Looking for a basic external hard drive

nettek

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Jul 20, 2013
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Hi everyone,

I started researching external hard drives, and understood that all the manufacturers include what I see as unnecessary gimmicks - encryption, software for backups and cloud backups, passwords, protection against drops, etc.
I'm just looking for a basic yet reliable external hard drive that will allow me to drag and drop the data that I want - that's it.

I'm looking for 1TB at least and since the hard drives I encountered cost something like ~60$ I'm looking for something that costs somewhat below that.
Again, I'm looking for something reliable, not some knock-off that will last a month if I'm lucky. If a hard drive like that doesn't exist, I would love if you could recommend one from the top companies (WD, Toshiba, Seagate, etc.).

Thank you!
 
Solution
In my opinion, like most PC users I believe you would be much better served by purchasing a USB external enclosure + a HDD and/or SSD for your backup strategy rather than a commercial "one-piece" unit.

The advantages of doing so are significant. First of all, virtually any USBEHD enclosure you purchase will accommodate both 2 1/2" & 3 1/2" drives. That's a real advantage. Then you can purchase the HDD (or SSD) YOU want, not the HDD that's installed in the commercial product. Rest assured the drive you purchase will invariably prove superior to the commercial product. And you can select whatever disk capacity YOU want. Another advantage is that the HDD you install in the USBEHD can always be easily removed and installed in a PC should...
I've owned probably around 15 external harddrives during the last decade. Both big and fast ones with their own power supply that I've used extensively for video editing and rendering as well as several smaller USB powered ones that I've used for data transfers and backups. Pretty much all of them have been WD branded ones and so far not a single one have died on me (knock on wood) so I can definitely recommend WD as a brand.
The last couple of years I've used the WD My Passport 1TB drive for a lot of data transfers and backing up data and I'm very satisfied with those (I have three of those plus one in 2TB capacity). I also hear a lot of good things about the Seagate Slim 1TB, but I've never used that one myself.
 


Thanks Michael! Do you own the "ultra" version?
 
In my opinion, like most PC users I believe you would be much better served by purchasing a USB external enclosure + a HDD and/or SSD for your backup strategy rather than a commercial "one-piece" unit.

The advantages of doing so are significant. First of all, virtually any USBEHD enclosure you purchase will accommodate both 2 1/2" & 3 1/2" drives. That's a real advantage. Then you can purchase the HDD (or SSD) YOU want, not the HDD that's installed in the commercial product. Rest assured the drive you purchase will invariably prove superior to the commercial product. And you can select whatever disk capacity YOU want. Another advantage is that the HDD you install in the USBEHD can always be easily removed and installed in a PC should that need arise.

Still another significant advantage is the fact that by using a separate USBEHD enclosure + HDD you will have UNLIMITED capability to utilize any number of different HDDs/SSDs for whatever purpose(s) you deem necessary or desirable.

All in all there are really no downsides to purchasing a USBEHD + HDD (and/or SSD) in comparison to purchasing a commercial one-piece product. And you will have an enormous choice as to the USB enclosure that appeals to you. One type is the so-called "docking station", see for example http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=blacx&N=-1&isNodeId=1

There are plenty of other types of enclosures. Right now, as an example, we're using the Orico 6518US3 model. See...
http://www.amazon.com/ORICO-6518US3-Super-Docking-Station/dp/B00CBPB4PM
Newegg also carries this model (they recently had it on sale @$16.99). And there are many, many others to choose from.

And it's child's play to install and/or reinstall a HDD or SSD in & out of a USB external enclosure - whatever the type.

(I should mention that many users employ a SATA-to-USB adapter device for connecting a SATA HDD or SSD to a USB port. Here's a sampling of those type of devices...
http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductList.aspx?Submit=ENE&DEPA=0&Order=BESTMATCH&Description=sata+to+usb+adapters&N=-1&isNodeId=1
Although I'm aware of many users who are satisfied with this type of device frankly, we're not. By & large our experience with these type of devices has been quite negative - we've found them to be defective or erratic in operation. We just don't use them any more. But I have to say we find that many users are perfectly satisfied with these devices.)
 
Solution


Yes, I believe all of my 'My Passport' drives are the 'Ultra' version.
I don't know the failure rates of these drives compared to say the Seagate Backup Plus or the Seagate Backup Slim drives or any of the competing drives from Toshiba and other brands so I can only speak from my own personal experience that the 'WD My Passport' drives appears very reliable.

 


Thank you! that seems like a really good solution.
You'll have to forgive my ignorance, although I have encountered the term "enclosure" once, I'm not sure what it is. Is it some kind of a "case" for the HDD/SSD?

Can you also provide an example/link for such an HDD (I prefer not to purchase an SSD for now)? I have searched for it - but the results I'm getting are for the "one piece", like you said.

Again, thanks.

 
The term "enclosure" when referring to an externally-connected USB device is quite flexible. It covers such devices as those "docking stations" & Orico device I previously mentioned. A reasonably productive search term would be "USB external enclosure" since it covers a lot of ground.
The online vendor Newegg has scores of these devices for sale as I'm sure does Amazon and a host of other vendors. By & large these devices all do the job. You can always check the user reviews.
What we look for (as a general proposition) is...
1. Obviously a USB 3.0 interface
2. Can accommodate both 2.5 & 3.5 drives
3. Power switch on front (or top) of unit rather than on rear of case
4. Reasonably bright LCD indicating when power is ON.
5. Reasonably compact size
6. 3' data cable (or less depending upon one's situation)

(We have three of those Orico units I mentioned and all of them have performed flawlessly over time).
The HDD(s) you would use are, of course, a matter of individual choice.