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Hard Disk Drive (HDD)

pc

A Hard Disk Drive (HDD) is a data storage device that uses magnetic storage to retrieve and store digital information using one or more rigid rapidly rotating disks (platters) coated with magnetic material.

expanded

Hard Disk Drives are used extensively in computers and other electronic devices to store operating systems, applications, and user data. They are valued for their large storage capacity, relatively low cost per gigabyte, and non-volatile storage capabilities. HDDs operate by reading and writing data through a moving actuator arm that accesses the magnetic surface of rapidly rotating platters, making them a common choice for backups and high-volume storage solutions where speed is less critical than storage capacity.

examples

Seagate Barracuda ST1000DM010: A 1TB capacity HDD with a rotational speed of 7200 RPM and a 6Gb/s SATA interface.

Commonly used in desktop computers for general data storage needs where cost efficiency is prioritized over speed.

Western Digital Blue WD20EZAZ: A 2TB HDD with a rotational speed of 5400 RPM and a buffer size of 256 MB.

Often found in home and office PCs where large files such as videos and photos are stored, highlighting the balance between storage capacity and moderate performance requirements.

related terms

Storage
Storage refers to the component or device used to store digital data within a computer system.
Boot drive
A boot drive is the storage device from which a computer loads its operating system at startup.
Solid State Drive (SSD)
A non-volatile storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies to store data persistently.
Partition
A partition is a logical division of storage space on a hard disk drive (HDD) or solid-state drive (SSD).
Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA)
SATA is a computer bus interface used for connecting host bus adapters to mass storage devices like hard drives and optical drives.