Sunday 2 October 2011

Simple Tips On Buying An External Hard Drive

By Daniel Kilburn


A storage device which is located externally of a laptop or desktop computer is aptly called an external hard drive. There are many reasons why it's a must-have device for anyone who uses a computer. It's a safe place for your important data. It enables you to backup all your files. It also allows you to take everything with you, enabling you to retrieve your files easily as such device is usually a plug-and-play type.

In purchasing one for yourself, there are a few things you have to consider. It's essential that you pick the right one that suits your computer's configuration and your needs. This is especially true if this is the first time you're getting or using one.

It's a wise decision to go for something which comes from a recognized manufacturer. Although they may carry steeper price tags than unknown ones, you'll be glad you paid extra in the long run. Cheap ones tend to wear out quickly especially after heavy usage. After some time, your hard-earned cash will go down the drain. Of course it's taking with it all the files you have stored on the device.

But this doesn't mean you shouldn't do some background checking on the branded product you're eyeing. Make sure that you sit in front of the computer and spend some time doing researches. With the help of your favorite search engine, look at today's popular brands. You can purchase them either from reliable online sellers or land-based electronic shops.

It's in online forum sites where you can find discussions about the brand or model you're considering to purchase. Find posts where people are sharing information and their experiences on the products they themselves have used. Drop by the websites of the brands being mentioned there. Go through all the essential details in each of them to help you narrow down your choices until you end up with one you're satisfied with.

It's important to find out if the product you wish to buy is compatible with the interface found in your computer. Currently there are two common interfaces around. The faster of the two is Firewire. However, not all computers have support for it. So to be sure, go for something which is compatible with a USB interface. To ensure that data transfer or retrieval is really fast, your computer has to have a hi-speed USB 2.0 dock.

Another important feature of the device you must look into is the speed. There really is no need to memorize computer terminologies. The lesser the seek time (in milliseconds), the better. On the other hand, the buffer size and RPM need to have large figures.

Lastly, point out the external hard drive size that you need. Generally speaking, it's best to provide a 50 percent allowance to your storage needs. This will spare you from having to purchase another device in case the one you're intending to buy gets filled up with data quickly than what you anticipated.




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