A buffalo hard drive is a type of external hard drive manufactured by the company Buffalo Technology. External hard drives are portable data storage devices that can be attached to computers via USB, Firewire, eSATA, or wirelessly. They allow you to expand your computer’s storage capacity without opening up the case.
What are the key features of Buffalo external hard drives?
Here are some of the key features of Buffalo external hard drives:
- High capacity – Buffalo drives come in large capacities up to 16TB to store huge amounts of data.
- Portability – The drives are compact and lightweight so you can easily transport large amounts of data.
- Plug and play – They connect via USB so are simple to set up with no driver installation required.
- High speed data transfer – Support fast data transfer speeds over USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt interfaces.
- Shock resistance – The rugged chassis provides shock and vibration protection for your data.
- Backup software – Buffalo tools like Backup Utility and EcoManager help automate backup tasks.
- Hardware encryption – Provides an extra layer of security with optional 256-bit AES full disk encryption.
What are the key product lines?
Some of Buffalo’s major external hard drive product lines include:
- DriveStation – The flagship desktop hard drive line with high performance and lots of capacity.
- MiniStation – Compact portable storage in a slim chassis.
- DriveStation Axis – Network attached storage devices for centralized access.
- MiniStation Thunderbolt – Portable SSDs featuring the fast Thunderbolt interface.
- LinkStation – Simple shared network storage and backup solutions.
- TeraStation – Advanced rackmount network storage for businesses.
What types of connections do they support?
Buffalo external hard drives support the following main connectivity options:
- USB – All Buffalo drives have USB ports, with support for USB 3.0/3.1 Gen 1 (up to 5Gbps), USB 3.2 Gen 2 (up to 10Gbps), and USB-C.
- Thunderbolt – Some MiniStation models offer Thunderbolt ports for speeds up to 40Gbps.
- Ethernet – Network attached storage devices connect via Ethernet cables.
- Wireless – Some models feature integrated WiFi for wireless data access.
This allows you to choose the interface that best fits your performance needs and setup. The most common options are USB 3.0 for a simple plug-and-play drive or Ethernet for NAS devices to access over a home network.
How are Buffalo hard drives powered?
Buffalo external hard drives use the following power sources:
- USB bus power – Most portable Buffalo drives are bus-powered, meaning they draw power directly from the computer’s USB port so no external power adapter is required. This makes them highly portable.
- AC adapter – Desktop hard drives and larger capacity portable drives may require an AC power adapter to be plugged into a wall outlet. The power adapter is included.
- External power supply – Rackmount NAS devices like TeraStations use a dedicated external power brick to provide sufficient power for RAID configurations.
Bus-powered USB drives offer the most plug-and-play convenience without cables, while AC/DC adapters allow larger drives to be powered. Buffalo drives are compatible with worldwide voltages so they can be used anywhere.
What types of data transfer rates are supported?
Buffalo external hard drives support the following interface transfer rates:
| Interface | Transfer Rate |
|---|---|
| USB 3.0 / USB 3.1 Gen 1 | Up to 5 Gbps |
| USB 3.2 Gen 2 | Up to 10 Gbps |
| USB-C | Up to 10 Gbps |
| Thunderbolt | Up to 40 Gbps |
| Gigabit Ethernet | Up to 1 Gbps |
Actual real-world transfer speeds will depend on the drive model, computer capabilities, file sizes, and other factors. But Buffalo drives can provide fast data transfer from external storage for quick back up, editing, sharing, and more.
What types of connections are available?
Buffalo external hard drives offer the following port and cable options to connect to PCs and devices:
- USB-A – Standard rectangular USB ports for USB-A to USB-B cables.
- USB-C – USB-C ports and cables for newer devices.
- Thunderbolt – MiniStation Thunderbolt drives use Thunderbolt cables.
- Ethernet – RJ45 Ethernet ports for wired LAN connections.
- WiFi – Integrated wireless support on some models.
The drives come bundled with the required cable, whether USB, Thunderbolt, power, or Ethernet cable. The most common configuration is USB-A 3.0 for broad compatibility with PCs and laptops old and new.
What types of storage formats do they use?
Buffalo external hard drives typically use the following storage formats:
- HDD (hard disk drive) – Traditional hard drives with spinning magnetic disks are used on many Buffalo external drives. They offer high capacities at a lower cost.
