Keeping an External Hard Drive for Your Important Files
In a laptop or desktop computer, the hard drive is your storage device. In your hard drive resides every file and every content. An external hard drive from a company like Seagate allows you to go beyond the storage capabilities of your main computer, and you can even access those files on other machines with the use of a USB connection.
How Do You Choose an External Hard Drive?
Regardless of the brand of your hard drive, here are some considerations:
- Capacity. Choose a portable hard drive that can store the number of files you keep and put in both at home and on the go. The point of going external on a hard drive is for sufficient storage capacity at all times anywhere. 300 GB storage may be sufficient for normal needs. Multiple heavy files may require more storage.
- Compatibility. Choose a portable external hard drive with a capacity to run on both Windows and iOS systems. This assures that you can access your drive from any USB port anywhere with and without your personal computer.
- Ease. Choose a drive that is simple to use. A plug-and-play drive provides ease of use. Simply plug into a USB port for instant access. Your computer can immediately recognize a plug-and-play drive since the software is present and installation is automatic. This feature also allows you to access your drive from another desktop computer or laptop that has a USB port.
What Are Drive Features to Consider?
- Transfer Speed. If you move and transfer files between drives on a regular basis, consider a high-speed external drive for time efficiency. For HDD choices, you have USB 2.0, USB 3.0, eSATA, FireWire, and Thunderbolt.
- RPM Speed. For daily use, consider a fast HDD. This will have a higher RPM, which is the rate of revolution per minute. RPM rates say how many times the disc spins in one minute. A high rate means a fast running drive.
- Size and Weight. With newer models, portable drives are thinner and lighter. These features make for a convenient carry especially if you're one to pack a lot of working equipment on a daily basis.
- Security.Consider a secure disk if you deal with sensitive information. You may choose between hardware-based encryption and software-based encryption.
What Are Data Transfer Speeds to Consider in Hard Drives?
Seagate external hard disks and other models offer the following data transfer speeds:
- USB 2.0. 60 MB/s
- USB 3.0. 625 MB/s
- eSATA. 750 MB/s
- FireWire.100 MB/s
- Thunderbolt.1.25 GB/s
Drives with faster transfer speeds tend to be more expensive. However, if you mostly work on large data files, the time you save may be worth the additional investment.