Hard Drive

Computer hard drives contain all the data in your PC, from the operating system to music, movies, and video games. Whether you have a laptop or a desktop computer, there are several types of hard drives to choose from. The most common hard drives for PC interfaces are PATA, SATA, and SAS.

HDDs Provide Up To 10TB of Storage Space

HDDs use platters to perform their essential functions. A motor spins the plates while an actuator arm reads and writes on them. Inside the computer hard drives, there's also an I/O controller that communicates with the other components of the computer system. SSDs, instead, use flash memory.

For this reason, SSDs are much faster. They also tend to generate less heat inside the computer case and consume less energy than HDDs. Since they have less fragile internal parts, SSDs are generally more durable. However, computer hard drives can have up to 10TB capacity, while SSDs can only handle up to 4TB of storage space. Thanks to their speed, SSDs are standard as boot drives. HDDs, instead, work better as mass storage devices.

Explore Newegg’s selection and shop hard drives to find the perfect storage solution for your computer needs.

Are PATA Desktop Hard Drives Compatible With Older Computers?

PATA hard drives require broad, ribbon-like cables for connection to the motherboard, which could lead to increased heat buildup within computer cases, particularly in laptops. To accommodate multiple PATA hard drives in your PC, ensure proper configuration using jumper settings. In this setup, one drive serves as the primary connection to the computer, while additional drives are linked in a secondary position.

Modern motherboards typically feature primary and secondary PATA channels to facilitate these connections. The PATA standard supports data transmission at speeds up to 133MBps, offering reliable performance for older computer systems. Check out Newegg’s range of computer hard drives to explore compatible options for your system.

SATA Drives Are Faster and Require Less Bulky Cables

SATA computer hard drives offer impressive data transmission speeds ranging from 150 to 600MBps, significantly enhancing overall PC performance. This speed boost translates to quicker load times for applications and games. Unlike PATA drives, SATA drives connect directly to the motherboard via smaller cables, promoting better airflow within the computer case.

Each SATA drive establishes an independent connection to the motherboard without needing hierarchical configurations. Additionally, compact cables allow greater flexibility in mounting hard drives anywhere inside the computer case, with SATA cables typically extending up to a maximum length of 3.3 feet.

SAS Internal Hard Drives Offer Superior Reliability

Thanks to their speed and reliability, SAS drives are common in servers, data centers, and business computer systems. They can run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and handle up to 1.6 million hours of use at 45°. When you shop hard drives, consider that while SATA drives offer more capacity and lower power consumption, SAS drives use cables up to 33 ft in length, catering to the needs of large or complex servers. Employing a redundant array of independent disks (RAID), they prevent data losses and downtime. If one drive fails during operation, the data remains accessible on another drive.

Explore and shop all of Newegg’s hard drives for PCs and find the match that suits your needs and enhances your system's performance.