Using an external hard drive can be a great way to back up important files and data, expand your storage capacity, and improve your workflow. However, there are some things to consider before deciding if an external hard drive is right for you.
What are the benefits of using an external hard drive?
Here are some of the key benefits of using an external hard drive:
- Extra storage space – External hard drives allow you to vastly expand your storage capacity. For example, you can get an external hard drive with 5TB of space very affordably these days. This allows you to store far more files, photos, videos, and other data.
- Portability – Being external and powered by USB, external hard drives are highly portable. You can easily transport large amounts of data between locations.
- Backups – One of the main uses of external drives is to backup your important data for safekeeping. This provides protection in case your main computer is damaged or compromised.
- Convenience – External hard drives can add a lot of convenience by providing extra storage space right at your fingertips when connected to your computer.
- Security – Storing sensitive files on an external drive that you can then disconnect from your computer and lock up provides an added level of security.
- Compatibility – External hard drives are compatible with most computers these days and can be used across devices, making them very versatile.
What are the downsides of using an external hard drive?
There are also some potential downsides to weigh when deciding on using an external drive:
- Reliability – Like any hardware, external hard drives are susceptible to technical issues or failures. Solid state drives tend to be more reliable than mechanical platter-based drives.
- Speed – External drives connect over USB, Thunderbolt, Firewire or other interfaces. This makes their speed slower compared to internal hard drives that connect directly using SATA or PCIe interfaces inside a computer.
- Single point of failure – If you are relying on an external drive as your only copy of important data, loss or failure of that one drive can risk losing all your data. Having backups in more than one location is recommended.
- Physical damage – Being external and portable also exposes drives more easily to physical damage from drops, impacts, liquids and more.
- Encryption – Many external drives don’t encrypt stored data by default, creating potential security risks for sensitive files.
- Cost – External hard drives represent an added cost, especially for larger capacity models. Make sure to compare cost vs. any alternatives like cloud storage.
What types of external hard drives are there?
There are a few main types of external hard drives to consider:
- HDD (Hard Disk Drive) – This type uses mechanical platters and a moving read/write head to store data. HDDs are more affordable but slower compared to SSDs.
- SSD (Solid State Drive) – This type uses flash memory with no moving parts. SSDs are much faster and more reliable but also more expensive.
- Hybrid Drives – These combine an HDD with a small SSD to store frequently accessed data. This improves speed while still offering lots of affordable storage.
- Desktop Drives – These are designed to stay stationary on your desk and are powered from a wall outlet. They offer very large storage capacities.
- Portable Drives – These are compact and lightweight drives powered just by the USB cable. Easy to transport but smaller storage capacities.
The choice depends on your specific needs. If portability is most important, a portable SSD offers fast speeds and good reliability. But for max affordable storage space on your desk, a desktop HDD is preferable.
What capacity external drive makes sense?
External hard drives are available in storage capacities ranging from 500GB to 10TB or more. Which capacity you need depends on your specific requirements:
- For basic backups or extra storage, 1-2TB should suffice. This allows storing hundreds of thousands of files or photos.
- For professional use with large media files, 4TB+ is better for storing video projects, collections of HD movies, etc.
- As a backup drive for an entire computer system, 5-10TB lets you backup everything from a desktop or laptop.
- For professional photographers, videographers or graphic designers working with massive files sizes, 10TB or higher provides flexibility.
In summary, for standard home backups and storage, 1-2TB is typically adequate. Professional media users should look for drives 5TB and above for maximum performance and capacity.
How reliable are external hard drives?
The reliability of external hard drives has improved over the years, but they are still susceptible to potential failure being mechanical devices. Here are some estimates on their reliability and lifespan:
- HDD failure rate – Around 2-10% fail within 1-2 years, up to 15% by 3 years. MTBF around 1-1.5 million hours.
- SSD failure rate – Around 1-2% by 1-2 years. MTBF 1.5-2.5 million hours.
- Hybrid drives – Slightly better reliability than HDDs, with a failure rate around 1-5% in 1-2 years.
- Desktop drives – Slightly lower failure rates than portable drives when used under optimal conditions.
- Portable drives – Failure rates around 2-7% within 1-2 years when subject to more wear due to transport.
Overall, expect an annual failure rate of around 2-5% depending on the type and usage of the drive. Following best practices like safe removal of drives, proper cables, cooling, and avoiding excessive shocks can help minimize any issues.
How fast are external hard drives?
The speeds of external drives ultimately depend on the technology and interfaces used:
- HDD disks – 100-160 MB/s sequential reads and writes. Around 1-10 MB/s random access.
- SSD drives – Up to 550 MB/s sequential reads/writes for the fastest models. 10-100x faster random access than HDDs.
- USB 3.0 – Can support over 500 MB/s theoretical bandwidth.
- USB-C – Up to 10Gbps (1,250 MB/s) speed supported.
- Thunderbolt 3 – Up to 40Gbps (5,000 MB/s) per channel.
- RAID arrays – Grouping multiple drives can exponentially improve speeds.
In real world usage, external HDDs give you speeds around 100-150 MB/s for large file transfers. Portable SSDs are 2-4x faster thanks to SSD technology and USB 3.0/3.1 interfaces. For the fastest speeds, use an external RAID array over Thunderbolt 3.
