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What to look for in removable storage



What to look for  in removable storage
Our experts explain the specs that matter.
 
  Removable storage specs

What to look for
 

  • Maximum formatted capacity

  • Write speed

  • Rewrite speed

  • Read speed

  • Enclosure

  • Interface

  • Software

  • Warranty and support
     
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    Interface
    The interface is the connection between the drive and the computer. Just about every internal drive uses an EIDE (enhanced, integrated drive electronics) interface; stay away from SCSI (small computer-system interface) drives unless your system already has a SCSI card. External drives, designed to be portable, rely on USB, IEEE 1394 (a.k.a. FireWire), and most recently, USB 2.0. If you plan to use one drive with many PCs, get a USB drive because nearly all PCs have USB ports. Otherwise, get a drive that supports IEEE 1394 or USB 2.0, which offer significantly faster throughput. You might have to add a PCI card to your PC, but it's worth it.
     

     

     
    « Enclosure | Software »

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