Computers use hard drives or mass storage devices to permanently store data. Digital information is important because it tells the computer what to do; without it, a computer just can’t function. It communicates with the computer by connecting to the motherboard through a hard drive controller which generally acts as an interface from the hard drive to the processor and vice versa.
What the hard drive controller does is basically manage all of the drives that are linked to it and interpret the commands that are sent by the processor then route them to the appropriate hard drive. Hard drives are grouped according to interface and the most common one is the Serial ATA or (SATA).
Compatibility is important, otherwise if a hard drive is connected incorrectly to the hard drive controller, transmission of data from one device to another won’t take place.
Hard drives basically consist of a motor, platter, read and write head, actuator, interface, jumper, and a power supply. Its technical specifications include the capacity, which is the main feature to consider when choosing an internal hard drive. It is the amount of data or digital information that can be stores on a hard drive.
Transfer rate is also a main factor in choosing the right hard drive. It’s basically the amount of data that is being read or written to or from the disk in a certain time frame. Another specification that needs thorough examination is the rotational speed. The platter turns in a counter-clockwise direction and the rotational speed is measured according to the number of the platter’s rotations per minute.
The best hard drives run at a 7,200 RPM or better. The faster it rotates, the faster its transfer rate. Other features that need to be considered are the interface, cache memory, average access time, latency, and more.
With all the products available on the market today, it is very challenging to look for the perfect internal hard drive that will tailor fit all your computing needs. To help you out, here’s a list of the top internal hard drive brands in 2016. These manufacturers produce the best storage devices on the market.
Seagate is one of the top brands for storage devices. It produces a series of hard drive units that perform impressively, considering their respective price points. Seagate is the manufacturer of portable storage devices that have the largest capacity. Its most recent hard drive models even have a personal Cloud service feature.
Most of its products target computer-savvy people who need really huge data storage space. Its main focus is capacity, but it also has also been configured to provide impeccable data transfer performance.
HGST is one of the most reliable companies in the storage device industry. All of its products guarantee excellent performance in both major and minor data storage and file transfer needs. This company has produced a series of top notch quality and innovative storage devices in the hard disk and solid state drives categories.
The company is focused on creating storage devices which are optimized to store, manage, and protect digital information. Aside from the expanded storage capacities, its products are now designed with increased speed and maximum data protection.
Western Digital WD
One of the top names that dominate the storage device industry is Western Digital or WD. The brand is a very reliable name, especially when discussing performance and quality for hard drives – both external and internal.
The best thing about WD hard drives are their compatibility with a wide array of systems. They are especially compatible with NAS systems. This means that it works great with AV storage applications, such as the Windows Media Center.
Additionally, the WD is considered one of the top brands for hard drives because of the added feature that allows it to perform optimally in arduous conditions. WD has developed a feature that protects the data while it is being transferred. It even has a management support system that ensures the data is not corrupted in the event of power interruptions.
It works efficiently while reducing the drive’s power consumption, temperature, and noise. A majority of its products are more expensive than the regular hard drive products, but you can rest assured that your files are protected and the transfers will only take a few minutes.