Introduction

It does not matter what exactly you do - study, work as a top manager in a large company or have a personal business.

AT modern world, without having the maximum amount of useful information in your piggy bank, there simply cannot be success. And in order to store this information as compactly and comfortably as possible, it was invented.

The sale of these devices is steadily growing - more and more people buy them as a gift.

There are several reasons.

• First of all, this is a very stylish accessory that attracts attention and once again emphasizes the style of the owner.
• Secondly, it is rather difficult to overestimate its benefits - there is never enough space for storing information. You can store on it both your favorite series and important work information.
• Thirdly, is a very mobile thing. You can easily bring it home from work and vice versa. Agree, this is much easier than constantly carrying a laptop with you.

However, in order to make the right choice, many people do not have enough knowledge.

There are dozens of questions that arise in the minds of buyers.

For example, consultants of our store are very often asked which is better: or? Also, they ask questions about the type of file system (there are NTFS and FAT 32 on the market).

All this and more in our article today.

Size matters

External form factor hard drive- one of the key indicators from which you should build on when choosing.

Most discs on the market today are sized or .

Of course, the disks of the first type are as compact as possible, and due to this, they are more convenient. Winchesters that fit the size are no longer so mobile: they weigh up to 1.5 kilograms and they need to be connected not only to a computer, but also to a 220-volt outlet.

However, both types have sustained popularity. By the way, in addition to the banal storage of dozens of films, thousands of photos and many games, external hard the disk can be used as an external boot loader for the operating system. This feature will come in handy when something bad happens to Windows.

Here you should first of all understand how often you are going to transfer the hard drive. If this is rarely planned, it is quite possible to stop at the 3.5-inch option. Moreover, such hard drives are larger in volume. The main disadvantage is the weight of up to one and a half kilograms and the need to connect to an outlet.

How fast will the drive be?

Of course, this is a very important parameter. It depends on him how quickly information will be written to the disk and how quickly he can give this information.

The speed of work depends on two parameters: on how fast the spindle will rotate and on how long it will take to access and transfer data through the interface. In short, if you want to maximize it, choose drives with eSATA and .

Another indicator depends on how fast the spindle rotates - the speed of finding the necessary information.

Typically, external hard drives size have a rotation speed of 5400 rpm.

Of course, do not forget that your computer must also support the interface external drive.

Incompatibility Issues

Additional programs

For many hard drives sold in stores, additional programs are sold.

They provide improved data protection when copying information and improve energy savings.

There are hard drives made in bright, spectacular colors. They immediately catch the eye and are suitable primarily for bold and creative people who are not afraid to draw attention to themselves. For example: .

There are also concise models that will suit even reputable businessmen. There are discs, the case of which is made using aluminum - they look very stylish and have increased strength compared to conventional plastic models.

Buy an external hard drive. Issue price

In principle, almost everyone can afford to buy an external hard drive.

The cost of models with a form factor starts on average from 1,500 rubles. For this money you will receive 320 gigabytes.

The most common option is an external 1 TB hard drive that will cost you about 2,500 rubles. For example .

More expensive form factor options can cost up to 11,000 rubles (and even more). But this is already for a volume of 4 or 6 terabytes.

What is the conclusion?

An external hard drive is a great device that will allow you to make access to your information even more secure and mobile.

A large selection of external hard drives is always waiting for you!

The volumes of today's Flash drives easily allow you to carry a couple of high-definition movies in your pocket, but their capabilities have not yet grown up to moving or backing up terabytes of data. For these purposes, devices of a different class are required, comparable in capacity to conventional HDDs, and the optimal solution here is external rigid disks. As a matter of fact, they differ from the usual hard drives only in the way of power supply, interface, as well as the presence of an additional case and controller. Even the option is not ruled out when HDDs of the same model are used inside the system unit and external drive.

In most cases, connecting a 2.5" portable drive is as simple as connecting it to a laptop or system unit using an interface cable. External drives based on 3-inch HDDs also need additional power.

