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External Hard Drives An external hard drive is the same as an internal hard drive or SSD, however it has connections that allow it to be connected to the outside of a computer instead of inside. The connections of an external drive are just as, if not more important than the type of drive itself. Different computers have different connections available, such as Thunderbolt 3 on MAC and USB 3.0 on PC. We’ll explain the types of connections and differences for you to make the right decision when you select your external hard drive.

External Hard Drives


An external hard drive is the same as an internal hard drive or SSD, however it has connections that allow it to be connected to the outside of a computer instead of inside. The connections of an external drive are just as, if not more important than the type of drive itself. Different computers have different connections available, such as Thunderbolt 3 on MAC and USB 3.0 on PC. We’ll explain the types of connections and differences for you to make the right decision when you select your external hard drive.

External HDD Buying Guide

How to select the best external hard drive

The main reason most people choose an external hard drive is to safely and securely manage your personal data. You need a device that is both usable and reliable ensuring you don’t lose data and backups through device failure.
Speed is an important point to consider when transferring larger files, often the best external drives are fast SSD’s or they use the latest and fastest connectivity options, USB Type C is currently the fastest connection.

When focussing on file transfer speeds, we need to look at the type of drive (SSD or HDD) as well as the drive connection type, with most SSD’s needing at least USB 3.0 to make use of their faster speeds. You will need to confirm that you have the correct connection on your computer/laptop that matches the external drive you are looking to purchase.
External hard disks come in a range of capacities, it’s a good idea to estimate how much data you have that needs to be transferred to the external drive and how much storage you might need in the future. There is no great price difference between 500GB and 1TB, so you may be able to overestimate your needs without paying too much extra.

Lastly you may want to consider the weight of the device and if you need it to be “rugged” which is the term used for heavily protected cases that can withstand conditions that unprotected drives may not. Desktop external drives can be heavier and not rugged as the plan would be to have them sitting safely on a desk but normal external drives need to safe in the environment they are to be used it.
In summary, you are ensuring you select the right speed, connectivity and capacity for your requirements as well as the physical size and hardiness of the device. As usual please feel free to contact a Device Deal Sales Rep if you have any questions.

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