Finding the best hard drives on a budget is vital to anyone getting a system within their means. If you’re shopping for a hard drive, chances are you want something that’s speedy and reliable. You needn’t spend a fortune to get those qualities: our list of the best hard drives on a budget list have some great options keeping under $50.
Hard drives are the most important part of any computer as it stores essential data. While they have come a long way in their development, the hard drive is still one of the most important parts of any computing device that are constantly replaced. If you are looking for the best hard drive, consider these options carefully.
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Which Brand Of Hard Drive Is Most Reliable?
Which brand of hard drive is the most reliable? There are many factors to consider when buying a hard drive. Factors such as the number of years that the brand has been in business, reviews about the product and most importantly reliability ratings will determine which hard drive is best for you.
It is also important to note that not all drives are made equal so choosing from a well known manufacturer will increase your chance of having a quality product that will last for years to come. All that being said, we consider Seagate the best hard drive brand followed by Western Digital.
How Many Years Does A Hard Drive Last?
A hard drive will last years. According to the Consumer Electronics Association, a typical laptop today has a hard drive that lasts for five years under normal use. If you’re storing data, such as family photos or financial records, then make sure you back up your drive regularly so if it does fail then you don’t lose all your data.
Hard drive lifespan is determined by many factors, notably current technology, quality of manufacturing and lifespan of previous models. Regular use of a hard drive will eventually cause it to start slowing down. The average hard drive can last from 5 to 10 years, depending on how often it is used.
Our List Of 10 Best Hard Drives On A Budget
If you are looking for the best hard drives on a budget, you may want to consider these options. The budget of every individual may vary, but it won’t get any cheaper than these for the quality you will get. Here are the 10 best hard drives on a budget that money can buy.
Toshiba MK3276GSX 320 GB Internal Hard Drive (MK3276GSX)
Western Digital WD5000AVDS 500GB 5400RPM 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5inch Internal Hard Drive (for Desktop PC, Surveillance Storage) (Renewed)
This Western Digital WD5000AVDS is a SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5inch internal hard drive that operates at a spin speed of 5,400 rpm. It has a cache size of 32 MB and a buffer size of 8 MB. The capacity of this hard drive is 500 GB, with its dimensions being 1.0 x 4.0 x 0 in. Please note the product is in a renewed state.
You can expect a maximum performance speed from this drive which is 234 MB/s when reading data and 150 MB/s when writing data as well as an average seek time of 9 ms. This device costs $14.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating on this product is 70% from 177 reviews, which is decent for industry standards.
500GB Toshiba 2.5-inch SATA laptop hard drive (5400rpm, 8MB cache) MQ01ABD050V
This 500GB Toshiba 2.5-inch SATA laptop hard drive combines high performance and capacity in one reliable drive with a 5-year limited warranty. The MQ01ABD050V is compatible with many PCs and Macs so you can use it to store your important school or work files.
It has a spindle speed of 5,400 rpm and a cache of 8MB. This product costs $17,99, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 74% from 1,814 reviews, which is good for industry standards.
Western Digital WD AV-GP 500GB 32MB Cache SATA 3.0Gb/s 3.5inch (CCTV DVR, PC) Internal Hard Drive (Low power, Quiet) -w/1 Year Warranty
Western Digital AV GP 500GB Internal Hard Drive is a perfect fit for any computer, gaming or home theater applications. WD AV GP hard drive has an incredible transfer speed of up to 3 Gb/s of data. It comes with a 32 MB cache and a capacity of 500GB.
These are quality drives designed for reliability and performance under the harshest conditions, longevity and warranty coverage that can be counted on to ensure your data is safe and accessible when you need it most. The cost of this WD hard drive is $18.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 70% from 825 reviews, which is decent for industry standards.
WD Blue 500GB Desktop Hard Disk Drive – 7200 RPM Class SATA 6Gb/s 32MB Cache 3.5 Inch – WD5000AZLX
The WD5000AZLX features a higher capacity and performance for systems that demand high capacity storage. Delivering sequential read speeds up to 7,200 rpm, this hard drive delivers fast performance and data access for demanding applications. The 32MB cache buffer boosts performance, reducing seek time and improving responsiveness when multiple applications are running simultaneously.
