Product Recommendation - [Tablet]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Tablets, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-tablet.html

Convertible Tablet PCs
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Stand Alone Tablets
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10 and Best Choice 11

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying a Tablet -

FORM FACTOR

Convertible Tablets PCs

These tablets are commonly known as Tablet PCs and as the name suggests, solve dual purpose of functioning both as a laptop and as a tablet as and when required. These tablets are attached to the keyboard via a magnetic pin. One can attach or detach the tablet to the keyboard depending upon the required use.

When the keyboard is attached to the tablet, the combination works just like a regular laptop does with an added functionality of ‘touch-screen’. Convertible laptops mostly come with either a Windows OS or a Chrome OS, though the latest Apple iPad Pro features the dual capability as well. However, majority of Convertible tablet PC buyers are in the market for a Windows OS installed device. Though, the ones who are Android developers would find themselves more at home with the Chrome OS ones.

Now, let’s discuss the Pros and Cons of Convertible Tablet PCs.

PROS:-

• Portability. This one is obvious. You can carry this lightweight dual purpose device in tablet sleeves/cases, thus eliminating the need to carry big laptop bags around.

• Touch-Screen. You have to experience this functionality to cherish it. It’s so much better when you can touch that ‘Start’ button and all the other icons that you are habitual of clicking with a mouse. Having a touch screen functionality makes things so much better.

• Battery Life. This itself is a deciding factor for majority of users who are mostly on the go and find a tough time putting their laptops on charge for 2 hours straight only to get a 4.5 hour of battery life. This is when Tablet PCs come to the rescue, with some of the machines offering battery backup of upto 10 hours.

• Performance. These devices are fast, really fast. After pressing the power button, you can find a fully booted device and ready to take your commands in less than 15 seconds. This is really beneficial for users who require to do a lot of spontaneous tasks like sending an urgent mail to the clients.

CONS:-

• Fragile. No doubt, you have to be careful with these devices. Since the keyboard and screen are attached via a magnetic pin only, you have to be extra cautious with your handling. One hard jerk to the screen could cause it to detach from the pin and fall off.

• Limited Hardware upgradation possibility. These devices are compact in form, thus all the circuits and hardware components are assembled in a small space. So, there is no room for aftersales hardware upgradation. Thus, with these machines, it is advised to go with the hardware specifications that not only caters to your present needs but future proofs your device as well.

Stand Alone Tablets

These tablets are overgrown mobile phones, though with several added advantages that come with the larger form factor and screen real estate.

Each leading brand manufactures at least five to six such products with varying internal specifications so as to suit each type of user. These tablets, unlike the convertible tablet PCs do not have the functionality of connecting with a keyboard and working like a regular laptop. However, the absence of magnetic mechanism to attach the keyboard opens up more room for the hardware that can be installed onto the device. Thus, you find better sounding speakers and more RAM or internal storage in these devices than a similarly priced convertible tablet PC.

Here, unlike the Convertible Tablet PCs, the majority of tablets in the market run either the Android OS or the Apple’s iOS. This makes sense too, as buyers of these tablets want a mobile replacement and more than 95% of the mobile phones run either on these operating systems and people feel more at home when they find the same operating system in their tablets too.

(Image of a Stand Alone Tablet)

Now, let’s discuss the Pros and Cons of Stand Alone Tablets.

PROS:-

• Extremely portable. This is the prime positive point of these tablets and the single most important reason to why these tablets are sold in mind boggling numbers all over the world.

• Screen size. Whether you require a smaller 7 inch tablet or a larger 10.5 inch one. There is a tablet for each one of you, catering to your personalised requirements.

• Robust. These devices, unlike convertible tablet PCs do not have any detachable parts. The absence of any magnetic pins or hinges makes these tablets extremely robust and tough.

• Better Specifications at a lesser price. Since these tablets do not have the added functionality to work as a laptop, the cost comes down and that too by leaps and bounds.

CONS:-

• Limited functionality. This one is obvious. Since this is not a convertible tablet, it does not have to behave like one. The performance and the tasks you can accomplish on a convertible tablet PC can’t be accomplished on this. Take for example, you have to copy a paragraph of one word file to another. In a PC or a tablet PC, you can simply use the ‘Ctrl+C and ‘Ctrl+V’ command and your job is done, as simple as that. Achieving the same functionality in stand alone tablets is not possible due to hardware constraints - particularly, absence of keyboard.

• Performance. We knew this one was coming. Didn’t we? A stand alone tablet doesn’t have the prowess and the processing power to handle heavy tasks like music or video editing. Simply speaking, these tablets are not designed to tackle performance intensive tasks. After all, a 7 mm thin device can’t have enough space to fit in those dedicated GPUs and those heat sinks which are a must for performance intensive tasks.

