention to:

• not "tested" technologies - the reliability of such disks often leaves much to be desired. And in general, I would not recommend immediately grabbing any new and large-capacity disks (until the manufacturers perfect their manufacturing technology...);
• Such drives often require additional power. If you are buying a disk for a laptop or other portable gadget (which you want to connect only to a USB port), then such disks will create unnecessary “problems” for you...

⑵ About the connection interface

The most popular interfaces on sale now are USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. I recommend that you immediately take aim and select USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps; you will notice the difference in speed even by eye).

In practice, usually, the speed of copying/reading from an external drive via USB 2.0 reaches 30-40 MB/s, and via USB 3.0 - up to 80-120 MB/s. Those. there is a difference, especially since a USB 3.0 drive is universal and can be connected even to devices that only support USB 2.0.

By the way, to distinguish a USB 2.0 port from a USB 3.0 port, pay attention to the color. Nowadays, most manufacturers mark USB 3.0 ports in blue.

How to distinguish a USB 3.0 port from a USB 2.0 port (USB 3.0 port is marked in blue)

By the way, if you have a new USB Type-C port on your laptop (computer) (speed up to 10 Gbps), then disks with a similar interface are now starting to appear on sale, and it makes sense to take a closer look at such models. I also note that there are all kinds of adapters for connecting drives with USB 3.0 (for example) to the new USB Type-C port.

Addition: there are also other standards SATA, eSATA, FireWire, Thunderbolt. They are much less common than USB and I don’t see any point in dwelling on them, because... The vast majority of users will be satisfied with the USB interface.

⑶ About a separate power supply

There are drives with or without an additional power source (powered by a USB port). As a rule, disks that operate only from a USB port do not exceed 4-5 TB (this is the maximum that I have seen on sale).

I note that disks with an additional adapter work faster and more stable. But, nevertheless, extra wires create inconvenience, and it is not always possible to connect the drive to an outlet - for example, when using the drive while working on a laptop.

There is another issue worth noting: not always and not all drive models have enough power from the USB port (for example, in cases where the device is powered by a small netbook or not only a drive is connected to USB - there may not be enough power for the HDD!). In cases of power shortage, the disk may simply become “invisible”. I mentioned this in this article:

From practice...

Disks that needed power from a USB port: Seagate Expansion 1-2 TB (not to be confused with the Portable Slim line), WD Passport Ultra 1-2 TB, Toshiba Canvio 1-2 TB.

Disks with which there were problems (and from time to time they became invisible in Windows): Samsung 1-2 TB, Seagate Portable Slim 1-2 TB, A-DATA 1-2 TB, Transcend StoreJet 1-2 TB.

Basically, if you encounter a power shortage, you can try using a USB splitter with a power supply. Such a device will allow you to connect several disks to one USB port at once, and all of them will have enough power (even when connected to a “weak” netbook).

USB splitter with power supply

⑷ About form factor // size

Form factor - specifies the size of the disk. About 10-15 years ago there was no special class as “External hard drives”, and many used regular HDDs placed in a special box (box) - i.e. We assembled such a portable disk ourselves. From there came the two most popular form factors of external HDDs - 2.5 and 3.5 inches.

Large, heavy and bulky discs. The most capacious to date (the capacity of one HDD reaches 8 TB or more!). Most suitable for a desktop PC (or a laptop that is rarely carried). Typically provide higher data transfer rates (compared to 2.5").

Such disks are rarely available in shock-resistant cases, so they are extremely susceptible to shaking or vibration. Another feature: they cannot work without a power supply (at all!). Extra wires do not add convenience to them...

Stationary external hard drive 3.5" (pay attention to the dimensions) - connects to a 220V network via a power supply

The most popular and in demand type of disk. Their dimensions are comparable to a regular smartphone (a little larger). Most drives have enough power from the USB port for full operation. Convenient both on the road and at home, for connecting to both a PC and laptop (and in general, to any equipment with a USB port).

Often, when such disks are placed in special. impact-resistant casing, allowing them to extend their “survival” (relevant for disks that are often on the road and subject to vibrations).

