14 Best Hard Drives for Windows 10 [High Performance]

WD Black

• Designed for creative professionals, gamers, and system builders
• 2X DRAM cache up to 256 MB for faster read operations
• Comes in sizes between 500 GB and 8 TB
• Designed to intensify your PC experience
• Compatibility: PC and Mac

• Customer service needs improvement

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This is another hard drive from Western Digital, and it comes with a dual-core processor, which makes it faster than its predecessors. Thanks to the dual-core processor, this drive offers the best performance while loading games or large multimedia files.

We must also mention that drives with 2TB and larger have StableTrac Technology. This technology secures the motor shaft inside the hard drive, reducing the impact of vibrations.

This is a SATA III drive, so it offers transfer speeds of up to 6Gbps. The 5TB and 6TB models offer 128MB cache, thus ensuring the best performance.

Thanks to the WD Dynamic Cache Technology, your cache will be optimized for reading and writing sessions.

Additional features include High-Resolution Controller, Improved Data Protection, Vibration Control Technology, and Corruption Protection Technology. There’s also NoTouch Ramp Load Technology available.

WD Black is a great 3.5-inch hard drive, and you can get it on Amazon. If you require more space, models up to 6TB are available.

Seagate Exos 7E8

• Advanced Write Caching coupled with TurboBoost provides better performance Minimizes the risk of losing data due to unexpected power loss
• Supports between 1 and 16TB of data with an easy-to-integrate SATA HDD
• Tackle heavy applications 24x7 with high performance
• Reduce TCO with customizable power options

• Make sure you buy the model from the right seller

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Seagate has always been good at creating quality HDDs, and the Exos series is yet another proof of that.

They are designed to withstand excessive wear and tear and are a powerhouse engineered for the most demanding storage environments.

Besides, they also have a feature called PowerChoice that lets you regulate the HDD’s power consumption to keep costs as low as possible.

WD Red Pro NAS

• Features error recovery controls with NASware 3.0 technology
• Enhanced reliability with 3D Active Balance Plus technology
• Available in versions between 2 TB and 18 TB
• Supports up to 300 TB/yr workload rate
• 7200RPM performance class

• May have a short lifespan

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The Western Digital Red Pro NAS HDD is a great piece of work for those who need extra storage space, especially since their smallest model can still store up to 2 TB.

They are reliable in terms of data safety, and even if something were to happen to them, the error recovery controls with NASware 3.0 technology would protect them.

Besides, the WD Red Pro is ideal for archiving and sharing, as well as rebuilding RAID arrays on extended operating systems, making it great for large-scale businesses.

Seagate Skyhawk

• Built-in RV sensors allow drives to maintain performance in multi-bay systems
• Lower power consumption reduces heat emissions and improves reliability
• Built for surveillance DVR and NVR security camera systems
• Available in storage capacities between 1 and 16 TB
• Support workloads of up to 180TB/year

• Can be a bit noisy

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While some HDDs are made for the common user who doesn’t do much on their PC besides gaming, working, and browsing, the Seagate Skyhawk series of HDDs is made for heavy-duty wear and tear.

They are created specifically for storing security footage, and this means being able to record data constantly over a long period and be able to resist complete wipes at a given interval.

Well, if that’s what you are also looking for, the Seagate Skyhawk i the HDD for you, so get it today!

Seagate Barracuda

• Build a powerhouse gaming computer or desktop setup with a variety of capacities and form factors
• Allows you to compute faster and do it confidently with proven reliability
• The go-to SATA hard drive solution for nearly every PC application
• Great for editing music, video, or photo editing
• Great for those that use their PC intensively

• Only available in 2TB

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When it comes to sheer speed and processing power, an SSD is by far better than an HDD, but if you really need the HDD’s maximized storage capacity, then meet the Seagate Barracuda.

Although their model is only available in 2TB versions, it is so fast and reliable that it more than compensates.

Made for resource-intensive activities such as multimedia editing and gaming sessions, the Seagate Barracuda is built for speed!

Western Digital Caviar Blue

This hard drive has a SATA II interface and 16MB cache. It’s a 3.5-inch device designed for your desktop PC. The drive has 7200 RPM and offers a transfer speed of 3Gbps.

We have to mention that this hard drive uses NoTouch ramp load technology, so the recording head never touches the disk media, thus reducing the wear of the recording head.

The drive supports RAID 0 and RAID 1 technology, so it can easily be used with your other drives.

If you want to replace your old hard drive, you can download WD Acronis TrueImage from the WD support section and use it to safely copy all your files to this hard drive.

Western Digital Caviar Blue is a decent hard drive. The 750GB model costs $42.50. Cheaper models offer less capacity.

Western Digital Caviar Blue is a SATA II drive, and that’s its biggest flaw. A new model with SATA III support is also available, so if you need more speed, we strongly suggest that you check the updated model.

