External hard drive: reliability rating, models, manufacturers, capacity. Tips for choosing an external hard drive

The capacity of modern Flash drives makes it easy to carry a couple of high-definition movies in your pocket, but their capabilities have not yet reached the point of moving or backing up terabytes of data. For these purposes, devices of a different class are required, comparable in capacity to conventional HDDs, and the optimal solution here is external hard drives. As a matter of fact, they differ from conventional hard drives only in the way they organize power, the interface, and the presence of an additional case and controller. It is even possible that HDDs of the same model are used inside the system unit and the external drive.

In most cases, to connect a 2.5-inch portable drive, it is enough to connect it to a laptop or system unit using an interface cable. External drives based on 3-inch HDDs also require additional power.

Main selection criteria

Data interface

The choice here is quite wide: eSATA, USB 3.0, FireWire (IEEE 1394) and Thunderbolt. The latest standard has the maximum throughput, but completely covers the speed capabilities of modern hard drives they are all, so you should be guided by the presence of connectors of the appropriate type on your PC or laptop. You just need to keep in mind that among the offers there are many devices with an outdated USB 2.0 interface, which will slow down the transfer by at least two times. Selecting such external hard drives is not advisable, even if your computer does not have Revision 3 connectors of this standard. The eSATA and FireWire interfaces should be used only if additional power supply for the drive is expected. For 2.5" portable drives the best option There will be USB 3.0.

Volume

The physical dimensions of the device impose limitations on the volume. If required external drive with a capacity of more than 2 TB - it is almost pointless to look for it among 2-inch drives. The exception is a few devices, but their price cannot be called low. The choice will have to be made among larger devices, and you should be prepared for the presence of additional power and an appropriate adapter.

Hardware encryption features

If the external hard drive will be used to temporarily store confidential information, it will be worthwhile to take efforts to protect it. It makes sense to select a portable device from among those that have hardware encryption functions. A simpler data security feature is access to the drive using a password. In any case, to use these features you will have to install special software that comes with the kit or can be downloaded from the manufacturer’s website yourself.

Photo: newtechnoit.ru

No less important selection criteria

• Dimensions A portable device is primarily determined by the form factor of the installed HDD: 2.5 or 3.5 inches. Within one category, the thickness of the housing depends on the number of plates and increases with increasing volume. A special place is occupied by self-powered drives - depending on the design solution, the built-in battery can increase both the thickness and other linear dimensions.
• For 3-inch external drives additional is definitely required nutrition, their smaller relatives make do with the capabilities of the interface controller, with the exception of wireless models. The latter have a special battery for operation in offline mode and an adapter for charging it.
• If you do not take into account USB 2.0, then operating speed is not limited to the interface capabilities, it is typical for installed hard disks and is proportional to the rotation speed of their spindle. The maximum performance is demonstrated by devices based on HDDs with a speed of 7200 per minute; faster hard drives are not found in portable drives. There are models organized according to the principle of a zero-level RAID array of two physical hard drives with corresponding speed indicators.
• Some external drives offer wireless connectivity. Built-in module Wi- Fi operates as a hub for a separate network segment, which, if necessary, provides end-to-end switching of mobile devices to another access point. As a rule, such models are equipped with a built-in battery and can work autonomously for several hours.

Most popular manufacturers

In addition to direct hard drive manufacturers, such as Toshiba Corporation, Western Digital or a consolidated division of companies Seagate Technology And Samsung Electronics, brand products are very popular among users ADATA And Silicon Power . By creating their own portable devices based on the HDDs of the companies listed earlier, they compensate for someone else’s technical advantage through the use of higher quality materials and clear algorithms for the operation of control circuits.

Photo: smages.com

When purchasing a portable drive, do not consider options with a USB 2.0 interface. Without getting virtually any gain in price, you will noticeably lose in data exchange speed.

If you plan to use an external drive without additional power, connect it via the USB 2.0 connector on personal computer or laptop, special attention should be paid to the amount of current consumed. Some version 2 interface controllers may not provide normal functioning portable device. This is especially true for external drives. large capacity when connecting to very old PCs.

Losing important data is always quite unpleasant, but it is especially bad when confidential information somehow falls into the hands of competitors. Make use as safe as possible portable devices Without a noticeable decrease in performance, only strong cryptographic protection methods implemented at the hardware level will help.

Many people store information on electronic media. But when it becomes too much, everyone wonders how to choose an external hard drive. After all, storing many flash drives is inconvenient and economically impractical. Their total cost will significantly exceed the cost external media. Therefore, when answering the question of what is better - a flash drive or an external hard drive - you can safely give preference to the latter.

To approach the choice wisely, it is important to determine which parameters to rely on.

The main ones are:

• form factor;
• memory type;
• disk volume;
• connection interface.

There are also additional ones:

• data transfer rate;
• disk rotation speed;
• built-in capabilities;
• special functions.

How to choose the right external hard drive? Think about the sizes. The most common are 3.5 and 2.5 inches. There is still 1.8 inches, but today it is less popular.

