How to Check Hard Drive RPM Rates

Hard disk drives (HDDs) may be old-school devices, but they are prominently used today in many homes and businesses. Of course, technology has brought many new features and performance improvements over time, including faster speeds. So, how do you check your hard drive speeds? There are many ways to measure Revolutions per minute (RPM), which is a measurement of how many times the disc spins every sixty seconds. Some people call it rotations per minute, which is essentially the same thing when referring to a hard disk drive (HDD.)

With higher RPMs, you usually get higher input/output (I/O) speeds. Therefore, a higher RPM usually means that the drive reads and writes faster than those with lower rotational speeds. Why does that matter? In today’s world, PCs handle more data simultaneously and run faster, therefore requiring faster RPMs in any HDD. This article discusses how to check hard drive RPMs, whether you are purchasing a new one or deciding on the one to use.

Since RPM is essential when buying a new computer, you should know where to look for this number. This article will also help you with that specification, both digitally and physically.

Solid-state drives (SSDs), mostly found in Mac computers and newer Windows 10 laptops, don’t have any moving parts. Thus, RPM rates aren’t associated with them at all. However, the standard hard drives have a spinning disc inside them, which means that RPM plays a vital role in their function

Besides other features on your system, you should check your hard drive’s RPM speed to know its capabilities. With RPM specs, you can determine whether your hard drive is working correctly or not.

How to Visually Check for Hard Drive RPM Speed

The best way to check your hard drive’s RPM rates is to take a look at its label. This scenario means that you may have to take off a few screws and open up your computer. However, some manufacturers have made the specs label easy to find, thus eliminating the need to remove the device.

How to Digitally Check your Hard Drive Speed

If you don’t like tearing your PC apart to view the HDD’s RPM information in hopes of having it actually display the specs, you can use digital options. Most sources with RPM details include other OS functions, but some third-party applications and websites do the same. Here are the most common ways to digitally view HDD RPMs.

Method #1: Use Google Search to Find HDD Specs

If you head to Google and search for specifications on your hard drive’s model number, you’ll find numerous websites with the information you need. This method is perhaps the easiest one, but remember that not all websites show accurate information. Browse a handful of webpages and compare the results. You know what to do.

If you don’t know your HDD’s model number for use in Google Search, head over to the operating system’s device manager.

1. For Windows 10, right-click the Start Menu icon and select Device Manager. For macOS (Mojave, Catalina, etc.), click on the Apple logo and select About This Mac, and then click on System Report in the Overview tab.
2. Write down the model number of your HDD and Google its specs.

Although this is a simple method, there are better solutions available.

Alternatively, you can use MSINFO32 in Windows 10 to view your HDD’s model number. MSINFO32 is a system information tool in Windows that can speed up the process of finding your hard drive’s model number.

1. Click on the Cortana search box, type “msinfo32” into the Search bar, and press Enter. You can also press the Win key + R and type “msinfo32” into the Run program and click OK.
2. The System Information window will open, left-click on Components to expand the list, then select Storage > Disks.

Your hard drive’s specifications will display on the screen, including the model number. Copy the information and paste it into Google Search, just like in the previous method.

Method #2: Use Third-Party Software

If you couldn’t find your hard drive’s RPM number using some of the previous methods, try downloading third-party utilities.

Applications will not only give you the RPM rates but many other helpful specifications as well.

Using third-party utilities, you’ll get HDD information including but not limited to the following:

1. RPM rates
2. Firmware type
3. Interface type
4. Serial number
5. Cache size
6. Buffer size
7. Power-on count
8. Power on hours
9. Health status
10. Temperature

What’s nice about third-party hard drive utilities is that they display real-time information, showing you accurate RPM speeds. There are programs available free of charge, but paid versions usually provide more details. Here are the most common HDD applications for Windows.

#1: CrystalDiskInfo (Free)

CrystalDiskInfo is open source that provides all the information you need whenever you run the software. For this article’s topic, you only need RPMs, but it displays many beneficial details such as health status, temperature, S.M.A.R.T. information, and more.

#2: Speccy (Free)

Speccy is a Windows freemium application by Piriform (makers of CCleaner) that provides detailed specs and information on your PC’s hardware, including your HDD.

#3: HWiNFO (Free)

HWiNFO is a freeware utility that does what its name says—provide hardware info about your system. The app delivers in-depth HDD information, real-time system monitoring, and extensive reporting abilities that work with other apps. If you need the RPMs of your HDD(s), this app covers it.

In addition to helping fix some performance issues, figuring out the RPMs can also come in handy when buying a new computer. If you want to buy a robust gaming PC, look for RPM rates from 10K to 15K.