Quite often, laptop users are faced with running out of free space on their hard drive. The best solution to this problem is to buy a new external hard drive. On such devices, you can not only store important information, but also install the operating system. Today in stores there is a huge variety of models of external hard drives, it can confuse the inexperienced buyer. Using a number of tips, you will greatly facilitate your search for the desired external device and will be able to choose the best of the presented ones.
Instructions
Step 1
An external hard drive is the same device that is installed in your computer, with one exception: it can be disconnected from the laptop without any problems. Most of the models of external hard drives are presented in form factors of 2, 5 and 3.5 inches. The first option is very convenient, it is small in size and at the same time does not require any additional power sources. Winchesters made in the 3.5-inch form factor weigh much more and often require power from the 220 V. Therefore, before choosing an external hard drive, you need to decide for what purpose you will use it, how often you will carry it.
Step 2
One of the most important characteristics to look out for in the first place is volume. The amount of information that you can write to the device depends on it. The standard volume of a 2.5-inch device ranges from 500 GB to one terabyte. And the capacity of external hard drives, made in the form factor of 3, 5 inches, is already calculated in several terabytes. But remember that the actual volume is slightly lower than the stated one.
Step 3
The next thing to check is the speed of work. It is determined by the following indicators: the interface (responsible for data transfer), the average access time speed and the spindle speed. If you need the fastest possible device, then the ideal option is to choose a hard drive with an eSATA or USB 3.0 interface.
Step 4
The time that will be spent on finding the necessary information depends on the spindle rotation speed. Models made in the 2.5 "form factor have 5400 rpm, while the 3.5" devices have a higher speed (7200 rpm).
Step 5
When choosing a device, check the compatibility with your OS. It can be defined by the file system of the external hard drive - FAT32 or NTFS. In the first case, your device will be able to work with all existing operating systems, not only new ones, but also old ones. However, the main advantage of NTFS is the ability to transfer files larger than 4 GB.
