Today I will tell you about how to choose an external hard drive for your computer, laptop or tablet. Moreover, choose the right one, in accordance with your needs, and so that the purchase will work for many years.
In this article I will tell you all the nuances of choosing external hard drives, consider in detail the parameters that you should pay attention to before buying, and, of course, I will compile a reliability rating for you.
1. Parameters of external hard drives
To correctly figure out which external hard drive is better and why, you need to decide on a list of parameters for comparison. Usually they are guided by the following basic characteristics:
- form factor;
- interface;
- memory type;
- disk space.
Additionally, the rotation speed of the disk, the speed of data transfer, the level of power consumption, built-in backup capabilities, the presence of additional functions (moisture and dust resistance, charging USB devices, etc.) can be taken into account. Do not forget about individual preferences, such as color or the presence of a protective cover. This is especially true when it is taken as a gift.
1.1. Form Factor
The form factor determines the dimensions of the disc. Once upon a time, there were no specialized external drives; in fact, ordinary disks were used. They were installed in a container with external power supply - and this is how a portable device turned out. Therefore, the names of form factors migrated from stationary equipment: 2.5 "/ 3.5". Later, an even more compact 1.8 ”version was added.
3,5”. This is the largest form factor. Due to the impressive size of the plates, it has a large capacity, the account goes to terabytes and tens of terabytes. For the same reason, a unit of information on them is the cheapest. Cons - heavy weight and the need to carry a container with a power supply. Such a disk will cost from 5 thousand rubles for the most affordable model. The most popular external drive of this form factor for several months has been Western Digital WDBAAU0020HBK. Its average price is 17,300 rubles.
2,5”. The most common and affordable type of disc. And here's why: quite light compared to 3.5 ”; enough power supply from USB (sometimes the cord takes up 2 ports); quite capacious - up to 500 gigabytes. There are practically no drawbacks, except that the price for 1 gigabyte will come out a little more than in the previous version. The minimum cost of a disc of this format is about 3000 rubles. The most popular HDD of this form factor is ... Its average cost at the time of my review is 4,700 rubles.
1,8”. The most compact, but have not yet captured the market model. Due to their small size and the use of SSD-memory, they can cost more than 2.5 ”disks, not inferior to them in volume. The most popular model is Transcend TS128GESD400K, which costs about 4000 rubles, but reviews about it leave much to be desired.
1.2. Interface
The interface determines how the disk is connected to the computer, that is, to which connector it can be connected. Let's take a look at the most popular options.
USB- the most common and most versatile connection option. Almost any device has a USB output or a corresponding adapter. Today, the current standard is USB 3.0 - it gives a read speed of up to 5 GB per second, while the 2.0 version is capable of only 480 MB.
Attention! Version 3.1 with speeds up to 10 Gb / s works with a Type-C connector: it can be inserted either side, but it is not compatible with the old ones. Before using such a disc, make sure that you have the correct connector and support from the operating system.
Disks with USB 2.0 and 3.0 connectors differ slightly in cost, both options can be purchased from 3000 rubles. The most popular such model is the aforementioned ... But the few USB 3.1 models are much more expensive - you need to pay from 8 thousand for them. Of these, I would single out , with a cost of about 9,200 rubles. And, by the way, he looks very cool.
SATA. The SATA standard has practically disappeared from the scene of external drives, there are no models with it on sale. It allows speeds up to 1.5 / 3/6 GB per second, respectively - that is, it loses to USB in speed and prevalence. In fact, SATA is now only used for internal drives.
eSATA- a subspecies of the family of SATA connectors. Has a slightly different connector shape. It is also rare, for an external drive with such a standard you will have to pay from 5 thousand rubles.
FireWire. FireWire connection speeds can be up to 400 Mbps. However, such a connector is also quite rare. You can find a model for 5400 rubles, but this is rather an exception, for other models the cost starts from 12-13 thousand.
