Which is better for HDD, SSD, M.2, or NVMe: NTFS or exFAT? Find out here.

Updated by

Sherly 小鸟

Written by

Tracy King 脸书

Last updated on April 22, 2024

Note: The icons for Twitter and Facebook have been translated into their colloquial names in American English. The actual font icons may need to be replaced with the appropriate ones for the Twitter and Facebook logos.

Whether you're formatting an external drive, internal drive, SD card, or USB flash drive, Windows gives you two file system options: NTFS and exFAT. The dialog box that displays these options doesn't explain the difference between them. But you don't have to worry—this article will help you understand which file system you should choose for your HDD or SSD.

What's the difference between NTFS and exFAT?

A file system is an essential component of computer data. It provides a way to organize storage drives. It shows how data is stored on the drive and what kind of information or data can be attached to a file.

In essence, the file system is responsible for separating information from its neighboring content, controlling which computer users have access to which files, and storing file attributes. Windows supports two different file systems – NTFS or exFAT for HDDs. Each of these file systems has different compatibility and ideal use cases, so if you know them in detail, you can easily choose the right one for various purposes. Let's start with the definitions.

What is NTFS?

NTFS stands for "New Technology File System," which is a file system introduced by Microsoft in 1993. It is primarily used in the Windows 2000 and Windows NT operating systems.

NTFS is widely used for most internal hard disks and system drives in Windows. As an advanced and updated file system, NTFS has many features that exFAT and FAT32 do not.

What is exFAT?

"Extended File Allocation Table" is the full form of exFAT. This file system was also introduced by Microsoft in 2006, with the intention of replacing FAT32. It was added to early versions of Windows and enhanced through updates to Windows Vista and Windows XP. exFAT is optimized especially for flash memory, like SD cards and USB flash drives. It allows users to store files larger than 4 GB in size.

After discussing the definitions of NTFS and exFAT, it's now essential to delve into the differences between these two file systems. Here's a comparison table for NTFS vs. exFAT:

Have you got the difference between NTFS and exFAT? If so, please share this article to let more people know about it. We will continue to provide more information on today's topic.

Which is Better for HDD, SSD, M.2, or NVMe: NTFS or exFAT?

Before we proceed, it's important to know the pros and cons of both NTFS and exFAT so you can make an informed and fair choice.

Now, let's discuss which file system is better for different purposes:

• For internal hard drives - NTFS
• For flash drives - exFAT
• For SSDs used as external drives on both Windows and Mac - exFAT
• For internal hard drives on Windows - NTFS
• For large file transfers or gaming - exFAT

With this, you can easily choose the file system that's right for your internal or external drive, as needed.

How do I format an HDD/SSD to NTFS in American English?

By formatting a hard drive, partition, memory card, USB flash drive, or any other storage device, you can delete all existing data on the device and prepare it for data storage by setting up a new file system. There are 2 ways to format an HDD or SSD to the NTFS file system, but before discussing these methods, you need to understand when formatting is required:

1. Partition Hard Drive
2. Delete Data from Partition or Disk
3. Repair RAW Partition
4. Remove Malware or Virus

Method 1: Using the Partition Master Tool

If you are looking for a hassle-free way to format HDD/SSD to NTFS, look no further than the Partition Master tool. It is the modern best software for formatting hard drives or any partitions. As the name implies, you can easily create and modify partitions with this software. This tool is meticulously designed for all computer users and service providers.

Here's the sentence translated into American English: "Follow and learn how to format your device to NTFS using the Partition Master tool."

Step 1. Right-click on the hard drive partition and select the "Format" option.

Step 2: In the new window, assign a label, file system, and cluster size for the partition, and then click OK.

Step 3: A warning will appear. Click “Yes” to continue.

Step 4: Click on the "Execute 1 Task" button and then click "Apply" to begin formatting the hard drive partition.

This is an HTML code for embedding a YouTube video. In a webpage, it will display a video player with a width of 700 pixels and a height of 410 pixels, supporting fullscreen, copy-paste, encrypted media, gyroscope, and picture-in-picture features. The video ID is "VTBiHcpwR3o".

Method 2: Using Disk Management

Given NTFS's advantages, you might want to format the drive as NTFS. You can do this with Disk Management by following these steps:

Step 1: Right-click on the "This PC/My Computer" icon on your desktop. From the context menu, choose "Manage," then click on "Storage." Next, select "Disk Management" to open the Disk Management utility.

Select "Disk Management":

Step 2: Right-click on the external hard drive you want to format. Select "Format" from the drop-down menu.

Step 3: In the "File system" box, select "NTFS." Check the "Quick format" option.

Next up, we just need the translation in American English: ""

Step 4: Now, click on the “OK” option to format the drive. Wait for the process to finish.

How to Format HDD/SSD to exFAT

You may need to format your HDD or SSD to exFAT, but if you find the "Format Partition" window doesn't have an exFAT option while you're creating a new file, and after the partition you want to format has been erased. Then, you can use the built-in Windows tool Diskpart to help format your target drive to exFAT. To do this, follow these steps:

Step 1: Press "Windows + R" keys simultaneously, then type in the command "diskpart."

Step 2: Enter the following list of commands in the order presented. Press Enter after each command:

• List disks
• Select disk 2 (replace 2 with the disk number of your target HDD/SSD)
• List partitions
• Select partition 2 (replace 2 with the drive letter of your target partition)
• Format fs=exfat quick

Step 3: Wait a moment, and you'll see a pop-up message telling you that Diskpart has successfully formatted the disk. Type "exit" to close the tool.

Conclusions

That's all there is to know about NTFS and exFAT. Now that you're aware of the differences between NTFS and exFAT, as well as how to format HDD and SSD in NTFS or exFAT, you can easily choose the file system for your HDD, SSD, M.2, or NVMe drive.

However, if you want to use it on Windows as an internal drive, NTFS would be the choice. If you want to use the SSD as an external drive on both Mac and Windows, then exFAT is much better. Just make sure to try the Partition Master tool to create or delete any partitions.

Frequently Asked Questions About exFAT and NTFS

Even if you still have questions about the differences between exFAT and NTFS, don't worry. Keep reading to find the answers in the following sections:

Which is better, exFAT or NTFS?

NTFS is faster when used as a file system on internal hard drives of Windows PCs. On the other hand, exFAT performs better on external storage devices like USB drives or external hard disks. Additionally, exFAT has better compatibility and works seamlessly on both Windows and Mac computers.

Is NTFS slower than exFAT?

No, for larger files, NTFS has faster read and write speeds. exFAT consumes more CPU and system resources compared to the NTFS file system.

When should exFAT be used?

Here are some situations where you might need to use the exFAT file system on a storage device:

• Your USB device or external hard drive has more than 32 GB of storage capacity.
• You want to format your USB device or external hard drive as exFAT for gaming purposes.
• You intend to use the device on both Windows and Mac computers.