Main selection criteria

Data interface

Here the choice is quite wide: eSATA, USB 3.0, FireWire (IEEE 1394) and Thunderbolt. The latest standard has the maximum bandwidth, but completely covers the speed capabilities of modern hard drives they are all, so you should be guided by the presence of connectors of the appropriate type on a PC or laptop. You just need to keep in mind that among the offers there are many devices with an outdated USB 2.0 interface, which will slow down the exchange at least twice. The choice of such external hard drives is impractical, even if your computer does not have connectors of the third revision of this standard. On eSATA interfaces and FireWire should only be orientated if additional power is expected for the drive. For 2.5" portable drives, USB 3.0 is the best option.

Volume

The physical dimensions of the device impose their limitations on the volume. If you need an external drive with a capacity of more than 2 TB, it is almost pointless to look for it among 2-inch drives. The exception is a few devices, but their price cannot be called low. The choice will have to be made among larger devices, while you should be prepared for the presence of additional power and an appropriate adapter.

Hardware encryption features

If an external hard drive will be used for temporary storage of confidential information, efforts to protect it will be useful. It makes sense to select a portable device from among those with hardware encryption functions. A simpler data security feature is access to the drive with a password. In any case, to use these features, you will have to install special software that comes with the kit or downloads from the manufacturer's website yourself.

Photo: newtechnoit.ru

No less important selection criteria

• Dimensions portable device is primarily determined by the form factor of the installed HDD: 2.5 or 3.5 inches. Within the same category, hull thickness depends on the number of plates and increases with volume. A special place is occupied by self-powered drives - depending on the design solution, the built-in battery can increase both the thickness and other linear dimensions.
• 3" external drives require an additional nutrition, their smaller relatives get by with the interface controller capabilities, with the exception of wireless models. The latter have a special battery for offline operation and an adapter for charging it.
• If you do not take into account USB 2.0, then work speed interface capabilities are not limited, it is typical for installed hard drives and is proportional to their spindle speed. The maximum performance is demonstrated by devices based on HDD with a speed of 7200 per minute; faster hard drives are not found in portable drives. There are models organized on the basis of a zero-level RAID array of two physical hard drives with corresponding speed indicators.
• Some external drives provide wireless connectivity. Embedded module Wi- fi operates as a hub of a separate network segment, providing end-to-end switching if necessary mobile devices to another access point. As a rule, such models are equipped with a built-in battery and are able to work autonomously for several hours.

The most popular manufacturers

In addition to direct hard drive manufacturers such as Toshiba Corporation, Western Digital or a combined division of companies Seagate Technology and Samsung Electronics, brand products are very popular among users ADATA and Silicon power. Creating their portable devices based on the HDD of the previously listed companies, they compensate for someone else's technical advantage by using better materials and clear algorithms for the operation of control circuits.

Photo: smages.com

When purchasing a portable drive, do not consider USB 2.0 options. Without getting practically any gain in price, you will noticeably lose in the speed of data exchange.

When planning to use an external drive without additional power, connecting it via a USB 2.0 connector on a personal computer or laptop, Special attention should be given to the amount of current consumed. Some interface controllers of the second version may not provide normal operation of the portable device. This is especially true for high-capacity external drives when connected to very old PCs.

Losing important data is always quite unpleasant, but it is especially bad when confidential information somehow falls into the hands of competitors. Maximum security of use portable devices without a noticeable decrease in performance, only strong cryptographic protection methods implemented at the hardware level will help.

Using an external drive is the easiest way to increase storage space for files and documents. This is very convenient for laptop owners who do not have the opportunity to install an additional drive. Desktop users without the skills to mount an internal HDD can also connect an external hard drive.

In order for the purchase to be successful, it is important to know the basic nuances of the choice. external hard disk. So, what should you pay attention to, and how not to make a mistake in purchasing?

Since there are certain types of hard drives, it is necessary to determine in advance which parameters to focus on when choosing:

• Memory type;
• Capacity and price;
• Form factor;
• interface type;
• Additional features (data transfer rate, case protection, etc.).

Let's analyze each of these parameters in more detail.

Memory type

First of all, you need to choose the type of memory - HDD or SSD.

HDD- a hard drive in its classical sense. It is this type of hard drive that is installed in almost all computers and laptops. It works by rotating the disk and recording information using a magnetic head.

Advantages of HDD:

• Availability;
• Ideal for long-term data storage;
• Acceptable price;
• Large capacity (up to 8TB).

