If you are looking forward to upgrading your laptop’s storage drive, there are many options rather than just the capacity. There are multiple types of storage available out there for your PC and laptops. The most popular being Hard disk drives and solid-state drives.
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Related: Barracuda Pro vs. Firecuda – Specs Comparison
The former is known for its massive storage capacity and the latter for its impressive sequential and random read/write speed. How many of you are aware of the term SSHD? To know more, read along to find out the best 2.5” SSHD drives for Laptops currently available.
Also Read: Best Surveillance Hard Drives are DVR’s
SSD vs. SSHD:
SSD: If you are assembling dissembling computer components, you might know that SSD stands for solid-state drive, which is similar to a massive USB flash drive with comparatively impressive memory speed. Unlike mechanical hard disk drives, it does not have moving parts. Instead of magnetic platters, it uses memory chips (NAND).
SSHD: SSHD stands for a solid-state hybrid drive. It is merely a traditional hard disk drive with solid-state storage built-in. It is usually 8 GB, more or less. Windows recognize the drive as single storage, and a controller chip is there to decide if the data is on SSD or HDD.
Why SSHD for your Laptops?
You can use multiple drives; some of them can be SSD and other spindle-based HDDs. Most people install the operating system and massive programs on SSD’s where HDD is used for media personal data storage. This cannot be done on laptops, and you need to choose either one or the other type of storage for your notebook. The better option for laptops varies according to your priorities. For example:
- For the highest overall performance, go with Solid State Drive.
- For optimal performance, go with Solid State Hybrid Drive.
- For saving money (and large capacity), go with a traditional hard disk drive.
As you can see, SSHD delivers better performance compared to conventional hard drives and saves a lot of money compared to solid-state drives. Thus, when you are unsure which one to choose, you can always go with SSHD storage for your laptop.
Following is a list of some of the best 2.5-inch SSHD drives available for laptops. Here we go:
Best 2.5” SSHD drives for Laptops:
<Update>
| WD WD10S12X | |
| Seagate FireCuda SSHD |  |
| WD Blue SSHD 40E31X: |  |
WD WD10S12X
In case you are a gamer, this SSHD should be one of the excellent choices that would achieve exceptional performance. The software does provide you access to enhanced service quality with the remarkable SSD storage of 16 GB and a hard disk drive of 1 TB. It has been rated to be an excellent option for your needs in a significant 2.5 segment.
It can be one of the excellent choices if you are looking ahead to the demand for high-speed performance and sizable storage. The 2.5” buffer size, interface type SATA 6.0 GB/s, and a straightforward installation process are a few of the factors that would make it one of the premium options that would take you ahead in terms of a great degree of performance.
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | Serial ATA Storage Interface SATA 6 GB/s |
| Performance | 5400 RPM rotational speed |
| Dimension | 7 x 100 x 69 mm |
| Weight | 0.5 pounds |
| Other | Ultra-fast performance storage A professional level of performance All in one PC performance and storage capacity |
1. Seagate FireCuda SSHD:
Within its high range and 2.5-inch criteria, it is one of the fastest hybrid storage available in the market. It is available in handy 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB variations. The maximum one is quite enough for storing up to 80x games in 25GB size. It uses flash acceleration technology that pumps uploading performance up to five times compared to traditional hard drive storage. Adaptive memory technology frequently identifies accessed data and allows quicker operations to be made. In addition, MTC or multi-tier caching technology is used that helps various applications load files and directory trees faster. The following table summarizes some basic specs:
| Capacity | 2 TB |
| Interface | Serial ATA Storage Interface SATA 6 GB/s |
| Buffer Size & BPS | 4096 Hz Bytes per sector |
| Performance | 140 MB/s internal data transfer rate 600 MB/s external drive transfer rate 5400 RPM rotational speed |
| Dimension | 3.95 x 2.75 x 0.28 inches |
| Weight | 3.2 ounces |
| Other | Three options: 1TB, 2TB, 500 GB Five years of limited manufacturer’s warranty Adaptive memory technology, Halogen Free technology, Quiet Step technology Built for gaming systems, performance laptops, workstations, and creative professional system |
2. WD Blue SSHD 40E31X:
It comes with a massive 4 TB of storage and delivers standard Solid State Drive [SSD] like performance with blazing-fast NAND flash storage of 8 GB. It claims to be up to 5 times faster compared to traditional 5400 RPM hard disk drives. It is suitable and compatible with various applications such as gaming, system builders, creative professionals, and power PC users who require a massive amount of storage and fast performance equally. These hybrid drives reduce game loading time and loading between levels and the time necessary for autosave when gaming. The amount of NAND storage is sufficient to maintain performance. Here are some essential specifications:
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | 7 pin Serial ATA 600 SATA 6 GB/s |
| Buffer Size & BPS | 64 MB buffer size 8 GB flash memory capacity |
| Performance | 600 MB/s external data transfer rate 150 MB/s internal data transfer rate 5400 RPM rotational speed |
| Dimension | 5.8 x 4 x 1 inches |
| Weight | 1.6 pounds |
| Other | Multi-level cell MLC technology Advanced Format technology SMART compliant standards Three years limited manufacturer’s warranty 8 GB NAND flash memory |
3. Toshiba MQ02ABD100H:
It is a multi-purpose SSHD compatible with various devices, including laptops, Macbook, PS3, PS4, gaming consoles, etc. It is specifically designed for high-capacity laptops. It has 8GB of NAND flash memory capacity and an MTTF of 600,000 hours. Like an SSHD is supposed to do, it delivers the performance of an SSD and the storage capacity of an HDD. It is equipped with various algorithms that help it learning the access patterns of users. The disk automatically decides which data to keep on the SSD portion and the HDD portion of the disk with the data acquired. It supports USB 3.0 and eSATA for external enclosures. You get three years of manufacturer’s warranty with the purchase.
