What Is A 2TB External Hard Drive?

What exactly is a 2TB External hard drive?

2TB external hard drive is a hard drive that has two terabytes of storage and that is separate from your computer, giving you the freedom to take it wherever you want. At the core of every external hard drive is at least one internal hard drive that has been fitted into an external case. The case is where the interface and power capabilities go through and they determine the connectivity limits.

Why get one?

Using external hard drives means that you can almost have unlimited storage space at your disposal. For relatively small amount of money you can quickly add two whole terabytes of space to your computer, which means you would be able to store an extra 1.5 million MP3s or photos, or over 500 movies that are DVD sized. Doesn't that sound lovely.

HDD External USB

Having one also enables you to create backups of your valuable files and keep them stored away safely under your pillow. Almost every single computer and laptop made in the past 5-10 years has at least one USB port, which is what you'll need to plug an external hard drive in. For some lucky ones you may have many more ports than that and be able to make your tiny computer into a gigantic storage-beast.

With so many brands, how to decide which to get?

There are several big players in the hard disk drive industry and with all their marketing it can some times be tough to decide which one best meets your needs. This is the main reason we created this website, we wanted to provide the world with detailed and helpful reviews with the information we would want if we were looking to buy something. The best place to start is to write down what your exact needs are, for example do you want a hard drive that is extra light and fits in your jeans, as you need to travel with it extensively? Or do you want something that looks like it came straight out of star trek to complement your already futuristic computer set-up? Or do you want something that is very minimal and doesn't need a power adapter to function?

Once you have nailed your exact requirements you can read through 2tb external hard drive reviews and see which drive is the chosen one for you. You can also leave comments asking questions if there is something that you wish to know that perhaps wasn't as detailed as you need it to be.

Types of hard drives

In the other corner we have the external SSD, or Solid State Drives. These drives are much faster than their desktop-style counterparts, however the boost in speed comes at a big cost - They are unashamedly expensive, almost ten times more in some cases. They are also much smaller in size, the biggest external SSD you could find are only a couple of hundred gigabytes big, which considering the price, makes them a bad choice at the moment. They are definitely the drive of the future considering their tremendous speeds, but like all great things, they come on the market at overly-inflated prices for the first few years. Not recommended right now, but at some point in the future, when the prices go down and the sizes go up, it might be worth reconsidering.

If they are all the same size, why are some more expensive than others?

As with anything you can find drives to meet everyone's needs and requirements. Some 2TB external hard drives are very small and portable, and do not require a power supply to work - they only need a usb cable to be powered. Speeds can vary greatly from one 2TB External hard drive to another, which is why some cheap ones are much slower than others. A quick indicative of how fast the 2TB external hard drive you are interested in is, is to look at the interface ports. Some interface ports are much quicker than others, namely drives with USB 3.0 capabilities are pricier than ones that don't as this port provides you with the best possible transfer speeds.

What is the best 2TB external hard drive on the market?

Most drives are good enough and do what they claim they do, but as mentioned previously, it depends enormously on your requirements, some people only want to make a monthly backup and do not care too much if it takes an extra hour or so when compared to another hard drive if it means they save some money. For other people they need the fastest drive possible, as they are constantly transferring files and can not bare the time wasted waiting. A good indicative to find the best product is too look at the best rated ones around the internet. Read reviews and then visit online retailers to read their customer reviews and you should get a good idea whether the drive is for you or not. However, a word of caution is that you should always remember that most people only write a review if they had problems with the product, most people who love their product never come back to tell the world that the product is great.

A few tips to buy the best one for your needs

If you are definitely going to buy a new portable hard drive, then make sure you remember these tips:

Buy a brand you have heard of

You will often find a drive that has the same amount of storage and speed claims as a well-known brand, but half the price. Your initial reaction might be to smile, but if you really think about it, why would one hard drive be much cheaper than another one that has the 'same specs'. The answer is an obvious one - cheaper materials, speeds are inconsistent and they break sooner. Save yourself headaches, time and money - Buy from a well-known brand, as you will at least know what kind of quality and customer-service you are going to get if anything were to go wrong.

Check what ports your system has!

We have received countless emails asking us for advice on how to return a 2tb external hard drive that has been taken from the box, because their computer systems did not have the right ports, and so the extra money they paid for the amazing speeds went to waste. Check your system to see if you indeed have a USB 3.0 port or at least ask yourself if you would consider upgrading your system in the future to have USB 3.0 ports. Then you can make an intelligent choice of what hard drive to get and which not to waste extra cash on.

Size matters

As you are buying off of the internet, you probably lose the sense of scale from just looking at photographs of beautiful hard drives. Make sure you look at the dimensions of the hard drive and get a ruler out to see how big it really is. People are often disappointed with the products they buy off the internet because they thought it was smaller/lighter/softer, so ensure you are not one of these people.

And speaking of size, ensure the actual storage space you purchase is enough for your needs. Buying one 2tb portable hard drive is cheaper than having to buy another 1tb portable hard drive after the first one you bought got full in two weeks.

Is 2tb of hard drive space enough?

2 terabytes of storage in a single external hard drive would have been impossible 2 years ago, and filling-up 2 terabytes of storage would have sounded equally crazy, however, due to the rise in popularity of HD films and people wanting to backup their files, they are finding that they are quickly running out of space. At this moment in time the best and biggest hard drive to get is ones that have 2TB as the 4TB ones are still too big and clunky, not to mention expensive.

2 terabytes of space will allow you to store:

What accessories are there to protect our drives?

The main accessories you can get for your brand new 2TB external hard drive is a protective case and extended warranty. Online retailers often provide excellent deals when you buy all three things together and we recommend you buy everything as it's not much more extra money and you avoid any potential headaches, particularly with the extended warranty.

What Is A 2TB External Hard Drive?

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