HDD Disadvantages:

• Low read and write speed (by modern standards);
• Little noise when using;
• Intolerance to mechanical influences - shakes, falls, strong vibrations;
• fragmentation over time.

This type of memory is recommended for fans to store on disk a large number of music, movies or programs, as well as people working with photos and videos (for storage). It is very important to treat it with care - do not shake, do not drop, do not hit, because due to the fragile design it is very easy to break the device.

SSD - modern type drive, which, however, cannot be called hard drive because it does not have mechanical moving parts like HDD. Such a disk also has a number of pros and cons.

Advantages of SSD:

• High write and read speed (about 4 times faster than HDD);
• Complete silence;
• wear resistance;
• No fragmentation.

Disadvantages of SSD:

• High price;
• Small capacity (up to 512 GB can be purchased at an affordable price);
• Limited number of rewrite cycles.

Generally, SSDs are used for quick launch operating system and heavy applications, as well as for processing video and photos with subsequent storage on the HDD. For this reason, it makes no sense to acquire a large capacity, overpaying several thousand rubles. Such drives can be freely taken with you anywhere without fear of damage.

By the way, about the limited number of rewrite cycles - new SSD they have a very large reserve, and even with a daily load they can work for many years before the speed starts to drop significantly. Therefore, this minus is more of a formality.

Capacity and price

Capacity is the second most important factor on which the final choice depends. The rules here are as simple as possible: the larger the volume, the lower the price per 1 GB. You should start from what you plan to keep on an external drive: multimedia and other heavy files, you want to make the disk bootable, or store small documents and various small files on it.

As a rule, users purchase external HDDs because they do not have enough internal memory - in this case, it is best to choose among large volumes. For example, at the moment, the average price for a 1 TB HDD is 3,200 rubles, 2 TB - 4,600 rubles, 4 TB - 7,500 rubles. Given how the quality (and size, respectively) of audio and video files is growing, buying small discs simply does not make sense.

But if you need a drive to store documentation, run an operating system or heavy programs like powerful editors / 3D design from it, then instead of an HDD, you should look at an SSD. Typically, external SSDs have a minimum of 128 GB and the price starts at 4,500 rubles, while 256 GB costs a minimum of 7,000 rubles.

The peculiarity of a solid state drive is that the speed of operation depends on the capacity - 64 GB is slower than 128 GB, and it, in turn, is slower than 256 GB, then the increase is not particularly noticeable. Therefore, it is best to choose a drive with 128 GB, and if possible - with 256 GB.

Form factor

The physical characteristics of the drive also depend on the capacity of the drive. The size is called the "form factor", and it comes in three types:

The first two options are small and mobile - you can easily take them with you. The third one is desktop, and is designed to be used without transportation. Usually the form factor is important when buying internal drives, as in this case it is important to fit the drive inside in free space. Nevertheless, this parameter will play an important role when choosing an external drive.

The most relevant form factors are 2.5” and 3.5”, and they differ as follows:

1. Price. The price for 1 GB for 3.5” is cheaper than for 2.5”, so the same 4TB drive can cost differently depending on the form factor.
2. Performance. 3.5” hard drives lead in performance test results, however, depending on the manufacturer, a 2.5” drive may be faster than a 3.5” counterpart. If the speed of the HDD is important to you, then refer to the comparative tables of benchmarks.
3. Weight. 2 hard drives with the same volume can have a significant difference depending on the form factor. For example, 4TB 2.5” weighs 250g and 4TB 3.5” weighs 1000g.
4. Noise, power consumption, heating. The 3.5" format is noisier and requires more power than the 2.5". Accordingly, the greater the consumption of electricity, the stronger the heating.

interface type

Such a characteristic as the type of interface is responsible for the way the disk is connected to the PC. And there are two options here: USB and USB Type-C.

USB- the most popular option, but sometimes inexperienced users can purchase a disc of the wrong standard. Today, the modern and relevant standard is USB 3.0, whose read speed is up to 5 GB / s. However, older PCs and laptops most likely do not have it, and use USB 2.0 with read speeds up to 480 MB / s.

