Quick Answer
An external hard drive is a type of storage, but not all storage is an external hard drive. An external hard drive is a specific piece of hardware that is used for additional storage space and data backups. Other types of storage include internal hard drives, solid state drives, USB flash drives, cloud storage, and more. So while an external hard drive falls under the storage category, it has distinct features that differentiate it from other forms of storage.
What is an External Hard Drive?
An external hard drive is a portable storage device that can be attached to a computer via a USB connection or wirelessly. It provides additional storage space for users to store files, back up data, or transfer files between devices.
Some key features of external hard drives include:
- Portability – They are small and lightweight enough to carry around.
- Plug-and-play connectivity – External HDDs connect to PCs through USB, Firewire, eSATA cables or wirelessly.
- Data storage – They come in large capacities of up to 10TB to store documents, photos, videos, music files and more.
- Backup – Provides an additional backup of important files.
- Durability – External HDDs are shock resistant and durable for portability.
- Compatibility – Works across different operating systems like Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.
External hard drives get their name from being external to the computer and portable. They can extend the storage capacity beyond the internal hard drive in a computer. Leading brands like Seagate, WD (Western Digital), Toshiba, etc. manufacture external hard drives.
What is Storage?
Storage refers to computer components and media that are used to store data either temporarily or permanently. Data needs to be saved in a storage medium or device for retrieval later on. There are different types of storage options available for computers:
Internal Storage
Internal storage refers to hardware inside the computer like a hard disk drive (HDD), solid state drive (SSD) or other drives. It is used to store the operating system, software files, user documents, media files and other files for quick access.
External Storage
External storage refers to hardware that is connected externally to a computer through a USB port, Firewire port, Thunderbolt port or wirelessly. Examples include external HDDs, SSDs, USB flash drives, SD cards, and network attached storage (NAS) devices.
Online/Cloud Storage
Cloud-based storage saves data on remote servers maintained by cloud storage providers like Google Drive, Dropbox, Microsoft OneDrive, Apple iCloud, Amazon Cloud Drive, etc. Files can be accessed from any device with an internet connection.
Offline Storage
This refers to storage media that do not require network connectivity to store and access data. Examples include external HDDs, USB drives, Blu-ray discs, DVDs, CDs, tapes, and floppy disks. The data is available offline.
Temporary Storage
Temporary storage holds data temporarily as it is being processed or used. Computer RAM and cache memory are common examples of temporary storage. The data is deleted once the processing is complete.
Permanent Storage
Permanent storage preserves data even if a device is powered off. It allows saving files, programs, and documents permanently. Internal HDDs, SSDs and external hard drives provide permanent storage.
Differences Between an External Hard Drive and Storage
While an external hard drive is a type of storage device, there are some key differences when compared to other storage options:
Portability
External HDDs are portable and lightweight, allowing you to carry large data with you. Other storage like NAS devices and internal HDDs do not offer this level of portability.
Accessibility
External hard drives can easily connect to any computer to access files. You only need the hard drive and a USB cable. Other network based storage may require special software or setup.
Speed
External HDDs have standard hard drive speeds of 5400 RPM to 7200 RPM. SSD based external drives are faster with speeds over 200 MB/s. Faster internal SSDs exceed 500 MB/s speeds.
Capacity
External hard drives go up to 10TB for desktop models and 4TB for portable models. NAS devices offer more storage, up to 40TB. Cloud storage provides unlimited capacity.
Connectivity
Most external HDDs use USB 3.0/3.1 connectivity with speeds up to 5Gbps. Some use Thunderbolt with faster 10-40Gbps speeds. Cloud storage uses internet connectivity.
Security
External hard drives offer basic security like password protection and encryption. Cloud storage provides stricter account based security. NAS allows data protection through RAID setups.
Price
Cost per GB is lower for external hard drives compared to internal SSDs. But cloud storage costs even lesser and offers more flexibility.
So in summary, while external hard drives are used for storage purposes, they differ from other storage options in portability, accessibility, speed, capacity limits and other aspects. An external HDD is best used for backups, transferring files, additional on-the-go storage, while cloud and NAS work better for expanding permanent storage.
