Many of us associate the power and value of a computer based on the capacity of its hard drive. To a certain extent, this is true. After all, newer (and presumably better) computer models come with robust hard drives. However, this may not be enough with the kind of computing needs and habits many people have nowadays. If you often download, upload and store large amounts of files, a built-in hard drive is most likely insufficient. As a result, many turn to an external hard drive for better support but is it truly useful and necessary? Here are 10 benefits of using an external hard disk drive and reasons why it is important to you:
1. Extra space
Of course, the function of an external hard drive is to provide some much-needed extra storage space. If your memory is used up or about to get saturated and replacing your current hard drive is out of the question, getting an external hard drive is a wise decision. You will have more space with which to store additional data in text, images or audio form. You could also use the extra room to transfer files to unload your computer and boost its performance. Definitely a handy must-have external storage device to have.
2. Inexpensive storage
External hard drives with a storage capacity of 2TB can be purchased online for approximately $70. When comparing their value to internal hard drives, external hard drives offer an equally cost-effective option. Therefore, there’s no compelling reason not to consider owning one, as you can get a significant amount of portable storage for a very reasonable price.
3. Storage for old files
If you have files that have been sitting on your computer for months (or years) but you still cannot get around to deleting, you might find an external hard drive very useful. Many of us are wary about removing old files from our computers, believing that they will come in handy someday. The problem here is that it tends to clog up the system and eat up resources. With an external hard drive, old files may be transferred and memory freed up to increase speed and improve performance of the computer.
4. Backup important data
Many computer users fail to back up their data. This could cause a potential costly problem, particularly when important files are involved. If there is no available space on your computer or you simply want to stash important data someplace else, then use an external hard drive to store extra copies of your files.
Read also: The Importance of a Disaster Recovery Plan
5. Convenient and handy
External hard drives are smaller, lighter and more portable than a laptop, so these can be detached, carried around, placed in a bag or purse and stored without requiring a lot of space. These are handy enough to be brought anywhere, allowing you to access your files from another computer unit.
Read more: 5 Uses for Hard Drives Old and New (That you may not have thought of)
6. Storage for copying and transferring files
External hard drives prove to be invaluable when you have a substantial volume of files that require copying from one computer to another. They offer a secure and reliable means of storing these files before transferring them to the intended destination.
7. Security
Certain external hard drives offer encryption capabilities, rendering transferred files incomprehensible to unauthorized individuals. For individuals who extensively use the internet, it is feasible to enhance file security by transferring them to an alternate storage device. Once the data is saved, simply disconnect and power off the external hard drive. Even if it remains connected to your computer, hackers will be unable to access your files remotely.
Read more: 5 Reasons Why Everyone Should Have External Hard Drives
8. Extended lifespan
Incorporating an external drive into your setup safeguards against the chaos resulting from an internal hard drive failure. Remember, when the internal drive fails, it jeopardizes the entire system’s functionality. In contrast, if the external drive malfunctions, your computer remains operational, ensuring uninterrupted usage. Repairing an external drive is generally faster and less costly than fixing the internal drive. Additionally, using an external drive as your primary storage option reduces strain on the internal drive and extends its operational lifespan.
9. As an emergency boot drive
If your computer’s main drive crashes, you can utilize an external hard drive to boot your computer through several methods. Although this may require some technical know-how, having an external hard drive for emergency boot purposes benefits the user.
10. Being prepared
One of the benefits of using an external hard drive is it enables proactive file protection and safeguards against system failure or unforeseen events. It empowers you to be prepared and secure your important files effectively. Definitely worth considering!
Benefits of an external hard drive: conclusion
An External hard drive offers a multitude of benefits for individuals and businesses alike. It provides ample storage space, increase portability, enhance data security, and offers a customizable backup solution. Investing in an external hard drive offers both space optimization and data security benefits. Understanding its significance helps you make an informed decision about the ideal storage solution. Choose an external hard drive today for peace of mind, knowing your data is secure and easily accessible.
And don’t forget to turn on bitlocker to further secure your external hard disk.
Thanks for adding that Tan.
Agreed! External hdd are awesome 🙂
I have a 1tb external hdd. Which I really needed when I left my pc in another country and my laptop did not have nearly enough hdd space to hold all the data from my pc that I wanted to take with me.
And it’s great for playing movies or watching series on my tv. As I can just hook it up to one of the usb ports.
I like to store movies and series on external hdd too Danny. This would come handy if one will be travelling, just bring along the external hdd and you get to enjoy all the movies. Before this I used to store everything on my primary hdd and eventually my laptop became too slow because its hdd was overloaded.
I have an older smaller external usb hd that I use for backups. I haven’t used it that much lately, but the amount of space they have for the price now they can be worth it. How much do you backup though? I mean do you have a backup for the backup? A few years back my nephew tripped over my backup drive cable and smashed it on the floor. I lost most of the data. It did make me think though do I need a backup for my backup. I never did go that route because I had a tough time keeping up with just the one.
Hmmm…. a backup for the backup? I never thought of that.. Should I? Nahhh…. I think 1 is more than enough. I’ll make sure to keep my external hdd in a safe place if my nephews or nieces came over to my house 😛
i am agree that external hdd is very important and i usually use external hdd to backup and transfer data from PC to Laptop.
Thanks for stopping by Arun. Hope to see you around.
What I love about external hard drive is that it can easily be connected and disconnected just perfect for storing and retrieving backup data. Can’t imagine using the web without one. Nice post Peter.
I agree. An external hdd is just a must have gadget for me and I think it is too for most of the computer users. Glad you like the post Nhick!
External hard drive is very important to me because this can help us store and keep our files and documents safe even if we will be having a problem with our computer, I hope everyone knows the importance of using external hard drive.
To me, an external hdd is a great way to store files/data offline. Thanks for the comment Liane.
Great post buddy ! An external is really a must have accessory for every computer, especially when it comes to saving of any important data so as to keep it protected !
Nice to hear from you PrIyAnGsHu.
Great post! I don’t know what I would do without my portable drive. I made a mistake when I first bought one, I bought one that had to be plugged in to power because it was cheaper. Once I realized how convenient a usb portable drive without the need for power was I went out right away and got one. I don’t know what I would do without it.
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Gabe.
My Internal HDD’s Memory is 500GB but only 28GB Is full.
You know why i feel secure to put my all data on my External HDD.
Thanks Peter for sharing your article with us.
-Amit Shaw
I think you mean you stored only very little on your internal hdd because you feel safer storing your files/data on an external hdd? 😛 I appreciate the comment Amit.
I don’t really store data in an external hard drive especially important ones. I have too much of experience getting it spoil after 1-2 years of using it. The very first time is the worst, because I had a lot of media stored only in the external drive and I lost a lot from there. Is it external hard disk is more reliable these days where it can last longer than before?
That’s so unfortunate Alan. I don’t have that problem so far, my HP external hdd has been with me for more than 2 years and is still in good condition. I stored mostly media files on it so that my internal hdd is not overly loaded.