A Guide For Buying a 500 GB External Hard Disk Drive
An external hard drive is a necessity for your computing needs. Such a portable hard drive provides you with extra space for storing everything in your computer. You may also use your external HDD as a backup storage unit. Seagate makes multiple 500 GB external hard drive models for use on desktop and laptop computers alike. But you must check carefully on what you can get out of your hard drive.
Desktop or Portable?
You have the choice to find a desktop or portable external hard drive. A desktop model like the FreeAgent or GoFlex can be secured on a large desk. This choice is if you do not need to carry your data around everywhere.
A portable model like the Backup Plus or Expansion offers a slim design. It can be 2.5 inches thick at the most.
USB Connection
A USB link should be included on your hard drive. This includes a basic USB port that plugs into a computer and another connectivity point at the other end of the cable that links directly to the drive.
A USB-C plug may be utilized on your 500 GB drive. The link offers support for the USB 3.0 setup. This standard reads data at speeds of up to 5 Gbps.
What About a Wireless Drive?
You also have the option to use a wireless portable hard drive. A wireless 500 GB drive will link to your computer through a Wi-Fi connection. A built-in receiver is included in the drive.
Technical Points
Several considerations must be put into consideration as you get this add-on for your storage needs:
- Speed - The speed of the hard drive is based on the RPM that it operates with. This refers to how fast the disk platters on the external hard drive will run. A unit with a higher RPM will read data quickly.
- Buffer Rate - The buffer rate on your storage drive is a measure of how much cache can be used at a time. The cache is a measure of how much data can be stored for reading. A 16 MB buffer is good, but a model with a higher rate will load content faster.
- Energy Usage - Your Seagate drive may operate with less than 10 watts of power on average. This makes for an energy-efficient model.
- USB Length - Although not as important, you should see that the USB cable that comes with your hard drive is long enough to create a secure connection without slipping off.