What exactly is a hard drive?

Every computer has a hard drive which is where our pictures, documents, music and videos are stored. Also stored is essential data from programs and your operating system. While they are capable of storing quite a bit of data, they do have their limits. Once computers reach that limit, you’ll start to notice your web pages loading insanely slowly and you might not be able to add new data.  If this sounds like your computer, you could use a new hard drive upgrade. 

Why upgrade your hard drive?

So how do you know when it’s time to upgrade your hard drive? Well, for starters, it’s time to upgrade your drive if you get notifications or errors that tell you that there is no more space. There are options in this situation. If you are in need of more hard disk space, you can upgrade to a larger drive. It will not only increase space for storage, it will speed your computer up.

External hard drives are also a good option for someone who wants to clear out pictures and document data and not change anything inside their device. You can duplicate and store all of your important files on the external hard drive for extra protection and security. Ultimately, upgrading your hard drive will result in better performance from your computer. 

What are your options for upgrading your hard drive?

You essentially have two options when determining what type of hard drive you want to upgrade to: you can buy a hard disk drive or an SSD.  

A hard disk drive (HDD) is a version of a hard drive with a motor that spins disk-shaped platters which holds the data. Small heads attached to motors read the data from the spinning platters. HDDs come in an array of storage sizes and the prices are usually pretty affordable.

Solid State Drives or SSDs are another affordable option for hard drive upgrading. Unlike HHDs, they do not contain any moving parts and are quicker at reading and retrieving data. Because of this, they are usually more expensive than HHDs but are often more favored.

You should choose a new hard drive based on your storage size needs and budget. Another crucial consideration is your device’s capabilities as some devices can only use a certain kind of hard drive.

Installing a New Hard Drive

Both HHDs and SSDs do involve using certain tools to take the computer apart and disconnecting the components like the motherboard. If you don’t have any experience in computer hardware or are nervous about the process, feel free to bring your computer to your local Billings Tech Guys store location. Our technicians would be more than willing to give you advice or help with your new hard drive upgrade.