When purchasing a new desktop computer or upgrading an existing one, one of the key considerations is the size of the hard drive. The hard drive is where all of your data, applications, photos, videos, music and other files are stored. Choosing the right capacity hard drive ensures you have enough storage space for all your needs both now and into the future. But what exactly is considered a good size hard drive in 2023 for a desktop computer? Let’s take a closer look.
What Capacity Hard Drives Are Available?
Hard drives for desktop computers are available in a wide range of storage capacities. Here are some of the most common sizes available today:
- 250GB – 500GB – Smaller capacity drives suitable for basic usage
- 1TB – 2TB – Medium capacity drives good for most home users
- 3TB – 5TB – Large drives for power users with large storage needs
- 6TB – 10TB – Very large drives best suited for specialized usage like video editing or gaming
- 12TB+ – Extra large drives for extreme storage requirements
The range spans from modest 250GB hard drives to mammoth drives over 12TB. With so many options, how do you determine what capacity you really need?
Factors That Determine Ideal Hard Drive Size
There are several key factors to consider when choosing the right desktop hard drive size:
1. Operating System and Software
The operating system, business applications or creative programs you run require a minimum amount of free space to function properly. For Windows 10, you need at least 20-25GB of free space. Creative programs like video editing or photo editing suites take up a lot of drive space. The applications you need to run on a daily basis should be taken into account.
2. Media Storage Needs
Do you have a large collection of photos, videos and music you want to store digitally? Larger media files like HD video clips can quickly consume drive space. Even seemingly small collections of media files can take up more room than expected. Review how much space your media libraries require both now and projected into the future.
3. Gaming Storage
Modern video games often require anywhere from 25GB on the low end up to over 100GB per game on the high end. The storage capacity required depends on the games you play. Budget sufficient drive space if gaming is a priority.
4. Future Growth
Always think about your future storage needs, not just current requirements. Files have a tendency to expand over time as new ones are created. Buying more capacity than you need today gives room to grow.
5. Budget
Hard drive pricing scales up with larger capacities. Make sure to get a capacity justified within your computer budget. Going above your budget for extra unused space now is unnecessary. External drives can often be added later if needed.
Recommended Hard Drive Sizes
Taking all these factors into account, here are some general recommendations for desktop hard drive sizes for different types of users:
Basic Users
250GB – 500GB drives are suitable for users with basic needs like internet, office apps, light personal media storage and moderate gaming. This covers most home and student users focused on web browsing, productivity and light media usage.
Mainstream Users
1TB – 2TB drives are the mainstream desktop size suitable for most general home users. This capacity handles operating systems, common software, a sizable media collection and some games storage with room to grow.
Power Users
3TB+ drives are best for enthusiasts who have large media libraries, play lots of demanding games, run creative suites or have other specialized storage needs. Video editors, gamers and other power users require 3TB+ capacities.
Extreme Users
Drives 6TB and above are overkill for many users. These extra-large capacities are useful for enterprise, servers and niche applications like video surveillance systems. Most home users will find drives this big unnecessary.
Choosing the Right Interface
Along with drive capacity, the interface used is also an important consideration:
HDD Interfaces
Common hard disk drive interfaces include:
- SATA III – Provides 6Gbps data transfer speeds, the latest SATA interface used on most internal hard drives.
- SATA II – 3Gbps transfer speeds, an older SATA interface still found on some drives.
For optimal performance, choose a HDD with the SATA III interface.
SSD Interfaces
For solid state drives, typical interfaces are:
- SATA III – 6Gbps speeds, used by 2.5 inch SSDs.
- PCIe – PCI Express drives that plug directly into motherboard slots. Delivers faster speeds over 10Gbps.
- M.2 – A more compact form factor SSD that also utilizes the PCIe interface for fast speeds.
For best SSD performance, choose M.2 or PCIe drives over older SATA models.
Hard Drive Cache Size
The cache on a hard drive is high-speed memory that acts as a buffer between the main drive and the computer’s main RAM. Larger cache sizes improve read/write performance.
For HDDs, common cache sizes are:
- 8MB Cache
- 16MB Cache
- 32MB Cache
- 64MB Cache
For desktop use, a HDD with at least 32MB or 64MB of cache is recommended for optimal performance.
For SATA III SSDs, cache has less impact on everyday performance. Even budget SSDs without any cache are much faster than HDDs.
RPM Speed for HDDs
The rotational speed of a hard disk drive affects how fast data can be accessed from the drive platters. Two common speeds today are:
- 7200 RPM – Standard speed found on most desktop HDDs.
