How to choose an external hard drive
I can still remember the good old days when I purchased my first PC. It happened more than two decades ago, and the computer had a huge (by those standards) 540 MB hard drive. Still, most of the files I was working with were quite big; you were only able to store about 150 MP3 music tracks on it, to give you an example.
These days we are spoiled when it comes to storage options, though. You can easily find a good quality 1 TB drive for less than $100, and a hard disk like that will allow you to store hundreds of movies in full HD resolution, thousands of soundtracks, tens of thousands of pictures, and more.
But what are the key hard drive features that you should be looking for? And are most external hard drives similar, when it comes to performance and reliability? As you can probably guess, the answer to this question is a negative one. Here are the key characteristics that you should consider.
1. Portability
Most hard drives can be divided into two categories. First, we've got the 3.5-inch drives, which can be found in desktop computers as well. Then, we've got the 2.5-inch drives, which are often times used for laptops.
The main difference between these two types of drives, besides their size, is their need for a power supply (or not). Most 3.5-inch hard drives were designed for office use, so they incorporate power supplies and can be placed on your desk. On the other hand, 2.5-inch drives were built with portability in mind, so they can draw all the power they need from a USB port.
One word of advice, though; some 2.5-inch hard drives may still need a separate power supply, because their HDD requires more power, or the USB port is unable to supply the required 0.7 – 0.9 Amps. The good news is that most USB 3 ports are able to deliver the specified 1 A, so they can power pretty much any 2.5-inch hard drive. Another solution is to use a special USB cable that plugs into two USB 2 ports, getting 0.5 A from each one of them.
No matter what option you choose, ensure that you can power the hard drive either through an external supply, or by making use of the available USB ports. And if you go for an external device, be sure to opt for a model that's got a built-in fan, which is able to cool the hard drive, and thus prolong its life.
1. Portability
Most hard drives can be divided into two categories. First, we've got the 3.5-inch drives, which can be found in desktop computers as well. Then, we've got the 2.5-inch drives, which are often times used for laptops.
The main difference between these two types of drives, besides their size, is their need for a power supply (or not). Most 3.5-inch hard drives were designed for office use, so they incorporate power supplies and can be placed on your desk. On the other hand, 2.5-inch drives were built with portability in mind, so they can draw all the power they need from a USB port.
One word of advice, though; some 2.5-inch hard drives may still need a separate power supply, because their HDD requires more power, or the USB port is unable to supply the required 0.7 – 0.9 Amps. The good news is that most USB 3 ports are able to deliver the specified 1 A, so they can power pretty much any 2.5-inch hard drive. Another solution is to use a special USB cable that plugs into two USB 2 ports, getting 0.5 A from each one of them.
No matter what option you choose, ensure that you can power the hard drive either through an external supply, or by making use of the available USB ports. And if you go for an external device, be sure to opt for a model that's got a built-in fan, which is able to cool the hard drive, and thus prolong its life.
2. Capacity
Choosing the optimal hard drive capacity is also very important. Most manufacturers deliver products that can have up to 8 TB of storage size, which should be more than enough for most people's needs. However, if you are into video editing, for example, even 8 TB may not be sufficient.
The good news is that several manufacturers have combined several 8 TB drives into a single case, creating storage mammoths that can reach huge capacities. Of course, these gadgets will also leave a serious dent in your wallet.
To purchase a hard drive that's got the optimal size, ask yourself these two questions:
- How much data do I need to store right now?
- How much data will I need to store during the next three years? (just an estimation)
Then, if you can afford it, go for a drive that is 50% larger than your estimation. You don't want to purchase a gigantic hard drive, because it will cost a lot, and it will be much less reliable within five years or so.
3. Connectivity
This one is easy: go for a device that utilizes a USB 3 port. By doing this, you will save yourself a lot of headaches and time. While older devices also used eSATA or FireWire, USB 3 is much faster and very reliable.
4. Drive speed
Any USB 2 hard drive was faster than needed, because its interface was severely limiting data transfer speed. However, now that we've got access to the much faster USB 3, you will be able to find HDDs that have speeds which range from 50 to 150 MB per second. There are lots of websites which test hard drive speeds regularly, so be sure to do your research before purchasing one.
5. Additional features
Some drives also come with bundled backup software, for example. Others have a bigger warranty, or include a nice looking carrying case. Features like these shouldn't necessarily be deal makers or breakers, but may prove to be a very welcome bonus.