The first form factor is the largest and most spacious. The disk capacity can be terabytes and tens of terabytes. Due to this, a reduction in the price per GB is achieved. The disadvantage is the weight. You will have to carry not only the hard drive itself, but also the power supply for it, because it requires power to operate. For this reason, it is ideal for creating archives and stationary use.

The 2.5″ removable media is exactly the same size as a laptop hard drive. Therefore, the choice most often falls on him. Another plus is that power is supplied from the USB port. This means that the external drive will be significantly smaller and lighter than its larger brother. The price paid for compactness. It will be higher per GB than a 3.5″ drive.

In terms of portability and compactness, the best external hard drive is a 1.8″ device. However, its small size and the use of SSD memory make it quite expensive. For these reasons, this form factor is not particularly popular.

Memory type

One of the main criteria when answering the question of how to choose a portable hard drive is the type of memory. Today there are 3 of them:

• SSHD.

HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is the most common type of external hard drive. It consists of rotating magnetic plates and a read head. Among the advantages, it is worth noting the large capacity and low cost. Disadvantages include slight noise, sensitivity to falls, shaking and other mechanical impacts.

SSD ( Solid State Drive) — solid state drive. It has no moving parts, making it much more resistant to shocks. Therefore, it is better suited for frequent wear. SSD has more high speed data transfer than HDD, and lower power consumption. However, it is inferior in volume and price. These are disks with a relatively small volume and still a high cost.

SSHD (Solid State Hybrid Drive) incorporates technologies from both types of memory. At its core, it is a HDD with a solid-state memory section. Target of this device— speed up disk operation due to the fact that the most frequently used files will be stored in the flash memory of the disk. And the main information is on magnetic plates. These hard drives are less popular compared to the previous two.

What type of memory to choose an external storage device with depends only on your needs and financial capabilities.

Portable storage capacity

The choice of external drive will be influenced by the purpose for which you plan to use the device. The 2.5-inch is usually limited to 500-750 GB, but it is mobile and portable. And 3.5-inch ones can contain terabytes of information. If the device is needed for frequent transfer of small information, it is better to choose an external drive with a capacity of 250-500 GB. If you want to create a home media library or archive, then you need several terabytes. After all, file sizes are constantly growing, and as storage capacity increases, the price per gigabyte decreases.

The information transfer speed of external hard drives depends on the interface, that is, the connection method.

The most common is USB. USB 3.0 with data transfer speeds of up to 5 Gb/s is relevant today. USB 2.0 has a maximum transfer speed of 480 MB/s. They differ slightly in price, but you can judge for yourself in terms of speed. This connector is present on almost any device. You can always find an adapter for it. The popularity of the interface can be decisive when choosing external hard drives.

• The SATA standard, on the contrary, is now almost never used for external hard drives. The maximum allowed speed is 6 Gb/s. This connector is mainly used for internal hard drives.
• eSATA is a subtype of the SATA standard.
• FireWire is a fairly rare connector that can achieve data transfer speeds of 400 Mbit/s.
• Thunderbolt is an Apple standard. Maximum speed 10 Gbps.

The spindle speed will affect parameters such as the speed of information transfer, power consumption, noise level and how hot it gets.

• 5400 rpm is the slowest and quietest;
• 7200 rpm - average rotation speed;
• 10,000 rpm is the fastest (among HDDs) and the loudest.

FAT32 and NTFS

FAT32 is old file format systems. NTFS is newer and supports files larger than 4 GB. This is important to consider when choosing external hard drives. After all, if the file system on the computer is FAT32, and the portable drive is NTFS, a hardware conflict will arise and the PC will not see the removable device.

When you choose an external drive with FAT32, you need to know that it will work perfectly with all operating systems, but will not support files larger than 4 GB.

The speed of the external drive is affected by the size of the clipboard. The larger it is, the faster the performance will be. Some drives are equipped with specialized programs. They allow you to do backup files, create a password-protected disk partition, and much more. Although all this can be done using third-party programs.

Some models have an Ethernet network connector as well as Wi-Fi. Such models can be used as a server with a home media library. This is very convenient when you use several computers at home. And if the device has an additional USB port, it can be used to recharge gadgets.

Seagate has released a wonderful drive, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. Transcend also distinguished itself with its StoreJet 25M3 model. Western Digital placed in the top five twice removable media with Elements Portable and My Passport Ultra discs. And the leader of the top five was Seagate Expansion.

Which medium you choose depends on your needs and financial capabilities. Before you accept final decision about which model and which company to buy, be sure to read reviews of external hard drives. At the most popular models There are quite a lot of reviews based on which you can form your opinion.

An external hard drive is memory, which the user can carry with him and connect it to any device, be it a computer or laptop via USB cord.

It differs from a flash drive in that it has a larger storage capacity. If previously the limit for memory capacity was set at two terabytes, now the release of a hard drive with a capacity of one petabyte is being announced. Only for ordinary users Such capacity is not yet available.