- SSD (solid state drive) – For faster performance, solid state flash memory is used on MiniStation Thunderbolt SSD models.
- SATA – Serial ATA (SATA) is the interface protocol used internally on most Buffalo hard drives.
- RAID support – Some multi-drive NAS devices like TeraStation allow configuring RAID for data protection and performance.
Standard spinning hard drives in the range of 1TB to 16TB are most common to deliver high capacity at an affordable price point. But SSD and RAID options provide higher speed or redundancy when needed.
What types of software and apps are included?
Buffalo external drives come with software and apps including:
- Setup utilities – Simplify the initial setup process on Windows and Mac.
- Backup software – Tools like Buffalo Backup Utility automate backup scheduling.
- Security software – Optional 256-bit AES encryption for securing drive data.
- EcoManager – Provides drive power management and status monitoring.
- WebAccess – Allows file access over the internet for NAS devices.
- Mobile apps – Apps like WebAccess for Android and iOS allow wireless remote access.
This bundled software adds functionality for critical tasks like backup, security, power management, mobile access, and more. The tools help you make full use of the storage capabilities.
How much do Buffalo hard drives cost?
Buffalo external hard drive prices can range from around $50 up to $800 depending on the model specs. Some example price points:
- 1TB portable USB 3.0 hard drive – $50 to $80
- 4TB desktop USB 3.0 hard drive – $100 to $150
- 8TB network drive – $200 to $300
- 16TB desktop Thunderbolt RAID – $700 to $800
Lower capacities like 1-4TB tend to cost between $50 and $150. Higher speed SSD and Thunderbolt models can range from $200 to $500+. And high capacity 16TB+ network storage devices run $500+. Sale prices and rebates will also affect pricing.
How do Buffalo hard drives compare with other brands?
Some key comparisons between Buffalo external hard drives versus other major brands like Western Digital (WD) and Seagate include:
| Buffalo | WD | Seagate | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $$ | $$$ | $ |
| Performance | Good | Excellent | Very good |
| Features | Very good | Excellent | Good |
| Reliability | Good | Excellent | Good |
| Support | Fair | Good | Fair |
In general, Buffalo offers a good balance of performance, features, and value but doesn’t match premium brands for speed or reliability in all cases. But Buffalo drives provide robust solutions for many types of home, small business, and creative pro users.
Are Buffalo hard drives reliable for storing data?
Buffalo external hard drives generally provide good reliability for storing and backing up your data. Here are some key factors:
- Reasonable lifespan – Average operating life is comparable to other mid-tier hard drive brands.
- Warranty – 1 to 3 years of limited manufacturer warranty depending on the model.
- Build quality – Solid and durable drive enclosures protect the hardware.
- Shock resistance – Many Buffalo drives advertise extra shock and vibration resistance.
- RAID support – Optional mirrored or striped RAID provides an extra layer of data protection on NAS devices.
- Reputation – Good overall reputation among consumers over the years.
For optimal reliability, look at Buffalo’s premium models, configure proper RAID levels, handle drives carefully, and follow a consistent backup routine. HDDs can fail eventually so important data should be backed up in multiple locations.
What are the best uses cases for Buffalo external storage?
Some of the best uses for Buffalo external hard drives include:
- Backup – Great for local backups for Windows and Mac thanks to included software.
- Media storage – Large multimedia libraries benefit from huge Buffalo drive capacities.
- Small business storage – Affordable network solutions for sharing files and backing up workstations.
- Field work – Rugged portable drives can withstand travel for use in media, research, etc.
- Creative work – Fast Thunderbolt SSD storage for video editing and other demanding workloads.
For home users, Buffalo provides reliable local backup and media storage. And businesses can leverage Buffalo’s NAS devices for shared storage at a reasonable price point compared to enterprise solutions.
Conclusion
Buffalo external hard drives deliver reliable high capacity storage to home users, creative pros, and small office environments. Models like the DriveStation and MiniStation focus on large storage pools, performance, portability, and useful features at an affordable price point. While not matching premium brands like WD and Seagate in all areas, Buffalo drives provide a solid overall value that make them a popular data storage choice worldwide.