Modern 3.5 "hard drives have already reached a capacity of 500 GB, and in the middle of the year is expected the appearance of models of 750 GB. Against their backdrop, the maximum capacity of 2.5" drives in 160 GB seems to be insignificant. Do 2.5 "hard drives technologically lag behind?
In no event, because between 2.5 "and 3.5" hard drives there is a significant difference. To begin with, 2.5 "drives work with one or two plates, and 3.5" models can be equipped with even five. Secondly, the diameter of the plate in 3.5 "drives is larger, that's why they can store more information." If you compare honestly with the density of information recorded per unit of space, 2.5 "drives will show themselves very well.
The small physical dimensions of the 2.5 "plates also affect the performance, since the smaller the disks, the smaller the linear speed of the head." Finally, among 2.5 "models, the rotation speed of 7200 rpm is not as widespread as in class 3.5 "In most cases, 2.5" hard drives work at a rotation speed of 5400 or 4200 rpm.
For many years, 2.5 "hard drives had a slow rotation speed of 4200 rpm, but the situation is changing for the better: seven of the eight new drives received for review have a rotation speed of 5400 rpm, and only one - 4200 rpm, min The interface divided the drives in half: four hard drives use UltraATA / 100, and the remaining four - Serial ATA / 150.
How to choose a hard disk for a laptop?
The purchase of a hard drive is affected by two factors: capacity and performance. Parameters like noise, temperature or power consumption are interesting, but they are important only for a limited number of users or applications. Hard drives at 4200 rpm are almost noiseless, and drives with a rotation speed of 5400 or 7200 rpm can be heard only if the CPU fan does not work.
Today, the market can find a large number of 2.5 " hard disks with a capacity of 30 to 160 GB. You can choose a model with a rotation speed of 4200, 5400 or 7200 rpm, with interfaces UltraATA / 100 or Serial ATA / 150. But be careful if your laptop belongs to the class of ultra-portable. For example, the same notebooks Dell X1 or Samsung Q30 use 1.8 "drives, they require less energy for work, and occupy less space, but they have a much worse performance." You will easily notice the slowness of a 1.8 "hard drive with everyday work.
When buying a hard disk, most users only look at the capacity, but we recommend that you also evaluate the parameters that affect performance. If you buy a fast hard drive, then the speed increase in everyday work will be more fun than contemplating unnecessary gigabytes. Higher power consumption of high-speed hard drives is usually compensated by faster execution of read / write operations. In the end, the battery life of laptops with high-performance hard drives is not much less than for models with slow hard drives.
Today, hard drives with a spindle rotation speed of 7200 rpm are available in capacities up to 100 GB, and drives at 5400 rpm can be purchased in the version of 160 GB. If you work intensively with a laptop, we recommend not taking a hard disk with a spindle speed below 7200 rpm. In other cases, you can take a hard drive at 5400 rpm. The speed of 4200 rpm is best avoided. It is too small for the modern level.
Everyone can come a time when the old hDD stops responding necessary requirements or fails. There is a need for a replacement, but before you make a purchase, you need to figure out which hard drive to choose. Storage for laptops are external and internal, solid and magnetic, replacing the external media is not so difficult, but how to choose the right internal?
Laptops are supplied with several types of drives:
HDD (hard disk drive) - is a mechanical device on which the recorded information is stored. A special magnetic head records data on the plates ( magnetic disks), located inside the hermetically sealed housing. Today HDD is not considered the fastest device, but wins by cost, capacity and long service life with proper operation.
SSHD (hybrid drive) - magnetic hard disk with integrated solid state drive. SSHD not so long ago appeared on sale, in most models the volume is 8 GB. A hybrid drive is an affordable option designed to increase overall efficiency laptops at the expense of greater speed of data caching, so to say a successful union of generally available and modern technologies.
SSD (solid state drive)- Flash drive, unlike hard drives does not have moving parts. Advantages of SSD in high speed and resistance to mechanical damage. However, because of the excessive cost solid state drives HDD is still popular in the sales market.
