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Step 1
Physical Size- As technology improves it gets smaller and more affordable. If you have a laptop computer, you may want a small external hard drive that is easy to pack-up and move around. If you have a desktop computer, size may not be an issue. The smaller external hard drives are going to cost you more per gigabyte than the bigger, bulkier external hard drives.
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Step 2
Memory- Comparing portable external hard drives is difficult because they are available with different amounts of memory. To find the best deal, divide the cost of the hard drive by the number of gigabytes on the hard drive (cost/memory=dollars per gigabyte) to find out how much you are paying per gigabyte. This way you can easily compare portable external hard drives with different amounts of memory.
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Step 3
Capabilities- Look into the capabilities of each portable external hard drive to determine which is going to be best for you. Examples of different capabilities you may be interested in are whether or not you have to restart your computer when you plug-in or unplug your hard drive, if it automatically backs-up your data, and if it comes with a dock to charge it or if it plugs into the USB port to charge.
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Step 4
Stores- Many office stores sell portable external hard drives, but look online first to make sure you are getting the best deal. Once you know what type of portable external hard drive you want, you can see how much they cost by searching online. You will then know what the price range is for the hard drive you are looking for, so if you see a good deal on a website or in a store, you can make the best of it, and buy the portable external hard drive that is going to work the best for you.
Comments
Upon-Request said
on 1/22/2009 Good article - I just did this, and settled on a passport size drive. It's a great place to put your videos and downloaded music! Thanks 5*