A 1TB SATA hard drive (HDD) is a mechanical storage device with a 1 terabyte (TB) capacity, designed to store data on magnetic platters. SATA stands for Serial Advanced Technology Attachment, which is the interface that connects the hard drive to the computer's motherboard. Here are the key features and specifications:
Key Features:
- Capacity: 1TB (1,000 GB) of storage, suitable for storing large amounts of data, including applications, documents, photos, videos, and more.
- Interface: SATA III, with a maximum data transfer rate of 6 Gb/s (600 MB/s), though real-world performance is typically lower.
- Form Factor: Typically available in two sizes:
- 3.5-inch: Common for desktop computers.
- 2.5-inch: Often used in laptops or compact systems.
- RPM (Revolutions Per Minute): Common rotational speeds are 7,200 RPM for better performance and 5,400 RPM for energy efficiency (especially in laptops).
- Cache: Often includes a cache (buffer) size ranging from 32MB to 128MB, which helps speed up data access by temporarily storing frequently used data.
- Power Consumption: Relatively low, though dependent on the size and usage (idle vs. active states).
- Durability: Mechanically durable but prone to wear over time, typically lasting several years with normal use.
- Weight: Usually around 400-600 grams for 3.5-inch models and around 100 grams for 2.5-inch models.
Applications:
- Desktop PCs: Primary or secondary storage for operating systems, games, multimedia files, and more.
- Laptops: Smaller 2.5-inch versions for portable computers.
- External Storage: Can be placed inside an external enclosure to serve as a portable storage solution.
This type of hard drive is still popular for its cost-effectiveness in providing large amounts of storage, although it is slower compared to modern solid-state drives (SSDs).