What are the requirements for a laptop hard drive?
1. Speed of work
For the speed of work hard drive Several factors respond: memory buffer size, connection interface, spindle speed, additional technologies.
Interface connection. Modern laptops are equipped with a SATA II connector - up to 3 Gb / s and SATA III - up to 6 Gb / s. These generations of interface are interchangeable, but to connect SATA III to the SATA II port and keep the maximum speed is not obtained.
Memory buffer size (cache) - view random access memory for temporary storage of intermediate data. When working with small files, the cache allows you to read the same data without using the magnetic plates of the hard disk. In theory, a larger amount of cache allows you to store temporary information in the memory buffer and do not disturb the HDD plates, but this is not always the case. The cache optimizes the system only if you use programs that process a lot of small data. When choosing equivalent models, preference should still be given to a larger cache volume. Modern HDD models are released with a cache in the range of up to 128 MB.
Spindle rotation speed
- directly affects the efficiency hard work disk. The higher the rotation speed, the faster the information is processed. It is measured in revolutions per minute (RPM). Standard spindle speeds:
5400 RPM – low speed rotation, suitable for archival data storage. Such drives are characterized by lower power consumption, quiet operation and a long service life.
7200 RPM - high rotation speed, excellent solution for OS installation. The drawbacks include high power consumption and strong heating, which is quite critical in laptops.
IntelliPower - technology that controls the speed of rotation, depending on the situation. Designed to reduce power consumption and heat dissipation of HDD.
Hard disks, having the same set of characteristics, can differ in speed of data exchange and cost. This is due to better optimization cache memory, another organization of the electro-mechanical node, a different number of magnetic disks for an equal volume. In notebooks, the data transfer rate reaches 147 MB / s, this is enough for the normal operation of the system.
2. Dimensions
Hard drives for laptops produce one form factor - 2.5 ", but the thickness is not a standardized indicator. When hDD selection first of all it is necessary to proceed from the data on compatibility with the laptop. The thickness depends on the number of magnetic plates (from 1 to 3) and varies within 5 -
Let's sum up the results
Proceeding from the foregoing, it's easy to weigh the pros and cons of HDD drives:
Price. The average SSD costs 4 to 5 times more than a traditional drive with the same capacity.
+ Volume. HDD drives for laptops are represented by a wide range of 1, 2, 3, 4 TB capacity, while SSD in notebooks reaches only 256-500 GB and significantly increases the cost.
+ Unlimited use cycle. In SSD, the lifetime directly depends on the number of cycles of memory block rewriting. The hard disk is not limited to rewriting cycles and is ideal for daily copying / deleting large amounts of information.
+ Ability to recover data for breakage.
Noise at work. Any device that has moving elements makes noise. The noise of modern hard drives is in the range of 20-35 dB (for example, whispers - 30 dB). For round-the-clock work, manufacturers are producing a line of hard drives with low noise.
- Low shock resistance. When operating the HDD, it is undesirable not only to subject them to shocks, but also to strong jolts, especially in working order. The reading head is located a few micrometers from the magnetic plates, even a strong vibration can lead to the appearance broken sectors. More often hard disks are vulnerable during transportation, do not throw / shake the laptop, even if it is in a protective case.
- Heat generation. Directly depends on the speed of rotation of the spindle and power consumption, HDD requires normal cooling.
- Read / write speed. The most significant point on which the HDD loses to solid-state drives. The speed is different, the difference is especially noticeable if the OS is installed on the drive.
Up to 5000 rubles- Hard drives with a capacity of up to 1 TB are available. At the same time, it is possible to select a high-speed model, but with a small capacity of 500 GB. A good option for an office laptop or Internet entertainment.
5000 - 10000 rub - this category is hard for 1-2 TB. At the same time, one should not forget what tasks a product has to cope with. If the main criterion of choice is speed, then you should consider 1 TB models with additional optimization technologies. With the storage of large amounts of information the HDD will cope with 2 TB, but do not expect speed.
