How to Run External Hard Drive Speed Test on Windows 10/11 [Step-by-Step Guide]
The write and read speed of an external hard drive can significantly impact the performance of an electronic device, making it essential to test its speed to determine if it needs to be replaced. To check the speed, you can follow the steps on this page to learn how to run an external hard drive speed test on Windows.
As an experienced gamer, it's essential to consider the speed of your external hard drive, especially for PS4/PS5/XBOX ONE, as it directly impacts your gaming experience. The speed of the external hard drive can affect how smoothly your games load, how quickly you can access your saved games, and overall, your overall gaming experience. By paying attention to this detail, you can ensure that your gaming sessions are uninterrupted and enjoyable.
Run External Hard Drive Speed Test via Professional Speed Tester - Detailed Data
Qiling Disk Master Free is a professional speed tester for external hard drives on Windows, displaying details like sequential read/write, random read/write, I/O, delay, and more.
- Supported system: Windows 11/10/8/7 and Windows Vista/XP
- Target users: Beginners and experienced users
- Interface: Clear
- Operation difficulty: Easy (Simple clicks)
Here is how to test external hard drive speed:
Step 1. Launch Qiling Disk Master, click the download button to activate the "Surface test" feature under the "Disk management" section.
Step 2. To choose the target drive, test data, and block size, simply click on the drop-down box and select the desired options.
Step 3. Once everything is configured, click "Proceed" to start the disk test. The test will display Sequential read, I/O, and Delay data.
Qiling Disk Master has many features that you can learn more about from the provided list.
- Run PS5 speed test
- Run SD card speed test
- Test SSD write speed
- Check SMART status on Windows
- Check SSD health on Windows 10/11
- Check SSD temperature on Windows 10
The software has features like "Disk Mark" and "Disk Health" that can help manage an external hard drive, providing health status and detailed speed information. It can be downloaded and tried.
Run External Hard Drive Speed Test via Task Manager - Limited Data
To test the speed of an external hard drive, you can use Task Manager to get basic information, but for more detailed data, Qiling Disk Master is a helpful tool.
To test the speed of an external hard drive using Task Manager, first, open Task Manager by pressing Ctrl + Shift + Esc or by searching for it in the Start menu. In the Processes tab, find the process for the external hard drive, which is usually labeled as "System" or "Disk".
Step 1. Search "Task Manager" in the Windows search box.
Step 2. Click and launch it, and navigate to the "Performance" option.
Step 3. Choose your external hard drive from the left panel.
You can only get limited data from Task Manager, so it's recommended to use Qiling Disk Master for more detailed information. If your speed test results are not ideal, you can click the link below to troubleshoot the issue.
Conclusion
The speed of an external hard drive can significantly impact a computer's performance. To determine how fast your external hard drive is, you can use two external hard drive speed test tools mentioned in this article. If you want to improve your drive's speed, you can follow the provided recipes to optimize its performance.
Qiling Disk Master offers a more detailed and accurate speed data compared to other methods, and can also effectively detect the health status of your disk, preventing potential data and economic losses caused by hard disk damage.
External Hard Drive Speed Test FAQs
This part lists three questions and answers for you. Check the answers below if you're facing similar problems.
1. How can I test the speed of my external hard drive?
Here are the steps to test disk speed using Qiling Disk Master:
Step 1. Download and launch Qiling Disk Master, then navigate to the "Discovery" section.
Step 2. Click "Disk Mark" and choose the target hard drive.
Step 3. Choose the test data and block size, then click "Start" to begin the process.
2. How do I check my external SSD speed?
To use Qiling Disk Master to get detailed speed data, you can follow these steps. Firstly, you need to download and install Qiling Disk Master on your computer. Once installed, launch the software and select the disk you want to measure from the list of available disks.
Step 1. Open Qiling Disk Master and click "Discovery."
Step 2. To use the Disk Mark feature, click on it and select your SSD external hard drive. Then, choose the test data and block size you want to use.
Step 3. Finally, click "Start."
3. How do I test my external hard drive speed on Mac?
You can use BlackMagic Disk Speed Test on your Mac to test. Here is how:
Step 1. Open BlackMagic Disk Speed Test and click the "Setting" button to select the target hard drive.
Step 2. To measure your writing and reading speed, start the test by clicking the "Start" button. This will allow you to see your detailed writing and reading speed results.
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