As those that work with demanding tasks like professional video editing and audio recording know, gigabytes days can fill up almost as quickly as chunks of 50 or 60 megabytes used to. For professionals like this, high performance drives that can rapidly store large amounts of data without fear of loss or failure are essential. Here are some essential features to look for in external hard drives for intense use:

eSATA connections - A type of connection to your computer, like USB or Firewire, that can transfer up to 3GB/s. You may need a seperate eSATA card if you do not have a very recent, high end computer, but it is very much worth it.

RAID - or Redundant Array of Independent Disks. This means that the data is written, mirrored and divided among multiple drives in the unit. This provides improved security from data-loss / failure as well as improved performance.

Here are a few external hard drives from major manufacturers that fit the bill:


Western Digital Mybook Studio II

The most powerful and efficient of the WD series. It connects via USB, FireWire 400/800 or  eSATA and is RAID enabled. The drives contained in the Studio II use GreenPower technology: less energy used and no need for a fan, meaning less noise as well. It includes backup software, automatic shutdown and power saving / data protection features.


Lacie Big Disk Quadra

This RAID drive comes in sizes up to 3TB and is ideal for  applications like video editing / audio recording. The drive uses fanless aluminum cooling for quiet yet reliable performance, and can stand vertical or be stacked in a rackmount configuration. It is very intuitive and easy to use, with an application shortcut button, backup software, and setup software to properly format your drive.