The hard drive is designed to store user information. Video files, audio files and other data will be stored in it much longer than on a flash drive. Winchester has large number rewrite cycles.

Now let's look at the existing types.

Types of hard drives

There are several types of hard drives in the world:

Mobile

This is exactly the same external drive. They buy it for memory expansion home computer. It is recommended to store information on it that you do not often use or want to put aside for later. It is a kind of library modern user. Only such a library will fit in his pocket.

Mobile external drives can have a memory up to 5 terabytes. If the capacity is more than five TB, then this media becomes stationary.

Stationary

This is the same external drive for a computer, only with a memory capacity of more than five terabytes. This portable media cannot be placed in a pocket. However, you can add all the necessary and not only digitized data into it. From mobile he The only difference is capacity and size.

It should also be selected by manufacturer and memory capacity. Many such hard drives have HDMI output for connecting to a TV, as well as interfaceWi— Fi. That is, you don’t need any wires, connect power to the external storage device, set up access to your network through the web interface and enjoy movies and music recorded on it.

HDD

This is an internal hard drive that is installed in a system unit or laptop. As external ones, they are installed in a special pocket with cooling and connectors for connecting a power supply and USB. For laptops, these media are available in 2.5-inch sizes, and for desktop computers– 3.5 inches. These hard drives have a capacity of 500 gigabytes or more.

Previously, these drives were connected to motherboard using a 40 and 80 pin cord and had IDE interface. Data transfer rate The first drives are several times smaller than the current one. A new hard drive interface standard has now been developed - SATA. Spindle speed 7200 rpm. This improved the write and read speed. And also its performance.

The operating system is installed on the HDD and data is also stored.

SSD

Solid State Drives. Such hard drives operate at high speed. The information transfer speed via the SATA III cable is 500 MB/s. Previously, such disks were sold with a capacity of no more than 240 gigabytes. Now the memory capacity has increased to 1 terabyte.

Advantages This hard drive is that data opens faster on it, programs run at high speed and Windows loads. This disc is more resistant to mechanical damage. It runs on a small amount of energy and is silent. Among the shortcomings It should be noted that it is expensive and has a short operating time for wear and tear. It quickly begins to crumble.

SSHD

This is a hybrid hard drive.

Such drives differ from the first ones high performance . They are much more efficient and have high speed, since they have one disk bay, unlike the ones described above. Memory amount currently reaches 4 Terabytes. File access time is 0.3 milliseconds, while idle ssd drive 24 ms. The difference is significant. Added to this is the low cost compared to SSDs.

Operating principle

The HDD consists of an electronic board, a motor, a spindle, magnetic heads, and a magnetic disk. When turned on the engine begins to rotate, engaging magnetic disks. Due to rotation, a dense air flow is formed. It prevents the head from falling onto the disc.

Reading in progress information. If the sectors where the information is stored are damaged, then it will not work. If everything is normal, the head begins to process data. They are distributed along the tracks and are located in different sectors. Changing magnetic field the head writes, and by capturing the magnetic flux, it reads.

Formatting– applying service information to the disk, data on the location of sectors and tracks. After purchase, when installing the system, the hard drive is always formatted.

How to choose a hard drive

When purchasing, it is recommended that you first pay attention to device memory. Disks from 500 gigabytes and above are now offered. In general, it is recommended to buy hard drive with memory no more than 1 TB, in extreme cases 2 TB. To archive and store work projects and family videos, it is better to purchase a separate external drive. Its volume depends on what you are going to store on it and how much in volume.

Then we should pay attention to form factor. It can be 3.5 - standard size and 2.5 miniature, as for laptops. If you are going to carry it with you all the time, then it is better to purchase a smaller size - 1.8. The latter size has the most compact external dimensions to date.

At the moment, the interface for connecting the hard drive to the computer includes new modifications. U connectorusb 3.0 The speed of interaction with the computer will be greater than USB 2.0. New interface models are usb type C. However, this type can only be found on new laptops and system units. Its throughput is up to 10 gigabits per second.

The next point that you need to pay attention to is the speed of work. Reading speed at SSD drives noticeably higher than that of conventional HDDs. And equal to 400 mb/s. And Windows starts on such a disk in 8 seconds, as opposed to 40 on the HDD. The execution speed can be checked with special programs.

Another point is HDD selection or SSD. First slower and durable, second quicker, but is designed for a short number of rewrites. The power supply is also the main part of the removable hard drive. Most modern models do not require separate power and are equipped with two USB cords. One for data transfer, the other for power from the computer.

When purchasing, you also need to pay attention to multitasking or the presence of NCQ (hardware command queuing), which can significantly increase access speed by simultaneously working with several requests. SSDs have more impact protection and damage when falling from a height, since they do not have mechanical parts. If you buy a hard drive with a large amount of memory and a separate power supply, do not forget about cooling system– it must correspond to the required data. At the moment, hard drives from Western Digital are in use, Seagate Barracuda, A-Data, Kingston. In general, you should pay attention to reviews on the Internet, since now there are many young companies that produce excellent and high-quality models at an affordable price.

