We all accumulate lots of data over time, ranging from high-res smartphone pics to TV episodes, films, and a music collection. Storing this data reliably and safely is important because the data we collect is an important part of who we are. Though we can store some of our most important data in the cloud, most of us need some local storage for bigger files. Here, we explain your main options when it comes to storing your data at home.

Compact storage for home and traveling

Getting a good volume of data storage used to require large, bulky drives with big power supplies. Now you can buy affordable compact, 2.5” enclosures with hard drives in sizes as large as 5 TB (5,000 GB) all powered simply from a USB port. Yes, you can carry a generous 5 TB of storage in your pocket.

Also keep in mind that many 2.5” external storage options come in the shape of an SSD, instead of a spinning disk. As you may already know SSDs are a super-fast way of storing data. SSDs also have another benefit: because there are no moving components, your drive (and data) cannot be easily damaged when you are traveling.

Big capacity storage for home cinema PCs 

HD and 4K material take up a huge amount of space, and so do many PC games. For storing large video files you absolutely have to consider large capacity drives in the 4TB and 8TB range. A drive holding 8,000 GB of data will give you plenty of space to store hundreds of films and TV shows.

Gear-up.me stocks a range of large external drives, giving you a solid choice in many areas. Whether you simply want the most space you find for the lowest price or want an attractive drive that will stand out next to your home cinema PC, we have the right drive for you.

Network-attached storage (NAS)

Getting serious about your storage needs? You should think about Network Attached Storage or NAS. A NAS is like a miniature computer, but with large amounts of storage space. The main difference between a NAS and other big capacity storage is that your NAS is independently connected to a network, whereas external hard drives are connected to a PC.

With a NAS you can share your files with every computer on your home network. NAS devices can also feature huge amounts of storage capacity: you can custom-configure your NAS of choice with large drives to easily build units with 16TB or more of space, enough for an entire family’s needs.

Picking your storage options

When you are deciding which storage solution to buy you should consider a couple of factors. Do you need your storage to be portable? How many computers need easy access to the content on the storage device – just one host PC, or the entire network? We are always happy to help you decide which storage solution you should buy – just get in touch with us. Also, watch out for a weekly range of articles offering further explanations on your storage options.