The argument of which one is better – cloud storage or physical storage has been raised a long time ago. And there is actually no standard answer to this question. Today, I will focus on Seagate’s cloud storage and physical storage. You should choose the one that is more suitable for you according to your actual needs.
People start to worry about the safety and security of data storage devices mainly due to two reasons:
- The data become more and more important for daily work & life.
- It’s not convenient and fast enough to save files to physical storage.
This is a vital factor to drive the development of cloud storage. Till now, cloud storage has become a very mature technology. Yet, the debate of which is a better choice for data saving exists for years and catches the attention of many people. Thus, I’m going to talk about cloud storage vs. physical storage by taking Seagate as an example.
Cloud Storage or Physical Storage
The storage of a large amount of information and retrieve of it whenever people like can be a hassle, which explains why people need to choose a more effective way for saving their increasing data. Two most common solutions are cloud storage and physical storage.
- Physical storage (also known as physical media) refers to the devices that are used for storing data.
- Cloud storage is a new way of data storage; it stores the digital data in logical pools.
This tells how to recover data from OneDrive – the online storage and syncing service provided by Microsoft.
No one can say for sure which storage is better. But for each individual, there is a bias. Here, I’m going to compare Seagate’s expansion portable hard drive with its cloud storage service. You may choose the solution that is more suitable for you according to your needs.
Seagate’s Expansion Portable Hard Drive vs. Cloud Storage Service
Seagate provides both physical storage solutions and cloud storage services for users.
- Indeed, the Seagate Expansion Hard Drives are a fast and affordable solution offered by Seagate to help people manage data efficiently.
- Well, Seagate Personal Cloud Storage appeals to more and more people seeking for a faster & more convenient way of data storage.
The Cost
- If you choose to pay for Seagate’s line of Expansion Portable Hard Drives as the external hardware solution for storing data, you need to pay a fee at one time. You know clearly about the cost before purchase. Besides, Seagate provides you with a two-year limited warranty, so you can put all your important data and the backups here without worry.
- Yet, the cost of the cloud storage service varies. The amount of money you have to pay to keep your data online changes with the country’s exchange rate. You only know the exact cost after initiating the purchase. Besides, you may need to pay for the Seagate Personal Cloud Storage for multiple times.
The Speed
- When you’re using Seagate’s Expansion Portable Hard Drives, the speed is relatively stable. You are supposed to save and access data quickly as long as you have a computer/other devices to connect the expansion portable hard drive. The speed of USB 3.0 used on the hard drives pleased lots of users.
- The speed varies a lot when you choose Seagate Personal Cloud Storage. For consumers in South Africa, the speed is not satisfactory since neither the Internet service providers nor the country’s electric grid can offer a reliable cloud access. Well, in other areas where the Internet connection is stable and fast, the Seagate Personal Cloud Storage could offer users a ultra-fast access to their data.
About Privacy
- With a Seagate portable hard drive right next to you, you don’t need to worry about the privacy leakage; you always know where your data is and who has access to them.
- When you decide to rely on the cloud storage service, there are thousands of words you have to read through to confirm the privacy and security. Besides, you need to worry about the inevitable data breaches and the malicious attacks, which are a huge disaster to your sensitive files.
Read this in case that you may need to recover data lost from the Seagate NAS (Network Attached Storage) HDD:
All in all, both the cloud storage and physical storage have advantages and disadvantages. It’s hard to say which one is better. But as for a certain case or an individual who has exact needs, Seagate’s cloud storage may be better than physical storage (or vice versa).