Advantages and Disadvantages of Hard Disk Drives | Benefits and Drawbacks of HDD

The computer hard disk drive is one of the essential parts of the entire computer system it is used as the primary storage device where all the important data and information is stored permanently.

The first hard disk was developed by IBM [International Business Machine] whose storage capacity was 5MB and weighted around 250 Kg.

The hard disk was invented in the Year 1956 by Rey Johnson American inventor and computer pioneer who worked for IBM also known as the father of Hard Disk Drive.

Computer hard disks are considered to be non-volatile memory this is because they don’t tend to lose the data when there is no power supply, unlike RAM which is a volatile memory.

In this article, we are going to learn 9 advantages and disadvantages of hard disk drives with the pros and cons of using HDD.

Let’s Start.

What is Hard Disk Drive?

Hard disks are also called HDDs, FIXED DISK they are considered to be the most reliable and popular secondary storage medium where user can store their important information permanently.

The Hard drives are made up of rigid materials, it has a disk-shaped platter made up of aluminum or glass and is coated with a thin layer of magnetic material the platters are hard and cannot be bent, therefore, are called fixed disk.

The Sizes of disk platters vary from 1 to 14 inches in diameter.

HDD records data by magnetizing ferromagnetic material directionally to represent either 0 or 1 in a binary form.

There are both advantages and disadvantages of Hard disk drives and hence a new storage medium has evolved into the IT market which is known as SSD (Solid State Drive).

Due to, some of the amazing features SSDs have cemented their place in the most challenging and competitive market around.

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Advantages of Hard Disk Drive [HDD]

The Computer hard disk is one of the most important parts of our computer system which enables us to store all necessary data/information.

As here in this section, we are only going to talk about some of the advantages of hard disk drive in points.

1. Storage Capacity.
2. NON-Volatile.
3. Cost.
4. Easy Availability.
5. Can’t Loose Easily
6. Faster than Optical Disks like DVDs and CDs.
7. Easily Replaceable and Upgradeable.
8. Cheap to Manufacture
9. Small in Size & Portable.

1. Storage Capacity.

The modern computer hard disk drive [HDD] has an enormous capacity to store a huge amount of data/information.

This is the major advantage of HDD as it is capable of handling such huge data almost permanently.

In the year 2023 desktop hard disk capacity varies from 1 to 8 terabytes and the largest capacity drive found is 24 terabytes.

Imagine the hard disk capacity in the year 1956 was 5MB and weighed around 250 Kg.

The IT industry is developing rapidly with new inventions occurring more frequently than ever before.

Many manufacturers are investing millions and millions of dollars in their Research and Development Wings to design and develop the highest quality product at less price.

2. Non-Volatile.

The computer hard disk drive [HDD] is non-volatile in nature they don’t tend to lose data when there is no power supply.

RAM [Random Access Memory] is a type of volatile memory that cannot hold or store data when there is no power supply.

Due to its nature to hold the data we install our operating system into the HDD which helps the computer system to boot.

Not only the operating system [OS] but all the important software and application which are very important for our system.

And hence the use of HDD is found more because of this feature which is good for people who needs to store huge data like images, pictures, videos, etc. on the hard disk.

3. Cost.

The cost of an HDD depends particularly on the capacity and size it’s obvious that the bigger the size the price.

The hard disk comes in a variety of sizes you need to choose from as per your requirements.

The cost of HDD is cheaper when compared to SSD [Solid State Drive].

The performance of SSD is far much better than Normal HDD the speed of SSD is much higher than that of HDD as the revolution per second is higher than HDD.

Therefore you should choose according to your needs if you need a performance-based drive you would go with SSD or if you are just not worried about speed you choose a normal HDD.

4. Easy Availability.

Due to the heavy demand in the IT sector especially in the computer peripherals division, the requirement for computer product increased dramatically, therefore, manufacturer around the globe has increased their production immensely.

The computer hard disk drive or SSD [Solid State Drive] can be found easily in the market as these manufacturers dumped their products which they have manufactured in huge quantities.

The bigger brands of hard disk manufacturers like Samsung, Toshiba, Seagate, etc. have also appointed their regional sales executives across every metro Politian city around the globe.

And their primary task is to look for the availability and redistribution of computer goods.

5. Can’t Loose Easily.

The Computer’s internal hard disk drive is fixed inside the case which is also called a computer cabinet with screws tightly attached to its four ends.

It is very difficult to lose your hard disk, unlike an external hard disk which is attached to a computer system using a USB port connected frontal or backside of the cabinet or case.

There is every possibility that you can forget your hard disk or even let stolen.

6. Faster than Optical Disks like DVDs and CDs.

The data transfer rate is high in hard disk drives compared to DVDs and CDs as well as the capacity to store the data /information is far more.

7. Easily Replaceable and Upgradeable.

The Hard disks are connected inside the computer cabinet with the help of screws. If your hard drive gets damaged or gets corrupted it can be replaced with a new one purchased from the market.

Hard disks are readily available in the market irrespective of their size, capacity, and manufacturer.

The hard disk can be easily upgraded to the new version without any fuss before doing so one needs to back up important data and information.

This should be periodically done to avoid corrupted data and any loss of data and information.

8. Cheap to Manufacture.

The raw material required to manufacture HDD is cheap therefore the cost of the Hard disk drives is as low as you can imagine.

