TECH411.ORG

By Jon M. Cohen

As most consumers embrace new technologies like digital cameras, digital camcorders and MP3 players is can be assumed that  today’s average consumer will find them-self with more and more files that become highly important and can’t be lost.  As more content is created the more we realize that the internal hard drive in computers is not large enough to handle the information that we hold so precious. It comes to a point where we need to increase our hard drive to hold all that information. Below are some basic tips to ensure that you buy the best replacement hard drive for your needs.

My first tip is the most important; and thus I suggest that if you only read one part this is it! When you are ready to change your desktop computer hard drive it is key to know what kind of connector is needed from the desktop’s motherboard. The two most popular options are ATA (also know as PATA) or the newer SATA (Serial ATA). It sounds like a very simple tip, but 70% of people are unsure and are unable to answer this question when they walk in to their local computer retailer. For anyone who is not sure what I mean by this significant difference; the only reasonable comparison that one can make is the difference between gas engines and diesel engines. Therefore, when you go to refuel your car you can’t put diesel fuel in a regular gas tank.

Size does matter! Buy the hard drive for the future. When you get to the store you may have options between 250GB, 500Gb, 750GB, 1000GB (1TB) and maybe even 1500GB (1.5TB). The right size is going to vary depending on your use. My rule of thumb is to get three times larger capacity. So if you are using a 250, then get a 750GB; if you have a 500Gb then a 1.5TB is the right amount. The good thing with most desktop computers is that you can have multiple drives in the computer. Therefore to reach 1.5TB you can use 2 x 750Gb. As drive sizes get large and prices go down I would always encourage people to get everything in one drive. This option offers less failure rate and gives improved speeds and performance.

Lots of people will tell you that one brand is better then another brand. The truth of the matter is that some brands are in fact better. The failure rate for any brand is almost all equal over a 12-month period. The same way that if you buy a really good car (like Bentley or Ferrari) you will still need service and you will still need to get service done for it. The point I am making is this; all technology can breakdown. Just make sure you are prepared. You should have some kind of backup solution. I know I sound a bit pessimistic, but it is better to be safe then sorry.

Speed, Speed, Speed…my last tip is that when you have a chance to get a new hard drive you should take advantage of any speed boosts with the technology. Over the last number of years we have seen the change from 5200RPM to 7200RPM drives. This means a faster read and writes speed. As technology improves, we will see that 10,000RPM or faster drives will be more common. Therefore, when you have a chance to upgrade and get a new drive you should take the fastest speeds you can afford.

Since you are in a position to upgrade or change your desktop hard drive I hope you keep the above mentioned four points in your head.. Find the perfect drive that meets your needs… Look for the fastest speed for the biggest drives and don’t get hung up to much on brand and lastly make sure you get the right kind of connection for you computer’s mother board.