External Hard Drives (185 products)

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Why do I need an external hard drive?

In a word? Convenience... Hard drives that are external are the easiest way to add extra storage to a PC. They are simple plug and play devices and you don't have to worry about opening the case. And of course, with portable hard drives you can take your files and media downloads with you wherever you go.

How do external hard drives work?

Most of us will have used a flash drive. These drives are a similar basic concept but are designed to be more permanent and have far larger capacities that flash drives. Most of these hard drives are connected via USB though there are some wireless models. You do have a couple of options:

Desktop hard drives

These, as the name suggests, are designed to sit on your desk and act as a permanent additional hard drive for your PC. Desktop hard drives tend to be larger and can massively increase the storage capacity of your computer as they can be as large 12TBs. This makes them ideal for business users and home users who have large movie collections.

Portable hard drives

Most of us, when looking for an external hard drive, will want a light, portable model. And here at Ebuyer.com we have a large range of portable hard drives. And, though they typically have lower capacities than the desktop variety, they still have more than enough space from most of us and can easily store hundreds of videos and thousands of other media files. And, for those who value speed above everything else, there is also the option of portable hard drives.

Most popular uses for an external hard drive

1. Backup

This is just a copy of all your work, so if anything happens to your computer, you won't have lost it all. There are lots of things that can damage your computer and in turn, damage your hard drive. By always having backup you can easily transfer all your work over to a new computer. It is also vital in case your computer ever gets stolen. By having an external hard drive, you'll be up and running with all your data in no time! The most advanced versions will have an automatic backup function - it will update several times per day.

2. Editing

An external hard drive is a necessity when you are digitally editing - which include: Video editing, Photo editing, Digital illustration, 3D rendering, Audio editing and Advanced simulations. All these are the most intensive tasks that your computer can do as they require huge amounts of data processing.

3. RAID processing

RAID stands for "redundant array of independent disks." This is when you connect two or more external hard drives, but they operate as one. This means you can save all your data on multiple hard drives at one, so if one happens to crash, you'll still have the date on the other!

4. Data sharing

An external hard drive is the perfect way to transfer large amounts of data. Most people use USB sticks (Flash drives) but these are not ideal for sending large files. If you need to move many gigabytes of data, you'll soon get frustrated by how slow it is. The Cloud can handle much more data, but even then, upload and downloads times can be long and laborious. An external hard drive means you can move data fast. It's basically like a huge USM stick only with masses more storage.

5. Gaming

Modern PC games are so full of graphical detail that they take up much more space on your hard drive. If you're hard drive is getting clogged up with games, then an external hard drive is the perfect solution. If you're low on space, your computer won't run as fast, and that's a fact. So, an external hard drive could significantly boost your gaming performance. Which means you have more chance of winning. Result!

If you're going to use an external hard drive for gaming, then go for one with either a Thunderbolt or USB-C connector. USB Type-A is too slow and won't be able to quickly transfer information from the hard drive to your computer, so you'll suffer from severe lag. Thunderbolt and USB-C, on the other hand, are high-speed connectors that will minimise performance issues when you're gaming on an external drive. Thunderbolt or USB-C connectors are a 'must'. If you play console games, then you can also use an external hard drive. Both PlayStation 4 and Xbox One support external hard drives via a USB 3.0 connector.

Choosing your new external hard drive

Although storage capacity is probably the most important consideration when choosing a new hard drive there are other things to consider. The interface, power source, and, of course, the price all need to be factored into your decision. To help you narrow your search you can use the handy filter features on the left of the screen to select the different options that are available.

Whichever hard drive you choose you can be confident that you will get the best deal online right here at Ebuyer.com. Take advantage of our low prices and order today.