From 10000 rub - for those who are not tight in finance, it is possible to pick up a hard disk that meets all advanced technologies. The accumulators are designed in such a way as to reduce the level of vibrations, heat release. Here HDD differ not only in high speed, but also in reliability.
A hard drive or hard drive is an important part of the laptop! It performs not only the function of information custodian, but also is the main component of the operating system. There are two types of modern hard drives: the internal drive is located in the notebook itself, external disk - connects to the laptop with the help of adapters. The choice of hard drive must be taken seriously, given its characteristics and purpose.
First, decide what kind of hard drive you need - internal or external, which basic functions it will perform: information storage, operating system operation, or it should be a variant of combined use of the hard disk. Also, when choosing a hard disk, consider the volume disk space - Modern hard drives can be from 500 MB to 3 TB. But do not think that the more, the better, ideally to purchase 2-3 hard disks of 750 MB - 1 TB, they will provide better storage of information, and in case of breakage, only a part of it will be lost. And in general, disks with large amounts of memory are less reliable.
When choosing a hard disk for a laptop, consider that your laptop is a mobile device, for it, a low-power hard drive will be more suitable. For the same reasons, the disk capacity should not exceed 750 MB (such a hard drive will be compact and economical in power consumption). And one more nuance: there is no sense to buy a high-speed hard drive, if your laptop has slow devices! Clearly determine the requirements for the hard drive and do not overpay for the properties you do not need.
The main storage of information on the laptop is the internal drive. Therefore, if you are updating an old device, you must correctly choose a hard drive for your laptop. How to choose the right model you will learn from this article.
Appointment
A hard disk is a permanent storage device that has a rewriting function. It stores all the data of the laptop from the operating system to multimedia and files.
Winchesters are internal and external. The first are mounted inside the case. They are an integral part of the device, because they install OS, programs and games. The second - connect to the device using a USB cable, have greater mobility and are more resistant to temperature and mechanical damage.
Characteristics
Form factor and thickness
Laptops are smaller than desktop computers, so they use hard drives with a form factor of 2.5 inches (in a PC - 3.5 inches). The compartment for them in the device has a certain size. Therefore, if the thickness of the HDD you bought is greater than that provided by the laptop manufacturer, you do not install the hard drive in place.
Before buying, find out what is the thickness of the internal drive suitable for your laptop. You can do this on the manufacturer's website in the description of the model. 
Scope
A person buys a new hard drive in order to get additional free storage space (interesting to read ""). The more data is stored on the laptop, the more capacious the internal drive should be. If you use a surfing device on the Internet, do not buy a large HDD.
In today's market, models with a capacity of 250 GB - 2 TB or more. With the increase in "capacity" of the hard drive, its value is growing. 
Rotational speed of disks
The higher the spindle rotation speed of the hard disk, the greater the level of vibration and noise. So do not buy high-speed hard drives for a laptop. The standard HDD rotation speed is 5400, 5900, 7200 or 10000 rpm. In order not to feel any discomfort during the work of the laptop, purchase a model with a rotation speed of 5900-7200 rpm.
Data read / write speed
This parameter is responsible for the speed of the computer. The more it is, the faster the information is processed: the OS is loaded, data is copied, programs and games are running. For modern gaming laptops, this parameter is very important, so choose a HDD with a high read / write speed.
Good to know! The speed of rotation of disks affects the speed of reading data - these parameters are interdependent.
Cache size
Information processing speed hard drive depends on the amount of cache. Now sell models with a cache size of 16, 32, 64 MB and more. With the increase in this parameter, the speed of the computer is increasing.
Manufacturer
Many companies collect hard drives. But, as shown by practice, the most reliable and high-quality models offer Western Digital, Hitachi and Samsung. Other vendors: Seagate, Toshiba, Lenovo, Fujitsu. 
For more information on how to choose a manufacturer, see the video.
