Hard drives are used to store data, most of which is very important. The last thing you want is for your hard drive to fail, so you'll need to find a reliable hard drive that's up to the task.

Hard drives tend to fall into three main categories: consumer, Network Attached Storage (NAS), and enterprise. You must find the correct type of hard drive for your purpose.

With that in mind, here are the most reliable hard drives you can buy right now.

Our Top Picks for Hard Drives You Can Rely On

Seagate Exos X14 drive
Seagate Exos X14
Best Overall

Fast and reliable

With fast transfer speeds and exceptional performance, the Seagate Exos X14 is one of the best HDDs you can rely on. It's also incredibly power-efficient, too.

Pros
  • High-performance hardware
  • Power-saving features
Cons
  • Expensive

The Seagate Exos X14 uses Helium technology which offers eight times the performance of conventional magnetic recording. The drive features a 7,200 RPM spindle speed and runs with 256MB of cache. The Exos X14 is capable of pushing transfer speeds of up to 261MB/s.

The Seagate Exos X14 is an HDD powerhouse with all of its components combined and features a 12Gb/s SAS interface. While it's an expensive initial outlay, the Seagate Exos X14 is designed for data centers that require reliable, power-efficient hard drives. Seagate's PowerBalance efficiently manages power.

You can manage your Seagate HDD to cater for random read/write operations or even when idle. The Seagate Exos X14's power-saving features pitted against the overall performance are a worthwhile investment.

Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS reliability
Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS
Most Reliable

Low power consumption and low noise

$160 $175 Save $15

If a large-capacity HDD is what you're looking for, the Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS is a reliable option that won't draw much power. You'll find the bundled software extremely useful, too.

Pros
  • Long warranty
  • Bundled data recovery services
  • Drive management software
Cons
  • Expensive

The Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS is home to Seagate's range of professional hard drives. The range boasts high reliability and capacity, offering storage solutions for businesses and professional consumers.

The Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS packs 7,200 RPM and 8TB storage capacity in a 3.5-inch form factor. Not only does this IronWolf Pro come with a health management system, but it also affords a two-year data recovery service.

If you're looking for a professional, reliable hard drive that offers low power consumption and little to no noise, the Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS is one of the best out there. Although they are more expensive than similar counterparts, the level of quality is definitely worth the investment.

WD Black WD10SPSX SATA
WD Black WD10SPSX
Best Value

Affordable yet reliable

$55 $62 Save $7

Affordable, but with plenty of storage capacity, the WD Black WD10SPSX is a professional-grade HDD you can rely on without spending a fortune.

Pros
  • Affordable
  • Great build quality
  • Reliable
Cons
  • Not the fastest drive available

The WD Black WD10SPSX is an excellent alternative to a more expensive SSD. It boasts a large capacity coupled with good performance and an attractive low price. This hard drive is a solid budget option if you're looking to store mass amounts of video, audio, or high-resolution image files.

The WD Black WD10SPSX sports 64MB of cache memory, dual processors, 6Gbps SATA support, and Native Command Queuing. These features are incredibly speed-friendly and help your HDD perform quickly, even when under pressure.

While you'll never get high-performance speeds close to an SSD with the WD Black WD10SPSX, it is much more significant in terms of storage capacity and is cheaper. For individuals looking to store lots of data at a low cost, this hard drive is a no-brainer.

WD Blue WD40EZAZ mechanical HDD
WD Blue WD40EZAZ
Best for Performance

High performance at a low price

$68 $90 Save $22

For improved desktop PC performance, investing in the WD Blue WD40EZAZ is a great choice. And, if you need to store a lot of files and data, sizes go up to 6TB.

Pros
  • More affordable than an SSD
  • Great performance
  • Large capacity
Cons
  • Synthetic performance is mixed

The WD Blue WD40EZAZ is a reliable alternative option to an SSD, offering improved performance on desktop PCs for those who want to use a high-capacity HDD. Due to its 3.5-inch form factor, this hard drive is not suitable for laptops.

While measuring 2MB sequential speeds, the WD Blue WD40EZAZ averages out at around 142MB/s read and the same with write speeds. Although the WD Blue may look like any other HDD, it features 8GB of NAND cache and boasting performance boosts with compatible desktop PCs.

There's a range of capacities available up to 6TB. While this HDD offers mixed synthetic performance, it is a compelling hard drive with a large capacity at an affordable cost.

WD Gold WD2005FBYZ
Most Storage

Impressive storage capacities up to 22TB

$97 $109 Save $12

One of the issues with HDDs can be the noise level. The WD Gold WD2005FBYZ uses helium to reduce vibrations, as well as storage capacities up to 22TB.

Pros
  • Up to 22TB storage
  • Power efficient
  • Reliable
Cons
  • Performance can be uneven

The WD Gold WD2005FBYZ is in the line of Enterprise Class HDDs. It boasts an impressive 2.5 million hours of MTBF, making it incredibly reliable. The helium-filled HDD produces limited vibration and requires less power.