Are external SSDs better than HDDs?
Solid state drives (SSDs) do offer advantages compared to mechanical hard disk drives (HDDs):
- Faster speeds – SSDs provide at least 2-3x faster read/write speeds and much faster access times.
- More reliable – No moving parts makes SSDs better able to withstand shocks and vibration.
- Compact size – 2.5-inch SSDs take up much less space compared to 3.5-inch HDDs.
- Quieter operation – No spinning platters means zero noise from SSDs.
The downsides are that smaller capacity SSDs are more expensive per gigabyte compared to HDDs. However, thanks to rapid development, SSD prices have fallen making them comparable to HDDs in many cases. SSDs are the better choice unless you need the very largest storage capacities.
What should you look for when buying an external hard drive?
Key factors to consider when choosing an external hard drive include:
- Storage capacity – Consider how much storage you need currently and in the future.
- SSD vs HDD – SSD is better for speed and reliability; HDD if you need maximum capacity.
- Transfer speed – Faster USB/Thunderbolt interfaces and SSD improve transfer rates.
- Size and portability – If you will transport the drive frequently, compact size and durability are key.
- Brand reputation – Stick with major brands like Samsung, Seagate, WD for reliability.
- Warranty – 3 years or longer warranty provide more peace of mind.
- Security – Encryption, password protection and other security features prevent unauthorized access.
- Price – Compare prices across sellers to find the best value.
- Reviews – Check expert reviews and user feedback before purchasing.
Taking these factors into account will help you select the perfect external hard drive for your specific needs and budget.
How do I use an external hard drive?
Using an external hard drive is very simple:
- Connect the drive – Use the included cable to plug the hard drive into your computer, usually via USB, USB-C or Thunderbolt port. This will power up the drive.
- Wait for detection – Give your computer a moment to detect the newly connected drive. Usually it will pop up automatically.
- View external drive – You will see the external hard drive appear in your list of drives and storage devices. Typically it will be labeled “External”, “External Drive”, “Elements”, etc.
- Explore drive – You can begin transferring files back and forth by dragging and dropping them into the external drive folders.
- Safely eject – Always safely eject the external drive before unplugging it from your computer to avoid data loss.
Once connected and recognized, the external drive will function just like any other drive on your system. Simply copy files over or perform backups as needed. Just remember to safely eject before disconnecting.
What are the main uses for external hard drives?
External hard drives are extremely versatile and can provide several very useful functions:
- Backup – The most common use is for backing up your main computer hard drive to prevent data loss in case of failure.
- Extra storage – They provide expanded storage capacity for storing large files and freeing up space on your main drive.
- Data portability – External drives make it easy to transfer tons of files between different computers.
- Time Machine/File History backups – Great for automatically backing up Macs or Windows PCs.
- Media storage – Large external drives work great for storing photos, videos, music libraries, and gaming files.
- Sharing files – Easily share data by sending the portable external drive to others.
- ISO mounting – Mount disc image files like ISO, DMG, VHD and run portable apps.
The applications are nearly endless. If you need more storage space and data portability, an external drive can deliver great utility.
What are the risks with external hard drives?
While very useful, external hard drives also come with certain risks to be aware of:
- Drive failure – Like any hardware, external drives are susceptible to failure due to manufacturing flaws, wear and tear, or physical damage.
- Theft or loss – Being small and portable, external drives can easily be misplaced, left behind, or stolen.
- Malware and viruses – External drives used across different PCs can spread malware between systems.
- Data corruption – Improperly ejecting drives may result in file errors or data corruption.
- Outdated backups – If not routinely updated, backups on external drives become outdated.
- Minimal security – Many external drives lack encryption or password protection to prevent unauthorized access.
You can mitigate these risks by following best practices – keep drives physically secure, safely eject, scan for viruses, replace aging drives, encrypt data, and routinely refresh backups.
Should I get an external SSD or HDD?
When deciding between an external SSD vs HDD, there are a few factors to keep in mind:
- Budget – HDDs offer more storage capacity per dollar. Go with HDD if budget limited.
- Speed – SSDs are 2-5x faster thanks to solid state memory and USB 3.0/3.1 interfaces.
- Reliability – The lack of moving parts makes SSDs less prone to failure from shock or vibration.
- Capacity – HDDs go up to 10-14TB. SSDs max out around 4-8TB currently.
- File Sizes – Smaller files and less capacity needed make SSD a good choice.
- Usage – If your external drive sees infrequent usage, an HDD is likely sufficient.
In general, choose SSD if you value speed, reliability and reasonable capacities. But if your budget is tight or you need the highest possible capacities over 10TB, an HDD is likely the better option.
Conclusion
External hard drives provide a great way to expand your storage capacity, backup critical data, transport files, and improve your workflow. Prices have dropped, capacities have increased, and reliability has improved over the years making them very appealing. They are simple to use – just connect and drag files over. Just be mindful of potential risks like failures and misplacement. Following best practices can help minimize any downsides.
Carefully consider your specific needs and budget when deciding on an external hard drive. Factors like storage needs, portability, speed, reliability and security will help guide your decision. In most cases, external hard drives offer an easy, plug-and-play method of expanding your storage that no computer user should be without.