Do you need extra space for your computer files? Consider purchasing an external hard drive. External hard drives can hold upwards of a Terabit of information! Today they are more affordable than ever. This article will get you starting in purchasing the external hard drive that is right for you.

External hard drives are a great way to back up your important documents so that you can always have them. They are also used to transfer data around. Before you buy an external hard drive you are going to want to keep in mind why you need it. If you are just backing up your personal computer every week you are not going to need near as much space as if you are putting your entire movie collection on a hard drive. So take some time to think about how much space you will need. Also, keep in mind what size of a hard drive you need. Can it just sit on a desk at home or does it need to be small enough to fit in your purse or briefcase?

Take a look at your current computer. Does it have USB 1.0, USB 2.0, or Firewire capabilities? All external hard drives interface with one of these three options. Firewire would be the fastest. If you are used to working with the latest technology all of your computers could be Firewire capable. If your computer is really old it may only accept USB 1.0. This is quite slow however so you will need to keep that in mind. USB 2.0 is only slightly slower than Firewire. It is very common – virtually all computers have it. Thus, even if your computer is Firewire capable, you may even want to consider using USB 2.0 if you are going to want to use the external hard drive to transfer files to other computers.

Now that you have taken some time to determine what type of external hard drive you are going to need. And you have determined what interface you would like to use. It is time to actually make a purchase. I wouldn’t suggest just running out to the local electronics store and picking one up however. Take some time to do a google search on a few competing brands. You may find a less expensive external hard drive that will work just as well for you. Don’t just buy the cheapest one though. Make sure that it is rated well and that it is going to work for your needs before you buy it. A quick google search could be able to find the external hard drive you are looking for at a price significantly lower than your local electronic store.

Hopefully, after reading this article, you feel like you have a good idea of what to look for in an external hard drive. What size will you need? Does it need to be portable? You should also have determined which interface you will want to use. Now all that is left to be done is a quick google search. You should have your new external hard drive before you know it.

If you are looking for an external hard drive for your house, check out Low Price Memory for a full line of external hard drives, m2 memory and computer memory at a price you can afford.

– David Ross