5 most popular storage devices review 2021
With the advance in data storage technology, external storage devices have become varied in feature for different purposes. For example, some people need portable hard drives for storing movies, music, and multimedia data, which need larger storage space in the disk. However, some customers use external storage devices for documents and data, so they do not need larger storage space than the former group.
Portable storage devices also have different shapes, getting smaller and smaller for portability. This review can help you, our customers, to have a look at what external storage device that fit your demand. We will mention the most popular devices that are available on the market to the common consumers.
Top 5 Best Hard Drives Review
1. Optical Storage Devices
The oldest available storage device, this optical storage device is pretty plenty in capacity and clearly portable. They are first CD-Rom, then the DVD-Rom, and the latest technology is M-Disk. Though the popularity of the optical storage device to store personal data in the developed country has been declined. The optical disk (DVD and Blu-ray) is currently popular as high definition (HD) home videos and console gaming disc.
The most popular and latest format of the optical storage disc is Blu-ray, which can contain up to 128 GB with the four-layers Blu-ray disc generation. The disc has up to four layers (25 GB in single layer, 50 GB in double layers, Triple-layer discs is 100 GB and quadruple-layers is 128 GB). Fortunately, the Blu-ray drive required for reading the disc is pretty expensive but the quality is top notch and worth the money you spend.
The optical storage disc is very convenient if you want to share your data with many people without using the Internet or if you are on the road. However, the optical disc drives are now not always included in your laptop, but there are external optical disc drives available for sale if you really need to record your data on the disc. The optical discs are mostly read-only, and can only be written with the support of disc-writing software. Therefore, the virus cannot easily write itself on the optical disc.
- Advantages: Inexpensive in the long run, easy to carry, fair data capacity, fairly invulnerable to viruses
- Disadvantages: low durability, varies in longevity, need an appropriate disc drive to read, slow file transfer speed
2. USB Flash Drive
First introduced to the commercial community in 2000, USB Flash drives have become the most popular in 10 years. Nowadays, most popular USB Flash drives data capacity are from 8 to 128 GB. Nevertheless, the capacity of the USB Flash drive has reached 1 TB.
USB Flash Drive – Adata
Most people working have their own personal USB Flash drive nowadays, usually for storing personal data, back up device drivers, documents… The USB flash drive is also known as a good booting disk if you need to reinstall your OS or fix the error caused by viruses. However, you need to be careful when plugging your USB flash drive in another computer for better security.
- Advantages: very portable, inexpensive, good data capacity, most portable device
- Disadvantages: medium durability, very vulnerable to viruses, fair file transfer speed
3. Memory Card
Memory Cards are popular with portable digital devices like cameras, smart phones, tablets… thanks to their small size. In the market, the data capacity is somewhat akin to the USB Flash Drive, which is up to 32 GB. The memory card is considered the smallest device over the other storage device in this review.
Memory Cards
To read the memory card data on the computer, we require an adapter. Normally, each type of Memory card requires their own reader, but the multi type card readers are available on the market and very easy to find. However, both the memory card and the reader itself have low durability and are very easy to break if you are not careful, sometimes they are also too small to store and will be easily lost if dropped. Also, the longevity of memory cards are also not really good, most memory cards will break down after some months of using.
- Advantages: convenient, compatible with most portable devices, inexpensive
- Disadvantages: too portable for common users, low durability, low longevity, require card readers for data transfer on computers.
4. Hard Drive Box (HDD Box)
Known in the US and Europe as Hard Drive Enclosure, but known to Asia as HDD Box. The HDD Box is used to transfer an internal HDD into external HDD. It is very convenient and economical if you already have an extra internal HDD. Technically, the Hard Drive Box is not really different from the SSD, using the USB to connect to the computer. The HDD box data capacity depends on the HDD that it is attached to. It is even better if you have more than one internal HDD for the HDD box, because you only need one HDD box for several internal HDD.
HDD Box
There are even multiple-drive HDD boxes, but that device is very expensive. The HDD Box usually requires more power than the SSD, most of the HDD boxes require another power supply. As a result, most devices require too much connection for power, which should freak you out if you are not patient enough, and also make trouble for you when you take it from one place to another.
- Advantages: possibly high data capacity with low cost
- Disadvantages: operate loudly, have to do more trouble to install the device, power consuming, very bulky
5. Solid State Drive (SSD)
Solid State Drive is considered the best storage device in this review perspective. Using a built-in power source, SSD does not require as much power as the HDD Box, and may also help retain the data in the case of power loss. Most HDD boxes manufactured to the commercial are high resistant to shock, therefore provide very high durability.
The SanDisk Ultra II 960GB SATA III 2.5 inch 7mm Solid State (SSD) with read up to 550 MB/s – SDSSDHII 960G – G25
Although in the SSD has higher price even with the same amount of data capacity of those on an internal HDD (a 640 GB SDD is more expensive than a 640 HDD), but the price is worth it.
- Advantages: quiet operating, more portable than HDD box, high data capacity, high durability, high file transfer speed
- Disadvantages: very expensive
In recent years, researches have shown that more and more people all over the world choose to use Portable drives for not only the fascinating functions, the extreme convenience in traveling but also the fashionable appearance of them. Although some may have high prices but I guess we can all know that they are really worth it.
Also, once you buy one, it should take you years to buy another one to replace it since the duration is super excellent, not to even mention about the warranties of these products is absolutely acceptable .So what are you waiting for, let’s get on your way to have your own Portable drive and experience this convenient modern invention right now.