Basics & Buying Advice: Portable Storage

USB storage is the cheapest and the most widely available option. If you plan on taking your drive on the road with you, you'll need to find one that doesn't require its own power supply. If you want to use your drive as a media hub, look for storage with an ethernet port or Wi-Fi built in. Don't worry as much about brands. What you should shop for: drive capacity and the length of the warranty. A 2-year warranty is standard for most hard drives, but 3-year warranties are quickly becoming more common.