10 Disk Drive Manufacturers in 2024
This section provides an overview for disk drives as well as their applications and principles. Also, please take a look at the list of 10 disk drive manufacturers and their company rankings. Here are the top-ranked disk drive companies as of April, 2024: 1.TERADYNE, 2.Server Disk Drives, 3.Western Digital.
Table of Contents
What Is a Disk Drive?
A disk drive is a data storage device consisting of a disk for storing information and a head for reading and writing this information. Disk drives are classified into magnetic disk drives (like floppy and hard disks) and optical disk drives (such as CDs). Internal disk drives are built into the computer, while external disk drives connect via interfaces like USB.
Uses of Disk Drives
Disk drives are crucial in computer systems for storing data and programs. Magnetic disk drives, offering high-speed access, are commonly used as boot disks for operating systems. SSDs (solid-state drives) are increasingly favored for their faster access speeds. Optical disk drives, with slower access speeds, are used for data storage, backup, and distribution of multimedia content.
Principles of Disk Drives
Magnetic disk drives use magnetism for writing and reading, whereas optical disk drives use lasers. Magnetic drives write information by magnetizing a magnetic layer and reading it by detecting magnetic field changes. Optical drives use a spindle motor to rotate the media and a laser beam to read information from the reflected light. CDs and DVDs utilize a red laser, while Blu-ray discs use a blue-violet laser with a shorter wavelength, allowing for higher storage capacity.
Other Information on Disk Drives
1. Disk Drive Failures
Failures in disk drives, often due to their mechanical parts or high precision, can sometimes be resolved by cleaning the pickup lens. Disc media defects like scratches or stains can also cause read issues. Internal physical failures require specialist repair due to the complexity of the drive's structure.
2. Unusual Noise From Disk Drive
Noise from a disk drive may be due to improper installation or disk insertion. Securing the drive properly inside the PC and correctly inserting the disk can often mitigate noise issues. Eccentric disk media or attached labels can also cause temporary noise.
3. Differences Among Optical Disk Drives
Optical disk drives like Blu-ray use blue-violet lasers with shorter wavelengths, enabling them to store more data than DVDs. These drives vary in terms of writeable and read-only capabilities.
List of 10 Disk Drive Manufacturers
*Including some distributors, etc.
Sort by Features
- Default
- Company Size: largest first
- Year Founded: oldest first
- Year Founded: earliest first
Sort by Area
- United States of America
- Japan
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TERADYNE
Disk Drive
Manufacturer Overview
Teradyne, founded in 1960, is an American automatic test equipment designer and manufacturer based in North Reading, Massachusetts. The company provides wireless test solutions for the development and manufacturing of wireless devices such as notebooks, laptops, tablets, smartphones, and other Wi-Fi-enabled devices. These enable efficient and accurate testing processes during the production of these devices. Their products are used in computing, communications, consumer, identification, and internet applications, and are certified by ISO 9001:2015 industry standards.
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Western Digital
Disk Drive
Manufacturer Overview
Western Digital, founded in San Jose, CA in 1986 is a manufacturer of data storage solutions such as USB Flash Drives, Memory Cards and Data Center Storage. The company's product portfolio includes Solid State Drives (SSDs), Hard Drives (HDDs), Network Attached Storage (NAS), Embedded Flash and Accessories. The company serves markets including Automotive and Electric Vehicles, Renewable Energy and Energy Storage and Electronics and IT Infrastructure. They also provide services such as equipment repair, instrumentation system upgrades, warranty service and technical support.
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Donaldson Company, Inc.
Disk Drive
Manufacturer Overview
Donaldson Company, Inc. is a manufacturer headquartered in Hennepin County, Minnesota, specializing in filtration technologies. The company was established in 1915 when Frank Donaldson Sr. invented an air cleaner for farm tractors. Today, Donaldson offers filtration products and solutions, including bulk tank filtration systems and engineered air intake systems designed for gas turbines and industrial compressors. Additionally, the company provides engine filters and parts, along with Internet of Things (IoT) services to monitor and maintain filtration equipment. Donaldson's products find application across a wide range of industries, including aerospace and defense, agriculture, construction, manufacturing, and transportation.