How much do the devices cost?

The price category of media varies. Of course, SSD models are more expensive than HDDs with more memory. SSDs on average have prices ranging from 2500 rubles for a 120 gigabyte drive, and 1 terabyte can be purchased for 29 000 rubles Since SDDs are famous for their speed of data processing and shock resistance, they are therefore more expensive.

While a 500 GB HDD costs 5,000 rubles, and at 10 terabytes - 28,000 rubles. HDDs are gradually becoming obsolete, unable to compete with new high-speed devices. Therefore it is recommended To work with the system, buy a small size SSD, and for archive or data storage HDD.

What to choose

Before you buy media, you need to understand why you are buying it. If you need it to store family archives, photos, music, movies, then buy stationaryHDD with a large amount of memory and modern interface. If you are going to work on it and be constantly on the move, then a mobile SSD is suitable.

The external hard drive must have rubberized body. This will slightly protect him from damage caused by falling from a height. To watch videos and listen to music through a TV, it is advisable to buy drives with connectorHDMI to connect to a TV.

Since today the quality of video and music is improving every day, it is recommended to purchase storage devices with capacity 1 terabyte or more. This will protect you from running out of memory prematurely and purchasing an additional disk.

Silence during operation and small dimensions are the parameters of an ideal hard drive. All of the above parameters are specified in the product characteristics. Now you know what you need to pay attention to first of all when looking at a particular product.

Below are best models today of external drives.

Adata Dash Drive durable hd650 1 TB

The case is made of plastic and silicone, which protects data when dropped. There is a blue LED on the body activity indicator. Available in black and red. Sold in a cardboard box along with a USB cord.

• Volume – 1 terabyte;
• USB 3.0 interface;
• Form factor – 2.5;
• Device dimensions - 121 x 21 x 81 mm;

Costs 4369 rubles. Quite worthy for this tough disk.

Western digital WD BUZG0010BBK-EESN

Comes complete with preinstalled program backup with WD Smart Ware Pro and USB cable. Thanks to the proprietary utility, the user can save data both to an external drive and directly to the cloud.

• Volume – 1 terabyte;
• USB 3.0 interface;
• Size – 2.5 inches;
• Data transfer speed 500 megabits per second;
• Weight – 130 grams;
• The body is made of plastic. Dimensions - 82x15x111 mm.

Smallest among all drives. Because of this it is fragile. Costs 4200 rubles.

Toshiba canvio ready 1TB

Third place in the ranking. Interface compatibility USB 2.0 guarantees the user stable operation with a previous generation computer. The hard drive is compatible with operating systems Windows and Mac OS. The body is made of plastic.

• Volume – 1 terabyte;
• USB 3.0 connector;
• Form factor – 2.5 inches;
• Speed ​​500 MB per second;
• Dimensions - 80x15x119 mm.

Has the lowest cost. Protected from impacts and damage from falling.

Flaws– a short cord and an inconvenient connector on the hard drive side. Price – 3,800 rubles.

Seagate STEA500400

From shortcomings slippery and smooth surface. From advantages– long cable.

• Volume – 500 gigabytes;
• USB 3.0 interface;
• Form factor – 2.5;
• Speed ​​- 20 megabits per second;
• Weight 170 grams, dimensions - 117 x 80 x 14.8 mm.

Supplied with a USB cord. Compatible with Windows only. Price 2990 rubles.

ADATA HD 720 1TB

The device complies American standard MIL STD 810 G. The advantages are a durable body and stylish design.

• Volume – 1 terabyte;
• USB 3.0 interface;
• Form factor – 2.5;
• Speed ​​500 megabits per second;
• Dimensions - 97.9x20.2x129.4 mm.

Price 4200 rubles.

ADATA NH 13 1TB

Compatible with USB 2.0 standard. Reliable, protected from moisture, durable.

• Volume – 1 terabyte;
• Connector USB connections 3,0;
• Size – 3.5 inches;
• Operating speed 500 megabits per second;
• Dimensions - 77.8x16x118.8 mm.

Metal finish. Price - 4200 rubles.

WD My Passport Ultra

Size - 1 TB. Compatible with Windows, Mac OS. Has a program for backup WD Smart Ware Pro. A password is set to protect information from other people. Compatible with USB interfaces 2.0 and 3.0. Runs quietly no vibrations. Dimensions - 81.6x15.84x110 mm. Weight – 160 grams. Speed ​​– 500 megabits per second.

Among the shortcomings it should be noted soft body, which attracts dust. Price 5000 rubles.

Silicon Power Stream S03

The drive mostly resembles a notepad. There are special rubber inserts which protect him from blows. The advantage is an attractive design.

• Form factor – 2.5 inches;
• Data transfer speed – 500 MB/s;
• The USB interface is compatible with 2.0 and 3.0;
• Capacity of 1 terabyte;
• Weight – 145 grams;
• The dimensions of the device are 77.5×13.3×122.5 mm.

No deficiencies found. Price – 3890 RUR.