When being written to, the WD Gold WD2005FBYZ runs cool to the touch. You can quickly transfer the maximum storage amount in one fell swoop without the drive exceeding 100°F.

Western Digital has made bold claims about the WD Gold being capable of up to an 18% increase in sequential performance. This is compared to the WD Red Plus.

The WD Gold WD2005FBYZ certainly performs well. However, there are occasions where you'll see dips in performance, like during large-block sequential transfers.

WD Velociraptor WD1000DHTZ
WD Velociraptor WD1000DHTZ
Fastest HDD

For when you need something a little quicker

Compared to SDDs, HDDs provide slower transfer rates. The WD Velociraptor WD1000DHTZ offers fast speeds, a range of size options, and 1.4 million hours MTBF.

Pros
  • Fast RPM
  • Extremely reliable with a high MTBF
  • Multiple size options up to 1TB
Cons
  • 1TB maximum size option

The WD Velociraptor WD1000DHTZ is one of the fastest SATA hard drives around. This makes it a great choice if you're looking for a durable storage solution that can take on heavy-write workloads. Of course, an SSD would be faster, but an HDD takes the competitive edge with these types of workloads over a longer period of time.

The heatsink frame not only gives the WD Velociraptor WD1000DHTZ a one-up in terms of style, but it also offers better build quality overall. Using Torx screws, the HDD is secured to the heatsink to protect it, and to ensure it keeps going for longer.

In fact, this HDD has one of the highest reliability ratings with 1.4 million hours MTBF. It's ideal for storing large video and audio files, photos, and more.

WD Red WD40EFZX
Best for Network Storage

The ideal network storage solution

Perfect for NAS owners, the WD Red WD40EFZX is a reliable HDD that has a range of storage options to choose from.

Pros
  • Tuned for NAS applications
  • Designed for consumers and businesses
  • Highly reliable
Cons
  • Doesn't perform as well in multi-drive small block sequential speeds

The WD Red WD40EFZX is suitable for NAS owners who want to leverage the capacity of their network storage device. This hard drive performs exceptionally well in multi-drive environments and offers some of the best large-block sequential read and write speeds.

The WD Red WD40EFZX comes with NASware 2.0, which is optimized for NAS environments. It can offer 24/7 operation with reduced noise and power consumption. The hard drive is available in a range of storage capacities from 1TB to 14TB.

Allowing you to monitor performance via the SMART command set, the WD Red WD40EFZX enables users to keep an eye on all aspects of the hard drive, including reliability. While it doesn't perform as well in small block sequential speeds, it certainly shines in most other areas.

SanDisk G-Drive Pro SSD
SanDisk G-Drive Pro SSD
Best SSD

Super-fast and reliable

$1000 $1750 Save $750

Capable of daisy-chaining up to 5 devices, the SanDisk G-Drive Pro SSD is one of the most reliable SSDs around. It offers impressive speeds too.

Pros
  • Stackable
  • Easy daisy-chaining
  • Thunderbolt 2 backward-compatible
  • Solid, durable enclosure
  • Up to 20TB of storage
Cons
  • Very expensive

Designed with a high endurance rating, the SanDisk G-Drive Pro SSD is a solid and reliable hard drive that can be daisy-chained for up to 5 devices. With dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can connect multiple displays, drives, and more, making it perfect for large data transfer and storage.

The stackable aluminum enclosures not only look more stylish, but they save on space too. The SanDisk G-Drive Pro SSD is compatible with Windows and comes Mac-ready; ideal for studio-level storage with high transfer speeds.

With a whopping 7.68TB of storage and speeds of up to 2600MB/s, the SanDisk G-Drive Pro SSD is a reliable hard drive that can be used for many purposes.

Toshiba X300
Toshiba X300
Most Versatile

Huge storage space on a versatile drive

With a range of size options on offer, the Toshiba X300 is a reliable, stable, and quiet HDD that won't get too hot under load.

Pros
  • Size ranges from 4TB to 18TB
  • Quieter than most HDDs
  • Doesn't get hot under load
Cons
  • Higher capacity options tend to be more expensive per gigabyte

If you're hunting for a reliable hard drive that offers consistent speeds, low power, and low noise, you won't find much better than the Toshiba X300. This hard drive comes with an internal shock sensor, so the drive slider is kept away from the platters when it's not being used. This is especially useful if you need to remove the hard drive and place it into another slot or device.

Although HDDs are notoriously louder than SDDs, the sound is dampened a lot on the Toshiba X300 thanks to the helium filling. It makes operation even quieter, and the power draw is minimal. Plus, it doesn't get hot under load, so it's ideal for transferring large data files like photos and videos.