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NIDEC SANKYO
Disk Drive
Manufacturer Overview
Nidec Corporation was founded in Kyoto, Japan in 1973 and is a conglomerate with over 200 subsidiaries. Primary products are hard-disk drive motors and automotive parts, and specializes motors ranging from miniature to gigantic. Nidec’s products are used in robotics, automotive, home appliances, agriculturel equipments well as molding, cutting, and machining equipment and sensors.
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Sabrent
Disk Drive
Manufacturer Overview
Sabrent, located in Los Angeles, California, and established in 1998, is a manufacturer of a wide range of computer peripherals and accessories. The company specializes in crafting products such as storage solutions, memory devices, cables, hard drive accessories, and card readers. They have introduced the 8TB Rocket Q, 16TB dual Rocket Thunderbolt Dock, 8TB Rocket 4 Plus, 512GB UHS-II SD card, and 1TB CFexpress cards. The company serves more than 100 countries, offering a diverse catalog of over 400 products, which now includes RAM, SD cards, and CFexpress cards.
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Seagate
Disk Drive
Manufacturer Overview
Seagate Technology Holdings plc, established in 1978 as Shugart Technology, is a manufacturer headquartered in Dublin, Ireland, with operational headquarters in Fremont, California, United States, specializing in data storage solutions. The company offers cloud, edge, and data centers, encompassing data storage systems, enterprise drives, and edge-to-cloud mass storage platforms. Specialized drives such as gaming hard drives and solid-state drives (SSDs), network-attached storage (NAS) devices, video analytics hard drives, and both internal and external drives for personal storage are also part of the company’s portfolio. These offerings serve a range of industries including autonomous vehicles, media and entertainment, surveillance and security, and telecommunications.
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Dell Inc.
Disk Drive
Company Overview
Dell Inc. is an American developer and manufacturer of personal computers and related products established in Round Rock, Texas in 1984 as a business unit of Dell Technologies. The company primarily designs and produces various personal computers, including desktop, laptop, netbook, and tablet models. They also manufacture servers, storage devices, computer peripherals, and network switches to wide a range of specifications, including for large enterprises or competitive gaming. Dell, Inc. operates globally with more than 50 facilities, sales offices and distribution centers across North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
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CBO-DO
Disk Drive
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Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.,
Disk Drive
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Disk Drive Manufacturer Ranking
*Including some distributors, etc.Ranking as of April 2024
Derivation Method| Rank | Company | Click Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | TERADYNE |
31.2%
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| 2 | Server Disk Drives |
15.0%
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| 3 | Western Digital |
10.0%
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| 4 | Seagate |
8.5%
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| 5 | Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc., |
7.7%
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| 6 | NIDEC SANKYO |
6.2%
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| 7 | Sabrent |
5.8%
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| 8 | Donaldson Company, Inc. |
5.8%
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| 9 | Dell Inc. |
5.4%
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| 10 | CBO-DO |
4.6%
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Derivation Method
The ranking is calculated based on the click share within the disk drive page as of April 2024. Click share is defined as the total number of clicks for all companies during the period divided by the number of clicks for each company.Number of Employees
- NIDEC SANKYO: 114,371
- Seagate: 40,000
Newly Established Company
- Server Disk Drives: 2012 (12 years ago)
- Sabrent: 1998 (26 years ago)
- Seagate: 1978 (46 years ago)
Company with a History
- Donaldson Company, Inc.: 1966 (58 years ago)
- Toshiba America Electronic Components, Inc.,: 1969 (55 years ago)
- NIDEC SANKYO: 1973 (51 years ago)
Disk Drive Manufacturers in United States
*Including some distributors, etc.
Global Distribution of Disk Drive Manufacturers by Country
*Including some distributors, etc.
| Country | Number of Companies | Share (%) |
|---|---|---|
United States of America
|
4 | 80.0% |
Japan
|
1 | 20.0% |
