How to Shop for SCSI Drives
With a wealth of different types of Seagate drives, including IDE, SATA and PATA, ATA, and SCSI, you're bound to find one that works for your setup. From the Barracuda to separate SCSI drives, there are a few questions to ask yourself before making the final choice.
What Type of Drive Is an SCSI Drive?
An SCSI hard drive is a special type of drive that has a particular use. When looking for a replacement internal hard drive or need extra GB, you should consider the more common IDE hard drive or ATA drives. However, some computers require the use of an SCSI drive. It's just a good idea to make sure before proceeding. An SCSI hard drive:
- Is referred to as a :"scuzzy" drive
- Stands for Small Computer System Interface
- Allows your computer to communicate with peripherals, like printers, CD-ROM drives, and scanners
- SCSI has been all but replaced by IDE and USB technology
Is This Hard Drive Compatible with My Computer?
This is perhaps one of the most important questions to ask yourself. Most likely, when having an older computer and needing a replacement or more GB, you should consider an IDE. or PATA. It may be a wise idea to ask a professional or techie to view your device, to help you find out what type of HDD you need. However:
- SCSI is not obsolete, and still works with most computers at this time
- SAS has serial attached components
- The SCSI standard is actually slightly faster than SATA drives, which is in part why it's still a viable choice
Like any hard drive, you should still look for the same attributes as you're making your choices, such as:
- RPM speed, which is important to any hard disk drive (RPM means revolutions per minute)
- MB cache and GB per second (MB cache is a different attribute, as MB cache acts as a buffer)
- Overall storage space. You still want a hard drive with plenty of room for movies, media, and files
When it comes to all Seagate drives, the Seagate Barracuda is one of the most popular.
What Are Reasons to Use SCSI or an Internal Hard Drive?
There are several reasons to use this type of hard drive including:
- You have an older computer and need to attach many peripherals (such as printer, fax machine, and scanner)
- You prefer the fast speed of this type over ATA
- You are working on a server farm
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