Determining which characteristics of the HDD are the main ones, proceed to the selection of a suitable model. To do this, use a simple algorithm.
- Determine the amount of hard disk. For comfortable work it should be at least 500 GB.
- Select the connection interface. Find out which version of SATA is supported by the laptop. You can do this on the manufacturer's website in the technical specifications of the model. Modern PCs support the SATA III standard (transfer speed up to 6 Gb / s), the old ones - SATA II (up to 3 Gb / s).
Interfaces are compatible, they differ only in the speed of data transfer. But if your laptop does not support the SATA III interface, do not overpay for a more modern HDD model, because the data transfer speed will not exceed 3 Gb / s.
If the laptop has an mSATA or M.2 interface, select only those internal drives that are connected using this interface. - Determine what kind of hard drive you want to buy. The best option - Western Digital (WD) series Caviar Black. It is not worth buying cheap models - they can fail at the wrong time (it's useful to know "")
- Decide on the performance of the new HDD. Model with a rotational speed of 5900 rpm. and a cache memory of 16 MB - the minimum option for purchase.
- Read reviews on the Internet. If users complain about the model you have chosen, write that it constantly fails, "lags", select another hard drive (read the article "
How to choose a good laptop without getting too busted? The question is more urgent than ever. And, although, for the most part, the price of this type of technology depends on the characteristics of such details as the processor, video card and screen diagonal, there is one more nuance that also significantly affects the final price of the laptop. And this nuance is the capacity of the device for data storage. That's why experienced users often purchase a device with a minimum volume of the drive in order to choose a more suitable option in the future, which in any case will be cheaper.
Replacement of the "native" drive to the new one can also be caused by such reasons as its breakdown or the desire to expand the general functionality of the laptop. However, regardless of the reason, it is better to arm yourself with all the necessary knowledge beforehand so that the question of how to choose a hard disk for a laptop does not catch the user off guard.
Criterias of choice
What are the requirements for the hard drive?
To this type of equipment there are only two basic requirements: reliability and speed of operation.
Also worth noting that for a laptop you need to choose a compatible device. Otherwise, you do not connect it.
Reliability
There is really nothing to discuss here. A laptop is mobile computer, and therefore its hard drive should be strong enough and well withstand shaking and vibration. The main danger here lies in the fact that in the normal position the reading head seems to float above the surface of the disk, and any sharp jerk can lead to it hooking and damaging it. To date, this is the main reason for the failure of hard drives in laptops, and therefore it is better to give preference to special HDD models. They provide a special parking system for heads, which quickly leads them away from the surface after the end of work, thus minimizing the risk of damage.
Speed of work
Although this item is probably equally important for both laptops and PCs. This parameter is responsible for the time of loading and shutting down the laptop, as well as the overall speed of the tasks. In view of the fact that the battery life of the laptop is seriously limited, this item also plays an important role.
Can I use a regular HDD for a PC on my laptop?
Some fundamental limitations in this direction there. If the dimensions of the laptop allow, then it is possible to use a traditional drive. Only in the case it can not be inserted, it will hang separately on the wires, because The size of it exceeds the standard laptop slots for hard drives.
However, and here also has its own characteristics. Hard disks for desktop computers differ in two parameters: the size and the level of power consumption. Therefore, if the laptop battery can not provide a sufficiently high level of autonomy, it is certainly better to choose a special HDD for laptops. How to distinguish it from traditional? Here everything is simple - it will be presented by a form factor of 2.5 inches, while the classic format of a drive for a PC is 3.5 inches. See for yourself, it's not difficult to distinguish:
Connectors M.2 and mSATA
If you become a "lucky" owner of the M.2 connector, then the usual kind of disc will not suit you. The disk looks like this
In addition to the non-standard connector, here also the length of the disk can be different. In the picture we see disks whose dimensions, respectively, are denoted by 2280, 2260 and 2242, where 22 is the width in millimeters, and 80, 60 and 42 are the length in millimeters.