For an extensive buying guide on Tablets, head over to our detailed post - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-tablet.html

A detailed guide to buying a Tablet

Who could have imagined that a piece of technology that existed way back in 1972 would not get popularized or commercialized until the late 2000s. Thanks to the first iteration of tablet that came into existence in the form of an iPad in 2010, the term 'tablet' first started gaining recognition as an ultra portable computer. It's surprising that a gadget that had not even seen the light of the day until the past decade would eventually go on to become one of the essential pieces of hardware one needs to have in order to accomplish one's daily tasks. Be it is the online school attendees, be it the creative professionals, be it the binge-watchers, be it the news buff, a tablet has come a long way to appeal to a vast segment of consumers. 

Today, when it comes to buying a tablet, majority of buyers generally belong to one of these categories:-

One, who want a replacement for their laptop. They are tired of carrying the big, bulky laptops to their workplace each day, just to give a PowerPoint presentation or one who travels a lot and does not want to carry one's expensive laptops to watch movies/videos on the journey. They want something light, easy to carry device that works as well as their laptop, if not better.

Two, who want a replacement for their mobile phones. They are either gaming enthusiasts or students who study via online videos or are a heavy media consumer. In each case, the mobile phone’s screen is too less a real estate for them to fulfill the task they want to achieve.

 

In each case, the tablet manufacturers have flooded the market with products to fulfill the requirements for each type of user. However, not all the tablets available in the market are worth your money. In this post, we’ll discuss certain factors that a tablet must be tested upon to qualify it as either worthy of purchase or not and then go on to decide which tablet would be the right buy for you depending upon your usage.

Having spent 5 years in the tech. industry and having designed webpages and applications for both PC and tablets, I have formed a pretty good view of which product in the market is worth your time and money and which is not.

Having said that, I would like you to kindly identify yourself in one of the above two categories, depending upon your lifestyle and tablet buying requirement. This post shall cater to both the category of buyers, individually.

THE FIRST CATEGORY

Buyers belonging to this category want a truly capable work machine with an additional advantage of portability. The tablets that are targeted to this category of buyers are designed to work both as a regular Laptop and as a Tablet as per the user’s requirement and hence the name, Convertible Tablet PCs.

Convertible Tablets PCs
These tablets are commonly known as Tablet PCs and as the name suggests, solve dual purpose of functioning both as a laptop and as a tablet as and when required. These tablets are attached to the keyboard via a magnetic pin. One can attach or detach the tablet to the keyboard depending upon the required use.

When the keyboard is attached to the tablet, the combination works just like a regular laptop does with an added functionality of ‘touch-screen’. Convertible laptops mostly come with either a Windows OS or a Chrome OS, though the latest Apple iPad Pro features the dual capability as well. However, majority of Convertible tablet PC buyers are in the market for a Windows OS installed device. Though, the ones who are Android developers would find themselves more at home with the Chrome OS ones.

(Image of a Convertible Tablet PC)

Now, let’s discuss the Pros and Cons of Convertible Tablet PCs.

PROS:-

• Portability. This one is obvious. You can carry this lightweight dual purpose device in tablet sleeves/cases, thus eliminating the need to carry big laptop bags around.

• Touch-Screen. You have to experience this functionality to cherish it. It’s so much better when you can touch that ‘Start’ button and all the other icons that you are habitual of clicking with a mouse. Having a touch screen functionality makes things so much better.

• Battery Life. This itself is a deciding factor for majority of users who are mostly on the go and find a tough time putting their laptops on charge for 2 hours straight only to get a 4.5 hour of battery life. This is when Tablet PCs come to the rescue, with some of the machines offering battery backup of upto 10 hours.

• Performance. These devices are fast, really fast. After pressing the power button, you can find a fully booted device and ready to take your commands in less than 15 seconds. This is really beneficial for users who require to do a lot of spontaneous tasks like sending an urgent mail to the clients.

CONS:-

• Fragile. No doubt, you have to be careful with these devices. Since the keyboard and screen are attached via a magnetic pin only, you have to be extra cautious with your handling. One hard jerk to the screen could cause it to detach from the pin and fall off.

• Limited Hardware upgradation possibility. These devices are compact in form, thus all the circuits and hardware components are assembled in a small space. So, there is no room for aftersales hardware upgradation. Thus, with these machines, it is advised to go with the hardware specifications that not only caters to your present needs but future proofs your device as well.

Now let’s move on to the second category of users, i.e the mobile replacement seekers.

THE SECOND CATEGORY

The tablets in this category of users do not attach with any keyboard or any other accessory, hence the name, Stand Alone Tablets.

Stand Alone Tablets
These tablets are overgrown mobile phones, though with several added advantages that come with the larger form factor and screen real estate.