Therefore, be sure to find out if your PC supports USB 3.0 - such a drive will work many times faster. If there is no support, then you can connect a drive equipped with 3.0, but the output speed will be reduced to the 2.0 standard. The difference in standards in this case practically does not affect the price of the disc.

USB Type-C- a new specification that appeared literally 2.5 years ago. It is a USB 3.1 standard with a Type-C connector type and speeds up to 10 Gb/s. Unfortunately, this connector can only be found in laptops or computers purchased after 2014, or if the user separately changed motherboard to a modern one that supports Type-C. Prices for USB Type-C hard drives are much higher, for example, 1 TB costs from 7,000 rubles and more.

Extra options

In addition to the main criteria, there are secondary ones that in one way or another affect the principle of use and the price of the disk.

Protection against moisture, dust, shock

Because the external HDD or the SSD may be in a place completely not intended for this, that is, the likelihood of its failure. The ingress of water or dust will have a detrimental effect on the operation of the device up to a complete failure. In addition, the HDD is also afraid of falls, bumps, shakes, so when actively transporting it, it is better to buy a drive with shock protection.

Speed

From given HDD parameter depends on how fast the data will be transmitted, what will be the levels of noise, energy consumption and heating.

• 5400rpm - slow, quiet, suitable for USB 2.0 or for data storage without active reading;
• 7200rpm is a balanced option in all respects, designed for active use.

This information does not apply to SSDs, since they do not have rotating elements at all. In the Capacity and Price section, you can find an explanation why the speed of operation is affected by the volume solid state drive. Also look at the declared read and write speeds - for SSDs of the same capacity, but from a different manufacturer, they can vary significantly. However, you should not chase the highest rates, because in practice the user does not notice the difference between the average and increased speed of the SSD.

Appearance

In addition to a variety of colors, you can find a model with indicators that help you understand the status of the disk. Look at the material from which the body of the device is made. Metal, as you know, conducts heat better than plastic, so it will better protect against overheating. And to protect the case from external influences, you can purchase a protective cover.

We have covered the main points to rely on when choosing an external hard drive or solid state drive. A high-quality drive, with proper operation, will delight with its work for many years, so it makes sense not to save on a purchase, and approach it with all responsibility.

We are glad we were able to help you resolve the issue.

In contact with

An external hard drive is an ordinary hard drive, which is placed in a special protective case. Now manufacturers offer external drives in the form factor of 2.5 and 3.5 inches. The former are more compact and have less weight, the latter require power from the mains and weigh about one and a half kilograms.

Sooner or later, the disk space on the PC runs out and buying an external storage device becomes the most optimal solution to the problem. File volumes are growing day by day - HD movies, uncompressed music videos and digital photos taken with 12MP cameras, as well as modern games require more and more free space. Moreover, an external hard drive can be used not only as a data archive - in the event of a computer failure, you can download a preinstalled operating system.

When choosing the best external hard drive, consider how often you intend to transport it. Often, 2-5-inch models weigh 140-180 g and easily fit into a woman's handbag, jacket pocket, etc. They please with low power consumption, and the USB port acts as a power source in them. If you are constantly on the road and plan to take the drive with you, then this form factor will the best choice For you.

3-5-inch models are large and weigh up to one and a half kilograms. Often they require an electrical connection.

A separate category should include portable internal hard drives, which are used as the main storage of information in a computer. Installing and removing such a device is more difficult, but if you need to transfer the OS to another machine, then this is the best choice.

External hard drive capacity

Portable storage media have rapidly gained popularity among users, as they are a universal, practical means for storing all data, so one of its important characteristics is volume.

As a rule, manufacturers offer 2.5-inch gadgets with a capacity of 250 to 500 GB, while 3.5-inch models boast much larger capacity, calculated in terabytes. Therefore, when choosing the best external hard drive, first determine how much information you plan to store. At the same time, remember that the actual maximum allowable capacity will be less than the declared one, since manufacturers indicate the volume of the disk on the basis that 1 GB is equal to 1 million bytes, while in fact 1 GB = 1073741824 bytes. Therefore, with the declared 320 GB, the allowable volume will be 298 GB.

