Installing Windows 10 on 5400 RPM drives is a bad idea

2 min. read

Published on March 17, 2017

published on March 17, 2017

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According to many Windows 10 users, the end of the 5400 RPM drive era is here. Microsoft’s latest OS is too disk intensive for the slow read and write speed of the 5400 HDD. Despite various tweaks and settings changes, somehow the 5400 RPM drive and Windows 10 combo doesn’t offer satisfying results.

As one Windows 10 user points out, computer manufacturers still offer the 5400 as the base for both the consumer and business computer models. However, its limitations are now becoming more obvious.

It feels like the end of an era. Windows 10 is forcing HDDs to be demoted to storage, not OS. This just hasn’t seemed to happen in years. […] There have been instances that push hardware, but the machines still function.[…]

Here, you can’t work at speeds that people are used to working. I guess it is just my experience, but the average to advanced customer can’t perform at a reasonable speed like they could previously. And honestly, I have stopped recommending or allow the purchase of 7200 HDDs in desktops: unless the desktop has tons of RAM and a super fast CPU.

Goodbye HDDs. It has been a long, long relationship. We can still be friends though: data friends, with no benefits.

5400 RPM hard drives are no longer suitable for users who need to access data quickly. Moreover, many users report that Windows 10 often uses 100% of the disk on 5400 RPM hard drives, slowing down all the apps and programs.

However, they do offer a series of advantages. For example, a 5400 RPM laptop consumes less power, resulting in better battery life and less heat.

The fact that 5400 RPM hard drives are slow on Windows 10 has forced many users to stick to their existing OS. They perceive this limitation as another argument against Microsoft’s Windows 10 upgrade invitation.

Another reason to not upgrade my 5400RPM laptop to Windows 10. The list keeps on getting bigger

What do you think? Has the end come for Windows 10 on 5400 RPM drives?

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More about the topics: hard drives, windows 10

Madalina Dinita

Networking & Security Specialist

Madalina has been a Windows fan ever since she got her hands on her first Windows XP computer. She is interested in all things technology, especially emerging technologies -- AI and DNA computing in particular. Prior to joining the WindowsReport team, she worked in the corporate world for a number of years.