Each leading brand manufactures at least five to six such products with varying internal specifications so as to suit each type of user. These tablets, unlike the convertible tablet PCs do not have the functionality of connecting with a keyboard and working like a regular laptop. However, the absence of magnetic mechanism to attach the keyboard opens up more room for the hardware that can be installed onto the device. Thus, you find better sounding speakers and more RAM or internal storage in these devices than a similarly priced convertible tablet PC.

Here, unlike the Convertible Tablet PCs, the majority of tablets in the market run either the Android OS or the Apple’s iOS. This makes sense too, as buyers of these tablets want a mobile replacement and more than 95% of the mobile phones run either on these operating systems and people feel more at home when they find the same operating system in their tablets too.

(Image of a Stand Alone Tablet)

Now, let’s discuss the Pros and Cons of Stand Alone Tablets.

PROS:-

• Extremely portable. This is the prime positive point of these tablets and the single most important reason to why these tablets are sold in mind boggling numbers all over the world.

• Screen size. Whether you require a smaller 7 inch tablet or a larger 10.5 inch one. There is a tablet for each one of you, catering to your personalised requirements.

• Robust. These devices, unlike convertible tablet PCs do not have any detachable parts. The absence of any magnetic pins or hinges makes these tablets extremely robust and tough.

• Better Specifications at a lesser price. Since these tablets do not have the added functionality to work as a laptop, the cost comes down and that too by leaps and bounds.

CONS:-

• Limited functionality. This one is obvious. Since this is not a convertible tablet, it does not have to behave like one. The performance and the tasks you can accomplish on a convertible tablet PC can’t be accomplished on this. Take for example, you have to copy a paragraph of one word file to another. In a PC or a tablet PC, you can simply use the ‘Ctrl+C and ‘Ctrl+V’ command and your job is done, as simple as that. Achieving the same functionality in stand alone tablets is not possible due to hardware constraints - particularly, absence of keyboard.

• Performance. We knew this one was coming. Didn’t we? A stand alone tablet doesn’t have the prowess and the processing power to handle heavy tasks like music or video editing. Simply speaking, these tablets are not designed to tackle performance intensive tasks. After all, a 7 mm thin device can’t have enough space to fit in those dedicated GPUs and those heat sinks which are a must for performance intensive tasks.

Having discussed the two types of tablets along with their Pros and Cons, let’s proceed to discuss the specifications one should consider in these tablets that qualify the product for a good purchase and for long term reliability.

For First Category of users i.e., Convertible Tablet PCs

• At least an Intel Core i5 Processor, 10th Generation or higher or an equivalent processor from Ryzen's AMD series.

• At least 8 GB DDR4 RAM, though 16 GB of RAM would give you unmatched performance and you won’t face any lags or stutters even when handling the heaviest of heavy tasks.

• At least a 128 GB SSD or a 1 TB HDD. When deciding on a Tablet PC, it is imperative to note that the generation of the CPU or the amount of RAM are not the components that bring drastic changes in performance, it is the presence or absence of SSD that does. In case of SSD, when the user requests a file, the controller, also known as processor of an SSD has the exact addresses of the blocks where the specific data is written, and the data is almost instantly made available to the user. There’s no waiting for a read/write head to find the information it needs. SSD access times are thus measured in nanoseconds. This results in potent performance, which is evident from the fact that SSDs have a read-write speed of up to 3500 MBps. There’s no waiting for a read/write head to find the information it needs. On the other hand, HDDs manage to provide read-write speed only in the range of 50–170 MBps.

• At least a 3 MB Cache. Most users are unaware of this term, though it is one of the most important factors on which the performance of your device depends.

For Second Category of users i.e Stand Alone Tablets

• At least 3GB RAM. More RAM would be preferable if intense multi-tasking is required or if needs to install multiple academic/profession specific software.

• Full HD Display.

• At least 32GB internal memory to install all the necessary applications. Music, Photos, Videos may be saved to an SD card, hence there should be a provision for the expansion slot.

• 6–7 hours of screen-on time. Generally, a tablet with battery capacity greater than 5000mAh would impart great results in terms of battery life.

• 8 to 10.5 inch Screen size. Larger screen size is best suited for reading/creative purposes. For general use, 8 inch screen would be fine.

Furthermore, awareness about the ways by which manufacturers resort to maximizing their profits by packing-in gimmicky and often unnecessary features that are best avoided in a tablet, too needs to be kept in consideration while making the purchase -

• Bloatware - In order to rack up profits, some manufacturers often pre-install applications in the tablets they produce, the creators of which pay hefty fees to the brand for doing so. Such apps are often difficult to uninstall and eat up the storage space.

• Extraneous Specifications - Face unlocking, Optical Image Stabilization in camera, water resistance, etc., are some of the specifications that find their best use in a mobile phone.

