External hard drives are gradually replacing slower tape backups and the writing of data to CDs and DVDs.

There are different types and sizes. Most are USB hard drives which are easy to use - just use the supplied cable to plug the hard drive into a USB port on your computer.

Using a cheap external hard drive you can easily add extra storage capacity to your desktop or laptop computer. Storage capacities range from 250MB to 2 terabytes.

Not only do hard drives add extra storage capacity to your computer, they are a great way to backup family photos and important documents, store videos, accounts and other small business records.

If you're looking for a cheap external hard drive make sure it is specified as USB2 - USB1 is slower, older technology.

Try if you're on a tight budget. There is always a wide choice available, with various types, sizes and storage capacity.

Cheap external hard drives selling today .....

See the full range of cheap external hard drives available on ebay

The smallest drives, known as flash drives or pen drives, are highly portable so can be used for moving data quickly and easily between one computer and another - ideal for moving data between home and office. Most external drives are lightweight and compact.

The larger external hard drives usually come complete with backup software but there is a neat, backup freeware program available called EZBack-it-up which can be recomended.

All in all a cheap external hard drive is a very useful piece of equipment. External drives run quietly and you can usually find a space for one on your desktop.

See a range of external hard drives at amazon.co.uk including those shown at the top of this webpage