| How to Select A Hard Drive For Your PC | | Print | |
Deciding on the appropriate hard drive is a personal decision made according to an
individual’s computing needs. These days, 20 gigabyte, up to 40 gig, 80 gig, 100 gig
and even larger are common. When pricing hard drives, it is common to see very
little price differences between smaller size drives and larger. For instance, the price
difference between a 20 gig and a 40 gig may be only twenty dollars. An old rule of
thumb among the computing community has always been to buy the largest hard
drive that you could possibly afford since everyone loads and uses more software
than they initially imagine they will, and since that will put off the need to upgrade
the computer the following year. However, if your budget is limited remember that a
20, 30 or 40 gig hard drive is plenty for the average user.
These hard drive sizes would astound a computer user from the 1980’s or early
1990’s. Back then hard drives were sized in megabytes, not gigabytes. The original
IBM PC commonly had a ten Meg or twenty Meg drive, and when the thirty Meg drive
came out it was considered absolutely gigantic. However, that was a time of smaller
programs, less software and before Windows dominated the home computer world.
When choosing a hard drive you should always remember that the type we are most
familiar with is called Parallel ATA type. A new type, serial ATA, is gaining popularity.
This type is much faster – as much as twenty percent – and has other benefits
including improved airflow. Your hard drive will need flowing air because it is
constantly rotating at extremely high speeds and generates heat. The airflow helps
the hard drive stay cool and run properly.
Most of the name brand hard drives are fine quality and it is hard to go wrong if they
are purchased from an authorized reseller. If you buy your hard drive from an OEM –
original equipment manufacturer – or from a discount store be sure to check out the
warranty. When choosing a new hard drive, keep several things in mind: size
measured in gigabytes, size physically measured in inches, speed, and brand.
When looking at brands, there are many good choices. Choose a brand you’ve heard
of and trust. Possibilities from good companies include Maxtor, Quantum, Western
Digital, Fijutsu, Toshiba, and IBM among others. When looking at price, remember
the old adage “you get what you pay for.” A wise shopper will look around for the
best price, but price isn’t the only thing here. A low price without a warranty, or from
a dealer you don’t trust, could just cost you more in the long run. Fortunately with
hard drives the manufacturer provides warranties on new drives, but a company
willing to back up their product and replace a defective drive out of inventory can
save you lots of hassle and downtime. Size of drive in gigs, as said before, will have
little price difference in certain increments and are usually very small.
Figure out what each gig is costing you on each drive. Take a calculator into the
store and do the math, then make your choice. Size physically is important because
you must have a hard drive that fits the slot in your particular computer. Hard drives
come in two primary sizes. The smaller, standard size is the size of a 3.5 inch floppy
disk drive. The larger type is the size of a CD ROM drive. Larger drives tend to cost
less, but most computers have enough slots for smaller, standard drives and most
computer users consider them a little more preferable.
Speed is used to describe the revolution speed of the spinning hard drive. The faster
the better of course, but check out the price difference when going from a relatively
slow hard drive to a faster drive and see if the price difference is really worth it. After
all, the hard drive is really spending most of its time waiting for you to type in data.
In summary, choosing a hard drive is as individual as choosing a car, but most
people want as much size and speed as they can afford. Ask your friends, check
online message boards, and perhaps members of a local computer users group to
see what other people’s experiences have been, analyze all of your options and then
make a wise decision.
Hard Drive Size – Why It’s Important
The hard drive disk of a computer is the primary storage device of the computer. It
is a non-removable device that retains all the information when the computer is
turned off. A fast hard drive supplies the computer with data as fast as it needs.
Hard drives are measured in Gigabytes (GB) and the larger the number, the more
storage the computer has. When looking at purchasing a new home computer or
laptop, it is important to understand how the hard drive works with your computer
and how much storage capacity you will need.
When saving information on your computer, the application is recorded on a
magnetic platter inside the hard drive. Most hard drives have several platters that
allow them to spin up to 15,000 times per minute. The amount of hard drive space
the computer has will affect how much data that can be saved. The data on a hard
drive can be deleted or erased from the memory at any time and does not need a
constant power supply to save the information.
It used to be that hard drives were small and had a capacity of no more than 5 MB,
now most new computers and laptops have no less than 40 GB. Some hard drive
capacities can exceed 120 GB. Today, computers with these capabilities can store a
massive amount of information, videos and photos without getting bogged down.
Choosing a hard drive can be confusing if you are not familiar with what to look for.
Hard drives can have a very high capacity and they can be very small. It is important
when looking at hard drive for your computer or laptop to know what you need.
Performance in a hard drive can vary dramatically. There is nothing more frustrating
than trying to save information and learning your hard drive is full. If you plan on
using your hard drive to store a minimum amount of information, you may not need
to spend the extra money on a bigger hard drive.
For storing large files, videos, music and pictures, your computer will need to be
equipped with a larger amount of hard drive space. You can purchase 160 GB and
bigger of hard drive space on most computers. The general rule of thumb for
purchasing hard drive space is to purchase the largest amount of space you think
you will need and that you can afford.
Price is another factor when choosing the right hard drive size. The most common
size of hard drive for the money ranges from 60 to 80 gigabytes. These hard drive
sizes are readily available on most operating systems. They are a good economical
choice for computer users needing the computer for everyday storage and use.
Besides the size of the hard drive and purchase price consider access times and
transfer rates when looking at hard drives.
The transfer rate is how much data can be transferred per second. This can vary
though, depending on the condition of the computer. A computer that is nearly full
may have a much slower transfer rate.
Transfer rates come in either internal or external. The internal transfer rate is how
fast the hard drive can read the date.
The external transfer rate is how fast the drive can speed data to whatever it is
connected to. Usually, the transfer rate will be a little slower than listed, so it is best
to get a faster transfer rate. The external rate is link to the type of hard drive that
the computer is using. Be aware that hard drive speed is affect by the computer’s
capabilities. If your computer is slow, a bigger and faster hard drive will do you little
good.
Also, if your computer is operating slowly, a bogged down hard drive may be the
problem. If your computer system is running slow, deleting unnecessary files from
the hard drive. Defrag is another option used to optimize slow hard drive systems.
Fragmentation of the hard drive occurs when the operating system breaks a saved
file into separate pieces and stores them in other places.
This usually happens when there is not enough room to store all the date. Defrag
takes those stored file fragments and pieces them back together again. The process
can be time consuming, but is a good way to optimize hard drive space and the
speed of the computer.
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