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | 7 pin Serial ATA Serial ATA 600 or SATA 6 GB/s |
| Buffer Size & BPS | 64 MB buffer size |
| Performance | 600 MB/s external drive transfer rate 5400 RPM rotational speed |
| Dimension | 8.5 x 6.5 x 5 inches |
| Weight | 1 pound |
| Other | Halogen Free, Antimony free Advanced Format 512e Compatible with gaming consoles, desktops, and laptops 3 years of manufacturer’s warranty |
4. Seagate ST500LM000:
It is a bare, brand new SSHD drive. It allows you to enjoy a performance of solid-state drive in your slim laptops without spending a whole lot of money. It extracts all the benefits of a traditional hard disk drive and a solid-state drive at an affordable cost. The booting and performance are very identical to a solid-state drive. The SATA interface delivers its best with the NCQ technology. No doubt, it is comparatively faster than a traditional hard disk drive. Since the drive is treated as a single entity by any system, the installation process is convenient; you can install and use it as you do with traditional hard disk drives. It is suitable for small factor systems, laptops, mobile workstations, and high-performance gaming systems.
| Capacity | 500 GB |
| Interface | Single serial ATA 600 interface 1x SATA 6 GB/s |
| Buffer Size & BPS | 64 MB buffer size 4096 Hz Bytes Per Sector |
| Performance | 5400 RPM rotational speed 140 MB/s internal data transfer rate 600 MB/s external drive transfer rate |
| Dimension | 0.28 x 2.76 x 3.94 inches |
| Weight | 3.4 ounces |
| Other | Quiet Step technology NAND MLC 8 GB Native command queuing technology Multi-level cell flash memory 1 year of manufacturer’s warranty Compact form factor |
5. Western Digital WD10S21X:
This drive comprises a significant amount of NAND flash storage and massive HDD storage in a single drive and helps the system take advantage of the best of both worlds. Using this drive will result in faster system boots, application loads, and enhanced responsiveness than traditional hard disk drives. It is compatible with most of the desktop, laptops, and PS3/PS4 gaming consoles. You can easily use it with Mac systems just as you do with windows one. When you cannot decide between an SSD and HDD due to several reasons, this is always an excellent middle option to go with. Following are some important specs:
| Capacity | 1 TB of accessible space |
| Interface | 7 pin Serial ATA / SATA interface SATA 6 GB/s or SATA III |
| Buffer Size & BPS | 64 MB buffer size 16 MB cache 8 GB of NAND flash memory for SSD level performance |
| Performance | 600 MB/s external data transfer rate 150 MB/s internal drive transfer rate 5400 RPM transfer rotational speed |
| Dimension | 4.9 x 3.8 x 1.2 inches |
| Weight | 4.2 ounces |
| Other | 7 mm slim body layout Two years of warranty from the reseller Compatible with desktops, slim notebooks, laptops, and some gaming consoles as well |
6. Seagate SSHD ST1000LM014:
This drive will bless your system with impressively enhanced booting time, application loading time, and improved and much faster performance like an SSD does. It is perfectly shaped for your notebook laptops, desktops, Mac, and gaming consoles as well. Compared to traditional 5400 RPM hard disk drives, it delivers up to 4 times the performance concerning speed and accessibility. The manufacturer recommends this model for gaming and performance laptops specifically. It is an easy way to upgrade your console up to 5 GB. The 8 GB of NAND storage with a 64 MB cache is sufficient for handling any performance laptop. They are giving five years of limited warranty. Here are some important specs:
| Capacity | 1 TB of unbuffered accessible storage |
| Interface | 7 pin Serial ATA Serial ATA / SATA 600 at 6 GB/s |
| Buffer Size & BPS | 4096 Hz bytes per sector 64 MB buffer size 8 GB of NAND flash memory |
| Performance | 600 MB/s external drive transfer rate 150 MB/s internal data transfer rate 5400 RPM spindle rotational speed |
| Dimension | 4 x 0.4 x 2.8 inches |
| Weight | 3.2 ounces |
| Other | Multi-level cell / MLC technology Native command queuing technology Quiet step technology, Ramp load technology Five years of manufacturer’s warranty |
WD WD10S12X
If you are a gamer, this SSHD should be one of the excellent choices that would achieve exceptional performance. The software does provide you access to enhanced service quality with the remarkable SSD storage of 16 GB and a hard disk drive of 1 TB. It has been rated to be an excellent option for your needs in a significant 2.5 segment.
It can be one of the excellent choices if you are looking ahead to the demand for high-speed performance and sizable storage. The 2.5” buffer size, interface type SATA 6.0 GB/s, and a straightforward installation process are a few of the factors that would make it one of the premium options that would take you ahead in terms of a great degree of performance.
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Interface | Serial ATA Storage Interface SATA 6 GB/s |
| Performance | 5400 RPM rotational speed |
| Dimension | 7 x 100 x 69 mm |
| Weight | 0.5 pounds |
| Other | Ultra-fast performance storage A professional level of performance All in one PC performance and storage capacity |
Conclusion
SSHD’s are a great cost-effective solution to a faster hard drive, unlike SSD’s. Therefore, we feel that all mid-range laptops should come with SSHD’s right from the factory rather than an afterthought. Fingers crossed!
We hope you like our article on the best 2.5” SSHD drives for Laptops. If you have any questions or suggestions, feel free to use the comment box down below.
Indrajit
Feedback taken. Tweaked that last line. Cheers!
Ken
Regarding your last statement: "You can get a Snapdragon 835 powered Android device at hal...
Indrajit
6 core 12 threads?