


You’ll pay more but if a fast data transfer speed is your priority, then an SSD is always the best option. Because they do have moving parts, HDDs are more fragile and significantly louder in operation than SSDs – and they are also slower. Hard disk drives are generally more affordable and use mechanical spinning disks to store your data, while solid-state drives (SSD) don’t contain any moving parts, instead using flash memory chips to handle data. It gets complex, but the big difference is in how your photos and data are stored and accessed. HDD vs SSD: There are two types of external drives you’ll see when shopping around: hard disk drives (HDD) and solid-state drives (SSD). If it will be popped inside a backpack on your commute, you will benefit from getting a model that has a sturdy metal case, but if it rarely leaves your desk then a decent plastic build will be enough. Portability and durability: Not all external hard drives are designed to leave your home, while others are intentionally made to be slim, lightweight and even weather-resistant, So, you’ll need to think about how you plan on using your drive. On Mac, the name is “Time Machine.” Both have the same result: you backup your operating system, files, photos and videos directly onto the drive for safe keeping, then you can restore the full system at a future date. For Windows machines this is known as “system image” and the process is found under the Backup and Restore settings. Top tip: check the collective size of the items you need to store to get an idea of how much storage you need, but always add a bit more so you’ll have more space for the future.īackups: An external hard drive can also be used to back up your entire PC or Mac.

Roughly, 1TB holds about 250 movies in HD quality or 250,000 12MP photos. However, that won’t be the case if you’re using it to save a backup of thousands of your family photos and videos, plus a couple of PlayStation 5 games – for that you’ll need terabytes (TB) of space (the latest Call of Duty is at least 150GB alone). Storage sizes: How much stuff do you need to store? If you’re just transferring a couple of photos and files between laptops, an affordable 128 gigabyte (GB) USB drive like the SanDisk Ultra Flair is more than enough. What type of external drive is best for you? Here’s what you need to think about before buying one for your storage – including portability, durability and transfer speeds.