It features a serial ATA interface and a capacity of 500 GB, which can handle most simple requirements. This WD Blue costs $25.88, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this product is 78% from 216 reviews, which is very good for this industry.
HP/Seagate Constellation ES ST2000NM0011 (649401-003) 2TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s 3.5inch Internal Enterprise Hard Drive OEM – w/1 Year Warranty (Renewed)
The HP/Seagate Constellation ES ST2000NM0011 is designed for the use in arrays, but can work with any system. The hard drive uses a 64MB cache buffer to improve data transfer speeds and time while providing optimal performance to server applications, workstations and other devices. It has a capacity of 2TB and a spindle speed of 7,200 rpm.
They are ideal for database, file and print server workloads, as well as e-mail and collaboration applications. The HP/Seagate Constellation costs $29.99, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this device is 70% from 70 reviews, which is decent for industry standards.
Western Digital 1TB 2.5″ Playstation 4 Hard Drive (PS4)
The Western Digital 1TB 2.5″ Playstation 4 Hard Drive (PS4) provides ample storage space for your PS4 console and saves you time by allowing you to load games faster and turn on/off the console instantly. The upgrade offers plug and play functionality, so you won’t need any additional software to enjoy this hard drive.
For added convenience, this drive works with PS4, PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim models. It has a cache of 8MB transfer rate of 3 Gb/s. This device costs $41.83, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five star rating for this product is 83% from 2,879 reviews, which is excellent for industry standards.
HGST Ultrastar HUS724040ALE640 (0F18567) 4TB 64MB 7200RPM SATA 6Gb/s 3.5in Internal Enterprise Hard Drive – 5 Year Warranty (Renewed)
The Ultrastar HUS724040ALE640 hard drive uses Advanced Data Encryption Standard (AES) 256-bit software encryption to protect your data from unauthorized access. This device has a 4TB capacity, with a 64MB cache and spindle speed of 7,200 rpm.
The Ultrastar 7K4000 is designed for superior reliability with an annual failure rate (AFR) of less than 0.4%. Using HGST’s Rotary Returning Wave Pump technology, this drive delivers cooler operation that reduces power consumption by over 20% and noise levels by nearly 10db.
This product costs $47.50, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 66% from 65 reviews, which is average for industry standards.
MaxDigital 4TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA III 6.0Gb/s (Enterprise Storage) 3.5″ Internal Hard Drive w/2 Year Warranty
MaxDigital 4TB hard drive is designed for users who need an ample amount of storage space. Its high performance and reliability make it perfect for both work and play. The 7,200 rpm speed delivers fast data transfer speeds, while the 64MB cache provides excellent productivity. It supports SATA III 6.0Gb/s interface and is compatible with 1st generation of Serial ATA II as well as second generation of Serial ATA III.
The device has a two year warranty and costs $49.99, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 70% from 495 reviews which is decent for industry standards.
WL 4TB 7200RPM 64MB Cache SATA 6.0Gb/s (Enterprise Grade) 3.5″ Hard Drive (for Server, RAID, NAS, DVR, Desktop PC) w/1 Year Warranty
The WL 4TB 7200RPM 64MB Buffer Enterprise Hard Drive is the perfect high-performance storage solution for any data-intensive application. With an operating temperature of 0°C – 60°C, this hard drive can withstand almost any operating condition. With a rotational speed of 7,200 rpm and a large 64MB buffer, this hard drive can transfer data quickly and efficiently for tasks such as video and audio editing, software development, CAD/CAM applications and gaming applications.
With an MTBF (mean time between failures) of 1.2 million hours, you can rest assured that the hardware that powers your business won’t let you down. This device costs $49.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 67% from 369 reviews, which is average for industry standards.
Best Hard Drives On A Budget Conclusion
We conclude that the best hard drives on a budget depends on the needs and preference of the individual. We have shared the best options under $50, if your budget is higher, you could always find another choice from the list we shared above.