• Subscription of Paid Apps/Services - Brands often pre-load some of their tablets with annual/monthly subscription to some of the otherwise paid apps/services. The truth is, cost of that subscription is already included in the cost of the tablet. Therefore, by avoiding such marketing gimmicks one can save considerable amount of money.

Now, remember not all products available in the market are built for consumer satisfaction. Some are built to last only for 1–1.5 years, after which they start showing signs of lags and hiccups. This forces the consumers to again purchase a new device and hence the business of manufacturers thrive.
Only a few devices in the market are designed to last more than 3 years with little to no drop in performance.

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Convertible Tablet PCs
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Stand Alone Tablets
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, My Preferred Choice, Best Choice 3, Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10 and Best Choice 11

Product Recommendation - [Data Storage Device]

In this post, we are providing at glance the products we consider to be some of the best offerings in the market in their respective categories. The products mentioned below have been put to rigorous tests, compared against the competing products from multiple brands, and have been analysed on various aspects pertaining to their intended use. For a comprehensive post on Data Storage Devices, you may read our detailed guide - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-data-storage.html

HDD

For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(External), Best Choice 4, My Preferred Choice(Laptop Internal), Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, My Preferred Choice(Desktop Internal), Best Choice 7 and Best Choice 8

SSD
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice(2.5 inch SATA Internal), Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(M.2 SATA Internal), Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, My Preferred Choice(External), Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, My Preferred Choice(M.2 NVMe Internal) Best Choice 8 and Best Choice 9

RAM
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice(Laptop), Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(Desktop), Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

Recapitulating on the most crucial aspects of buying a Data Storage Device -

HARD DISK DRIVE(HDD)
This is an electro-mechanical data storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information using one or more rapidly rotating disks, known as platters which are coated with magnetic material. The platters are paired with magnetic heads, usually arranged on a moving read-write arm, which reads and writes data to the platter surfaces. A typical HDD has two electric motors: a spindle motor that spins the platters and an actuator (motor) that positions the read-write head assembly across the platters.
The platters of modern consumer-grade HDDs rotate at an RPM of 5400 or 7200. Higher the RPM, better will be the read-write speeds and hence, better would be the computer’s overall performance. The read-write speeds of a typical HDD is in the range of 50–170 Mbps, which is significantly lesser than that of SSDs.
Based on their use and the purpose they serve, HDDs are primarily manufactured in two configurations:-

• Internal
• External

Internal HDD:- As the name suggests, this configuration of HDD is installed within the chassis of a desktop or a laptop and primarily functions as boot up drive for the operating system. All the registry files required for successfully running the operating system are mostly stored on an internal HDD. This configuration of HDD sits inside its dedicated slot and is held in place by the means of screws. It is connected to the motherboard by the means of a SATA connector. An HDD that is installed in a desktop has a disk diameter of 3.5 inches, whereas, in a laptop, the diameter of the disk measures 2.5 inches. Depending upon the storage capacity of the HDD, one may save one’s documents, media files, and install one’s required software on this drive, apart from the operating system.

External HDD:- Unlike the Internal HDD that is installed inside the chassis of a computer, an external HDD connects with the computer externally via a USB port. By virtue of its easy connectivity with the computer, an external HDD is highly portable in nature and often functions as a mass data storage device which one can carry along if one is a frequent traveller and requires to make use of the data on the go or if one requires to share data of one computer with another. Another area where an external HDD shines is serving as a backup drive to the internal HDD. If in case data on the internal HDD gets corrupted for some reason, one can restore all of it by the backup made on external HDD. 

SOLID STATE DRIVE(SSD)
This is a type of storage device that has no moving parts unlike an HDD which relies on rotating platters and a read-write arm. Instead, an SSD makes use of NAND type flash memory to store data. Instead of a magnetic platter, files are saved on a grid of NAND flash cells. Each grid, also called blocks can store between 256 KB and 4MB of data. When the user requests a file, the controller, also known as processor of an SSD has the exact addresses of the blocks where the specific data is written, and the data is almost instantly made available to the user. There’s no waiting for a read/write head to find the information it needs. SSD access times are thus measured in nanoseconds.

An SSD requires significantly less power to operate as compared to a traditional HDD. This characteristic feature of SSD solves dual purpose in case of laptop users: first, charge on the battery lasts longer, hence an improved battery life is observed. This facet of SSDs is especially a boon for those who travel frequently and have to go for longer duration without plugging the laptop to the power socket and second, since battery life is enhanced, it needs to be recharged less often. This results in less frequent recharges, thereby enhancing shelf life of the battery.

