External hard drives and burners are hardly new to the computer market. But, thanks to USB 3.0 connections, new formats and slimline construction, they are getting faster, flatter and more reliable. Some can even double as network storage units.
This is key for notebook users, who have rejoiced as their machines have gotten ever thinner and lighter. But that diet regime has meant that many manufacturers have been cutting out optical drives and extra hard drive space. For those who think that's a problem, there are external devices.
If you just need to transport a few gigabytes, then a USB stick remains your best option. But if you start talking about moving terabytes, then it's time to grab an external hard drive, which comes in either 2.5 or 3.5-inch formats.
"The larger 3.5-inch hard drives come in sizes of up to 3 terabytes (TB) with very fast drives that can reach the top transfer rates of up to 160 megabytes (MB) per second," says Oliver Ketterer of German publication PC Magazin. But external 3.5-format drives need their own plug, which can make them bulkier.
Today's 2.5-inch drives can hold about 1.5 TB, but Ketterer says there are other advantages. "They are slower than their big brothers, but aren't as power hungry, since they are linked to the computer via USB." That makes the 2.5-inch models the better travel partners. There are also models that are resistant to shocks and water.
When thinking about connections, opt immediately for the USB 3.0 standard, which most new computers support. "USB 3.0 has the fastest transfer rates. On top of that, the data is sent over in full duplex protocol, meaning that it travels in the same speed in both directions," says Ketterer. Compared to its predecessor, the new standard moves data about six times faster.
There's another advantage. All...