After making a list of things to know before buying a computer and how to choose the LCD monitor to buy, let's see now which hard disk or SSD to buy . The hard disk is the component of computers where all the data that need to be kept is saved even when we turn off the machine (as opposed to the RAM memory where information is lost when the machine is turned off). The data can be: music, photos, documents, games, videos, films and so on.
A hard disk can be both internal (the classic one) and external and thus become a portable storage device also useful for saving backups of important files away from PCs at risk of infection or breakage.
A multimedia hard disk is the one that works even without a computer, that is including a button interface, a management software and a remote control, which can be connected to a TV or a router to listen to music and watch movies from all devices connected to the network.
Since there is no way to increase the capacity of a hard disk, when the space is close to exhaustion, today one cannot really think of burning uncomfortable and fragile DVDs, one must, of necessity, buy a new disc .
Find out in this guide which hard disk or SSD drive to buy to save files, photos, documents and videos.
READ ALSO: Buying a Network NAS Storage: what is it for and how much does it cost
Difference Hard disk or SSD
The first subdivision to do is whether to bet on a mechanical hard disk (the one as we all know it) or to bet on an SSD.
The hard disk is much more capacious (even exceeding 4 TB) and costs significantly less, but has lower read and write speeds and is sensitive to mechanical and physical stress.
An SSD, on the other hand, does not have mechanical components (there are only chips where data is saved), it has much higher read and write speeds and the prices are falling quickly, even if they remain even more expensive than mechanical disks.
To store data, a high speed is not usually required so to store only data (therefore without an operating system) we can focus on a large hard disk.
If the transfer speed is a priority instead, we will have to buy an SSD well aware that the costs are significantly higher.
Disc types for PC
As already mentioned, the disks can be internal and external; according to their type, the dimensions and the type of connection that can be used change.
1) External disks
External drives can be connected to any PC simply by connecting a USB or eSATA cable .
These hard drives are portable and incredibly simple to use, since you just have to connect with the cable and they are recognized by the system, with all their space immediately available in This PC or My Computer .
External drives usually do not require additional energy to operate, as the energy requirement of any type of disk is met with the USB 3.0 cable.
Regarding the size, there are two types of external drives :
- 2.5-inch hard drives, easily portable even in a jacket pocket, which are powered by the USB cable.
- 3.5-inch hard drives, heavier and less easy to carry around, powered by an independent electrical outlet.
The latter format is now disappearing, at least when it comes to external drives, in favor of smaller size and weight disks.
The choice between one or the other type of external hard disk depends on personal needs regarding portability and storage space factors.
Another parameter on which to base the quality of a hard disk and on which the price can depend is the rotation speed, the higher it is, the faster the data will be moved.
Rotation speed does not exist on SSDs, since there are no mechanical components.
In other articles, they have been described
- The best external drives for backup
- Best portable external hard drives
- Best portable external SSDs
Otherwise you can go directly to check the offers of the moment on Amazon .
2) Internal discs
If you want to increase the storage capacity of your desktop computer (or to replace the broken or old disk) you should buy an internal hard disk, to be placed in the special space reserved for disks inside the PC case (usually suitable for hosting 3.5-inch drive).
It can act as a secondary hard disk (if there was already a disk) and can be used for Windows backups, to save files, documents, games, films, programs and so on.
Once in position, simply connect the SATA cable to the appropriate slot and the power cable (available between the cables that emerge from the power supply or connectable as an auxiliary cable on the modular models).
Compared to external disks, therefore, internal disks always require auxiliary electric current to operate, supplied through a separate cable.
If the hard disk is to be mounted inside a portable PC, the dimensions also change: you will have to point to a 2.5-inch hard disk to make it enter the appropriate slot (replacing the old disk).
For laptops you can find both mechanical disks and 2.5-inch SSDs; SSDs can be mounted without problems even on fixed PCs, since the cables to be used are the same (and we don't even have to worry about fixing or placing the disk, given the absence of mechanical parts).
While we saw in another article which features to look at before buying a new PC hard drive, you can find several deals for internal 3.5-inch hard drives on Amazon.
If instead we are looking for the best 2.5-inch SSDs we can find them in the guide to -> Best SSD disks to buy .
3) Multimedia discs
Multimedia hard drives are ideal for saving movies and sharing any type of data with a PC, TV or the entire network (if connected to the home router).
It also happens to find, in electronics stores, multimedia stations without disk inside and, in this case, a normal computer hard disk must be bought in order to make the most of it.
These disks have the same performance as the simple disks which are accompanied by a management software, a remote control system (with a remote control) and an internal data server to make all the files and disk space available to the entire network, acting as a network disk.
They can be connected both via USB cable and via Ethernet cable (in the latter case to be connected to the home router).
The best multimedia discs can be viewed here -> Media player discs .
Conclusion
In conclusion , mechanical hard drives can be bought for relatively little and obtaining very high capacities, up to over 4 TB of space.
If, on the other hand, we need more speed in opening programs and files, we recommend pointing straight to an SSD to replace the mechanical disk: Windows and the programs will thank you.
The ideal is to have an external hard disk (any format is fine) to save periodic file backups and to carry all the most important documents and the SSD + internal disk combination for any hard PC, so as to take full advantage of both technologies .
On laptops, however, we always recommend betting on an SSD, considering that the usable slot is only one, so it is worth getting the maximum possible performance.
Multimedia discs these days compete with NAS and TV boxes, but I can still say their thanks to lower prices and easier to use multimedia features.
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