Sony HD E1

The body is made of metal. Has rubberized legs. Weight – 250 grams, which greatly distinguishes it from other drives. Dimensions - 80x126x16 mm. Doesn't heat up, compatible with all operating systems, as well as game consoles SONY PS third generation. Hardware encryption. No noise was noticed during operation. Capacity 1 terabyte. Form factor – 2.5 inches.

Disadvantages - high price, hard usb cord included. Price – 5090 rub.

Good afternoon.

It is quite convenient to use for storing and transferring large amounts of information. external hard drives. Many, of course, will object - after all, there are “clouds”. But not all information can be stored there (there is confidentiality and everything...), and our Internet is not always and everywhere fast.

Agree, it’s convenient when you have music, photos, movies, games on an external storage device and when you come to visit, you can quickly connect your drive to your PC and start playing a pleasant composition...

In this article I want to give a few important points(in my opinion) that you should pay attention to when choosing and purchasing an external drive. Of course, I have never been to the manufacturing plant similar devices, and nevertheless, I have some experience (): at work I have to deal with three dozen similar media, and at home - a dozen more.

7 points when choosing an external HDD

⑴ Storage capacity

The more the better!

This rule is also true for external hard drives (there is never too much space). Today, some of the most popular volumes are 1-4 TB (and the cheapest in terms of price/number of GB). Therefore, I recommend taking a closer look at disks of this particular volume.

About disks 5-8 TB and more...

These are also on sale today. But there are a couple of “buts” that I would recommend paying attention to:

• not “tested” technologies - the reliability of such disks often leaves much to be desired. And in general, I would not recommend immediately grabbing any new and large-capacity disks (until the manufacturers perfect their manufacturing technology...);
• such disks often need extra food. If you are buying a disk for a laptop or other portable gadget (which you want to connect only to a USB port), then such disks will create unnecessary “problems” for you...

⑵ About the connection interface

The most popular interfaces on sale now are USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. I recommend that you immediately take aim and select USB 3.0 (up to 5 Gbps; you will notice the difference in speed even by eye).

In practice, usually, the speed of copying/reading from an external drive via USB 2.0 reaches 30-40 MB/s, and via USB 3.0 - up to 80-120 MB/s. Those. there is a difference, especially since USB disk 3.0 is universal and can be connected even to devices that only support USB 2.0.

By the way, to distinguish a USB 2.0 port from a USB 3.0 port, pay attention to the color. Most manufacturers now mark USB 3.0 ports in blue.

How to distinguish a USB 3.0 port from a USB 2.0 port (USB 3.0 port is marked in blue)

By the way, if you have a new port on your laptop (computer) USB Type-C(speed up to 10 Gbit/s) - now disks with a similar interface are starting to appear on sale, and it makes sense to take a closer look at such models. I also note that there are all kinds of adapters for connecting drives with USB 3.0 (for example) to a new USB port Type-C.

Addition: there are also other standards SATA, eSATA, FireWire, Thunderbolt. They are much less common than USB and I don’t see any point in dwelling on them, because... The vast majority of users will be satisfied with the USB interface.

⑶ About a separate power supply

There are drives both with and without an additional power source (powered by USB power supply port). As a rule, disks that operate only from a USB port do not exceed 4-5 TB (this is the maximum that I have seen on sale).

I note that disks with an additional adapter work faster and more stable. But, nevertheless, extra wires create inconvenience, and it is not always possible to connect the drive to an outlet - for example, when using the drive while working on a laptop.

There is another issue worth noting: not always and not all drive models have enough power from the USB port (for example, in cases where the device is powered by a small netbook or not only a drive is connected to USB - there may not be enough power for the HDD!). In cases of power shortage, the disk may simply become “invisible”. I mentioned this in this article:

From practice...

Disks that needed power from a USB port: Seagate Expansion 1-2 TB (not to be confused with the Portable Slim line), WD Passport Ultra 1-2 TB, Toshiba Canvio 1-2 TB.

Disks with which there were problems (and from time to time they became invisible in Windows): Samsung 1-2 TB, Seagate Portable Slim 1-2 TB, A-DATA 1-2 TB, Transcend StoreJet 1-2 TB.

Basically, if you encounter a power shortage, you can try using a USB splitter with a power supply. Such a device will allow you to connect several disks to one USB port at once, and all of them will have enough power (even when connected to a “weak” netbook).

USB splitter with power supply

⑷ About form factor // size

Form factor - specifies the size of the disk. About 10-15 years ago there was no special class like “External hard drives”, and many people used regular HDDs, placed in a special box (box) - i.e. assembled this one yourself portable disk. From there came the two most popular form factors of external HDDs - 2.5 and 3.5 inches.

Large, heavy and bulky discs. The most capacious to date (the capacity of one HDD reaches 8 TB or more!). Most suitable for a desktop PC (or a laptop that is rarely carried). Typically provide higher data transfer rates (compared to 2.5").

Such disks are rarely produced in shock-resistant cases, so they are extremely susceptible to shaking or vibration. Another feature: they cannot work without a power supply (at all!). Extra wires do not add convenience to them...

