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Today’s computers have to be able to keep up with the fast pace we live in. When they start running slowly or underperforming, one solution is an internal hard drive. One of the most common internal hard drives is the SATA 6 Gb/s.
We are going to be looking at two of these internal hard drives, the Toshiba X300 vs WD Black. We will compare all of their features and include them in a side-by-side chart. After looking at some pros and. Cons, we will decide which is the better hard drive.
Let’s begin with those features that the Toshiba X300 and the WD Black have in common.
Toshiba X300 vs WD Black – Similarities
Ideal Uses
The Toshiba X300 and the WD Black have an Advanced Format (AF) and can be used for professionals who work in photography and video editing and they are also great for gaming. Because of the price range, they are also good for non-professionals who are looking to improve the performance of their computers.
Shock Sensors
Just in case your computer has any knocks or bumps, the Toshiba X300 and the WD Black have shock sensors that work instantly. They also have anti-vibration systems to absorb the vibrations created by the hard drive.
RPM
The rotation speed of a hard drive is measured in RPM and is typically either 5400 or 7200 RPM. The Toshiba X300 and the WD Black have an RPM of 7200 for faster performance.
Side by Side Comparison
We can recap the specifications in the below comparison chart.
Toshiba X300 | WD Black | |
| Image |  |  |
| Size | 1.03 x 5.79 x 4 inches | 1.03 x 5.79 x 4 inches |
| Weight | 1lbs | 1.66lbs |
| Storage Capacity | 4TB | 4TB |
| Other Storage Capacities | 5TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, 14TB | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB |
| Ideal Uses | Professional and non-professional digital artists, photographers, video editors, gamers | Professional and non-professional digital artists, photographers, video editors, gamers |
| Form Factor | 3.5 inches | 3.5 inches |
| Advanced Format | Yes | Yes |
| Shock Sensors and Anti-vibration | Yes | Yes |
| Data Protection | Yes | Not Stated |
| Interface | SATA 6 Gb/s | SATA 6 Gb/s |
| Data Transfer Rate | 6Gb/s, Read speed 150Mb/s | 6 Gb/s buffer to host, 202Mb/s host to/from driver |
| Cache | 128MB | 256MB |
| RPM | 7200 | 7200 |
| Load/unload Cycles | Not Stated | 300,000 |
| MTTF | 600k hours | Not Stated |
| Warranty | 2-years limited | 5-years limited |
| Price |
Next, we need to consider the differences between the Toshiba X300 and the WD Black.
Differences Between Toshiba X300 and WD Black
Appearance
As they both have a 3.5-inch form factor, there is little difference in their size.
Toshiba X300
This is a grey and white hard drive measuring 1.03 x 5.79 x 4 inches. It weighs 1 pound.
WD Black
It’s black, needless to say! The measurements are exactly the same, but it weighs more at 1.66 pounds.
The Winner Is- A Tie
Read next – Toshiba P300 vs WD Black: Which Internal Hard Drive is Better?
Storage Capacity
We have compared the 4TB hard drives but there is a good range of other storage capacities.
Toshiba X300
It comes in 5TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, and 14TB.
WD Black
You can choose from 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, 5TB, 6TB, 8TB and 10TB
The Winner Is- The WD Black
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Data Protection
It’s nice to know that in case of any incidents, your data will be protected.
Toshiba X300
If the shock sensors are activated, your data will be protected.
WD Black
There is no information on data protection.
The Winner Is- The Toshiba X300
Read next – Toshiba X300 vs N300: Which Internal Hard Drive is Better?
Data Transfer Speeds
As they are SATA 6 Gb/s, the speeds are up to 6 GB/s but there is more information on both.
Toshiba X300
The read speed is up to 150Mb/s.
WD Black
From the host to or from the driver, you can get speeds of up to 202Mb/s.
The Winner Is- The WD Black
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Cache
A hard drive cache is like the temporary storage when data is being transferred. The larger the cache, the smoother the process.
Toshiba X300
The cache is 128MB.
WD Black
This has a much larger cache at 256MB.
The Winner Is- The WD Black
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Load/unload Cycle
To prepare the hard drive for reading and writing data, the spindle rotates the disk. The speed of this is known as the Load/unload cycle.
Toshiba X300
There is no product information on the load/unload cycle.
WD Black
The load/unload cycle is 300,000.
The Winner Is- The WD Black
Mean Time to Failure (MTTB)
The number of hours before any type of failure can help to understand the durability of an internal hard drive. This is called the meantime to failure or the meantime before failure (MTBF).
Toshiba X300
The MTTF is 600,000 hours. That being said, Toshiba has stated that this is not necessarily a guarantee.
WD Black
We don’t have any details on the MTTF.
The Winner Is- The Toshiba X300
Read next – WD Purple vs WD Black: Which Hard Drives are Better?
Pros and Cons
Finally, we have some pros and cons of the Toshiba X300 and the WD Black to help make a decision.
Toshiba X300
Pros:
- Good speeds for the price
- It isn’t too noisy
- It’s impressive they have a 14TB hard drive
Cons:
- Too many problems with quality control
WD Black
Pros:
- Write and write speeds faster than expected
- It’s extremely reliable
- Installation is easy
Cons:
- The SATA cable isn’t the best
The Final Verdict
On paper, the Toshiba X300 and the WD Black appear to be rather similar. They are obviously the same size, and they have good transfer speeds thanks to the interface and RPM. There were a few things that made the Toshiba X300 appear to be superior like the data protection and MTTF. However, really, it was just a case of missing information. The 12 TB and 14TB hard drive also looks appealing, but the WD Black has more storage capacity options.
The WD Black is a little more expensive but you can relax knowing the warranty is 5 years compared with 2 years with the Toshiba X300. Our biggest concern was the lack of quality control with the Toshiba X300. We heard too many stories of the internal hard drive being dead on arrival or failing after just a few months. For us, this isn’t good enough to make it our overall winner and so the better buy is the WD Black for its speed and reliability.