Undoubtedly, 2.5-inch models have many advantages, but are limited in capacity. Therefore, if you want to use a hard drive to store movies or network databases, then it would be rational to buy a 3.5-inch device with a capacity of 1-2 TB. If you are not limited in finances, then follow the principle - what more capacity, all the better. To choose the most economical hard drive, calculate the cost of 1 GB. To do this, divide the price of the device by its volume.

The speed of the best external hard drives

Second important characteristic at choosing hard disk - the speed of work, which depends on several parameters - the speed of the average access time, spindle rotation and the interface responsible for the speed of information transfer. If data transfer speed is important to you, give preference to models with USB 3.0 and eSATA interfaces.

The number of spindle revolutions per minute affects the speed of finding necessary information on the device. As a rule, 2.5-inch hard drives have a rotation speed of 5400 rpm, while their larger counterparts have this parameter at 7200 rpm. The found information is placed on the clipboard and smooths out the difference between the speed of reading and writing for transmission over the interface. Therefore, the uniformity depends on the size of the buffer work hard disk.

The most popular interface for transferring information from an external hard drive is USB 2.0, which provides a transfer rate of up to 480 Mb / s. At the same time, eSATA allows you to transfer information at a speed of 5 Gb / s, which is ten times faster than USB 2.0. However, remember that similar interfaces must be available on your PC.

External hard drive compatibility

When choosing the best external hard drive, pay attention to its compatibility with the OS you need - Mac or . First of all, it is determined file system disk - NTFS or FAT32. Also, the file system affects other parameters, including the maximum allowable size of transferred files.

Most often, in modern hard drives the NTFS file system is used and only in some cases FAT32. The latter is compatible with all operating systems, including 98 and Millenium, as well as Macintosh computers and USB-equipped DVD players.

The main advantage of NTFS is support for files larger than 4 GB, since FAT32 simply “does not see” larger files. Also, NTFS allows you to use the data encryption system built into .

However, an NTFS hard drive, when used with Mac OS, is read-only. In order to write and read from such hard drives without restrictions, installation of additional software is required.

Additional software external hard drives

For comfortable and safe work some external hard drives completed additional programs, which allow you to protect data, produce backup information and ensure energy saving.

Some hard drives are equipped with energy-saving technologies. For example, after a certain time of inactivity, the hard drive falls asleep. In addition, the corporation has developed software that creates backups and determines the best time to save information - at the right time or on schedule. Seagate has a similar program - FreeAgent allows you to restore data after a system "rollback".

WD Sync is a data encryption and synchronization software from Western Digital. It allows you to synchronize information between your work and home PCs, while encryption with a 128-bit key is possible.

In addition, many use SecretZone, a technology that creates virtual disk and encrypts information to keep it secure. Developers also thought about security, offering users SafetyKey software, which creates a password for accessing recorded data.

External hard drive design

If you have chosen several models that suit you according to technical specifications, then an additional criterion may be the design of the device. Since the gadget is always in sight, it is better to become the owner of a stylish device that can emphasize your individuality.

An extensive range of colors allows you to choose a model that will look organically both in a businessman's office and in a student's room. Ultra-thin models with rounded corners are more convenient to carry in your pocket, while the hard drive with a case made of aluminum and plastic looks very stylish. In addition, the aluminum housing provides additional protection. The textured case is harder to scratch or leave fingerprints on.

Published May 7, 2013.
Based on materials from open sources.
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Today, information can be calculated in terabytes, and therefore the most convenient way use it for transfer or storage is an external HDD.

Also, the device will help out a lot if something happens to a personal computer, if you first download all the necessary data or an operating system to an external hard drive. parameters for each specific model enough to get confused in choosing the right device.

drive size

To achieve maximum usability, it is necessary to determine the size of the device. The model range is represented by external hard drives of 2.5 and 3.5 inches. The first type is compact and lightweight, its maximum weight reaches 180 g. And a USB cable is used as a power source.

The disk is 3.5 inches larger and practically does not differ from the built-in hard drives of a desktop computer. This means that such drives are quite heavy, their weight reaches one and a half kilograms. The disadvantage is the need to connect to the network. But despite this, the 3.5-inch type of external drive is still popular due to its very large volume memory and affordable price.

