Razer has some of the best gaming laptops and like you, I am the proud owner of one. However, how much storage was on the internal drive was a concern at first. I use my gaming laptop also for work and the storage space is vital. So, I asked myself, can I use an external hard drive with Razer laptop?
You can connect an external hard drive to with a Razer laptop. Razer laptops have ports, including Thunderbolt 4, USB Type C, and USB 3.2. However, the most efficient port is Thunderbolt 4. This port offers the fastest data transfer speeds when connected to an external storage device.
In this post, I dive into why and who should use an external hard drive. How to connect an external storage device and discuss the best external hard drives to use with Razer Blade laptops.
Why Use an External Hard Drive with Your Razer Laptop?
There could be many reasons why you might want to use an external hard drive. You may have a lot of data and the storage space on the internal drive of your Razer Blade 15 is full.
So, if you have a lot of music, video, or game files that you do not need or use right now. Instead of deleting the files, you can transfer the data onto an external hard drive to save for later.
If you are a gamer, you will know that games are also becoming increasingly bigger. Take Call of Duty Warzone for instance. It takes a whopping 150GB of free storage to accommodate just the game files. If you have several games of this size, you will soon run out of storage space.
Lastly, an external hard drive is also a good option if you want to back up your computer’s data. This way, if something happens to your internal hard drive. Like, if it becomes corrupted. You still have access to your important files stored on your new hard drive.
So Why Do I Use an External Hard Drive?
My Razer laptop came with a 1TB of NVMe SSD already installed. It also has two slots to help further increase the hard drive capacity. In total, I can add up to 4TB of extra storage, which is huge, and almost equal to desktop computers. However, a Razer Blade SSD upgrade is one of the best things you can do to improve your systems overall responsiveness.
But because I also use my Razer Blade laptop for work an external hard drive brings great benefits. External hard drives are portable, so I am able to carry my data around with me wherever I go. I also have games that I do not play as often, so I transfer them over to the drive for safe keeping.
How to Use External Hard Drives with a Razer Laptop?
The great thing about Razer gaming laptops is that they all have a plethora of physical ports. They are perfect if you want to connect an external storage drive or any other device you might use.
Razer Blade laptops also have Thunderbolt 4 ports. Which are currently the latest generation of the Thunderbolt interface. And the fastest port available for transferring data from one device to another.
Yet, Razer laptops also have many other ports. Including USB Type-C and USB 3.2 Type-A ports. And you can use any one of these ports to connect an external hard drive and transfer data.
So, let’s look at some of the ways you can connect an external hard drive to your Razer laptop.
Connect Directly into the Port
One of the easiest ways to connect an external hard drive to your Razer Blade laptop is to plug the drive directly into one of your available USB ports. The best port to connect it to would be the USB Type C.
First, connect the cable to the hard drive and then the other end of the cable, connect it to a USB port. Your Razer laptop should automatically recognize the hard drive, and then it will install the drivers.
To check if the drive has been installed correctly. Open up Windows File Explorer. The external drive should be visible under This PC – Devices and Drives. If the drive is not visible it could be that the drive is not formatted to fit your system.
If you find the external hard drive is not formatted correctly. See this guide here to learn more.
Use a Laptop Docking Station
Another way to connect an external hard drive to your new Razer laptop. Is by using the best docking station for the best Razer Blade 15. Or whichever model you have. Docking stations are great because they help keep all your device cables neat and tidy and your desk area clutter free.
However, if all you want is extra space for your files a laptop docking station is an expensive option. That said, docking stations can also be a convenient if you are short on available ports.
With a dock, you only need to connect one cable to your laptop instead of all your device cables. This can save you time if you often take your laptop to work because you only have to unplug one cable.
Use the Razer Core X
You can also use the Razer’s Core X enclosure to connect and use an external hard drive with your Razer laptop. This device will act as a middleman between your laptop and your external hard drive.
However, the Razer Core would also be a pricey solution if all you want to do is connect a hard drive. The Razer Core device is prominently used to add additional graphics capabilities to your laptop.
Which Hard Drives Are Compatible with Razer Laptops?
Most external hard drives are compatible with Razer laptops. The hard drive just needs to be formatted with Windows. Then it depends on how fast you want to access your data. How much storage you need and what type of connection you want to use?
The good thing about choosing an external hard drive for your Razer laptop. Is that Razer Blade laptops have all the physical ports you will ever need. So, your external hard drive options are almost unlimited.
What to Consider When Choosing an External Hard Drive?
