… and why buying refurbished hard drives need not be a nightmare
Back in the 1950s, the harddrive did not exist as we know it today. Barely noticeable in size, the modern day hard drive sits neatly as part of a package within a bigger system. From brand new to refurbished hard drives, their allocation within a system is barely noticeable.
But, back in the mid-20th century, it was a far different story. The earliest model from IBM was rudimentary compared to today’s standard; with 50 platters, 24 inches in diameter it had a total capacity of 5 million 6-bit characters, around 3.75 megabytes. It weighed over a ton, literally.
Developments in hard drives gather pace from this moment on, with developments and updates added consistently, making them bigger in capacity but smaller in physical size.
But, these gargantuan hard drives from the 1950s – the type you needed a forklift truck to move – have taught us a valuable lesson. With refurbishment, they still work – and work well.
Refurbished or new? Join the debate!
If you are looking for a cheaper way of storing large amounts of data, then refurbished hard drives can save you hundreds of pounds. For the domestic and business user, it makes perfect budgetary sense to buy refurbished, if you this is what you are looking to secure. But like all purchases relating to IT and data storage, it pays to know the pitfalls, as well as the advantages before plunging in with hard cash.
Why opt for refurbished hard drives?
Selling for 60% less than the price of a new hard drive, you can immediately see the attraction. Lower-capacity drives that are not in so much hot demand can be bought refurbished for a fraction of the price. Hence savings of 30% plus is not something to be sniffed at, even if your budget it limitless.
However, supplying prices and costs of refurbished hard drives here would be a waste of time; it is a technology that moves so fast that it can be difficult to remain at the front end of the game. For a technology that changes as rapidly as computer storage devices, prices are, as a result, incredibly variable from what seems like, one day to the next. With all the changing and updating you need to make sure you back up your files and protect you files.
But price, of course is not the only consideration. Hard drives, as robust as they appear on the outside, are actually sensitive electronic devices, easily damaged by vibration, moisture, impact and, to a certain extent, static electricity.
The slightest impact can have the most severe effect on future and long term performance of a hard drive but, that said buying a refurbished one does not necessarily assume that it has been damaged. But, understanding what refurbished means, it a good place to start.