Photos carry many important memories, emotions, and information. However, over time, both physical and electronic images face the risk of accidental loss or damage.
To store photos for the long term securely, which storage method is more suitable? Today’s content will review three storage solutions that can provide long-term, stable photo storage.
01
Solid-state drives & Mechanical Hard Drives
Hard drives are the most commonly used storage containers. Depending on the type, hard drives can be divided into mechanical hard drives and solid-state drives, each with its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantage of mechanical hard drives is their affordability and large capacity. They offer significant storage space at a reasonable price. Additionally, mechanical hard drives use a simple physical structure to write data, making them reliable, easy to repair, and less likely to lose data.
Thanks to their simple mechanical structure, mechanical hard drives also have a longer lifespan. When used continuously, their lifespan can exceed 30,000 hours. If not magnetized, data storage time can reach 10 to 20 years.
Mechanical hard drives are suitable for long-term, stable storage of large amounts of data, such as important photos, videos, and even chat records.
Another type of hard drive, the solid-state drive, is also commonly used for data storage. Compared to mechanical hard drives, solid-state drives have the advantage of fast transfer speeds. PCIe 4.0 solid-state drives can reach transfer speeds of up to 7000MB/s, allowing a 20GB file to be stored in about 3 seconds.
Solid-state drives have another advantage: their small size. In comparison, mechanical hard drives are significantly larger.
Due to their compact size, solid-state drives are more convenient to carry. For example, a solid-state drive can be paired with a small mobile hard drive case to create a “large USB drive.”
Photos and videos on phones or tablets can be transferred to the hard drive case via a USB cable and accessed anytime, anywhere, preventing accidental deletion.
02
Cloud Storage
Cloud storage offers highly convenient data upload and access functions without relying on physical storage devices.
The advantages of cloud storage are clear. As long as you are connected to the internet, you can upload or access photos and videos anytime, anywhere. The data is permanently stored in the cloud, eliminating concerns about loss or damage.
Additionally, most cloud storage products have built-in backup functions, which can automatically back up photos and files from your phone during idle times, saving the steps of manual uploading.
However, most cloud storage services offer limited free space and charge for larger capacities. To enjoy high-speed download/upload experiences, you also need to pay for acceleration or membership, with annual fees ranging from 150 to 300 RMB.
Since cloud storage saves data on the provider’s servers, there are privacy and security concerns, especially regarding sensitive information.
03
Private Cloud
Private cloud storage combines the benefits of physical hard drives and cloud storage.
While physical hard drives only allow local data access and cloud storage supports cloud access but stores data on shared servers, private cloud storage offers both advantages. Home-use private cloud products, like a miniaturized computer host, come with high-performance processors and hard drive slots. They also come with accompanying software, offering a user experience similar to familiar cloud storage products.
Private clouds use solid-state or mechanical hard drives as storage media, making data storage more private and reliable. With the accompanying software, you can access your photos and files on devices like phones and computers.
In summary, the main reliable storage methods are local hard drive storage and NAS private cloud storage. While cloud storage has advantages in convenience and cost-effectiveness, privacy and security concerns should also be considered.
Which photo storage method do you use most often?
Related:
Disclaimer: This article is created by the original author. The content of the article represents their personal opinions. Our reposting is for sharing and discussion purposes only and does not imply our endorsement or agreement. If you have any objections, please get in touch with us through the provided channels.
