Choosing the Right External Storage

While the modern cloud storage services are getting more popular due to their ease of access, in some use cases, local external storage is still highly regarded especially for large file sizes and faster download/copy speed. In this short write up, I’m going to break down the two different form of portable storage in order to determine the right external storage for you.

Portable Hard Disk Drive (HDD) VS Portal Solid State Drive (SSD)

The portable HDD has been around for ages and it is easily the number one choice for everyone who wants extra storage while on-the-go. There are a couple of reasons why it is just as popular as those USB flash drives. Given that 1TB of portable HDD can be purchased for RM200, it is not that expensive and offers a reasonable storage capacity.

On the other hand, portable SSD may sound extremely alien to you but in fact, it is just as simple as portable HDD except it uses a way faster flash drive inside the enclosure. The file transfer speed on the SSD, depending on which type of SSD it uses, is at least double or triple the speed of an HDD. That, of course, comes at a higher price tag where an aftermarket 1TB portable SSD would cost you at least RM900. While the price has yet been adjusted for the portable SSD in light of the recent price drop for NAND flash drive products, you may purchase an external SSD enclosure separately and make your own a portable SSD at a fraction of the cost.

• Pricing: HDDs offer larger capacity at more attractive prices.
• Portability: SSDs can be smaller, thinner, and lighter than HDDs as SSDs have no moving parts.
• Easier Data Recovery: SSDs store data in a less intuitive way. With HDDs, it can be easier to recover data.
• Greater Protection: SSDs can survive harsher treatment or drops because they have no moving parts that can break.
• Energy Efficiency: SSDs don’t have to spin up a platter from a standstill, and thus consume less energy.

Final Words: The Right External Storage

Portable SSD: In Need of Speed and Always On the Go

If you are looking for fast transfer speeds and a durable design that is stylish, yet lightweight and pocket-sized, Transcend’s Portable SSDs will help you securely store sensitive data, expand your device capacity, reduce startup times across all applications, as well as improve your gaming experience as you take your laptop along for the ride.

Portable HDD: Heavy on Storage and Light on Price

If you are a budget-minded power user with a large collection of photos, videos, audio, and documents on your desktop PC, Transcend’s StoreJet Portable HDDs strike a good balance of quality, price, and storage space, enabling you to easily transfer files between devices, back up essential data, and more on the go.