The performance will further decline even down to 1 MB/s until the drive is able to cool down again – according to a test run by Anandtech. Modern hard drives will throttle their read and write speeds when the drive reaches a critical pre-set temperature (usually around 60☌ or 140☏). National Instruments tests noted that just a 5☌ (9☏) increase in temperature can reduce a hard drive’s life by as much as two years.Īs drives heat up during operation, performance degradation can happen. Nevertheless, high heat can reduce the service life of a hard drive. When a hard drive is too hot or too cold mechanical and electrical issues within the drive (head misalignment, condensation, head stuck to the platter, printed circuit board issues, etc.) can occur.Īccording to a 2007 Google HDD study, drives that are cooled excessively could actually fail more often than those which are running a little warmer. These drives include components designed for reliable operation in low and high-temperatures. If your computer has to be operated in an environment with a minimum ambient temperature less than 5☌ (41° F) and/or a maximum ambient temperature greater than 50☌ (122☏), you will need to choose enterprise hard drives which have an extended operating temperature range. If you are exposed to prolonged operation at temperatures under 20☌ (68☏) or above 50☌ (122☏), the drive’s useful life will be impaired. This is however not the optimal temperature range for safe and reliable operation. Most hard drive manufacturers specify a normal operating temperature between 0 ☌ to 60☌ (32☏ to 140☏). Image source:, Toshiba NAS N300 10TB HDD review by Hilbert Hagedoorn What is the optimal temperature for hard disk drive operation? Hard Disk Drives (Traditional Magnetic Storage) In this article, we will investigate how heat affects their reliable operation and long-term storage capabilities, and how this can be managed by temperature monitoring systems. Hard Disk Drives (HDD) and Solid State drives (SSD). This is another reason why Data Center environmental monitoring, particularly temperature monitoring, is important.ĭirect Attached Storage devices come in two common types. Increased heat conditions in your Data Center can even result in data loss. It is well known that Data Center temperature monitoring is important to improve server performance and lifespan. Share on LinkedIn Share How Temperature affects IT Storage Why is monitoring HDD operating temperature important? Vaccine Transport and Storage Monitoring.