Tips for Purchasing an External Hard Drive

First of all, you might be wondering why it's a good idea to buy an external hard drive. Well, the main purpose for one is to act as a backup option for your computer. If something were to go wrong with your regular hard drive, you could easily switch, without losing valuable data. External hard drives also add a lot of portability to that data. With an external hard drive, you can take your data anywhere you need to go. They're very simple to use and they always seem to come in handy!

With all of that said, here are five tips you can use when buying an external hard drive:

1. Go With a Brand Name: When it comes to external hard drives, it's best to buy a brand name. Yes, it may cost you a little more, but it will save you in the long run. If you go with a name you don't recognize, you're really only going to get what you pay for. Another reason to buy a brand name is the warranty that comes with it. If something does go wrong with your drive, you can always have it fixed right away. With other companies, you might have a little trouble contacting them and actually getting your hard drive repaired. So, if you don't want to deal with all of that hassle, go with a brand name. You'll thank me later!
   
2. Search It Out: It's best to do some research before you buy a new external hard drive. You can use Google or any of your favorite search engines. You can search the different brands and models, which will really help you when you go to purchase the hard drive. If you have a specific type in mind that you'd like to buy, look for some reviews and any feedback you can find. That information will help you to see how reliable a certain hard drive really is. You may be surprised by some of the things you find, but at least you'll know you're getting the best hard drive for your money!
   
3. Check the Connectivity: When you're buying an external hard drive, you'll want to pay attention to the connection type it has. The one you purchase will either connect via USB or Firewire. Now, Firewire is the fastest choice, but your computer may not have that type of connectivity. In that case, you'll need to find one that will work with your computer, which will probably be a USB version. You'll also need to check on the USB connection you have. Do you have USB 1.0 or 2.0?
   
4. Speed: You don't want a hard drive that runs as slow as molasses, you need to look for a hard drive that is going to give you the speed you want. When it comes down to it, the faster your hard drive performs, the faster your data will be transferred to your computer. With that in mind, there are three things you need to check when you buy your drive. First is the seek time. That needs to be 10ms or less. Second is the buffer size. The more of that, the better, but your drive should have at least 4 MB of buffer. Third is the RPM. For that, the higher it is, the better. It should be at least 5400rpm, but 7200rpm is preferred. If you stick to those basic tips, your hard drive will work just fine!
   
5. Size: The last thing you need to keep in mind when you're buying a new hard drive is the size of it. You knew this one was coming, didn't you?! When it comes to size, you can basically go by the rule of "buy as much as you can afford." When you're talking about data storage space, you can never have too much, so if you can afford 100 GB, get that. If you think you'll need more space and can handle it, get that. It's all up to you, but it's best to add an extra 50 percent on to the amount you think you're going to need. That way, you'll know for sure you won't run out of space within the first couple of months.

If you follow these five rules, you'll be purchasing the best external hard drive you possibly can.