Retail and OEM Packaging

Most hard disk drive models are sold as two different packages: OEM drives and retail drives (sometimes called retail kits). Retail drives are of course drives that are distributed to retail stores and online dealers for sale to the general public. OEM drives are those sold to system manufacturers in large quantity, for inclusion in PCs built for resale: "OEM" stands for "original equipment manufacturer" and refers to a company that makes PCs (or other equipment).

Retail packaged hard disk drives normally include the following (though this varies from manufacturer to manufacturer and model to model):

• Hard Disk Drive: The hard disk drive itself, in an anti-static bag or similar package.
• Installation Instructions: Instructions on how to configure and install the hard disk.
• Software: It is not uncommon to see companies throw in backup or other utility software, especially with external hard drives. With external drives, it usually comes pre-loaded on the drive itself. CDs/DVDs are things of the past.
• Mounting Hardware: A set of appropriately-sized screws for mounting the drive into the system case.
• Interface Cable: A cable of the correct type for the drive's interface.
  
• Pretty Box: A very colorful box that looks nifty and holds all of the above.

In contrast, OEM drives typically contain the following:

• Hard Disk Drive: The hard disk drive itself, in an anti-static bag or similar package.

The reason that OEM packaging is so "plain" is that most OEMs do not need the additional support materials and packaging required for a proper retail package--they are just going to put the drives into PCs, not resell them to end users. If you are SuperPeeceez Inc. and make 10,000 systems a month, you just want 10,000 drives without the fancy boxes and packaging and so on. So the drive manufacturers just ship OEMs lots of bare drives, with the minimum required to protect them, and that's all. By skipping all the extras, the OEM is able to buy the drives at a lower price from the manufacturer (and the fact that they are buying them by the thousand certainly helps with price as well!).

Originally, OEM drives were available only to, well, OEMs. If you needed a hard disk for your PC you bought it in a retail box and that was that. However, OEM drives are increasingly available from online stores. There's nothing wrong with buying OEM drives if you don't need the items included in the retail package; otherwise they are the same drives. My only advice is to check the warranty period and make sure it's the same as the retail drive.

Next: Hard Disk Handling