Best External Hard Drives and SSDs in Nigeria

photo by Jeremy Bezanger

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As a tech savvy individual, one who has lots of media files such as videos, games, animation software and other work related data, you may find that you need to store or backup your data on a physical storage device.

Although cloud storage is a popular alternative for businesses and individuals, the subscription fees and internet access requirements make external hard drives and SSDs the enduring choice for many users.

But before you dip into your pockets to get that external hard drive or solid state drive, you should be sure that you are getting a good fit for your data storage needs.

In case you are wondering, SSDs (solid state drives) and HDDs (hard disk drives) serve the same purpose. They are both devices that enable you to store data such as images, videos, databases, documents and other digital properties. They can be placed inside your computer or laptop or used as external storage devices. When these devices are used outside a laptop or computer, we refer to them as external storage devices.

SSDs are more expensive than hard disk drives because their file transfer rate is faster and they are also more durable than HDDs. A hard disk drive can decide to stop working or get corrupted just because it does not like the way you dropped it carelessly.

SSDs on the other hand, are more resistant to shock. This in no way means that you should knock them with a mallet or use them as frisbees for your dog. 

Should you get that 500gb hard drive or should you get an SSD instead? Are you an engineer who is rough with tech products, and would prefer a rugged storage device that can withstand rough use and sudden collisions?

This article highlights all the points you should consider and then suggests the device that would best suit your needs and also provides information about the good quality storage devices available in Nigeria.

Points To consider Before Getting a Hard Disk Drive or SSD

Disk Capacity

One of such points to consider is the disk capacity that you require. Do you need 500GB or will 1TB be more suitable for you? This, in turn, will let you know whether you should go for an SSD or a hard disk drive.

If your budget allows you, consider getting a storage device that has twice the space you require. You will have more disk space as your data needs expand and, in instances, when you find that you need to upgrade your disk drive.

Your Budget

Yes, of course you will consider your budget. But budget consideration goes more than just searching for a cheaper device. When dealing with tech, it is better to go for quality than cheapness because if you buy a poor product you will end up spending more in the long run.

External HDDs are cheaper than internal hard disk drives and SSDs, so depending on your budget, you can decide on which device is more suitable for you.

Speed

If speedy file transfer rates or computer operation (particularly with internal disk drives) is a must for you, then you need an SSD. You would spend more but the purchase would be worth it.

This applies to graphic designers and music producers who store their software on external disks. If you work in any of these fields, then you probably value speed more than cheap costs, so consider an SSD. But if you just want to store your games and media files, then you can go for the Hard disk drives since they are cheaper.

Durability

If you have followed this article closely up to this point, then you know that SSDs are more durable than hard disk drives but HDDs are much cheaper. You decide.

The following products are available for purchase in Nigeria. You can get them from Jumia or most computer hardware stores. We have chosen them because of their quality and also from receiving positive feedback from IT personnel.

For example, the Seagate HDDs and Samsung SSDs are popular with IT personnel in Nigeria. Bank IT-Support staff particularly gave glowing reviews to these two brands.

Best SSDs In Nigeria

Samsung 870 EVO 2TB 2.5 Inch SATA SSD Solid State Drive

 

This SSD is not exactly an external disk drive, but we have featured it because 2TB SSDs, are rare. SSDs are usually 1TB or less, but this one is 2TB and has a rapid write speed of 530 mb/s. It will easily process 8k videos, is suitable for heavy duty uses like 3D animation and it is compatible with most host platforms.

 

Specs:

Capacity: 2TB

Interface: SATA 6GB 

Up to 560MB/s read, 530MB/s write 

Warranty: 3 years

Samsung T7 Touch Type-C USB 3.2 1TB Portable SSD

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This SSD is equipped with USB 3.2 superpowers and will enable you to transfer large files in the blink of an eye. The write rate is 10GB/s so it will take you 1s to transfer a 10GB file from your computer to this drive. Step aside, Barry Allen, there is a new Flash in town.

The durable build and non-movable parts displays the resilience of SSDs. This drive is shock resistant and can withstand falls from up to 2m. And it also comes with AES 256-bit encryption to keep prying eyes out of your secrets. It is also fingerprint enabled just in case you feel that passwords are so 2010.

It is also compatible with most devices, including windows, Mac, android and gaming consoles.

Specs:

Capacity: 1TB

Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2 

Up to 10050 MB/s read, 10000MB/s write 

Samsung Portable T5 1 TB External SSD Hard Drive USB-C™ USB 3.1 Black

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Samsung Portable T5 1 is like the younger brother of the Samsung T7 drive described above. It is also more affordable and uses USB 3.1 Gen 2. This disk drive can transfer files at the rate of 540mb/s. That is still 4 times faster than most external HDDs.

It is shock resistant and comes with AES 256-bit encryption. One thing to note about these Samsung SDDs is that they come with a software that makes managing and updating them easier.

Specs

Capacity: 1TB

Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2

Up to 540MB/s write 

Best External HDDs

If an external hard disk drive better suits your needs then consider the following HDDs.

Transcend 1TB USB 3.1 Store Jet Shock Resistant Portable Hard Drive

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This HDD is less than 40,000 Naira on Jumia, which makes it impressive considering the features it possesses. For instance, it is shock resistant -this does not mean that you can drop it from 2m like its SSD counterparts- but it can withstand collision to an extent. Yet, it is the transfer rate that is more impressive. For an affordable hard disk drive, the 480 MB/s transfer rate is nothing to scoff at.

This drive also has an LED display like the SSDs above so that you can get real time feedback of the disk’s operations from the display. It is a portable product that is rugged enough to be carried around.

Specs

Capacity: 1TB

Interface: USB 3.0

Up to 430mb/s

Seagate - 1TB Backup Plus Slim, External Hard Disk Drive

 

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This is the go-to low budget backup hard disk drive in Nigeria. It is less than 30,000 naira on Jumia and comes with no frills or fancy features. It also uses the USB 3.0 interface and is portable enough to carry around.

From interaction with users, it is durable, and those that ordered from Jumia got the full storage space, so it is a legit product.

Specs

Capacity: 1TB

Interface: USB 3.0

You should try to be careful with your external hard disk drives, even the ones that are marketed as shock resistant. This is because HDDs have movable parts that can get displaced or damaged when exposed to blunt force or rough usage.

If you need help with placing an order for a product on Jumia then send me a message and I'll help you out.