Do you know what kind of hard drive you have in your PC? Having knowledge of the type of storage you have on your computer is essential. Since if in the future you want to increase its capacity or simply change it, you need to know what you have. That is why today we explain how to know the type of hard drive you have in Windows or Mac.
Although there are several types of hard drives -such as the SSD or the HDD-, you don't need to open your PC so you can check which one you have. Although if you want to do it that way it is also viable.
How to know if I have an SSD or HDD hard drive without programs?
Several of the main benefits offered by knowing what type of hard drive we have are: see the brand and model of this, know its storage capacity and know its durability. In addition, all this information will allow us to improve its performance in the future.
There are two types of hard drives on the market today: SSD and HDD.
The first are the so-called solid state drive (SSD). They are electronic devices made up of memory chips where they store data. These are faster, more efficient and therefore more expensive.
The seconds are called mechanical hard drive (HDD). These are the classic units that have been on the market for years. They are cheaper than the previous ones, but this is because they are older and slower.
To withdraw from your know what type of hard drive you have you should only:
- click the button Windows.
- Select the option search.
- Write «optimize units«.
- Click on the option Defragment and optimize drives.
When completing the steps you will get a box like in the image above that will give you several options to do with your hard drive. But without the need to execute any task, you just have to look at the tab called Media types, since all the hard drives that your PC has and what type they are will be shown there.
Where can I find the brand and model of hard drive?
Know the brand and model It is also something very important when making an improvement or change of your hard drive. To know where to find this information you just have to:
- Doing right click on the launch bar.
- Click on the option Task Manager.
- Click on the tab Performance.
- Select the option Disc.
Once there you just have to look at the top right and you will get the brand and model from your hard drive.
Software to know my Windows hard drive (SSD or HDD)
Your computer shows you some basic information about your hard drive, but if what you want is know detailed information About this, it is normal that you have to use an external program to help you achieve it.
CrystalDeckInfo
CrystalDeckInfo is a free program that is used to obtain detailed information about your hard drive. You can find out if it is a 3.5 or 2.5 hard drive, its hours of use, RPM, etc. It also gives you the basic information that Windows already offers you such as model and brand.
Pyriform Speccy
Speccy is another option when looking for an external program that gives you detailed information about the hard drive that your computer has. Like the previous option, Speccy is completely free and gives you specific information.
How to know which is my hard drive in Mac OS?
In the case of Mac OS users, things do not vary much, since the same computer shows you the model of hard drive you have. To achieve that you just have to do the following:
- Click on the button Menu.
- Then in About this Mac.
- Press on System report.
- Press on Hardware and then Bonded warehouse.
- Select the option “Device Name” (here you will see the hard drive model What's wrong).
- Click on the option “Support type” (here you will see the type of hard drive you have: SSD or an HDD)
Frequently asked questions about your hard drive
If you are thinking of changing your hard drive or optimizing it, you should know information about it. That is why here we show you some of the most frequent doubts that arise when talking about these.
How to know if the hard drive is SSD or HDD?
This is quite simple, you just have to follow the steps to know what kind of hard drive do you have:
- click the button Windows.
- Select the option search.
- Write «optimize units«.
- Click on the option Defragment and optimize drives.
Here you will be told if you have an SSD (solid state drive) or HDD (mechanical disk).
How to know how many GB of hard drive my pc has?
To find out how many GB your hard drive has, you just have to:
- Open the File Browser.
- Click on «This team«.
- Right click on Local disk (C :).
- Click on the window Hardware.
- Select the HDD.
- Click on Properties.
Doing this will open a new window of options. There you must:
- Click on the tab Volumes.
- Click on the option Fill.
There you will see the storage capacity of your hard drive. The GB of memory that are being used and the free.
How to know if my hard drive is 3.5 or 2.5?
Los números 3.5 and 2.5 indicate the size of your hard drive in inches. This is important when building your own computer, as well as if you want to change your laptop's hard drive. If you want to know this, we recommend using one of the external programs that give you detailed information about your hard drive.
How to know how many hours of use my hard drive has?
Many experts estimate that a standard hard drive has an average life of 20.000 power-on hours. Therefore, knowing the hours of use that your hard drive has is essential to keep your computer optimized. If you want to know how many hours of use your hard drive has, use any of the external programs mentioned above, as both will help you with this information.
How to know the RPM of my hard drive?
The RPMs represent the revolutions per minute that a disk drive has. In other words, it tells you its speed, the media transfer rate. The higher the speed, the better optimization in data storage. To know in detail the RPM of your hard drive, we recommend you use one of the external programs that we mentioned earlier.
Journalist in the technology sector for more than 3 years, with extensive experience writing in some of the reference blogs on Internet browsing, apps and computers. I am always informed of the latest news regarding technological advances thanks to my documentary work.