So apparently it's World Backup Day this Friday (Mar 31). Which is a timely reminder to check that your valuable data (photos, videos, documents, and emails) are all safe and sound. Preferably duplicated, and stored in multiple locations or devices.
Besides storing your data in your hard drives or computers, you can also upload them to cloud services like OneDrive, and Google Drive for extra insurance. Conversely, it's also prudent to periodically download, and backup your online data, such as the photos in your Google Photos. For Google accounts, you can easily do so using Google Takeout. Same for Apple users. Just in case the online servers go down, or get hacked. In any case, here are five gadgets that may come in handy if you need to backup your data.
Seagate Spider-Man Special Edition FireCuda
The most cost-effective storage solution for consumers is a hard drive. Yes, they aren't the fastest, but they are affordable, and most come with built-in software to automate or schedule a backup. If you want something a bit more flashy, the Seagate Spider-Man Special Edition FireCuda (S$139 for 2TB) is a good option. You get a three-year warranty, data recovery service included. If Spider-Man isn't your thing, Seagate has other offerings inspired by Star Wars and Halo.
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield
This portable Samsung SSD (from S$168) is about the size of a credit card, albeit thicker. It's also rugged enough to survive a drop (less than 3 metres), and is water- and dust-resistant, too. The T7 offers decent speeds for a portable drive, while its compact form factor means you can easily bring it on a work trip, or holiday.
WD Blue SN570 NVMe SSD
At S$79 for a 500GB version, the WD Blue SN570 NVMe SSD is a good budget pick for desktop PC users. Use it as a secondary drive for data where its midding speed (2,300MB/s for the 500GB) will not affect your PC performance. It also has decent endurance — you can write up to 300 terabytes of data for the 500GB model.
Samsung 980 NVMe SSD
Another good entry-level SSD to consider is the Samsung 980, which starts from around S$120 for a 1TB model. It's far from the speediest, but it's more affordable than the top SSDs, which means you can go for storage capacity, and use it primarily for data backup. It comes with a five-year limited warranty. And if you do need higher speeds, get the 980 Pro instead.
Asus ROG Rapture GT6
Besides enabling internet access, your router can also act as a storage device for the devices in your home network. Simply connect a storage drive to the router's USB port, and voila, you can now back up files from your home devices to this connected drive. It's like a cheaper, and less capable NAS (network-attached storage). The recently-launched Asus ROG Rapture GT6 is actually one of the few mesh routers with a USB 3.0 port that can do such a job. It's also very capable, and outperforms the competition, though you have to pay a premium (around S$1,000 for two units).
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