Fast and warm: Tests on external hard drives

Hamburg - Fast and warm: Tests on external hard drivesIf speed matters when transferring data, then consumers can hardly go wrong when buying an external hard drive. The Hamburg-based Computer Bild magazine recently tested eight devices in the 2.5 and 3.5 inch format, and the results were encouraging.

The devices all received a grade of "good" for their speed. The noise levels on the hard drives were also checked, with most models barely audible, the magazine reports. The test did reveal that many models run very warm, which can have a negative effect on service life, the experts feel.

The devices were also subjected to a drop test from 50 centimetres. Among the 3.5 inch models, only one model survived the fall without extensive damages. Only one other model was even still able to allow access to the data stored on it.

"With the other candidates, the information was down the drain," the editors said. The lighter 2.5 inch drives were less sensitive to drops. While the casings on most devices were damaged, the devices nevertheless remained functional. (dpa)

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