| Name | Hard Drive (HDD) |
| Type | Storage Device |
| Function | To store and retrieve digital data (both program files and user data) |
| Access Method | Random Access, meaning data can be stored or retrieved in any order |
| Capacity | Measured in Gigabytes (GB) or Terabytes (TB), ranging from a few GBs in small devices to TBs in larger, modern versions |
| Form Factor | Standardized at 2.5″ for laptop drives and 3.5″ for desktop drives |
| Interface | Typically uses SATA (Serial ATA), older drives may use PATA (Parallel ATA), enterprise drives may use SAS (Serial Attached SCSI) |
| Speed | Revolutions Per Minute (RPM), common standards being 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM |
| Data Transfer Rate | Dependent on interface and drive specifications, SATA III can theoretically reach 600 MB/s |
| Lifespan | Dependent on usage and environment, but typically between 3 and 5 years |