Thunderbolt works through a specific connector for Apple computers. The transfer speed, of course, is decent - up to 10 Gb / s, but incompatibility with more common types of connectors puts an end to the interface. If you plan to use only and exclusively Apple laptops, you can take it.
1.3. Memory type
External drives can handle both traditional spinning disk storage (HDD) and more modern solid state drive (SSD). Also on the market there are combined systems in which a fast SSD is used for caching, and the HDD part is used for long-term storage of information.
HDD- a classic disc in which the plates rotate. Due to the developed technologies, this is a fairly affordable solution. A good choice for long-term storage as large drives are relatively inexpensive. Disadvantages of HDD - slight noise, depending on the speed of rotation of the disk. 5400 rpm models are quieter than 7200 rpm models. The cost of an external HDD HDD starts at about 2800 rubles. Again, the most popular model is .
SSD- A solid state drive that has no moving parts, dramatically reducing the risk of failure if the device is accidentally shaken. It features a high data transfer rate and a very compact size. So far, it is inferior in terms of available capacity and cost: for the cheapest 128 gigabyte drive, sellers ask 4000-4500 rubles. Most often bought Transcend TS128GESD400K with an average cost of 4,100 rubles, but then all the time they complain about it and spit. So it's better to overpay and buy a normal external ssd-shnik, for example , but the price tag will be about 18,000 rubles.
HDD + SSD Hybrid Drive are rare enough. The hybrid design is designed to combine the advantages of the two listed above in one device. In fact, the need for such disks is questionable: if you need to seriously speed up work, you should take a full-fledged internal SSD, and a classic HDD is good for storage.
1.4. Hard disk space
As for the volume, then it is worth starting from the following considerations. First, as the volume grows, the price per gigabyte goes down. Secondly, the file sizes (take at least the same movies) are constantly growing. So I recommend looking in the direction of large volumes, for example, choosing an external 1 TB hard drive, especially since the price for such models starts at 3400 rubles. At the same time, prices for an external 2 TB hard drive start at 5000. The benefits are obvious.
- Transcend TS1TSJ25M3. Price from 4000 rubles;
- Seagate STBU1000200 - from 4500 rubles;
- ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB - from 3800 rubles
- Western Digital WDBUZG0010BBK-EESN - from 3800 rubles.
- Seagate STDR1000200 - from 3850 rubles.
- Western Digital WDBAAU0020HBK - from 17,300 rubles;
- Seagate STDR2000200 - from 5500 rubles;
- Western Digital WDBU6Y0020BBK-EESN - from 5500 rubles;
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra 2 TB (WDBBUZ0020B-EEUE) 0 from 6490 rubles;
- Seagate STBX2000401 - from 8340 rubles.
I practically don't see any arguments in favor of a smaller volume. Unless you want to record a strictly fixed amount of data and donate it along with an external disk to another person. Or the disc will be used, for example, with a TV that only supports a certain capacity. Then there is really no point in overpaying for gigabytes.
1.5. Other criteria for choosing an external hard drive
Stationary or portable. If you just need to increase the available space, without the need to carry a disk somewhere, you can use containers for hard drives. They can be connected via USB, for example, and the disk itself to the container via SATA. It turns out a cumbersome, but quite workable bundle. Fully mobile drives are very compact. If you choose a model with SSD with a small volume, you can choose models weighing up to 100 grams. It is a pleasure to use them - the main thing is not to accidentally leave them on someone else's table.
Additional cooling and case material. This parameter is relevant for stationary models. After all, a hard drive, especially a 3.5 ”form factor, heats up noticeably during operation. Especially if data is being read or written actively. In this case, it is preferable to choose a model with a built-in fan. It will, of course, make noise, but it will cool the drive and extend its operating time. When it comes to housing material, metal is better at dissipating heat and is therefore the preferred choice. Plastic copes less well with heat, so there is a risk of overheating the disk and malfunctioning.