Of the minuses: their capacity is slightly lower than that of 3.5" disks (today it reaches 5 TB). Also, some disk models do not always have enough power from the USB port, and they “fall off” during operation (i.e. they become invisible to Windows OS).

⑸Disk speed

Your disk processing speed depends on several components:

1. from the interface: today the best option in terms of price/speed ratio is the USB 3.1 standard (USB Type-C is also gaining popularity);
2. on spindle speed: in external drives there are 5400 rpm, 7200 rpm and 4200 rpm. The higher the speed, the higher the speed of reading information (and the louder the disk makes noise and heats up). Typically 2.5" discs run at 4200 and 5400 rpm, 3.5" discs at 7200 rpm;
3. on cache size (temporary memory, allowing quick access to the most frequently used information) : Now the most popular disks with a cache of 8-64 MB. Naturally, the higher the cache, the more expensive the disk...

Personal opinion: in most cases, external drives are purchased to store various multimedia data - music, movies, photos, etc. And with such tasks, the difference in the speed of a disk with 7200 rpm and 5400 rpm is not significant and does not play a big role. The only point (in terms of speed) when choosing, I would focus on the presence of a USB 3.1 interface (otherwise there are still quite a lot of drives with a USB 2.0 interface on sale).

⑹Protection from moisture and fur. damage. Passwords and hacking protection

Some disk models have additional protection from shock, dust, moisture, etc. Naturally, such disks are more expensive than regular ones, sometimes the cost is several times higher!

In my opinion, all these bells and whistles, if they help, are only for very minor incidents. If the disk is expecting a strong blow, then the case, although it will soften it, will not help the matter much. Based on my experience of “sad” cases, I will say that the shock-resistant case of models whose cost does not exceed $350 did not prevent damage to the disk. I haven’t used more expensive discs, and I can’t criticize them in absentia.

In my opinion, if you buy such disks, it will cost no more than 10-20% of the cost of other disks (and certainly such protection does not cost as much as 2-3 ordinary disks).

I will add that disks often fail without any shocks or shocks. I would recommend paying more attention to the reliability of the line (HDD model range) and reviews about it.

As for all kinds of password protection for the drive, the disk can also be protected using free utilities (and it is not known which will be more reliable).

⑺ About manufacturers, which is more reliable

It is clear that everything written below is conditional and not very representative data. Because to make real statistics on the most reliable drives, you need to test thousands of drives (not a few dozen, like I did). Nevertheless, I will express my point of view...

1. WD My Passport is one of the most reliable; not a single drive from this line has failed. And there are no particular complaints about the work: they do not make noise, do not get hot, and are always “visible”. The price tag on them is 10-15% higher than on other similar discs, but they are worth it. I will add that their dimensions are also slightly larger than those of the same Seagate Portable Slim (but in my opinion this is not significant) ...
2. WD My Cloud - in principle, everything that was said above is also relevant for this line;
3. Toshiba Canvio - despite the fact that the drives appeared on the market not so long ago, there are no particular complaints about them. So far there have been no problems with any of the 4 disks;
4. Seagate Expansion - average in quality (5 out of 7 drives work, 2 were delivered under warranty, but did not work for even a year...). There are no problems with “visibility”, but I would note that many disks from this line are “noisy” during operation;
5. Seagate Portable Slim - in my opinion, the worst line (anywhere you see "Seagate Slim" - better beware!). It’s possible that I was just unlucky, but 5 out of 5 disks became unusable within 1.5 years after purchase;
6. A-DATA - generally work (4 out of 5 drives have worked for more than a year), but drives from this manufacturer do not always have enough power from USB when used on laptops;
7. Transcend StoreJet is an interesting option because... their disks are specially protected. body from light shocks. There were no questions regarding reliability (although I only have 2 of them), there is a problem with “noise” during operation and “visibility” without additional ones. nutrition;
8. Silicon Power (Armor) - negative review because... 3 out of 3 drives did not live up to even initial expectations: the data transfer speed is low (even when connected to USB 3.0), they often “fall off” and become invisible. It's not a job, it's a nightmare...

What do you use?

Additions on the topic are welcome...

Good luck to everyone and good choice!