- 5400 RPM – A slower speed used on low-cost and laptop hard drives. Not ideal for desktops.
Always choose a 7200 RPM desktop hard disk drive over a 5400 RPM model. The faster rotational speed improves overall performance when accessing stored files and launching applications.
Form Factors
There are two common form factors to consider when choosing a desktop hard drive:
3.5 inch HDD
The traditional 3.5″ desktop drive size offers the highest capacities for internal hard drives. Models up to 12TB and beyond are available in this larger form factor. 3.5″ drives require more power and space but deliver the most storage capacity inside desktop cases.
2.5 inch HDD or SSD
Smaller 2.5″ drives are designed to fit in laptops but can also be installed in desktops using an adapter bracket. 2.5″ hard drives max out at 5TB capacity currently. 2.5″ solid state drives in SATA or M.2 form factors are very popular for desktop use thanks to their compact size and lack of cables.
Drive Noise and Heat
Compared to SSDs, hard disk drives involve spinning platters so noise and heat levels need consideration:
- Noise – 7200 RPM HDDs produce more audible noise vs 5400 RPM models. Liquid cooling and sound dampening cases can help reduce potential desktop system noise.
- Heat – HDDs release more heat than SSDs. Adequate airflow and cooling is important to maintain drive temperatures in a desktop environment.
Proper desktop cooling and noise-optimized cases can help keep HDD noise and temps in check. Or choose an SSD for a silent zero-moving part solution.
Drive Reliability
Drive reliability is a very important characteristic when storing important data. Here are some general guidelines regarding HDD and SSD reliability:
Hard Disk Drives
Due to the mechanical nature of traditional platter-based hard drives, HDDs have a higher failure rate versus solid state drives. Annualized failure rate (AFR) provides a reliability measurement of the average percentage of drives in a population that fail each year.
Typical AFR rates for HDDs are:
- 1% – 2% for consumer-grade hard disk drives
- 0.5% – 0.8% for enterprise/NAS rated HDDs
Drives rated for 24/7 NAS usage offer better reliability ratings on average.
Solid State Drives
With no moving parts, SSDs are less prone to physical failure resulting in much lower failure rates:
- 0.2% – 0.5% annual failure rate for consumer SSDs
- As low as 0.05% for enterprise SSDs
SSDs offer around 2x to 4x better annual reliability compared to consumer HDDs when used in desktops.
Hybrid SSD + HDD Drives
A hybrid hard drive combines a traditional hard disk drive with a smaller solid state drive acting as a high-speed cache to boost performance. The SSD cache improves read/write speeds while the HDD provides abundant lower cost capacity.
How do hybrid drives compare for desktop use?
- Pros – Faster than HDD alone, cheaper than SSD alone.
- Cons – Slower than pure SSD, more complex setup.
Hybrid drives can be a good compromise that adds some SSD performance to an HDD. Just don’t expect full SSD speeds from a hybrid configuration.
RAID Arrays
For advanced desktop users who demand both speed and huge storage capacity, a RAID array combines multiple individual drives together into a single volume.
Common RAID desktop drive setups include:
- RAID 0 – Stripes drives for faster speed, but no redundancy.
- RAID 1 – Mirrors two drives for reliability.
- RAID 5 – Stripes drives and adds parity for redundancy and error recovery.
RAID gives higher performance, capacity and redundancy. But requires a RAID controller and properly configured drives.
Recommendations by User Type
Given all these factors, here are some specific hard drive recommendations for different desktop users:
Basic Users
500GB – 1TB SATA III Hard Drive (7200 RPM, 64MB cache)
Mainstream Users
1TB – 2TB SATA III Hard Drive (7200 RPM, 64MB cache)
Or 500GB SATA III SSD
Enthusiasts & Power Users
2TB – 6TB SATA III Hard Drive (7200 RPM, 64MB cache)
Or 1TB – 2TB SATA III SSD
Or 250GB+ M.2 PCIe NVMe SSD + 2TB+ HDD
Specialty Users
8TB+ SATA III Hard Drives
RAID 5 or 10 array of multiple drives
Or 4TB+ M.2 PCIe SSD
Conclusion
The ideal desktop hard drive size depends on your storage requirements now and in the future. For most mainstream home and office users, a 1TB to 2TB SATA III hard disk drive or SATA III SSD in the 500GB to 1TB range is recommended. Power users should look to 2TB+ HDD capacities or PCIe M.2 SSDs. RAID arrays or multi-drive setups provide enhanced performance and storage for specialty users. Consider your budget, usage needs and interface when choosing the right desktop drive. Allow for future growth and leave some headroom beyond your current storage demands.