An external hard drive is pretty much exactly the same as a normal hard drive, but it isn’t connected inside a computer.
External hard drives usually come as a separate unit, can be quite small, and can hold a large quantity of data. They are usually attached to the computer via USB and can be disconnected and reconnected whenever the user sees fit.
External hard drives are great for extra storage or for keeping any important files on. If your internal computer hard drive ever fails or corrupts, anything that is stored on your external hard drive will be safe.
Because of that, if you have a lot of files that you consider to be important, it’s in your best interest to invest in an external hard drive. They are the best backup devices for a computer and you can save you a lot of time and hassle if anything ever happens to your computer.
But just like an internal hard drive, external hard drives do have their drawbacks.
Both normal hard drives and external hard drives can get hot and overheat, and this can sometimes cause issues to both your computer and your hard drives. Plus, because hard drives function mechanically, they are more prone to fault than SSDs.
Additionally, because external hard drives aren't part of your computer, and can be detached and moved, you can lose them if you aren’t careful. It's always best to keep your external hard drive in a safe, secure place when it’s not in use.