Like HDDs, SSDs are also manufactured in two configurations to serve the varied requirements of users. The configurations are:-

• Internal
• External

Internal SSD:- An internal SSD can be configured as an HDD replacement and can be installed in place of the HDD in the dedicated slot compatible with 2.5 inch drives. In this case, the SSD is connected to the motherboard by the same SATA connector that an HDD is connected to the motherboard with. An M.2 form factor of SATA based SSDs is also a popular choice in the market, apart from the traditional 2.5 inch one. Another iteration of internal SSD is the NVMe protocol based SSD that connects to the motherboard by the means of PCIe interface, which is a high-bandwidth interface. SATA based SSDs have a maximum read-write speed of 560 MBps and 530 MBps respectively which are immensely less than PCIe based NVMe SSDs that have a maximum read-write speed of 3500 MBps. Like an Internal HDD, an internal SSD too is mostly used as the boot up drive for the operating system with all the registry files essential for running the operating system stored on it. Due to significantly faster read-write speeds of SSDs as compared to HDDs, the boot up and application load times are significantly lesser.

External SSD:- This type of SSD appeals to the likes of those who have to work with huge file sizes, up in the range of several gigabytes, and are not comfortable with the relatively slow read-write speeds associated with HDDs. External SSD connects with the computer externally via a USB port. All the facets of external HDDs stated earlier, apply to external SSDs as well, with external SSDs exercising a distinct advantage of superior read-write speeds when compared to that of external HDDs.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY(RAM)
RAM is the primary memory of a computer. Whenever the user opens a file or an application, it is fed from the computer’s HDD or SSD, into the RAM. Once the RAM receives data, the CPU accesses the file or runs an application. In case when multiple programs are open at the same time such that the total storage capacity of the RAM is almost entirely utilized, the RAM might not be in a state to hold on to any more programs or data. In such a scenario, when the user opens another file or runs a new application, the RAM, in order to allocate space to load the new data has to perform an additional task of compressing or transferring some of the then relatively non-essential files back to the HDD or SSD, thus slowing down the computer significantly.

This phenomenon is commonly observed in instances when multiple browser tabs are open simultaneously, utilizing a major chunk of the RAM’s total storage capacity. In such a scenario, when one revisits a tab that was opened a while ago, the computer would freeze for a few seconds and the tab would often reload. It is also not uncommon to find some resource intensive applications occasionally crash due to shortage of RAM.

In such scenarios, enhancing the primary memory of the computer by either replacing the existing RAM with a higher storage capacity one or by supplementing the existing RAM by adding another similar or higher storage capacity one in the vacant RAM slot, would enhance the performance of the computer significantly. 

 COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Poorly soldered connections between circuit elements on the data storage device. Data storage devices make use of billions of transistors, resistors and capacitors to store the user data. These billions of circuit elements require to be soldered in place on a PCB(Printed Circuit Board). The entire process of fabrication needs utmost precision, which requires deploying hundreds of robots and skilled work force. This adds to the overall cost of production. Hence, to reduce manufacturing costs and to increase profits, some manufacturers resort to making use of relatively inexpensive machinery and materials which are usually not as accurate in soldering the connections between the numerous circuit elements, and the soldering technique deployed is often sub-par. As a result of this, solder joints between the circuit elements come apart and the data storage device fails only after a few months of use, and along that, often the entire user data stored on the device is lost. The consumer is thus left duped and requires a new storage device, thereby giving recurring profits to the manufacturer.

• Little to no thermal considerations. High operational temperatures have severe negative repercussions on the shelf life of a data storage device and on the performance of a computer. Thus, to safeguard the device from the influence of intense heat, such circuit elements are to be used that have low electric resistance and high thermal tolerance. However, circuit elements with these characteristics are slightly costly to manufacture and procure. So, to reduce manufacturing costs further, those manufacturers resort to installing low-grade components in the products they manufacture that generate high amounts of heat when power is supplied to them. The heat, apart from impacting the device, dissipates to other components, inside the chassis of the computer, as well, thereby shortening their operable life too.

For an extensive buying guide on Data Storage Devices, head over to our detailed post - https://shoppinaire.blogspot.com/2022/03/a-detailed-guide-to-buying-data-storage.html

A detailed guide to buying a Data Storage Device

If there were one slogan the 21st century would stand by, it would be ‘Data is the King’. From tech. giants such as Facebook, Google etc. having their user data stored in multi-storey server rooms to a small local manufacturer keeping tab on his stock and earnings in a spreadsheet. Aggregation and storage of data is the need of the hour. In fact, as per estimate, Google could be holding at least 15 exabytes of user data in their data centres, that’s 15 million terabytes of data!

Though, a routine user would never create/consume more than a fraction of data these tech. giants hold, data still accounts for paramount importance in a modern user’s life. Whether one is a professional content creator: programmer, photo/video editor, analyst requiring to run performance intensive software etc., or a relatively casual user requiring to perform day-to-day tasks such as accessing and creating spreadsheets, power-point presentations, browsing the internet with multiple tabs opened simultaneously, etc., almost every user requires a sufficiently large capacity data storage device to store all of one’s work/leisure related files and an ability to access that data instantly at one’s disposal.

