The longer you have your computer and the more frequently you use it, the more likely you are to run out of storage space. Every file, photo, video, program, etc. that you put on your computer takes up storage space on your hard drive. As you approach your hard drive storage limit the computer will start to load things slowly. This is because your hard drive has more things to sift through before reaching the data you requested.

You have three options once this starts to happen. You can delete unused files to make more room, you can open up your tower or laptop and replace the internal hard drive, or you can purchase an external hard drive and simply plug it into a USB port. As you can imagine, the external hard drive is by far the easiest of these solutions.

Why Get an External Hard Drive?

Getting an external hard drive is the best storage space solution for a few reasons. For starters, constantly deleting files is time consuming and annoying. You have to navigate folders that slowly load in order to find files you are willing to part with. Sometimes everything you have in storage is too valuable to get rid of.

If you are like most people, you probably have no idea how to open up your pc and remove the old internal hard drive. Even if you do, it is very easy to accidentally cause irreversible damage to the other components while inside. If its a laptop you are dealing with then it most likely can't be removed at all. Even if you do replace your internal drive, the process of transferring your old data to the new one is very tedious.

The best bet by far is to get an external hard drive and plug it into the USB port on your computer. This is easy enough for anyone to do and you still have the internal drive with all of your existing files ready to go.

Best Online Retailers

There are several options for purchasing an external hard drive and having it delivered right to your door. By now we have all heard of Amazon and have probably ordered things from there before. It is an excellent place to shop and there will be a bunch of info about each drive and user reviews so you can see at a glance what you are buying. If you are already a prime member then this is a no brainer.

Best buy is another option if you prefer a company that has a long history of retail service. They offer many different hard drives and you can utilize their geek squad service if you have any additional questions about a particular drive. Plus most drives have a high enough price tag where you will be eligible for free shipping on your order.

Finally, Newegg is a great source for all different types of computer parts. They often have the best prices on hard drives and other accessories. If you are looking for the best value for your money then try out their website. If you find a better deal elsewhere, they will price match you and send you the drive promptly.

Popular External Hard Drives

If you are looking for a great place to start your external hard drive research, then check out Western Digital, Toshiba, and Seagate. These are the big three when it comes to external storage. Western digital offers the My Passport and Elements line of drives that range from one terabyte to four terabytes. The USB 3.0 connection is great for quickly loading or transferring files.

Seagate offers portable hard drives that range from one to eight terabytes of storage. This is far more than the average person will need which is great because your drive won't slow down if it never gets close to being full. Toshiba's Canvio Basics line comes in one terabyte, two, terabyte, and four terabyte variants. No matter which brand you choose, they are all pretty much the same and will easily plug into your computer and just work.