Guide to Choosing an External Hard Drive

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1. Guide to Choosing an External Hard Drive

For around 2.5 million dong, users can opt for an external hard drive with a capacity of up to 1TB for storing data. However, it's important to consider a few factors after making the selection.

1. Guide to Choosing an External Hard Drive

For approximately 2.5 million dong, users can select an external hard drive with a capacity of up to 1TB for data storage. Nevertheless, attention should be paid to several factors after making the choice.

Varieties of Hard Drives

Currently, there are two types of external hard drives, including: desktop hard drive form factor, which requires power supply parallel to the USB data cable. The second type is a compactly designed drive, usually 2.5 inches in size, targeting mobile work environments. This product does not require power and connects to the computer via a USB cable.

Nowadays, desktop drives can reach capacities of 2-4TB, but smaller form factors have lower capacities, around 1-2TB, with the most common being 640GB or 500GB drives.

Input connectivity is crucial

Most external hard drives today connect to devices via USB 2.0 ports, with some newer models integrating USB 3.0. Additionally, some types use FireWire (400 and 800) or eSATA connections.

External drives using USB 2.0 ports are more popular because they are compatible with various devices, including netbooks or lightweight laptops (ultrabooks), which have at least one USB 2.0 port. Less common but faster is the FireWire standard, providing data transfer speeds of 400Mbps or 800Mbps.

With an eSATA connection interface, data transfer speeds are very high, at 3Gbps (3,000 Mbps), much faster than USB 2.0. However, the eSATA connection interface does not provide power through the cable; instead, users will need to equip a power cable via a USB port or an external AC adapter.

The market now offers drives with USB 3.0 connectivity standard, which is faster than eSATA. USB 3.0 is backward compatible with USB 2.0. Some high-end external hard drives integrate all three standards: USB 2.0, USB 3.0, and eSATA, but they come with a relatively high price tag.

Drive Rotation Speed

Instead of improving the drive rotation mechanism, manufacturers focus on developing drive communication standards with the motherboard. That's why information about drive rotation speed remains stagnant. Users only see information like 5,400rpm, 7,200rpm, or 10,000 rpm because higher drive rotation speed doesn't necessarily result in faster performance.

However, don't overlook drive rotation speed. Specifically, a 5,400rpm speed isn't fast enough for USB 2.0 and FireWire 400/800 interfaces. Instead, opt for drives with 7,200rpm or 10,000rpm speeds.

After considering these criteria, you might also be interested in other computer criteria. Color and design are often of more concern. Additionally, consider bundled utility software, such as automatic data synchronization and backup software or data encryption software.

Manufacturer warranty policies are also crucial; opt for external drives with a three-year warranty period.

Source: BẠCH ĐẰNG (tuoitreonline)

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Frequently Asked Questions

What factors should I consider when choosing an external hard drive?

When choosing an external hard drive, consider factors such as capacity, form factor, connectivity options, drive rotation speed, bundled software, and manufacturer warranty policies. A well-informed choice can enhance your data storage experience.

How much data can I store on a 1TB external hard drive?

A 1TB external hard drive can store approximately 250,000 photos, 250,000 songs, or 500 hours of HD video. The exact amount varies based on file sizes, so consider your specific storage needs.

What are the advantages of USB 3.0 over USB 2.0 connections?

USB 3.0 offers significantly faster data transfer speeds than USB 2.0, reaching up to 5Gbps compared to USB 2.0's 480Mbps. This makes it a better choice for transferring large files quickly.

Is a higher drive rotation speed always better for performance?

No, a higher drive rotation speed isn't always better for performance. While speeds like 7,200rpm or 10,000rpm can improve data access times, the overall performance also depends on the drive's connectivity and the specific use case.