Unfortunately, when it comes to data storage devices, there is a huge sense of uncertainty in the the minds of most users and they often find themselves replacing their relatively new desktops/laptops in favour of a new one as soon as their devices show signs of lag and delayed processing times. The belief that a computer slows down because its CPU is no longer efficiently processing the tasks thrown at it, stimulates the users into purchasing a new computer with a more advanced CPU. However, we can not be farther from the truth. The fact is, just by replacing/upgrading the component in which the data is stored and from which it is accessed, one can add new life to one’s existing computer that would serve one well for years to come.

This is when storage devices like Hard Disk Drive(HDD), Solid State Drive(SSD) and RAM come to the rescue.. 

And today, we will make purchasing these three vital data storage devices a breezy process for all.

Now, if you are a frequent visitor to the posts on this blog, you might be probably aware that we take each topic from the grass root level and we will do the same with this post as well. We will begin with the permanent data storage device, wherein we will understand what purpose does permanent data storage device serve in a computer. Then, on the basis of their read/write speeds, we would classify permanent data storage devices in two categories - HDD and SSD, and learn about each of them in detail by testing them on various parameters including their working, data read/write speeds, form factor, connection interface etc. We would also discuss which among Internal and External iteration of these would serve one’s needs the best. Following which, we will proceed onto gaining insights about the RAM, which is a temporary data storage device. We would discuss the interplay between the RAM and the CPU, and learn why having lower than adequate quantity of RAM negatively impacts the computer’s performance. Post this, we would analyse the various parameters such as the type, generation and frequency one should opt the RAM in, that would be compatible with the existing RAM of one’s computer. After learning about the RAM, we would be inspecting the ways in which some manufacturers cut production costs and manufacture products that are built out of substandard components that often lead to loss of data stored on the storage device as well as cause other hardware components of the computer to be rendered useless.

Then, we will move onto deciding which are some of the best data storage devices - HDD, SSD, RAM available in the market that are not only built out of durable electronic components that can easily stand the test of time, but are also designed keeping computer thermals in consideration in a manner that the storage device produces low heat so as to keep the computer operating within optimal temperature range, thereby prolonging the shelf life of its components, and hence offering the most value for one’s money.

You might be glad to know that I am a web developer by profession and am clocking more than 5 years of work experience in the industry. Having been a technology enthusiast from a very young age, over the years, I have attained decent expertise about computers and their various electronic components. This post is an amalgamation of my knowledge, research and discussions on the subject with some of my colleagues.

So without further a do, let’s begin…

Permanent Data Storage Device
As the name suggests, this type of storage is non-volatile in nature, i.e. whatever data is present on the device, it is retained for a long-term - often permanently, unless deleted by the user, and even when the computer is turned off, the data is not lost and is ready to serve the user when the computer is restarted. All the documents, media, software, etc., that one stores/installs on one’s computer gets stored on the permanent storage devices.
Based on the technologies used in storing data and the data read/write speeds, permanent storage devices are available in two configurations-

• Hard Disk Drive(HDD)
• Solid State Drive(SSD)

HARD DISK DRIVE(HDD)
This is an electro-mechanical data storage device that uses magnetic storage to store and retrieve digital information using one or more rapidly rotating disks, known as platters which are coated with magnetic material. The platters are paired with magnetic heads, usually arranged on a moving read-write arm, which reads and writes data to the platter surfaces. A typical HDD has two electric motors: a spindle motor that spins the platters and an actuator (motor) that positions the read-write head assembly across the platters.
The platters of modern consumer-grade HDDs rotate at an RPM of 5400 or 7200. Higher the RPM, better will be the read-write speeds and hence, better would be the computer’s overall performance. The read-write speeds of a typical HDD is in the range of 50–170 Mbps, which is significantly lesser than that of SSDs.
Based on their use and the purpose they serve, HDDs are primarily manufactured in two configurations:-

• Internal
• External

Internal HDD:- As the name suggests, this configuration of HDD is installed within the chassis of a desktop or a laptop and primarily functions as boot up drive for the operating system. All the registry files required for successfully running the operating system are mostly stored on an internal HDD. This configuration of HDD sits inside its dedicated slot and is held in place by the means of screws. It is connected to the motherboard by the means of a SATA connector. An HDD that is installed in a desktop has a disk diameter of 3.5 inches, whereas, in a laptop, the diameter of the disk measures 2.5 inches. Depending upon the storage capacity of the HDD, one may save one’s documents, media files, and install one’s required software on this drive, apart from the operating system.