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Hitachi Ultrastar

Hitachi Ultrastar comes with a 3TB capacity, and it offers transfer speeds up to 6Gbps thanks to the SATA III connection.

The drive has 7200RPM, and it offers a 64MB cache. We also have to mention that this is a 3.5-inch hard drive, so it will work with your desktop PC without any problems.

This drive comes with Dual Stage Actuator (DSA) and Enhanced Rotational Vibration Safeguard (RVS) features. Hitachi Ultrastar offers great performance, and it will deal with any demanding application without any problems.

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Toshiba P300

Toshiba P300 is a 3.5-inch hard drive, so it will be perfect for your desktop computer. This drive uses a SATA III connection, and it offers 6Gbps speed along with 7200rpm.

Toshiba P300 has Native Command Queuing (NCQ) feature that enhances the seek-time performance. There’s also an internal shock detection and ramp-loading technology that will help you protect your drive and data.

Thanks to the Tunnel Magneto-Resistive (TMR) recording head technology this drive provides enhanced stability. Toshiba P300 uses a Perpendicular Magnetic Recording (PMR) technology that provides higher capacity and reliability.

The drive also has a built-in cache algorithm and buffer management that enhances reading and writing performance.

Toshiba P300 is a perfect hard drive for any task and compatible with all major operating systems. Regarding the capacity, models from 500GB to 6TB are available.

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HGST Deskstar

HGST Deskstar is a SATA III hard drive so it provides you with 6Gbps speed. This is a desktop 3.5-inch hard drive and it offers 7200 RPM.

The device is optimized for NAS systems and can be used in consumer or commercial desktop NAS systems. As for additional specifications, this drive comes with a 64MB cache buffer for fast data access.

This drive uses Rotational Vibration Safeguard (RVS) technology, which anticipates potential disturbances and reacts to them to maximize performance. Regarding compatibility, this drive is compatible with both Windows and Mac PCs.

HGST Deskstar is a great hard drive, and it’s available in sizes from 3TB to 6TB.

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Seagate Archive HDD V2

If you want to store many files, Seagate Archive HDD V2 might be perfect for you. This drive is efficient at storing files and is ideal for archiving them.

This is a SATA III drive, and it supports speeds up to 6Gbps. The device uses low-power data retrieval based on Shingled Magnetic Recording (SMR) technology.

This drive is optimized for cold data storage, so it is probably not for you if you plan to use your data frequently. However, it supports Self-Encrypting Drive (SED) technology, so your files will be securely stored.

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WD Blue

Another device from Western Digital is WD Blue. This hard drive is a 3.5-inch device, so it will work with your desktop PC. The drive uses SATA III interface, so you’ll get 6Gbps speed. WD Blue offers from 16MB to 64MB cache, and it comes with 5400RPM

The drive uses IntelliSeek technology that calculates optimum seek speeds, thus achieving lower power consumption, noise, and vibration.

The drive also uses Data LifeGuard technology that constantly monitors your hard drive and checks its health.

NoTouch Ramp Load Technology is also present, and thanks to it the recording head never touches the disk surface thus keeping your data safe.

There are several models available ranging from 500GB to 6TB. Regarding the price, you can get the best offers on Amazon. We have to mention that this drive doesn’t come with any cables or screws, so you’ll have to purchase them separately.

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Seagate IronWolf

This hard drive is optimized for NAS systems, and it comes with the AgileArray feature. The drive comes with dual-plane balancing, RAID-optimized firmware and advanced power management. Due to its features, this drive is perfect for smaller 1-8 bay NAS systems.

This is a 3.5-inch SATA III drive, and it offers up to 6Gbps transfer speed. In addition, the drive has 256MB cache. There are several Seagate IronWolf models available, and you can get the best offers on Amazon.

If you need more space, models up to 10TB are available. Seagate IronWolf is perfect for NAS systems, so it might not be the most suitable hard drive for basic home users.

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Seagate Desktop

Unlike the previous entry on our list, this one is designed for desktop computers and home users. This is a SATA III drive and it supports transfer speeds up to 6Gbps.

This 3.5-inch drive comes with a 64MB cache, so it will be perfect for all primary PC users. The 8TB and 5-6TB models have 256MB and 128MB cache, respectively.

We have to mention that this drive offers solid performance thanks to the Seagate AcuTrac servo technology. There’s also an Instant Secure Erase feature that will protect your files.

The drive has 5900 RPM, and several capacity models are available, ranging from 500GB to 8TB.

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WD Red

This is another hard drive optimized for NAS systems, and it will be perfect for smaller systems up to 8 bays. This drive comes with NASware 3.0, which provides optimal performance and compatibility.

The drive has 5400 RPM and offers 16 to 64MB cache. Regarding the interface, it uses SATA III, so it can achieve speeds up to 6Gbps.

As for the capacity, you can choose a model with up to 8TB of storage space. This is an incredible hard drive. Since this is a hard drive for NAS systems, it might not be the best choice for primary home users.

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