Disadvantages to using an external HDD

Hey,

I'm about to buy a Dell XPS M1530 soon and I think I'm opting for the 160 GB HDD @ 7200 RPM to save some cash. My original plan was to just get a fatty 500 GB HDD to sit on my desk in my dorm room that stores all my multimedia to connect to my laptop.

Is 160 GB enough for stuff I'll be using on the road? If so, why do so many opt for 300 GB+ hard drives in their laptops if they can just bring along a big external drive for cheap?

Thanks for any input

 

In my opinion, on the move, an external will be extra weight, extra cables and extra hassle. Consequently, I opt for 250 minimum. Sure, in your room on the desk no problem.

 

well i for one have alot of movies pictures and family videos
and over a period of time it end up being quite bulky in size
so id rather have an external drive rather than burden my internal drive
as a plus i could also view the files on my desktop too just a matter of plugging and unplugging an usb cable thats just my two cents
any road warrior would agree that lesser the number of things to carry the better
so one less external hdd is a good thing
i for one dont travel much so an external drive for my personal stuff and the internal drive for everything work related

 

check the price difference between your 160@7200 and the 320@5400. The performance are the same for both.

Then external or not... depend on your usage.
"so many opt for 300 GB+ hard drives in their laptops" to avoid extra cables and extra weight.

 

I have an external 500GB and an internal 250GB, it's niceto have an external as an multimedia and backup drive but I hate not having all my music an movies on my laptop I usually use mine away from my desk even in my house I just like finding a comfy place or sit with someone else and I can't listen to music or watch a video.

 

I have External 2.5" 100 GB + 160 GB.... 100 GB is samsung..and it sucks.. soo many errors, so slow, some files get corrupt..

I think i need to ask u all for a good 2.5" HD brand.

 

I have an internal 160gb 7.2krpm for performance and a 120GB very small portable HDD that only requires a usb cable. So thats 280GB if I take my vostro on the go and 200GB if Im using my ultraportable.

Here are some portable 200GB drives that only require USB and are very portable:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produ...414+131021338+1310221294+1036007801&name=2.5"

 

I think you'll probably want more than 160GB onboard, but then again it all depends on how much stuff you want to keep easily portable. Either way you'll end up wanting external storage in the end, to at least provide a backup of your data. Never trust any single hd with anything you can't stand to lose.

 

My computer is not the best, so I got an external hard drive to store games and movies so it would not gather up on my internal hard drive and I love it. I would not recommend one if you plan on traveling(unless you get a small one), but if you want something to put on your desk to store movies, games, etc, it is the perfect solution.

 

External HHDs are fine for DTRs and whatnot. On the road, they're just an extras hassle.

 

Whats with all the "hassle" remarks, the reason portable external hard drives exist, is that they are portable and aren't a hassle to travel with.

http://www.pixmania.co.uk/uk/uk/813088/art/western-digital/my-passport-essential-320.html

 

3.5" externals are a hassle, but 2.5" and 1.8" ones are quite portable and can be easily used to store and transfer data between computers... they're basically just jumbo flash drives.

 

I use an internal 40GB drive and have an external 250GB I use when at my desk. I find it to be a perfectly fine method. I wish I had a little more room to have my MP3's with me, which you have already with the 160GB. I think it makes a lot of sense to opt of the external.

Think of it this way, how much of that data do you need to have with you while you're out? That will give you your answer.

Good luck.

 

I used to love the idea of them, but now that I'm considering replacing a failed 250GB WD MyBook, I don't think I can go without a RAID 1 enclosure

 

I have a 1TB WD 3.5" in an Antec MX-1 SATS/USB case, a 250gb WD Passport Elite, and 160gb WD Scorpio in a 2.5" SATA/USB enclosure. The only thing I use them for is backup, a backup of the backup and temporary storage. I find it inconvenient to have to rely on an external for my frequently used files. I suggest upgrading to a bigger internal drive and use the external for backup purposes and/or archiving rarely used files.

 

I have an external seagate go 120GB for backups. My storage strategy is to dump movies, media and stuff I don't use on DVD's.

I would not want to deal with the hassle of having a 500GB on my laptop loaded with movies and stuff I"ve already watched crash.

Assuming files(movies, photos etc) that will not be accessed frequently, why keep them on the laptop at all..