Which HDD Is the Best?

Which Hard Drives (HDD) Are the Most Reliable?

This article is based on the annual Backblaze Drive Stats 2024 report - a company that analyzes failure rates of nearly 300,000 drives in their data centers.

Key Findings from the 2024 Report

• Overall Annual Failure Rate (AFR) for 2024 was 1.57% (down from 1.70% in 2023)
• The report covered 298,954 drives across 27 models
• The best model of 2024: Seagate ST16000NM002J (16 TB) - a single failure all year, AFR of just 0.22%
• The worst performer: Seagate ST12000NM0007 (12 TB) - by far the highest AFR in the annual report; ST14000NM0138, ST10000NM0086 and HGST HUH721212ALN604 also fared badly
• Reliability depends more on the specific model than on the brand - in 2024 even HGST, long a reliability champion, had two problematic 12 TB models

How to Extend Your Hard Drive's Lifespan

• Keep the case well ventilated - Backblaze found no significant correlation between temperature and failure rate in the typical operating range; what really hurts is sustained overheating and frequent temperature swings
• Use a UPS for protection against sudden shutdowns
• Regularly check drive status using SMART tools
• Avoid filling the drive above 85% capacity

When to Replace the Drive?

• Noticeable computer slowdown
• Unusual sounds - clicking, grinding, buzzing
• SMART errors in diagnostic tests
• More than 5 years of use

Summary

• Pick a specific model, not a brand - check your model in the current Backblaze report before buying
• Regardless of drive quality, always make backups

If your drive has already failed - see our data recovery service and check approximate costs in the price list.