Limited Capacity
One disadvantage of internal hard drives is their limited capacity compared to external storage options. The average consumer-grade internal hard drive today ranges from 1-2TB, while prosumer models max out around 10TB (Source). However, external drives can offer much higher capacities – currently up to 16TB for single external HDDs and into the petabytes for rackmount storage arrays.
For most home users, 1-2TB is sufficient for an internal drive. But media collections, backups, and other data storage needs are growing faster than internal drive capacities. As internal drives fill up, users must delete old files or add external drives for overflow storage. Compared to external options, internal drives offer smaller maximum storage limits before users must expand their setup.
Risk of Failure
One potential disadvantage of internal hard drives is their risk of failure compared to external drives. Internal drives have many mechanical parts, including drive heads, platters, and motors, that can break down and fail over time [1]. Being fixed inside a computer makes them more vulnerable to power surges, drops, accidents, and other hazards that can damage internal components. According to Backblaze’s drive statistics, internal hard drives tend to have a 3-5 year average lifespan before failure [2]. In contrast, external drives can be positioned carefully to avoid shocks and disconnect from power to prevent surges. For those concerned about data integrity and drive longevity, the higher risk of failure is a key downside of internal hard drives.
Difficult to Transfer Data
One disadvantage of internal hard drives is that they can be difficult to transfer data from since the drive is fixed inside the computer case. To install or replace an internal drive, you must open up the computer case to access the drive bay. This requires unplugging all cables, unscrewing parts of the case, and handling sensitive internal components. It is a complicated process compared to external drives which simply plug into a USB port.
Adding a new internal drive also requires reinstalling the computer’s operating system and applications. The drive needs to be formatted and partitioned before use. All software and data must be reloaded onto the new drive. This ensures the operating system recognizes the new drive. It is a time-consuming process versus portable external drives which are plug-and-play across different computers.
Because internal drives are fixed inside the computer case, transferring data to a new computer is difficult. The entire drive must be removed and installed in the new computer. Portable external drives make data transfer easy since you can simply unplug them from one computer and plug them into a new one. The data remains intact and recognizable. Overall, the limited accessibility of internal drives hinders the ability to transfer data.
Limited Connectivity
One of the key disadvantages of internal hard drives is their limited connectivity options compared to external drives. Internal drives can only connect to a computer’s motherboard via internal cables like SATA or IDE cables inside the computer case (https://www.upgradenrepair.com/computerparts/hard%20drives/hd_identification.html). This means internal drives lack the ability to easily move data to and from other devices that external drives offer through USB, Thunderbolt or other external ports.
With their confinement inside the computer case and reliance on internal cables, internal drives cannot be connected directly to other computers or devices to transfer files or access data like an external drive can. The data on an internal drive stays isolated within that computer unless complicated steps are taken to remove the drive and connect it to another PC.
This limitation of internal connectivity can create challenges if you need to migrate data to a new computer or access files on the go. You would either need to copy the data to an external drive first or install the internal drive in an external enclosure to use it externally. So if easy connectivity and portability are priorities, an external drive would be better suited than an internal model.
Less Portability
One key disadvantage of internal hard drives is that they offer less portability compared to external portable hard drives. As explained by PC Guide, “Internal drives come with a variety of benefits that include larger storage capacity, ease of formatting, and protection inside your computer.”[1]
Internal hard drives are fixed inside a desktop or laptop computer case. They are not designed for portability like external portable hard drives. As StoragePartsDirect notes, “Internal hard drives are typically faster and more reliable than external hard drives, but they can be more expensive. External hard drives offer portability…”[2]
If you need to transfer large amounts of data or transport files frequently, an external portable hard drive will be easier to use. Internal hard drives do not offer the same flexibility and mobility as a portable external drive.
[1] https://www.pcguide.com/hdd/guide/internal-vs-external/
[2] https://www.storagepartsdirect.com/spd-blog/external-vs-internal-hard-drive-a-comparison/
Data Recovery Challenges
Internal hard drives can be more difficult to recover data from than external drives in some cases. Unlike external drives, recovering data from an internal drive requires opening up the computer case to access the drive. This is an added complication compared to external drives which can simply be disconnected.
