Backup: internal or external?

A

Alvein

Limp Gawd
Joined
Dec 22, 2004
Messages
223
Hi.

I have SSD and my system works very well that way. However, I would like to have a backup** option.

I want to know which is better: buying a SATA 6 gb/s disk and a docking station/enclosure with USB 3.0, or just putting the disk inside the case and having it connected all the time.

This is my doubt. I'm a low-power consumption freak. So I wonder if just connecting the thing (by USB or so) when I need it makes any difference over having it connected internally all the time (with some option like turning off the drive when idle, set up in the OS).

**backup as in "just stuff I don't use often". My important files are backed up in a server, etc. :p

Thanks for your help.
 
Thanks! But I think you have replied too fast. :p
Read it again, specially the footnote.
 
I'd do an internal drive for that, the OS should spin that down after 60 minutes or so, so power shouldn't be an issue on it, even then i think those use only 5watts or so, i'd assume an external solution would be slower to backup and use more power cause of the interface is another layer.
 
Yes, but only for the time it's connected when I'm copying to/from.

That's my question, in the long run, would I save anything meaningful in the power bill, or going external is not worth the job of connecting the thing, so better put the thing inside and forget. :confused:
 
Think of this. At 5W and the national average power rate in the US it is expected to cost in the ballpark $5 per year to run the hard drive if its always on. So any savings will be less than that. Now if your power rate is 7 times the national average you may have some savings. Also this $5 per year does not consider heat and AC. In the winter the real cost would be less since the heat the drive gives off will be added to the heat from your furnace in the summer the cost would be more since added heat will not help your AC. Although 5W is such a small load so it may not make any measurable difference.
 
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We were gone from home for a month and our electric bill was $50/month less than usual. No A/C no electric heat, no computers.

So the annual savings of not being at honme was on the order of $600. Even that is not a significant savings. Turning off a hard drive is not going to make a difference to anyone.
 
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