eSATA External Hard Drive
What is eSATA External Hard Drive?
eSATA or External Serial Advanced Technology Attachment is a new generation for drive interfaces. It was developed as an external interface for SATA technologies. eSata replaces the older ATA technology since it is more streamlined compared to it’s ATA predecessor. It is mainly used for external storage competing with the current firewire and USB technologies.
Features of eSATA External Hard Drive
eSATA external hard drive is preferred by many individuals due to the following features:
- faster data transfer rate compared to USB and firewire. eSATA external hard drive can reach transfer rates that would triple the transfer rates of usb 2.0 and firewire
- the cables used for eSATA are longer and are well shielded. This means the cables are not prone to the usual wear and tear that most cables are vulnerable to
- hot-plug capability – which means you can connect or reconnect the eSATA external hard drive anytime without requiring you to shut down your computer
- It’s very cost-effective – the current prices of esata drives today are relatively cheap if you factor in the perfomarnce and amount of storage you’re getting from one drive. They are currently priced anywhere from $80 – $500 depending on storage capacity
- can be used to boot into windows since they are recognized as ordinary drives by the BIOS
What are the disadvantages of using an eSATA external hard drive?
There are really just two main disadvantages of using eSATA and the first one is that it requires it’s own power cable. Unlike the USB which can be directly plugged to the computer or laptop, the eSATA will require it’s own power source. This isn’t really a big problem if you’re using eSATA for your PC but in terms of portability, this may not be the best solution for some individuals.
The second disadvantage is the fact that it requires an eSATA port which may not be a standard for some computers and desktops (if comparing with the USB port). Fortunately though, port controllers can easily be bought for both your desktop and laptop.
Should I get an eSATA external hard drive?
No one can really get enough of storage space nowadays especially with the progressing media outlets particularly videos and photographs. If you have lots of videos and photographs, we’re sure you’ll be needing more and more space everyday. And you can’t really rely on just your desktop or laptop’s built-in capacity. The eSATA external hard drive is currently the best solution for your storage needs since it cuts transfer times to up to 6x and provides larger storage capacity. If you’re wondering which hard drive is right for you, read our eSATA external hard drive reviews