Having determined for yourself what is more important in using such a device, you can make a choice. If this is mobility and small dimensions, then preference should be given to the first type of 2.5 inches. When you need an economical option without losing device capacity, then a 3.5-inch removable hard drive is the most suitable option.

External hard drive capacity

First of all, you need to consider what exactly is supposed to be stored on such a device. If the video materials are in large quantities, then a 3.5-inch model will certainly fit.

This is explained by the fact that the capacity of such devices can reach terabytes, and this is a very impressive figure. The average capacity of 2.5-inch drives typically ranges from 250 to 500 gigabytes.

Type of memory used

There are only three types:

• HDD - most commonly used in personal computers. Its disadvantage is the presence of moving parts in the structure. That is why this type of memory is least suitable for a portable hard drive due to low reliability as a result of possible damage.
• SSD - unlike the first type, it is more reliable, since it does not have moving parts, which means that during transfer and various kinds of influences, the likelihood of avoiding damage increases. In addition to everything, the read speed of the hard disk will increase if you select this type of memory. The power consumption of the device is reduced.
• SSHD is an average version that combines the functions of the previous types. Such a combination of properties makes it the most attractive to the user, given the affordable cost.

Device speed

This parameter is understood as data transmission, their processing, as well as the speed of finding the information of interest. The most common option for connecting an external hard drive to a PC is USB 2.0. But this type of connector also provides the slowest overall drive speed - up to 480 Mb / s. It was replaced by the USB 3.0 standard, providing the device with a higher operating speed (4.8 Gb / s). However, the disadvantage is the impossibility of connecting it to the 2.0 standard connector. By the way, it will be said that the reverse connection is quite possible.

At the USB 2.0 level, eSATA is used, which provides speeds up to 3 Gb / s. As you can see, such a standard can provide a high speed of the device. A clear disadvantage is the shape of the connector, which is not so common and is not available in all drive models.

Tunderbolt is the fastest format, the speed of work, if available, can reach 10 Gb / s. The only downside is the restriction on use, since this type of data transfer is used only in Apple products.

And finally, there are models with the ability to connect via Wi-Fi. Depending on the technology used, data can be transferred at 6 Gb/s or as low as 450 Mb/s.

Also, the speed of work depends on what are the capabilities of the drive when the spindle rotates in the design of the device. The 2.5-inch removable drive accelerates to 5400 rpm, while its larger 3.5-inch counterpart reaches 7200 rpm. Accordingly, the priority of these features of the operation of devices depends on the purpose that the drive will serve.

Selecting the file system of an external device

PC compatibility is very important, because if you do not take into account all the possibilities, you can only access the files of the drive in read mode. So, the most common file system today is FAT 32. It can only be attributed to the minuses of the small size of the opened files - 4 GB. The NTFS system is less whimsical here and through it much more capacious files are opened. The advantage of FAT 32 is compatibility with even the most outdated operating systems.

External drive case material

Do not focus solely on the technical capabilities of the device. After all, if you have to carry a disk with you often enough, then the probability of dropping or damaging the drive increases, and therefore the choice of case material is important.

The model range is represented by the following types of materials:

• plastic;
• rubberized surface to provide a better grip on the surface on which the device is placed, thereby reducing the likelihood of it falling as a result of slipping;
• the metal case is more reliable, as it takes on the greatest load when it is hit or dropped.

When choosing a removable hard drive for your own use, you can pay attention to stylish models. For example, the manufacturer Transcend represents a wide the lineup attractive and functional devices.

Additional software

When choosing a drive, even greater opportunities are often acquired for it. For example, there are a number of programs that provide security when copying data, as well as reduce the power consumption of the device. For the same purpose, you can install software that allows an external removable drive to "fall asleep" if it has been inactive for a certain time. For security purposes, data backup is configured at user-defined intervals. In the event that it is required to protect information from prying eyes, special programs allow you to encrypt data using a 128-bit key.

There are models equipped with an additional button. Its purpose is to backup data, which is performed automatically when pressed.

Which external hard drive should you choose?

The above parameters reveal the functionality of almost all removable devices. After studying this information, you can select for yourself the most important parameters, as well as arrange them in order of importance, in accordance with the purpose of using the device.