Should I buy a new PC with more or less memory and storage? Is removable storage better for me? Isn’t a gigabyte just a lot of data? What does a hard drive? Don’t get discouraged if you ask yourself these questions. Research, consideration, and patience are essential for choosing a hard drive. It is possible to buy many different types of hard drives- this article will help you narrow down your search and choose the right one for you.
Determine the type of hard drive you need first. An external hard drive is your best choice if you’re looking for a simple way to increase your computer’s data storage capacity. Your photos, videos, and music can be easily shared with others because they are great for backing up your computer. External hard drives are physically very small and can be taken wherever you go, which makes them ideal for travelers.
A single computer’s internal hard disk drive, on the other hand, is intended for replacing or enhancing its storage capacity. The cheapest costs per gigabyte, yet they have the most storage. An external drive bay can usually be mounted in more than one PC case (where you mount an external hard drive). You should also make sure that your case will allow you to add an additional hard drive. A smaller, low-profile case will prevent you from using both drives simultaneously.
As well, you will have to choose between PATA (Parallel Advanced Technology Attachment, also referred to as IDE drives) and SATA (Serial Advanced Technology Attachment). As a rule, SATA drives are a better choice, both in terms of speed and ease of use – they won’t require you to adjust jumpers, like PATA drives do. Nevertheless, the performances tend to be similar.
The next step is to determine the size of your hard drive, which is simply its capacity. A hard drive’s size is generally influenced by your usage or plans for the computer. You probably don’t need more than 8-10 gigabytes if all you’re doing is browsing the web or word processing. It is usually less expensive and only necessary to use lower capacity drives for basic computing needs. When storing large amounts of music, pictures, or data, a larger hard drive is needed to avoid running out of space.
Next, you must select the RPM (revolutions per minute) of the hard drive. In a hard drive, a rotating disc is read from or written to by a needle. Data is read and written more rapidly when the disc spins faster. The average user will have no problem with 5400 RPM. When it comes to choosing a hard drive, choose one with a 7200 RPM if you want a system that’s as fast as possible.
Here are a few general tips:
- Before you make a decision, do your research. To meet various storage demands, hard drives are available in a variety of sizes and prices. Getting a great deal is definitely worth the effort.
- Make sure the warranty is valid. The warranty on your hard drive should, in general, be at least 3 years.
- It’s a good idea to buy a hard-drive kit, which includes mounting hardware, cables, detailed instructions, and software to make installation even easier. In addition to the application for cloning your old drive, the kit may include an application for converting the drive into your new main drive.
- It may be easier and cheaper to upgrade your existing drive instead of buying a new one if your storage needs have increased. If you’re an avid gamer, then you should choose a drive with approximately 10,000 revolutions per minute.