Take the tour ×  I have a laptop and its hard drive is dying.
Are there only certain types and models of hard drive that would
be compatible with my laptop?  share|improve this question add
comment  3 Answers  up vote 6 down vote accepted  As a general
rule of thumb, you only need to match physical size and the data
connector, and perhaps the speed.  Size: Most laptop harddrives
are 2.5" drives, while most desktop drives are 3.5" drives. For
your laptop, I'm pretty sure it's a 2.5" drive.  Connector: Most
laptops these days come with a SATA connector, and it looks like
that is the connector your laptop uses. Older laptops might use
an IDE connector, but that has been mostly phased out from what
I've seen.  Speed: Most laptop drives operate at 5400RPM to save
battery power and to reduce heat, while their desktop
counterparts operate at 7200RPM. Your laptop takes a 5400RPM
drive, except for the 200GB model which uses a 4200RPM drive.
You should be good with any drive that matches these options
(2.5", SATA con