Western Digital Ultrastar data center hdd
Western Digital Ultrastar
Most Silent

For when silence matters

$189 $238 Save $49

Though HDDs and SSDs can't compete with each other, the Wester Digital Ultrastar gives SSDs a run for their money with near-silent operation and high-quality components.

Pros
  • Enterprise-grade components
  • Vibration detection
Cons
  • Western-Digital-Ultrastar

The Western Digital Ultrastar packs a 6Gbps SATA and spins at 7,200 RPM. While it will never compete with an SSD, the Ultrastar can store large chunks of data, ideal for images, videos, and games.

The Western Digital Ultrastar comes with an RVS feature that protects against vibrations. This is backed by the HelioSeal technology, offering higher capacities like this 12TB HDD, making it more reliable.

Compared to desktop-class HDDs, the Western Digital Ultrastar has a workload rating of up to 550TB per year. While expensive, the Ultrastar drives come with a five-year warranty and are incredibly easy to install.

Toshiba MG08ACA16TE
Toshiba MG08ACA16TE
Best Protection

The perfect enterprise hard drive

$230 $253 Save $23

The Toshiba MG08ACA16TE offers large storage capacities while running at a low temperature. It's not the quietest HDD on the market, but the low vibrations definitely help.

Pros
  • Massive storage capacity
  • Great value for money
  • Low vibration
Cons
  • Quite noisy

The Toshiba MG08ACA16TE is among the most reliable of Toshiba's range of professional hard drives. It boasts a large 8TB storage capacity, giving you great value for money for a hard drive of this quality and price.

The Toshiba MG08ACA16TE features persistent write cache technology that offers premium protection for your device during sudden power loss. This ensures that your data is safe at all times, and with a whopping 18TB of storage, it's good to know that all that data is safe.

With read and write modes only using up to 9.1W of power, the low operational power profile offers excellent power efficiency, driving down running costs and keeping the operational temperature lower.

Seagate BarraCuda Pro Drive
Seagate BarraCuda Pro
Most Durable

Fast and durable

$216 $238 Save $22

HDDs aren't the most stylish hard drives around, but the Seagate BarraCuda Pro doesn't look too bad compared to most. It also offers large storage capacities and great performance.

Pros
  • Extremely fast HDD
  • Solid performance and construction
  • Plenty of storage space
Cons
  • No NAND buffer

Out of the box, the Seagate BarraCuda Pro looks the part. However, it's not just about looks; this hard drive comes with two years of data recovery service, so you'll feel confident your data can be recovered if something happens to the drive.

This sturdy and durable hard drive comes in a variety of sizes and leads the way in terms of random read and write performance. It can effortlessly store and transfer data, thanks to its 7200 RPM speeds. And, with a large 14TB capacity, you'll have plenty of room to store videos, photos, or even older games.

Buying the Most Reliable Hard Drive

The risk of losing your important data, including files, photos, music, and more, is daunting. Investing in a reliable hard drive is one thing, but there are other factors to consider like speed and capacity.

A higher spindle speed, such as 7,200 RPM, for instance, will be about 20 percent faster than a 5,400 RPM HDD. A hard drive with better performance is almost always the better solution, especially if you're transferring large amounts of data.

Similarly, you may need to consider whether the hard drive you're purchasing comes with any power-saving features or power management software. If you can efficiently manage the power of your HDD, you'll draw less power from your PC, improve efficiency, and ensure your hard drive lasts longer. For network storage, the Seagate IronWolf Pro NAS is one of the most reliable hard drives you can get. If you're on a budget, the WD Black WD10SPSX still offers incredible performance, without the price tag.

But, if you want the best of the best, the Seagate Exos X14 is one of the most reliable hard drives you can get your hands on. And, thanks to its Helium technology, the performance results make the investment a sensible choice.

Seagate Exos X14 drive
Seagate Exos X14
Best Overall

Fast and reliable

With fast transfer speeds and exceptional performance, the Seagate Exos X14 is one of the best HDDs you can rely on. It's also incredibly power-efficient, too.

Pros
  • High-performance hardware
  • Power-saving features
Cons
  • Expensive

FAQ

Q: Which Hard Drives Last the Longest?

On average, hard drives tend to last for between three to four years. However, many high-end hard drive manufacturers now offer generous five-year warranties, making their hard drives an incredibly reliable purchase.

Q: How Many Hours Should an HDD Last?

If you left a hard drive on constantly for 20,000 hours, you'd expect it to fail shortly after this. However, many hard drive manufacturers, like Western Digital, boast up to 2.5 million hours, which you should look for in a reliable hard drive.

Q: Are Hard Drives Repairable?

If your hard drive fails, it's unlikely that you can repair it. If it's under the manufacturer's warranty, you can send it back to them in an attempt to fix it or retrieve your files. In most cases, you can recover data from a broken hard drive. However, it's not recommended that you attempt to fix it yourself.