Stationary external hard drive 3.5" (pay attention to the dimensions) - connects to a 220V network via a power supply

The most popular and in demand type of disk. Their dimensions are comparable to regular smartphone(a little more). Most drives have enough power from the USB port to full-fledged work. Convenient both on the road and at home, for connecting to both a PC and laptop (and in general, to any equipment with a USB port).

Often, when such disks are placed in special. shock-resistant casing, allowing them to extend their “survival” (relevant for disks that are often on the road and subject to vibrations).

Of the minuses: their capacity is slightly lower than that of 3.5" drives (today it reaches 5 TB). Also, some drive models do not always have enough power from the USB port, and they “fall off” during operation (i.e. they become invisible to Windows OS).

⑸Disk speed

Your disk processing speed depends on several components:

1. from the interface: today the best option in terms of price/speed ratio is the USB 3.1 standard (USB Type-C is also gaining popularity);
2. on spindle speed: in external drives there are 5400 rpm, 7200 rpm and 4200 rpm. The higher the speed, the higher the speed of reading information (and the louder the disk makes noise and heats up). Typically 2.5" discs run at 4200 and 5400 rpm, 3.5" discs at 7200 rpm;
3. on cache size (temporary memory, allowing quick access to the most frequently used information) : Now the most popular disks with a cache of 8-64 MB. Naturally, the higher the cache, the more expensive the disk...

Personal opinion: in most cases, external drives are purchased to store various multimedia data - music, movies, photos, etc. And with such tasks, the difference in the speed of a disk with 7200 rpm and 5400 rpm is not significant and does not play a big role. The only point (in terms of speed) when choosing, I would focus on the presence of a USB 3.1 interface (otherwise there are still quite a lot of drives with a USB 2.0 interface on sale).

⑹Protection from moisture and fur. damage. Passwords and hacking protection

Some disk models have additional protection from impacts, from dust, moisture, etc. Naturally, such discs are more expensive than regular ones, sometimes the cost is several times higher!

In my opinion, all these bells and whistles, if they help, are only for very minor incidents. If the disk is expecting a strong blow, then the case, although it will soften it, will not help the matter much. Based on my experience of “sad” cases, I will say that the shock-resistant case of models whose cost does not exceed $350 did not prevent damage to the disk. I haven’t used more expensive discs, and I can’t criticize them in absentia.

In my opinion, if you buy such disks, it will cost no more than 10-20% of the cost of other disks (and certainly such protection does not cost as much as 2-3 ordinary disks).

I will add that discs often fail without any shocks or shocks. I would recommend paying more attention to the reliability of the line ( model range HDD) and reviews about it.

As for all kinds of password protection drive, then the disk can be protected using free utilities(and it is not known which will be more reliable).

⑺ About manufacturers, which is more reliable

It is clear that everything written below is conditional and not very representative data. Because to make real statistics on the most reliable disks, you need to test thousands of disks (not a few dozen, like I did). Nevertheless, I will express my point of view...

1. WD My Passport is one of the most reliable; not a single drive from this line has failed. And there are no particular complaints about the work: they do not make noise, do not get hot, and are always “visible”. The price tag on them is 10-15% higher than on other similar discs, but they are worth it. I will add that their dimensions are also slightly larger than those of the same Seagate Portable Slim (but in my opinion this is not significant) ...
2. WD My Cloud - in principle, everything that was said above is also relevant for this line;
3. Toshiba Canvio - despite the fact that the drives appeared on the market not so long ago, there are no particular complaints about them. So far there have been no problems with any of the 4 disks;
4. Seagate Expansion - average in quality (5 out of 7 drives work, 2 were delivered under warranty, but did not work for even a year...). There are no problems with “visibility”, but I would note that many disks from this line are “noisy” during operation;
5. Seagate Portable Slim - in my opinion, the worst line (anywhere you see "Seagate Slim" - better beware!). It’s possible that I was just unlucky, but 5 out of 5 disks became unusable within 1.5 years after purchase;
6. A-DATA - generally work (4 out of 5 drives have worked for more than a year), but drives from this manufacturer do not always have enough power from USB when used on laptops;
7. Transcend StoreJet is an interesting option because... their disks are specially protected. body from light shocks. There were no questions regarding reliability (although I only have 2 of them), there is a problem with “noise” during operation and “visibility” without additional ones. nutrition;
8. Silicon Power (Armor) - negative review because... 3 out of 3 drives did not live up to even initial expectations: the data transfer speed is low (even when connected to USB 3.0), they often “fall off” and become invisible. It's not a job, it's a nightmare...

What do you use?

Additions on the topic are welcome...

Good luck to everyone and good choice!

An external hard drive is designed to store and transfer large amounts of information that a flash drive cannot handle. This is the same hard drive (HDD), packed in a box with a power supply and controller. It is convenient to take it on the road to transfer information, and can be connected to a TV.

