“Will a hard drive that spins at 5400 rpm have a longer more reliable service life than one that spins at 7200 rpm?”

(Answer requested by Jack Swenson)

Probably not.

The 7200 RPM drive is designed for 7200 RPM. The 5400 RPM drive is designed for 5400 RPM. Both should deliver their statistically-normal full service life at their rated speeds.

Now, if you somehow took a 5400 RPM drive up to 7200 RPM, and if it didn’t die on the spot, for sure it wouldn’t last as long as if it were at its rated speed.

Likewise, if you could de-rate or brake a 7200 RPM drive down to 5400 RPM, and if everything still magically worked, maybe it would last longer. Maybe.

But you can’t do either of those things.

Off-the-shelf, consumer-quality drives are designed to yield their stipulated service life running at their rated speeds, voltages, temperatures, and humidities; and within their rated physical/dynamic limits.

The best way to ensure a long life for your hard drive (and to preserve its warranty!) is to ensure that it stays well within its designed-for parameters.

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