Protection against moisture and dust, shockproof. The trend is gaining momentum to make at least a few models in the line protected from the effects of various damaging factors. For example, from moisture and dust. These discs can be used even in less than ideal conditions, and they will work properly. Of course, prolonged bathing is not recommended, but you should not be afraid of a drop of water. Discs with shockproof protection stand apart. Depending on the severity of the standard, they can be safely dropped from the meter side or freely thrown out the window from 3-4 floors. I would not risk the data so much, but it is nice to know that at least in standard scenarios like "fell out of hand" the disk will survive.
Rotation speed of the disks. Several parameters depend on the speed of rotation of the disks (measured in revolutions per second or rpm): the data transfer rate, the noise level, how much the disk requires energy to operate and how much it heats up at the same time, etc.
- 5400 rpm- the slowest, quietest disks - they are still sometimes referred to the category of "green" devices. Good for data storage.
- 7200 rpm- the average value of the rotation speed provides balanced performance. If there are no special requirements, this is the best option.
- 10000 rpm- the fastest (among HDDs), loudest and most power hungry drives. They are inferior to SSDs in terms of performance, so the benefits are questionable.
Clipboard size. The clipboard is a small amount of faster memory that makes the disk run faster. In most models, its size ranges from 8 to 64 megabytes. The higher the value, the faster the disk will work. So I recommend focusing on a minimum of 32 megabytes.
Supplied software. Some manufacturers supply their discs with specialized software. Such software can automatically copy the selected folders in accordance with the specified schedule. Or you can make a hidden partition out of a part of the disk, access to which will be password protected. In any case, keep in mind that a significant number of similar tasks can be solved with third-party software.
Additional connectors and communication types. Some models come with a standard Ethernet network connector. These drives can be used as a network storage device, accessible from various computers. A fairly popular option is to save downloaded files on them. Some external drives are equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter for connecting to wireless networks. In this case, they can be used as a home file server and store multimedia files on it. Other drives on the case may have an additional USB output. Convenient if you need to quickly charge your smartphone, but you are too lazy to go to the outlet.
Appearance. Yes, aesthetic considerations must be taken into account too. If the disc is selected as a gift, it is good to know the tastes of the future owner (for example, strict black or perky pink, flawless white or practical gray, etc.). For ease of portability, I recommend purchasing a case for the disc - this way it gets dirty less and is easier to hold.
2. Major manufacturers of external hard drives
There are several companies that specialize specifically in the production of hard drives. Below I will take a look at the most popular ones and their ranking of the best external drive models.
2.1. Seagate
One of the largest manufacturers of external hard drives is Seagate (USA). The undoubted advantage of its products is the affordable cost. According to various sources, the company occupies about 40% of the domestic market. However, if you look at the number of breakdowns, it turns out that Seagate drives are handed over to various PC repair companies and service centers in more than 50% of cases. In other words, fans of this brand have a slightly higher chances of encountering difficulties. The cost starts at 2,800 rubles per disc.
Best Seagate external hard drives
- Seagate STDR2000200 (2 TB) - from 5490 rubles;
- Seagate STDT3000200 (3 TB) - from 6100 rubles;
- Seagate STCD500202 (500 GB) - from 3,500 rubles.
2.2. Western digital
Another large company is Western Digital (USA). It also has an impressive share of the market. A variety of lines, including "green", quiet and cool discs with low rotational speed, are loved by customers. Notably, issues with WD drives are reported much less frequently. The price for the Western Digital model starts at almost 3000 rubles.
Best Western Digital External Hard Drives
- Western Digital WDBAAU0020HBK (2 TB) - from 17,300 rubles;
- Western Digital WDBUZG0010BBK-EESN (1 TB) - from 3600 rubles;
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1 TB (WDBJNZ0010B-EEUE) - from 6800 rubles.
2.3. Transcend
A Taiwanese company that produces all kinds of hardware - from memory sticks to digital media players. It also produces external hard drives. As I wrote above, Transcend TS1TSJ25M3 is the most popular external hard drive among our compatriots. It is inexpensive, sold in almost every store, people like it. But there are a lot of negative reviews about him. Personally, I have not used it, I cannot say, but they often complain about it. In the reliability rating, I would not put it in the top ten for sure.