Benefits of Using an External Hard Drive for Storage
Here are some of the notable benefits that an external HDD provides as a storage device:
Portability to Transfer Files
The compact design allows easy portability to transfer large files between multiple computers via the external hard drive. You can carry terabytes of data in your pocket.
Expanded Storage
External HDDs provide expanded storage capacity to store your growing files and media collection beyond your computer’s internal storage limit.
Faster File Transfer Speeds
External HDDs use USB 3.0/3.1, Thunderbolt, eSATA connections which offer very high data transfer speeds when moving files on and off the drive.
Backing Up Important Data
One of the top uses of external HDDs is conveniently backing up your important files and documents as an additional protective measure.
Separation from Main Computer
Having your files stored on an external drive separates the storage from your main PC. So if the computer crashes or gets damaged, the external HDD stays safe.
Easy Plug-and-Play Use
You only need to plug in an external drive to your computer and it is ready to use. No complex installation or setup required.
Security and Privacy
You can password protect and encrypt external HDDs to keep your private data secure. And you retain full control over the data.
So in summary, external hard drives are versatile storage devices that provide expanded capacity, fast file transfer speeds, easy backup of your important files and overall convenience and flexibility.
Uses of an External Hard Drive
External hard drives are extremely useful for a variety of common computing tasks and purposes:
File Backup
One of the top uses is backing up your important files as a protective measure from computer crashes or data loss incidents. Documents, projects, media files should be regularly backed up.
Expanding Storage Space
You can use an external HDD to expand the storage capacity of your computer beyond the inbuilt hard drive space for storing more photos, videos, games and files.
Transferring Files
It provides a quick way to transfer large amounts of files from one computer to another using the portable external HDD as the go-between device.
Offloading Files
Older files that you don’t regularly access can be offloaded from your main computer onto an external HDD to free up internal drive space.
Time Machine Backup
Mac users can easily back up the entire system using Time Machine to an external HDD. It allows quick restore of your Mac if needed.
Storing Sensitive Documents
You can store your private financial records, tax documents and other important files on an encrypted external hard drive for extra security.
Sharing Files
It’s an easy way to share large volumes of files between users by saving files to the external drive and sharing the drive.
So in short, whether you need extra storage, file backups, transfers between systems or long term archival storage, an external HDD can comfortably fulfill all those needs.
Factors to Consider When Buying an External Hard Drive
Here are some important aspects to consider when choosing an external hard drive to meet your specific needs:
Storage Capacity
Consider how much extra space you need – is it for just documents or lots of high-capacity media files like photos, videos and games? Pick drive capacities from 1TB up to 10TB accordingly.
Transfer Speed
Faster drives with USB 3.0/3.1, Thunderbolt and eSATA interfaces offer quicker file transfers. Pick SSD based drives for even faster speeds.
Portability
If you travel often, choose lightweight and compact portable drives. If it’s for desktop use, standard external HDD models are fine.
Compatibility
Make sure the external HDD is compatible with your operating system, whether Windows, Mac, Linux, Android or game consoles.
Build Quality
Portable drives must be sturdy enough to withstand being carried around. Also check durability ratings like water resistance, shock resistance, etc.
Security Features
Look for security features like password protection and encryption to keep your sensitive data safe and prevent unauthorized access.
Brand Reputation
Stick with established brands like Seagate, WD, Toshiba, Samsung for reliable performance. Check warranty periods too.
So evaluate your specific needs and choose the right sized, speed and featured external HDD at a suitable price point.
Conclusion
While an external hard drive is certainly a type of storage device, it has distinct characteristics from internal HDDs, SSDs, USB drives, cloud storage, network attached storage, and other types of computer storage. The main differences lie in aspects like portability, speed, accessibility, security and costs.
External hard drives are excellent as portable storage to expand capacity, quickly transfer large files between PCs, reliably back up your important data, securely store private documents, and offload data from your main computer. With USB 3.0/3.1 and Thunderbolt connectivity, modern external HDDs offer very fast transfer speeds as well. Leading hard drive brands provide high-capacity, durable and capable external storage drives. Evaluate your specific needs and choose the right sized external hard drive to meet your requirements. The portability and plug-and-play use make them very easy to use for both technical and non-technical computer users alike.