The raw material purchase in bulk lowers the cost furthermore.

9. Small in Size & Portable.

The hard disk drives are small in size therefore they can be transported from one location to another easily.

Their size is really compact shape, therefore, they are easily fitted in the computer cabinet.

An external hard disk can be easily carried out in our bag as well as in our pockets from one location to the other also this hard disk possesses huge data which can be copied to other sources easily.

Disadvantages of Hard Disk Drive [HDD]

1. Speed
2. Noise
3. Gets Damaged Easily.
4. Power Consumptions
5. Fragility
6. Dependencies
7. Regular Backup
8. Irregular Startup and Shut Down

1. Speed.

The response time of the rotating drive is the time taken before the drive transfers data.. The factors that control this time on a rotating drive are mostly related to the mechanical nature of the rotating disks and moving heads.

The Speed of the hard disk mostly depends upon RPM (Revolution Per Minute).

The low-cost hard drives’ RPM can vary from 5200 RPM to 7200 RPM whereas the high-end hard disk uses 7200 to 10,000 RPM.

In simple words, it can be said that the hard disk tends to work faster whose RPM is higher compared to others.

2.  Noise.

The older hard disk has a moving part which is called a moving head and also consists of platters that vibrate and make an irritating sound

This Hard Disk has multiple disks that are called platters, they are arranged on top of each other and spin accordingly, each of the two sides is manufactured to store data, and these platters are used to read and write.

These read-write processes make a sound while working on a large application like installing windows, copying huge files, and multitasking like playing games and downloading stuff from the internet.

3. Gets Damaged Easily.

The hard disk consists of moving parts that platters rotate consistently to store and retrieve the data and information.

A Hard Drive has one head per platter with all heads mounted on a common arm, the head moves fast with vigorous speed across the disk; they are mounted on a rack which is called an actuator.

Because of the incredible speed, the hard disk can get damaged easily.

The speed of the hard disk is calculated in RPM [Revolution per minute].

Many modern-day drives spin the platters at 4200 rpm, 7200 rpm, 10,000 rpm, and 15000 rpm.

4. Power Consumption.

A hard drive consists of a spinning disk with heads that move over the disk and store data in tracks and sectors.

The continuous spinning of platters needs more power therefore it is considered that the power consumption of HDD is quite higher than other hard disks.

5. Fragility.

The hard disk drives are very fragile as they can be easily damaged when vigorously shaken.

They are less vulnerable when they are attached to the computer cabinet. Shaking or vibrating can easily damage their heads.

Even when somebody drops a working hard disk drive from some height they tend to easily stop working and the need for the replacement is found must in the majority of cases.

6. Dependencies.

The hard disk drives completely depend upon the moving parts known as heads and platters.

These parts continuously move inside their area and if suddenly they stop working entire hard disk fails to respond.

Sometimes this over-dependency can cause data loss.

8. Regular Backup.

The data and information inside the hard disk drive [HDD] need to be periodically backup to other sources.

The hard disk is a device with lots of moving parts and can get easily damaged therefore one should regularly take a backup of important data.

The lost or deleted data is very difficult to recover, Yes of course data recovery is one of the options but it is very costly.

Therefore precautions are the best solution for this sort of problem.

9. Irregular Startup and Shut Down.

When the heads are powered off, however, in most drives they land on the platters as they stop Spinning.

While the driver is running, a very thin cushion of air keeps each head suspended for a short.

The improper shutdowns of the operating system or irregular electric current can damage the hard disk by producing bad sectors which are very difficult to repair.

What are the 4 Types of Hard Drives?

• PATA hard drives.
• SATA hard drives.
• SCSI hard drives.
• NVMe drives.

Benefits and Drawbacks of HDD in Table

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5 Uses of Hard Disk Drive

A computer hard disk drive is a very important device of computer system that is capable of storing and fetching data and information with high speed and accuracy.

They are one of the most reliable devices of any computer system that is widely used and utilized over the years.

5 External Hard Drive Advantages and Disadvantages

There are various significant advantages and disadvantages of external hard disk drive that are mentioned below.

Types of Storage Devices?

• Hard Disk
• Solid-State Drive
• Pen Drive
• Blu Ray Disk
• SD Card
• CD Drive
• DVD Drive
• Memory Cards
• Floppy Disks
• Disk Packs
• Paper Storage (Punched Tapes, Punched Cards)
• Magnetic Tapes

5 Advantages and Disadvantages of hard disk drives in Points

Below I have mentioned some of the advantages and disadvantages of hard disk drives

• Storage Capacity
• Non Volatile
• Cost
• Easy Availability
• Faster than optical disks like DVDs and CDs.

Disadvantages of HDD

• Speed
• Noise
• Gets Damaged Easily.
• Irregular Startup and Shut Down
• Regular Backup

Top 5 Hard Disk Manufacturers

Frequently Asked Questions [FAQs]

Conclusion

I hope the article 9 advantages and disadvantages of hard disk drives have solved your entire question regarding your issues about the uses of hard disk.

If you have any queries or questions related to the pros and cons of the hard disk drive. 

Please feel to contact me and also if you need to add or remove something from the article which I may have forgotten to do so, please feel free to chat with me in the comment section

Share this article with your friends and colleagues this motivates me to write more on related topics.

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