2.4. Other manufacturers
Companies such as Hitachi and Toshiba are next in the ranking. Hitachi has an excellent MTBF, with an average life before any problems appear in excess of 5 years. In other words, even with active use, these drives are on average more reliable. Toshiba closes the top four. The discs of this company have good characteristics. The prices are also not very different from the competition.
You can also note Samsung, which is diligently improving the performance. A portable external drive from this company will cost at least 2850 rubles.
Companies like ADATA and Silicon Power offer a variety of drives that cost around RUR 3,000-3,500. On the one hand, the flash drives of these companies are often of dubious quality, either because of fakes, or because of problems with components. On the other hand, the experience of using a shock-, moisture- and dust-proof disk from Silicon Power is purely positive for me and many of my friends.
3. External hard drives - 2016 reliability rating
It remains to determine the best external hard drive. As often happens, it is impossible to give one exact answer here - too many parameters can affect the decision of the judges. If you need to speed up your work with data, for example, regularly process heavy videos - take an SSD drive. If you want to make an archive of family photos for a couple of decades, choose a spacious HDD from Western Digital. A file server definitely needs something from the "green" series, quiet and imperceptible, because such a disk will work in constant mode. For myself, I single out the following models in the rating of the reliability of external hard drives:
- Toshiba Canvio Ready 1TB
- ADATA HV100 1TB
- ADATA HD720 1TB
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1 TB (WDBDDE0010B)
- Transcend TS500GSJ25A3K
The advantages of external disk drives are a large amount of memory, ease of use and compatibility with a wide variety of equipment - from TVs to mobile phones.
The main functions of an external hard drive are not limited to expanding the memory on your computer or transferring information in large volumes. A portable hard drive is very convenient to use as an installation disk, for changing the configuration of a working system, and for storing backup files.
In order to choose a portable hard drive with optimal characteristics, you should determine the goals and objectives for which you plan to purchase it. Let's consider the main parameters that you need to pay attention to when choosing an external disk drive.
Capacity (memory size)
Of course, capacity is the most important characteristic of an external hard drive, which largely determines its capabilities. The amount of memory directly depends on the size of the device. A 2.5-inch drive can hold up to 2 TB, while a 3.5-inch drive can hold up to 3 TB. However, when choosing an external drive, you shouldn't focus only on its capacity. It is imperative to measure the storage capacity of the drive with its cost and performance.
The size
As a rule, external hard drives are presented in standard dimensions - these are 2.5 or 3.5 inches diagonally.
2.5-inch representatives of external drives have the advantage of being compact and lightweight. These discs fit easily in a pocket, providing their main advantage - mobility.
3.5-inch devices are heavier and larger, and usually require a power connection. Basically, they are used stationary, connected to a specific computer. The advantage of such external discs is that they are much stronger and more durable than their smaller counterparts.
Performance
The speed of a portable hard drive is always evaluated in conjunction with the capacity and dimensions and is determined by the rotation speed, access time and the type of interface. The fastest communication protocols are USB and eSATA, and you should consider the possibility of their compatibility with other devices.
The average "rate of fire" of 2.5-inch external disks is 35 MB / s, writing is up to 30 MB / s. 3.5-inch drives are usually faster: read 70 to 90 MB / s, write 60 to 80 MB / s. In other words, the choice towards device mobility will require certain sacrifices in the form of loss of disk speed.
Interface.
Today there are several main interfaces - eSATA, FireWire, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. The latter is the most popular, albeit relatively slow. The main argument when choosing an interface is the requirements for the compatibility of the device and the speed of its operation.
Many modern manufacturers, concerned with limited compatibility with USB 3.0, eSATA and FireWire, provide drives with the ability to work with multiple interfaces, and of course, such devices expand their scope and are more preferable when choosing.