There are a few things to consider when choosing an external hard drive for your Razer laptop. First, you’ll want to ensure the external storage device is compatible with the operating system.
You’ll also want to find an external storage device that is lightweight. Thus, portable. Another factor is determining how much storage capacity you need.
You must also know that an external HDD would cost less money than an external solid state drive, and you often get more storage capacity for your money if you choose an HDD.
The downside to choosing an external hard disk drive. Over a solid-state drive is the slower data transfer speeds. Hard disk drives are also more prone to hard-drive failure and damage because they have moving parts. Unlike SSDs that do not have any moving parts.
External SSDs Advantages Over External HDDs
Overall, if you’re looking for an external storage option that offers superior performance and reliability. Then an external SSD is the way to go. If you want to save some money, go with an external HDD. Just ensure to take extra care of it.
Here are some other things to consider:
SSD or HDD?
External storage devices compatible with Razer laptops come in two different types. Hard disk drives and Solid-State Drives. The differences between the two are night and day. If you want to read more about the differences read this post here by akitio.com.
Hard Disk drives are typically less expensive and can be much larger. HDDs also can offer more storage space for your money. SSDs, on the other hand, are faster than HDDs and have no moving parts. Which makes external SSDs more durable and reliable but are also more expensive.
Data Transfer speeds
In general, when it comes to transferring data from one device to another. (Your Razer laptop to an external hard drive) SSDs are much faster at processing and transferring the data than HDDs.
Both options are available with USB, USB C or USB Type-A connectors. So, depending what cable it has will determine the data transfer speeds. However, here are some comparisons showing the massive difference in drive speed between HDDs and SSDs using the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface.
Security Features
One of the most common reasons to buy an external hard drive is to take the data stored on gaming laptop with you. However, these days it is more necessary than ever to keep your data secure.
So, you must choose an external storage device with robust hardware encryption and password protection. The good thing is that most external Hard disk drives or external SSDs will have such features.
To help keep your data safe if you happen to lose your storage device when away from your computer. But there are some brands who have better security features than others.
When it comes to external storage, I always recommend sticking with the well-known brands. Western Digital, Samsung and SanDisk are some well-respected brands in the storage industry. They have the most reliable and best external storage drives, where security is concerned.
Portability
If you only want an external hard drive to keep at home. Then you will not have to worry as much about the weight or size of the device.
If you are someone who often travels and needs to take their data with them, then portability is vital. So, you’ll want an external drive that you can slip into your bag without taking up too much room.
In general, external solid-state drives are much smaller and lighter than HDDs. Mainly because SSDs have fewer parts. However, you will find that some HDDs are as small as external SSDs. Again, which one you choose will come down to your budget.
For Gamers
As a gamer myself. I understand how quickly you can accumulate a large library of games. I have Call of Duty Warzone, FIFA 23, GTA 5. These are just a few of my favorite games. But the games I don’t play that much, I transferred them onto an external storage device.
So, if you have a lot of games stored on your laptop and you’re running short of internal space. Instead of deleting the games use an external hard drive or SSD to store them on.
External SSDs offer faster data transfer speeds. If you opt for a cheaper HDD, it will take longer to load the game back onto your laptop. So, it’s worth considering that when choosing your storage device.
Best External Drives for Razer Laptops
Some of the best external drives that can be used with Razer laptops include Western Digital game drive, SandDisk portable and one of the fastest SSDs the Samsung T7. These are all compatible with Windows computers, lightweight, and they offer a large storage capacity for your money.
That said, there are many viable storage options you can buy to improve your storage capacity, and the best SSD for Razer blade 15 laptops will depend on you budget. Here are some of my favourites.
Conclusion
You’ll now know you can use an external hard drive with your Razer laptop. You don’t necessarily need the best external hard drive if all you want to do is store games, and files you don’t want to lose. However, the more money you invest, the faster the load time and data transfer speeds.
There are a few things to keep in mind when looking for an external hard drive for gaming or work. First, remember that SSDs are smaller, lighter and far more reliable. SSDs are also more expensive.
If you’re looking for the most storage space for your money, HDDs will give you more bang for your buck. But ultimately, the decision is up to you and what suits your needs best. There are also USB flash drives that can be useful for transferring smaller files, like photos, and word documents.
Have you found one? Let me know how it works out in the comments below. Please consider signing up to my newsletter for more great laptop tips, and in particular Razer Blade laptops tips.
Thanks for reading, Cya Next Time!
Read Next: Do you have everything you need for your gaming laptop? Check out this list of some of the best gaming laptop accessories you need in 2023.
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