You’ve picked the perfect laptop for uni – but its internal storage drive can only hold so many essays. A lot like your brain after your fourth lecture in a row, overloading your laptop can make it sluggish and unresponsive. Not to mention there’s the risk of losing everything if your laptop’s stolen or broken.
To keep your stuff safe, you might want to pick up an external hard drive. They’ll let you back up all that hard work. So, if you run into any tech trouble, you’re covered. But which one should you go for?
What sizes do external storage drives come in?
Storage space is measured in megabytes (MB), gigabytes (GB) and terabytes (TB). You can find storage drives offering anything from 256GB to 16TB, depending on how much you’ll need for your course.
How much space do I need?
This depends on a few things. How big are the files you’re going to be saving? What programs will you be using? And how many projects do you reckon you’ll be working on?
If you’re studying a subject that mainly involves writing essays, you’ll need less space than a design student who regularly uses intensive software like Adobe Illustrator, Premiere or Revit.
Why? Because basic text files don’t take up that much space. Photos are a bit larger, while music, video and 3D design files are pretty storage-hungry. The below is a good rule of thumb…
500GB can hold: 8,330 hours of digital music / 160,000 digital photos / 500 hours of digital video / 125 DVD-quality movies
1TB can hold: 16,660 hours of digital music / 320,000 digital photos / 1,000 hours of digital video / 250 DVD-quality movies
[Source: Seagate]
Desktop or portable drive?
There are two types of external drive: desktop and portable.
Do you prefer to knuckle down at home or get a group study sesh in round at your bestie’s flat? Are you more likely to be found hunched over a library desk or curled up working over a latte in town?
Before deciding on a desktop or portable drive, think about how likely you are to move around.
Desktop external drives
Desktop hard drives are bigger and heavier than portable ones and need to be plugged into an external power source to work. Their larger size means they tend to have more capacity than portable drives though - and at a more student-friendly price tag too.
We’d recommend…
The Seagate Expansion External Hard Drive. With 6TB of storage and speedy USB 3.0, it’s got more than enough room for a degree length’s worth of large-scale projects. And if you do accidentally lose your files to water damage or a natural disaster, Rescue Data Services will help you to recover all your hard work. Phew.
Portable external drives
Portable hard drives are made for life on the go. Light and slim, they’re perfect for throwing in your bag or pocket before you head out.
Unlike desktop external drives (that need to be plugged into the mains), portable external drives are powered by your laptop. You can access your files wherever, whenever. Which is perfect for making last-minute changes to a presentation outside your lecture theatre.
They can be pricier than desktop external drives, but you should still be able to get a hefty 1TB device without breaking the bank – like this Toshiba Canvio Basics Portable Hard Drive.
For serious security
You want to keep your Mac files safe and secure, right? The WD My Passport for Mac comes with built-in hardware encryption and password protection to keep your data private. You can even set up a backup routine with Apple’s Time Machine software to automatically save your data whenever you choose.
Want to learn more about cyber security? Check out how to stay safe online.
Lots of photos and creative projects? Make speed a priority
If you’re a design student (or just have loads of Instagrammable photos), you’ll want to go for something that transfers bigger files fast.
Two options to weigh up are hard drives with USB 3.0 or USB-C connectivity, as well as super-speedy SSD hard drives.
USB 3.0 can transfer data at 5 gigabits per second – more than 10 times faster than USB 2.0. And USB-C is twice as fast as USB 3.0!
On the other hand, solid state drives (SSD) can transfer video in seconds. They’re up to 4x faster than regular external hard drives, easily backing up your photos, videos and files. They’re also extremely tough cookies because there are no moving parts.
Any recommendations?
The Samsung T7 is the perfect lightweight external SSD. At only 58g, it won’t slow you down while you rush around campus, and its all-round metal design can handle accidental drops. It has a huge 1TB capacity, transfers 4K videos and high-res photos in seconds, and lets you easily set up a password on PC and Mac. In other words, it’s the ultimate uni sidekick.
Choosing the right storage: SSD vs HDD
When it comes to picking some storage, you’ve got two main contenders – solid state drives (SSD) and hard disk drives (HDD).
Solid state drives:
Fast runners – SSDs are lightning quick. So, they’ll boot up in seconds and run nice and smoothly.
Quiet and cool – With less moving parts, they’re generally quieter and create less heat.
Durable design – They’re a bit more rugged than an HDD. Making them more reliable, and less likely to break after any bumps or scrapes.
Hard disk drives:
Higher capacity – HDDs tend to come with more storage, giving you plenty of space for those chunky research projects.
Cost-effective – If you’re on a tight budget (and let’s be honest, most students are) but still need lots of space, HDDs are a great shout.
Cloud storage vs physical storage: pros and cons
How does cloud storage stack up against good old physical storage? Let’s have a look…
Cloud storage pros:
Accessibility – You can open up your files on any gadget with an internet connection. Letting you work across your phone, tablet and laptop.
Automatic backups – The software will regularly upload the latest version of your work. So, if anything goes wrong, there’ll always be an up-to-date version you can use.
Save space – By storing projects in the cloud, you won’t need to worry about your laptop running out of room.
Cloud storage cons:
You need an internet connection – Without one, you won’t be able to get to your files.
Security risks – Like with anything online, there’s always a risk of hacking. Even the biggest companies with the tightest security can get hacked.
Regular fees – Some cloud services will charge you every month to use them. The more storage space, the more you’ll usually pay.
Physical storage pros:
Offline access – No internet? No problem. Your files are right there on the device.
Security – You decide who has access. Unless you lose it of course…
Pay once – Once you’ve bought it that’s it. You won’t have to shell out on a subscription or extra fees.
Physical storage cons:
Easy to lose – Physical storage can easily be lost, stolen or damaged.
Limited space – Once it’s full, you’ll need to buy another one or delete files to free up some room.
Wear and tear – If you’ve had it for absolutely ages, it might suddenly stop working right when you need it.
Tech tip: We’d suggest going for a mix of the two. Cloud storage is more convenient – and those automatic backups can be a life saver. While physical storage means you’ll still be able to access your work, even when that dodgy Wi-Fi in your student halls goes down again.
Backup strategies for students
Losing all your hard work can be an absolute nightmare. Especially if it’s right before a big deadline. So, don’t risk it! Back up all those important assignments and projects whenever you make any changes to them.
The 3-2-1 rule – Make three copies of your data (one main one and two backups). Then store them on two bits of physical media – like an external HDD and a USB stick - with another version uploaded digitally in the cloud.
Automate it – If you always forget to back up your work, find some software to do it for you. It’ll automatically update and store your files every so often. And you won’t have to remember to do it manually.
Update regularly – Speaking of backups, double check that they’re definitely up to date. Especially before exams or submission deadlines.
The best of both worlds – Sign up to and upload your work on some cloud services like Google Drive or Dropbox. Then get yourself an external hard drive or SSD for a physical copy of your most important files.
So, you’re off to uni then? We’ve rounded up the essential tech to take with you to uni halls. You can thank us later. And if you’re shopping around for a new laptop before heading off, here’s why Chromebooks are great for students.