Material, construction and design
The material from which the case is made is a very important characteristic of an external storage device. The advantage of metal over plastic is obvious, since the metal case will reliably protect the inner fragile device of the disk from mechanical damage and temperature changes. The plastic case is undoubtedly cheaper, but less durable and reliable.
The design of external drives is very diverse and its choice depends only on the aesthetic taste of the buyer. The standard rectangular shape is no longer the rule and the market offers many original designs.
Manufacturer
ASUS, Transcend, Samsung, Verbatium, Toshiba are just a few of the companies that have proven themselves in the field of external storage. The main technical characteristics of storage devices depend very little on the manufacturer. The choice of a manufacturer can only be due to the presence of additional functions, design, etc.
Additional features
Some important functions that can be implemented in a portable hard drive:
- restart button, which is especially useful when installing and configuring the operating system when the drive is included in the list of bootable disks;
- information protection option, which will prevent data loss in case of careless or ill-considered actions;
- the presence of built-in cords;
- display on the case showing the used disk space, free space, operating speed, temperature, etc.
The choice of a portable hard drive is mainly determined by the requirement or lack of the requirement for mobility, along with the volume, dimensions and speed of operation. It is these parameters that you need to pay attention to in the first place when looking for the best option.
Buying an external hard drive is an easy and quick way to increase the data storage of your PC or laptop. Connecting such a device does not require any special skills or any tool.
Specifications
The most important parameter of an external storage device, which also affects the price, is its volume. In the catalog of the online store "Eldorado" you can find models from 500 GB to 4 TB. Also, when working with data, the speed of reading and writing is important: the higher these indicators, the faster the applications on the disk start and the files are copied. For storing important data, for example, working documents, it is worth choosing a model with an automatic backup function.
In the online store, the site has the opportunity to purchase an external HDD in installments or on credit with delivery in Moscow and all of Russia. Before placing an order, you can familiarize yourself with the reviews of the owners and find out about the availability in the nearest stores of Eldorado in your city.
The demand for external storage media has become especially evident in recent years. The reason for this was not only the constantly increasing weight of multimedia content, but also the daily growing activity of virus attacks and the risk of data loss.
In the huge variety of HDDs and SSDs, it is difficult to determine which one to choose - the most productive or the cheapest. The purpose of this article is to give an objective idea of all aspects of choosing this device.
Why do I need a hard drive?
A portable hard drive is a portable storage device.
Its main functional features:
- high capacity. The device allows you to store and transfer huge amounts of information - from hundreds of gigabytes to several terabytes. It can be used as a second hard drive, as an operating system loader;
- mobility. Can be connected to multiple computers via a standard USB interface, carried from place to place;
- security. You can duplicate and store information outside of a PC or laptop and restrict third-party access to it.
Better data storage reliability and the files you need are always at your fingertips.
Selection options
Among the criteria for choosing an external USB hard drive are capacity, bandwidth, warranty period, low power consumption.
- making it easier to work with the disc;
- convenient copy saving mode;
- improving energy saving;
- encryption of information;
- synchronization with the system;
- the ability to recover files, etc .;
- appearance. Pocket options are available in a wide range. Devices in a bright, spectacular case will be appreciated by creative people. Models in a stylish aluminum case will complement the image of a respectable businessman. Stationary hard drives are less diverse, but they can also be matched to any interior;
- guarantee. Depending on the manufacturer, from 1 to 5 years.
Format Factor: Pocket and Desktop
The format factor is one of the key indicators of a hard drive.
Photo: Seagate Slim Portable Drive 2.5 ''
2.5-inch SSD and HDD hard drives are the most popular. Their dimensions do not exceed the size of a smartphone - they easily fit into a pocket or handbag. These devices are characterized by low power consumption and can be operated from a standard USB connector on a computer or laptop. Their volume does not exceed 2 TB.
Photo: Samsung STORY ™ Station 3.5 inch
3.5-inch drives - stationary options. In comparison with pocket models, they weigh more significantly (up to 1.5 kg) and have a maximum capacity of up to 4 TB. They may require a separate power supply to operate. Some manufacturers produce sets of several hard drives. The volume of such a kit can be up to 20 TB.
