Shopping for a Solid State Drive (SSD)
Solid state drives, or SSDs, are devices for storing your digital content. SSD hard drives have little to no moving parts, which makes them faster than a traditional hard drive that relies on a spinning disk. If speed is an important consideration for your work or lifestyle, a solid state drive is worth a look. The drives come in a variety of formats and work with major operating systems.
Whether you want an external SSD for an existing computer or a portable hard drive to carry with you, the right drive can be essential to productivity. SSDs aren't just for personal computers; you can get arrays and NAS drives with SSD technology for the most demanding backup scenarios, which might include daily backups that need to be completed within one hour or less.
Types of SSDs
One of the biggest considerations with an SSD hard drive is the speed of the data transfer, which varies based on the type of drive.
1. Expansion SSD
If you work in a field that's highly demanding on the hard drive, such as video editing, you'll enjoy the high speed that an expansion solid state drive offers.
2. Portable SSD
If being able to easily carry your portfolio with you everywhere is essential, a portable solid state drive offers versatility at the expense of speed.
SSDs and Operating System Compatibility
Compatibility with your operating system is a critical part of picking a hard drive. If you run a MacOS platform, you should look at portable SSDs because they have more formatting options. If you're running a Windows system, you can explore options such as internal hard drives, because PCs tend to have more interchangeable parts. Alternatively, for large storage needs, NAS and array drives can be formatted to work with nearly any operating system.
What Type of Cord Do I Need to Connect My Hard Drive?
Determining the best way to connect the hard drive to your computer depends on what your primary use will be. If you intend to carry the drive with you for use on a portable device, a USB bus-powered external SSD is the way to go because it doesn't need a separate power cord. However, if your hard drive will sit on a table, you should look at a desktop solid state drive with a FireWire or Thunderbolt connection for greater speed. In contrast, if your primary daily use for the hard drive is gaming, you'll enjoy the simplicity of an internal solid state drive to avoid the cord clutter altogether. And if you need to capture your work regularly, an SSD array will back up everything you do as you do it.
Regardless of your personal or business needs, the speed and versatility of an SSD will far surpass a traditional disk hard drive. Check out B&H Photo and Video's SSD selection to find the right hard drive for the job.