In the case of mSATA, the disks look like this:
mSATA is a kind of SATA, only in a reduced form.
HDD vs SSD - Is it better to give preference to solid-state drives?
In fact, the issue is extremely relevant. Recently, SSD have made a real breakthrough and quickly flooded the market. Every year the number of their adherents is steadily growing and it is not difficult to explain this. Solid state drives have a lot of advantages, among which the most obvious are:
- very high speed of writing and reading;
- high reliability (due to the lack of moving parts);
- there are practically no delays when working with data;
- SSD is not heated;
- does not vibrate;
- is characterized by absolute noiselessness;
- lighter and more compact than any HDD.
In general, it is enough to give preference to them. However, there is one feature of the SSD, which prevents them from completely replacing the traditional solution from the market - this is an extremely unprofitable ratio of price and capacity. There is already HDD out of competition.
In view of this lack of solid-state drives, special hybrids appeared on the market, representing a conventional HDD, with an integrated SSD module for processing the cache. They are quite affordable, but at the expense of accelerated caching data significantly increase the overall performance of laptops and computers. So it makes sense to pay attention to this option.
Where to choose and which manufacturer to give preference?
Perhaps the best answers to these questions are on the Internet. The latest updates usually appear in online stores and each product quickly overgrew with reviews. So before you are tempted by the bargain price and high technical characteristics of the product, it is better to study the comments of other visitors. If the goods really liked, and there is no feedback about it, you can also rely on the prestige of the brand.
For example, the hard drives of companies such as WD and Seagate demonstrate good performance and for many years retain the quality of products at the highest level. The same manufacturers as Toshiba, Hitachi or Sony, according to users, recently give up positions and are characterized by a high level of rejection. This fact should also be taken into account when choosing a hard disk.
Step-by-step instruction for choice
- First of all, we determine which drive to take: SSD or HDD. I strongly recommend installing the SSD. this upgrade will significantly increase the speed of the laptop, which has been tested repeatedly on various models.
- Now you need to select the volume. If you chose the SSD, then the minimum recommended volume is 120 GB. Operating system and all the programs have enough space. Video, photos, files and data files can be stored on a separate external hard drive connected via USB. For hDD drive it is better to choose the volume from 500 GB.
- The next step is selecting the interface. And here it is necessary to find out whether your laptop supports the SATA III interface (or SATA 6Gb / s in other words). You can do this by finding your model on the manufacturer's website. If suddenly only SATA II (or SATA 3Gb / s in other words) is supported, then there is no sense to overpay for a SATA-enabled disk. If there is no desire to find out anything, take immediately to the maximum SATA III, these interfaces are fully compatible, the difference is only in speed. Those. in the case of a "miss", the data will be transmitted at a speed slightly below the maximum possible. And it's very important not to make a mistake with the connector. If your laptop connects disks via mSATA or M.2, then no other disk can be installed. If in doubt, open the back cover of the laptop (usually with the HDD), remove the disc and compare it with the pictures given above. So you can identify your drive.
- Next, choose the manufacturer. There are a lot of them, so there is no point in listing them. The most popular HDDs are WD, Seagate and Hitachi, and for SSD the best are Intel, Samsung, Kingston and OCZ. ADATA produces the cheapest solutions. And of course, it is recommended not to focus on the manufacturer, but to look at specific models.
- The next stage involves choosing the performance. For HDD is better choose a rotation speed of 7200 rpm and a buffer memory of at least 16 megabytes. For SSD, choose at least 50,000 IOPS and write and read at least 250 MB / s.
- The next step is to study the disk models you liked about the "jambs". We need the service https://market.yandex.ru/. You need to drive in the Yandex.Market search line you like the model and carefully read the reviews. If suddenly it turns out that most users have some problems, then it is better to refuse from this model. If there is no feedback at all, then this model is not very popular and you take it at your own peril and risk. Popular models always have a lot of feedback. 3 ratings, average: 5,00 of 5)