Photo: Toshiba-STOR E-STEEL 1.8 inches
Ultra mobile options - 1.8 '' SSD drives.
Type: SSD or HDD?
By the type of media, hard drives are divided into SSD and HDD.
Photo: magnetic (HDD) hard disk A-Data
HDD is an electronic-mechanical device made of aluminum or glass plates coated with a ferrimagnetic layer. During operation, the plates rotate, and the magnetic heads hover above the surface at a height of 10-12 nm and do not touch the surface of the plates.
Solid state drives are microchip-based storage devices.
The write / read speed of an SSD is about 5 times higher than that of an HDD, but its capabilities are limited by low-speed interfaces.
SSDs are absolutely silent, resistant to mechanical damage. Their disadvantages are high price with minimal volumes and limited number of rewriting cycles. Some enthusiasts have long predicted the victory of solid-state SSDs over HDD, but the price of such an alternative is too high.
Connection interface
The speed of the portable storage device depends on the connection interface.
The most common is USB 2.0 with a transfer rate of 480 Mbps. This is not a high indicator.
Today, almost all modern laptops are equipped with a USB 3.0 interface with speeds up to 4.8 Gb / s.
Additionally, you can use:
- FireWire - 400-800 Mbps high-speed interface;
- eSATA is a standard with a bandwidth of up to 3Gb / s;
- Ethernet is an interface that turns an external drive into a network drive.
Ethernet and FireWire only support 3.5-inch hard drives.
Video: choosing an external drive
Which company is the best to choose an external drive?
Which company is the best external media? Fierce competition in this market segment has long crowded out the weak. Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba remained from the "old" manufacturers.
Seagate Technology is the largest American company founded in 1979. Manufactures SSD, HDD and hybrid models. She owns the trademarks Barracuda, Cheetah, Savvio, Constellation, Pulsar, DiamondMax, Momentus. Purchased a segment of the production of Samsung hard drives.
Seagate hard drives are the fastest.
Western Digital is an American manufacturer of computer electronics... The only company that provides a service warranty return of a defective product. Acquired the Hitachi Global Storage Technologies division in 2012. Hitachi storage media are among the most reliable.
Toshiba is a large international concern specializing in various areas of electronic technology.
Although Samsung and Hitachi exist only as brands, their products are widely represented in the market.
Younger companies include Transcend Information, ADATA Technology, Silicon Power.
500 GB
500GB Pocket Media is the smallest, most reliable and quietest. They can be conditionally divided into 2 classes: high-speed devices with a rotational speed of 7200 rpm and economical ones with 5400 rpm. Economy models are almost comparable in price to solid state drives of the same size.
Media from Transcend and Western Digital is reliable and well tolerated in transit. The devices are housed in thin cases and come with software that implements a wide range of security functions.
The Seagate Slim and Samsung G2 Portable are some of the most compact devices available today.
The G2 Portable has an average performance, but has several original innovations:
- designed using a special USB on-board technology (the USB controller is located directly on the hard disk board);
- comes with software that allows you to encrypt data in real time and set a password to access important information.
The Transcend StoreJet 25M3 has the best shock protection as it is mounted on special shock-absorbing suspensions. It also has a fairly good bandwidth - 89 MB / s.
1 TB
1 TB is the most popular capacity.
For those looking for a compact device, the WD My Passport Ultra is an excellent choice. You will not find a more compact "terabyte".
If the safety of information is in the first place for you, then you should opt for the Transcend StoreJet 25M3, which works best with large files and has a super shock-resistant case.
The 3.5-inch Transcend StoreJet 35 Ultra combines high volume, fast transfer rates and energy efficiency. A portable drive from the same StoreJet 35T series has a lower transfer rate, but a very attractive price.
2 TB
2TB devices are chosen by those who store large amounts of data.