For larger volumes and at a lower price, you can purchase HDD. Writing/reading is carried out by rotating the disk and magnetic head. The vulnerability of such a drive is noise during operation, susceptibility to mechanical damage, and low speed. If you need to transfer movies, music, text files A compact but more expensive SSD will do. This disk, like a flash drive, is a solid-state drive.

The size and type of drive is called the form factor. The following types differ: 1.8” (up to 2 TB), 2.5” (up to 4 TB). A 3.5” form factor disk (up to 8 TB) is a desktop option, since large capacity implies large dimensions and weight.

What is the fundamental difference between flash drives and external hard drives?

Flash drives and external hard drives belong to completely different classes of devices. Their only similarity is the purpose of storing information. But there are also differences, and significant ones.

What to look for when buying an external hard drive?

The choice of external drive depends on the purpose, volume and personal preferences. What parameters need to be considered when choosing a drive:

1. Capacity. The smallest capacity for SSD 128 GB and 256 GB is also the most popular. This capacity is enough for movies, music, file copies;
2. Performance. The vast majority of disks are equipped with a connection device, a USB port. Modern models have USB0, with a bandwidth of up to 5 Gb/s, but the computer must match this speed. USB ports 2.0 have a lower read/write speed, but are quite suitable for watching movies and music. The maximum speed of SSD drives can reach 550 MB/sec;
3. Read/write speed depends on volume RAM: the larger it is, the higher the speed;
4. Protection from external influences is also important for the operation of the drive. SSDs are the most reliable because they have no moving parts inside. It is resistant to external influences. The plastic body had to contain metal and rubberized parts to make the body strong;
5. The weight of the product matters if the disc needs to be carried. Modern external drives weigh between 140 and 300 g;
6. If the storage medium is to be used in conditions that are far from clean, then protection from dust and dirt is necessary. You should select a disk with certified protection(IPXX or military standard);
7. It is also necessary to take care of data protection. The larger the drive, the more information you can store on it and the more you can lose it. There are hardware protection methods that are supported by conventional and solid state drives. This will help protect data from loss;
8. Before purchasing external hard disk, you need to study the market, read reviews in order to choose a quality device for storing information. You need to decide how much disk space is needed and, based on this, make a choice

Seagate STDR4000200.

Seagate has been a global leader in storage solutions for nearly 40 years.

The model is attractive, first of all, for its compact shape and large capacity. 4 TB is enough for data storage and backup. It is difficult to find a drive with such a 2.5” form factor on sale. IN previous version Seagate 4TB Backup Plus Slim with the same capacity contains two 2 TB drives. The speed of such a disk due to RAID will of course be higher, but in the case of RAID 0 the reliability will be reduced (if both disks fail).

Connection via USB 3.0 port Included with the drive is a CD with the Seagate Dashboard copying program. The presence of an NTFS driver allows you to work with two operating systems: Microsoft and MacOS (for Macintosh computers).

Advantages:

• Large volume;
• Easy to use software;
• Compact shape;
• Connection via USB 3.0 port.

Flaws:

• High price.

Average price: 9000 rubles.

Seagate Expansion 1 TB

The line of disks in this series is represented by the STEA1000400 model, which has five modifications in capacities from 500 GB to 4 TB. Connection via USB 2.0 and 3.0 is possible. The same port is also used to receive power. Write/read speed – 129/121 MB/sec. Formatted to work with Microsoft.

Advantages:

• High speed;
• Connection via USB0 and USB 3.0;
• Small price.

Flaws:

• To work with a Mac, you need to reformat it (the factory setting assumes NTFS formatted for Microsoft);
• Only black color.

Price from 3700 to 7600 rubles, the cost must be clarified at the sales centers.

Video review and unpacking of the product:

SEAGATE STCD500202.

Seagate STC500202 – 500 GB disk, compact, lightweight. The metal body has rough edges that prevent it from slipping on the surface. The USB 3.0 connection interface provides good speed - 600 Mb/s.

The software automatically downloads photos from social networks and saves them on storage media. Data backup is easy to set up.

Advantages:

• Compact, silent;
• Convenient software.

Flaws:

• Short cable.

Cost about 4000 rubles.

Western Digital My Passport 4 TB.

This disk is suitable for large amounts of information. There is also a USB 3.0 connection and support for USB 2.0. Using the included software, you can set up backups according to your schedule and set a password for protection. In case the disk is lost, it is possible to add a message “return if found” when requesting a password.

Advantages:

• Large volume;
• Automatic copying;
• Password protection;
• USB 2.0 support;
• Stylish body in several colors;
• Three year warranty.

Flaws:

• There may be slight vibration during operation.

Disc contents - in the video:

Average price: 9500 rubles.

Transcend TS2TSJ25M3.

If you need to use the disk for frequent transportation, then this model designed precisely for these purposes. The case is rubber, anti-slip, impact protection is made according to military standards. The connectors are not closed, so they are not protected from water.

Has a high-tech hard drive suspension mechanism. On the case there is a button to remotely turn off the disk (without disconnecting from the port). Also, using a button on the case, automatic data copying is provided.