Internal drives are also physically closer to other computer components that generate heat and electromagnetic interference. This can potentially lead to a higher rate of hardware failures and data corruption issues compared to external drives which are housed separately.
According to Secure Data Recovery, internal hard drives are susceptible to data loss from issues like controller board failure, seized motor, and head crash. These types of mechanical and electronic failures require advanced data recovery methods to attempt extracting data from the damaged drive [1].
Wear-leveling technology used in modern solid state drives also presents unique data recovery challenges for internal drives. As DTIDataRecovery explains, wear-leveling means deleted files on SSDs can be overwritten at any time, complicating recovery efforts [2].
Overheating Risks
Internal hard drives are susceptible to overheating due to their placement inside computer cases, which often have limited ventilation and airflow. The closed environment leads to heat buildup, especially when other components like the CPU and GPU are generating high amounts of heat. According to Fields Data Recovery, hard drives rely on internal motors and moving platters that are sensitive to high temperatures. Prolonged overheating can lead to mechanical failure or crashes.
With no active cooling like external drives, internal HDDs are prone to heat-related damage. As explained by SalvageData, common causes include inadequate ventilation, dust buildup on vents, and high ambient temperatures inside the case. The results range from performance throttling to permanent motor or platter damage. Internal drives essentially bake inside hot cases, putting them at higher risk of overheating failures.
Upgrade Limitations
One disadvantage of internal hard drives is that they are limited by the physical size of the computer case. There is only so much space inside a laptop or desktop computer to accommodate larger hard drives. Most consumer laptops max out at 1-2TB of internal hard drive space before requiring a bulky external hard drive.
Upgrading internal hard drives also requires compatible connections to the motherboard. Most modern computers use SATA connections which have limited bandwidth compared to newer technologies. Older computers may rely on IDE connections which have even lower maximum capacities. This reliance on backwards compatible connections limits the speed and capacity possible with internal drive upgrades.
According to Reddit users, the storage limit for internal M.2 SSD upgrades on devices like the Steam Deck is about 2TB due to the connections and physical space limitations. To reach larger capacities, external USB drives become necessary. But these provide lower speeds and portability compared to high-capacity internal drives.
Performance Bottlenecks
Internal hard drives can suffer performance bottlenecks due to speed limitations from internal interfaces and components. Most internal hard drives connect via slower SATA or IDE interfaces inside the computer. This caps their maximum data transfer speeds, often to around 120-150MB/s for SATA3 drives. External hard drives are not limited in this way and can utilize much faster connections like USB 3.0 (up to 625MB/s), USB 3.1/USB-C Gen 2 (up to 10Gbps), and Thunderbolt 3 (up to 40Gbps) (1). This allows properly equipped external drives to outperform internal drives under optimal conditions. External SSDs in particular can reach incredible speeds over fast connections that internal SSDs struggle to match (2). However, not all external interfaces are created equal. Lower bandwidth connections like USB 2.0 offer only 60MB/s transfers, much slower than modern internal SATA3 drives. The interface can make or break the performance of an external drive.
Sources:
(1) https://www.partitionwizard.com/clone-disk/internal-vs-external-hard-drive.html
(2) https://www.crucial.com/articles/external-ssd/external-ssds-vs-internal-ssds
Security Vulnerabilities
Internal hard drives face greater security risks than external drives in some ways. Since internal drives are fixed inside a computer case, they lack physical security measures like encrypted casings which many external drives have. This potentially makes data on internal drives more susceptible to malware or physical theft if the computer is accessed by an unauthorized user.
For example, an external drive with hardware encryption must be connected via USB and unlocked with a password or key before data can be accessed. Internal drives have no such protection and their data is accessible as soon as the computer boots up [1]. Malicious programs or users could access internal drive data without needing to crack encryption or pick locks.
Additionally, because internal drives stay with the computer, they are more likely to be stolen along with it in the event of theft. External drives are separate and can be hidden or taken to protect sensitive data. Given most laptop thefts are motivated by resale value rather than data theft, external drives provide reliable security through physical separation [2].