Photo: WD My Passport Wireless WDBDAF0020BBK-EESN
WD My Passport Wireless WDBDAF0020BBK-EESN supports Wi-Fi networks and reads external SD cards. The device is made in a 2.5-inch form factor. It combines all popular technologies, does not depend on the power source and is very reliable.
Hitachi hard disks, unlike media using Advanced Format technology, allow you to install the OS without partition alignment.
The STBV2000200 model leads the Seagate drive line in terms of performance.
Review of prices by manufacturer
Although the price of storage media is falling, portable 1TB hard drives are still top sellers.
| 500 GB | 1 TB | 2 TB | |
| Seagate Expansion Portable | From 2935 rub. | from RUB 3,550 | from 4 800 rub. |
| Western Digital Elements Portable | From 2 999 rub. | From 3 799 rub. | From 6 999 rub. |
| Toshiba Stor.E Plus USB 3.0 | from 2 860 rub. | from 3 820 rub. | from 5 890 rub. |
| Samsung HX | From 3 440 rub. | From 4 169 rub. | From 6500 rub. |
| Hitachi Touro USB 3.0 | From 3 880 rub. | From 4 070 rub. | From 4 420 rub. |
With the advent of the third version of the USB interface, external media can provide a tangible increase in the speed of data exchange.
Choosing a portable hard drive, you need to decide on its tasks. If you need it at home, for storing media files, it is better to choose roomy, but not the fastest models. If you plan to use it for work, compact shockproof devices will do. In any case, it is desirable that the device be compatible with modern interfaces.
Don't save money by buying dubious brands of hard drives. There is a great risk of losing not only money, but also important information. Well-known brands also have bloopers in the form of mass marriage. Therefore, before buying, it is better to go to the manufacturer's website and read reviews about a particular model.
Many users do not know how to choose a hard drive due to their ignorance in this topic. For example, you do not always need to buy drives in a rugged case or with protection against moisture, spending extra money. When buying an external drive, there is no need to overpay for the USB Type-C port, since the copy and write speed in the standard connection interface is quite high.
What is an external hard drive
The technology for creating an external hard drive is similar to that built into a laptop or computer. Drives of this format have their own connection interfaces. New generation external drives are created for different form factors and are connected via USB.
Appointment
The main task of external drives is to expand the computer's memory if it is fully occupied. Hard disk capacity ranges from a few gigabytes to 8 terabytes.
Disk speed is an important parameter that differs depending on the model. An external drive will unload the computer's HDD when it slows down from a large amount of information.
Mobility is the main advantage of such a drive. If you need to copy large amounts of data, then it is easier to transfer them using external storage.
Selection options
External drives are of various types. Let's highlight the main ones:
- HDD is a classic hard drive. It is suitable for long-term storage of information, and the price for large disks is relatively low. A conventional hard drive is noisy due to the fact that the rotation speed is high enough.
- SSD is quiet, practical, transfers large amounts of information much faster and is compact.
- The HDD + SSD hybrid drive works in pairs, but in fact the need for such models is not obvious. It is better to buy an SSD separately - for speed, and a regular HDD will do to save information.
Protection against moisture and mechanical damage is a plus when choosing a hard drive, because moisture and damage in force majeure situations play a key role.
Tips on how to choose an external hard drive:
- Choose a well-known and reliable manufacturer.
- Select the amount of memory depending on the operating conditions: for abstracts - 500 GB, for photos - 1 TB, and for editing video and data backups from 2 TB or more.
Main criteria
Before buying an external HDD, you need to pay attention to several factors:
- drive manufacturer and speed;
- device volume - from 32 GB to 12 TB;
- material for the manufacture of the drive body;
- dimensions of the hard drive (form factor) - they depend on the volume (2.5 and 3.5 inches);
- protection against moisture and mechanical damage.
Hard disk speed and clipboard size
Disk speed (clipboard) is special memory that speeds up disk performance by performing tasks other than reading and writing. The clipboard (cache) is defined in MB and ranges from 8 to 64 MB.
