Quick computer hardware question for Boston-area folks.

[randomness]

If you were looking to buy a 500GB external drive this afternoon, where would you do it? I've heard a recommendation for Best Buy, but it was sort of by default.

In particular, if you know of some cool folks who deserve my business, please comment.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

[tfarrell.livejournal.com]

If I had to buy a disk locally and immediately, I'd comparison shop online first and probably end up getting it at one of these:
Staples (http://www.staples.com/)
Best Buy (http://www.bestbuy.com/)
Micro Center (http://www.microcenter.com/)
Circuit City (http://www.circuitcity.com/)

Don't forget to consider the possibility of buying bare hard drives and external drive cases and putting them together yourself. It can sometimes (not always, but sometimes) result in substantial savings, and it's very easy to do.

I'm hearing that we should expect that within a year or so disks will probably deliver about ten times the space per the same amount of money, so I'm trying to avoid buying any more disk space than I have to right now. (Why spend $200 to get 500 gigs now when I can spend $200 a year from now and get 5 terabytes, if I have a choice?)

[r-ness.livejournal.com]

Don't forget to consider the possibility of buying bare hard drives and external drive cases and putting them together yourself. It can sometimes (not always, but sometimes) result in substantial savings, and it's very easy to do.

Definitely. That's what I did for my first two drives.