External HDD:- Unlike the Internal HDD that is installed inside the chassis of a computer, an external HDD connects with the computer externally via a USB port. By virtue of its easy connectivity with the computer, an external HDD is highly portable in nature and often functions as a mass data storage device which one can carry along if one is a frequent traveller and requires to make use of the data on the go or if one requires to share data of one computer with another. Another area where an external HDD shines is serving as a backup drive to the internal HDD. If in case data on the internal HDD gets corrupted for some reason, one can restore all of it by the backup made on external HDD. 

(Image of an External HDD attached to a laptop)

SOLID STATE DRIVE(SSD)
This is a type of storage device that has no moving parts unlike an HDD which relies on rotating platters and a read-write arm. Instead, an SSD makes use of NAND type flash memory to store data. Instead of a magnetic platter, files are saved on a grid of NAND flash cells. Each grid, also called blocks can store between 256 KB and 4MB of data. When the user requests a file, the controller, also known as processor of an SSD has the exact addresses of the blocks where the specific data is written, and the data is almost instantly made available to the user. There’s no waiting for a read/write head to find the information it needs. SSD access times are thus measured in nanoseconds.

An SSD requires significantly less power to operate as compared to a traditional HDD. This characteristic feature of SSD solves dual purpose in case of laptop users: first, charge on the battery lasts longer, hence an improved battery life is observed. This facet of SSDs is especially a boon for those who travel frequently and have to go for longer duration without plugging the laptop to the power socket and second, since battery life is enhanced, it needs to be recharged less often. This results in less frequent recharges, thereby enhancing shelf life of the battery.

Like HDDs, SSDs are also manufactured in two configurations to serve the varied requirements of users. The configurations are:-

• Internal
• External

Internal SSD:- An internal SSD can be configured as an HDD replacement and can be installed in place of the HDD in the dedicated slot compatible with 2.5 inch drives. In this case, the SSD is connected to the motherboard by the same SATA connector that an HDD is connected to the motherboard with. An M.2 form factor of SATA based SSDs is also a popular choice in the market, apart from the traditional 2.5 inch one. Another iteration of internal SSD is the NVMe protocol based SSD that connects to the motherboard by the means of PCIe interface, which is a high-bandwidth interface. SATA based SSDs have a maximum read-write speed of 560 MBps and 530 MBps respectively which are immensely less than PCIe based NVMe SSDs that have a maximum read-write speed of 3500 MBps. Like an Internal HDD, an internal SSD too is mostly used as the boot up drive for the operating system with all the registry files essential for running the operating system stored on it. Due to significantly faster read-write speeds of SSDs as compared to HDDs, the boot up and application load times are significantly lesser.

External SSD:- This type of SSD appeals to the likes of those who have to work with huge file sizes, up in the range of several gigabytes, and are not comfortable with the relatively slow read-write speeds associated with HDDs. External SSD connects with the computer externally via a USB port. All the facets of external HDDs stated earlier, apply to external SSDs as well, with external SSDs exercising a distinct advantage of superior read-write speeds when compared to that of external HDDs.

Now, having gained insights on permanent data storage devices discussing their working, configurations, read-write speeds etc., let us proceed to learn about the next critical data storage device: the RAM, which retains data as long as the computer is powered on, and is also called as temporary or volatile memory.

RANDOM ACCESS MEMORY(RAM)
RAM is the primary memory of a computer. Whenever the user opens a file or an application, it is fed from the computer’s HDD or SSD, into the RAM. Once the RAM receives data, the CPU accesses the file or runs an application. In case when multiple programs are open at the same time such that the total storage capacity of the RAM is almost entirely utilized, the RAM might not be in a state to hold on to any more programs or data. In such a scenario, when the user opens another file or runs a new application, the RAM, in order to allocate space to load the new data has to perform an additional task of compressing or transferring some of the then relatively non-essential files back to the HDD or SSD, thus slowing down the computer significantly.

This phenomenon is commonly observed in instances when multiple browser tabs are open simultaneously, utilizing a major chunk of the RAM’s total storage capacity. In such a scenario, when one revisits a tab that was opened a while ago, the computer would freeze for a few seconds and the tab would often reload. It is also not uncommon to find some resource intensive applications occasionally crash due to shortage of RAM.

In such scenarios, enhancing the primary memory of the computer by either replacing the existing RAM with a higher storage capacity one or by supplementing the existing RAM by adding another similar or higher storage capacity one in the vacant RAM slot, would enhance the performance of the computer significantly.

RAM retains the data fed into it as long as constant power supply is provided to it, i.e. as long as the computer is powered on, RAM can store data. Once the computer is turned off, all the data residing on RAM is wiped clean. For the same reason, when a computer is turned on after a shut down, none of the files/applications that were previously launched by the user are running.