USB 3.0 and 2.0 interface support Average read speed 32 MB/sec.

Advantages:

• High security of the case;
• Two interfaces;
• Automatic copying via a button on the body.

Flaws:

• The connectors quickly become loose.

Average price: 7000 rubles.

ADATA DashDrive Durable HD710 2TB.

This is also a drive made to the military standard IPX7, which has a high degree of shock protection. When the connector is hermetically sealed, it can be immersed in water to a meter depth for 60 minutes. This is achieved thanks to a silicone body covered with a thick rubber layer. The hard drive shows a speed of 76.5 MB/sec. USB 3.0 has throughput 5 Gb/sec. Disk capacity 2 TB.

Advantages:

• Enhanced case protection;
• The interface cable is attached to the housing.

Flaws:

• The software must be downloaded via the Internet.

Average price: 7000 rubles.

Western Digital My Passport 2 TB.

Western Digital is a well-known American company that has been producing hard drives since 1988. External Western drive Digital My Passport 2 TB has speeds of up to 85 Mb/s. The USB 3.0 interface is supported and works through a 2.0 port.

Software for creating an automatic copy is included with the drive.

Advantages:

• Reliable manufacturer;
• Sufficient volume at good speed.

Flaws:

• There are visible scratch marks on the body;
• Short cable.

About 5000 rub.

Professional video review of the device:

Toshiba Canvio Basics 1TB.

Canvio Basics 1TB is a budget option with a modest design, which does not have any unnecessary elements - only the port and LED indicator condition. On the bottom of the case there are rubber pads that allow you to conveniently place the disc on the surface. Volume disk space 1 TB, USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0 Transfer speed 5 Gb/s, slight vibration or noise is felt during operation.

Advantages:

• Compactness;
• Affordable price.

Flaws:

• Short cable;
• Slight vibration and noise.

Average price: 4000 rubles.

Silicon Power Armor A30 1TB.

Silicon Power Armor A30 1TB is a portable type of external storage media. The stylish orange-black body is made of plastic and rubber. The cable can be secured around the device. The disk is characterized good speed write/read, absence extraneous sounds and vibrations. The disk does not heat up during prolonged operation.

At the disk warranty period 3 years, to receive it you must register on the official website.

Advantages:

• Unusual stylish design;
• No noise or vibration at good speed;
• 3 year warranty.

Flaws:

• Short cable;
• Not all devices recognize the disc.

Average price: 5000 rubles.

Video review of the device:

ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB.

This is a stylish small external drive. The reliable case is made of composite plastic with rubber inserts and has a light weight of 201 g and dimensions of 121x81x21 mm. Even if dropped, the disc is not damaged. Thanks to its small size, the disc can easily fit in your pocket

This model is available in volumes: 500 MB, 1 and 2 TB. Test speed is 116 MB/sec when reading and 112 MB/sec when writing. The disk operates silently and is quickly recognized.

Advantages:

• Compact, stylish in several colors;
• Durable housing;
• Quiet operation;
• Quickly recognized.

Flaws:

• Weak connector, loosens over time;
• Small cable.

Average price: 5000 rubles.

Toshiba Canvio Connect II 1TB

Reliable compact external device for data storage. It is distinguished by the presence of two high-quality software utilities in the kit. The disk is available in volumes: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB and colors: black, blue, red, white and white-pink. The drive provides operation via USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, the speed corresponds to the ports.

Includes two powerful programs: copying NTI Backup Now EZ and Pogoplug PC, allowing you to remote access to files via mobile device using the utility. You can buy Pogoplug PC on the manufacturer's website for $30. Owners of this disk model receive an additional 10GB of cloud storage using this utility (more information about increasing the volume can be found on the website). When passing through a USB 3.0 port, the write speed is 100MB/sec, reading speed is 98MB/sec.

Advantages:

• An easy way to access information on a disk from anywhere via the Internet;
• Automatic reliable program copying;
• Low cost.

Flaws:

• Not identified.

Price from 3,000 to 8,000 rubles depending on volume.

Professional review of the hard drive - in the video:

TOSHIBA Canvio Basics 500GB.

This is a budget option from a popular manufacturer. The case has an LED indicator of the operating status, as well as rubber “feet” that hold the disk on the surface. The USB 3.0 port interface is also adapted for USB 2.0

The Canvio Basics model is available in five volume options: 500 GB, 750 GB, 1 TB, 1.5 TB, 2 TB. Warranty from 1 to 3 years. There is no software included, which is a minus. Nevertheless, TOSHIBA disks are attractive primarily for their reliability.

When purchasing a drive, you need to know that when replacing the cable, only the original one will do. The kit does not include a case, which may be needed during transportation.

Advantages:

• Good value for money;
• The presence of small rubber pads on the body.

Flaws:

• Light vibration during operation;
• Short cable.

Average price: 3500 rubles.

Product video review:

What should you choose?

When choosing an external drive, you need to focus primarily on capacity. Currently, the smallest drive is a 500 GB drive. What can be recorded on such a medium?