The main characteristic is the speed of the hard drive. It depends on the connection interface, rpm speed and hard disk cache, which determines the speed of the device.
Conventional HDDs are faster than portable ones. Their speed is from 5400 r / s. On SSD drives, files are copied from 400 MB / s.
Ability to connect to a TV
Most drive models are connected using the USB interface. The new models of drives have a LAN interface that transfers data at high speed. Such models are suitable if you need to enter the disk from several computers.
Before purchasing a hard drive for storing media files, you need to clarify the file system on your TV.
Top companies that make external hard drives
Among the main manufacturers, we will highlight the following.
Western digital
WD manufactures relatively inexpensive hard drive models. The drives of this brand are created in a beautiful shell, they are lightweight and quickly read data.
The company creates two-disk HDDs with mirrored recording, which allow protecting all information, because all data is automatically duplicated.
Transcend
The company creates models of drives with high read speed and different capacities.
Transcend makes hard drives with practical features. For example, a StoreJet 2.5 ”USB 3.0 1TB in a rugged case that can withstand shocks. This drive is built in a rubberized case. Transcend Elite's dedicated software allows you to manage the data inside the drive.
The developers of hard drives add a USB Type-C port to some models. The StoreJet 1TB has such an interface. This model is shockproof and lightweight, weighing just over 200g.
These drives operate at high speed through the Thunderbolt interface.
Seagate
Seagate hard drives are versatile in every way. These storage models are suitable for running on any operating system. These hard drives can be used to create backups from a PC and a mobile device.
If necessary, you can use the cloud storage.
Toshiba
This company manufactures hard drives and external drives with compact dimensions, in a reliable enclosure, and at an affordable price. Almost all models of hard drives from this company have a high copying speed thanks to the USB 3.0 port.
All external storage with USB 3.0 quickly copy and read data. By connecting this device, you do not have to worry about compatibility with a new generation computer or laptop. External drives will quickly copy files regardless of the USB version on the PC.
If you are running a Windows operating system, you need to install the supporting software. This software is available for download on the official website of the company. If necessary, you can use the built-in drivers.
Silicon power
A young and popular company that produces external storage of information. These HDDs are available in different cases and materials with different colors. They are inexpensive and medium in capacity. The 2.5-inch form factor allows the hard drive to be used anywhere.
The stage of data transmission, the current state and the mode of operation in these devices are determined by the indicator. It improves the startup and performance of external storage.
External drives are equipped with a utility that allows you to copy information to backup archives. The external storage shell contains encryption programs that protect information. These hard drives connect seamlessly to Mac, Windows OS and Linux.
IBM
The company specializes in the production of drives with superior performance, as well as external HDDs and storage systems. IBM is creating add-ons to servers with integrated software to make it easier to store and retrieve information. If necessary, you can get recommendations that are suitable for optimizing tasks.
IBM hard drives have integrated encryption programs that allow you to store data by preventing access to protected files.
The drives support the T10-PI standard, which is responsible for data storage. These devices have support for the Turbo Performance option.
Lenovo
Lenovo manufactures Chinese computers, as well as various accessories for them. If you need a practical external hard drive, then Lenovo products are for you. It will save and transmit information without problems.
Lenovo brand HDDs are created in a compact form factor, they are spacious, fast and quiet - these are their advantages.
conclusions
If you need a budget external drive that will be used on a computer or laptop, then you do not need to buy models with Lan. The wired network interface comes with extra money, and it is not needed by the average user who will use the hard drive to copy and delete data.
Also, do not overpay for storage models with a "smart" indicator, which shows the device utilization at different times. Before purchasing a drive, it is recommended to pay attention to the case, material and color of the model. Depending on the type of case, the price of an external hard drive also varies.
An aluminum drive enclosure will cost a lot more than a plastic one. The external storage is sold at different prices depending on the material of manufacture. When choosing a data storage, one should not forget about the form factor and the speed of data copying.