Inside the chassis of a computer, RAM is installed into its dedicated memory slot known as DIMM(Direct In-line Memory Module) slot, or more commonly known by the term ‘RAM slot.’ Most consumer grade desktops are configured with a UDIMM type of RAM. Whereas in laptops, a SODIMM configuration of RAM finds its application. A SODIMM RAM is nearly half the size of a UDIMM RAM and is configured in laptops because of the limited space available inside its chassis.

(Image of RAM getting installed in its DIMM slot)

The processor and the motherboard of almost all modern computers are designed to operate on a DDR(Double Data Rate) RAM. Currently, the fourth generation of DDR RAMs, i.e. DDR4 is serving millions of computers worldwide, although DDR3 - the previous generation of RAMs is also widely prevalent. However, it is imperative to note that none of the generations of RAM is backward or forward compatible, i.e. if the existing RAM doing its duty in one’s computer is, say, DDR3, one would have to necessarily opt for a new RAM of the same generation. One may refer to one’s computer’s specifications to determine the generation of RAM it is built to operate on.

Another aspect associated with RAM is its frequency. Frequency of RAM is measured by how many cycles of data exchange with CPU it can perform per second. For instance, if RAM is rated at 2400 MHz, it performs 2.4 billion cycles of data exchange per second. The more of these cycles that happen per second, the more data can be exchanged with the CPU, facilitating a smoother, lag free user experience. Again, when considering to upgrade the existing RAM of one’s computer by supplementing/replacing it with a higher capacity one, it is wise to decide on a RAM that is rated at the same frequency as that of the existing one.

Now, having understood the purpose of RAM in a computer and the factors that determine the choice of RAM one should opt for, let us proceed to analyse the ways in which some manufacturers (names not taken) cut production costs and produce products that are built out of substandard components that often lead to loss of data stored on the storage device as well as cause other hardware components inside the computer chassis to be rendered beyond repair.

COST CUTTING TECHNIQUES

• Poorly soldered connections between circuit elements on the data storage device. Data storage devices make use of billions of transistors, resistors and capacitors to store the user data. These billions of circuit elements require to be soldered in place on a PCB(Printed Circuit Board). The entire process of fabrication needs utmost precision, which requires deploying hundreds of robots and skilled work force. This adds to the overall cost of production. Hence, to reduce manufacturing costs and to increase profits, some manufacturers resort to making use of relatively inexpensive machinery and materials which are usually not as accurate in soldering the connections between the numerous circuit elements, and the soldering technique deployed is often sub-par. As a result of this, solder joints between the circuit elements come apart and the data storage device fails only after a few months of use, and along that, often the entire user data stored on the device is lost. The consumer is thus left duped and requires a new storage device, thereby giving recurring profits to the manufacturer.

• Little to no thermal considerations. High operational temperatures have severe negative repercussions on the shelf life of a data storage device and on the performance of a computer. Thus, to safeguard the device from the influence of intense heat, such circuit elements are to be used that have low electric resistance and high thermal tolerance. However, circuit elements with these characteristics are slightly costly to manufacture and procure. So, to reduce manufacturing costs further, those manufacturers resort to installing low-grade components in the products they manufacture that generate high amounts of heat when power is supplied to them. The heat, apart from impacting the device, dissipates to other components, inside the chassis of the computer, as well, thereby shortening their operable life too.

So, having discussed the ways in which some manufacturers resort to cutting manufacturing costs in order to increase their profit margin, let us proceed to zero down on some of the best data storage devices available in the market that are not only built out of durable electronic components that can easily stand the test of time, but are also designed keeping computer thermals in consideration in a manner that the storage device produces low heat so as to keep the computer operating within optimal temperature range, thereby prolonging the shelf life of its components.

Note: In our constant endeavour to assist you in making an informed buying decision, we test the new launches of the products on multiple parameters, and if they stand tall in our analysis we periodically add them to the below mentioned list of our recommended products. So, if you plan to make the purchase at a later time, you may visit the links once again at the very time of buying to ensure that the purchase turns out to be a very fruitful one.

HDD
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(External), Best Choice 4, My Preferred Choice(Laptop Internal), Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, My Preferred Choice(Desktop Internal), Best Choice 7 and Best Choice 8

SSD
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice(2.5 inch SATA Internal), Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(M.2 SATA Internal), Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, My Preferred Choice(External), Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, My Preferred Choice(M.2 NVMe Internal) Best Choice 8 and Best Choice 9

RAM
For Indian residents:- Best Choice 1, My Preferred Choice(Laptop), Best Choice 2, Best Choice 3, My Preferred Choice(Desktop), Best Choice 4, Best Choice 5, Best Choice 6, Best Choice 7, Best Choice 8, Best Choice 9, Best Choice 10, Best Choice 11 and Best Choice 12