5 Storage Solution Deals: An External HDD, SDHC Cards, Flash Drives, Oh My!

Hey, we know shopping for digital storage might not sound as sexy as shopping for a new iPad or laptop, but what'll you do if your hard drive on those devices crashes? Computer techs far and wide repeatedly tell you to "make a backup copy" and so in that spirit, we're offering five great deals on data storage solutions this week — three of which merit Editors' Choice status. The way we see it, snagging the very latest tablet or gadget can wait at least a little bit. But having safe, solid backup solutions can't wait, whether in flash drive, external drive, or memory card form.

1. HP PNY 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive
   Vendor: newegg
   Price: $22.99 with free shipping EXPIRED
   Lowest By: $11

   Is It Worth It?: Back up big files with this small HP PNY 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, which features a handy cord. At 32GB ($0.72/GB), it's the ideal storage solution to quickly and easily move large files between computers and is also the least expensive 32GB USB flash drive we've seen without rebate hassles.

2. SanDisk 8GB microSDHC Class 4 SDHC Card
   Vendor: DailySteals via eBay
   Price: $5.99 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $7

   Is It Worth It?: There are no rebate hassles associated with this SanDisk 8GB microSDHC Class 4 Secure Digital High Capacity Card. As an Editors' Choice, you're paying just $0.75 per GB of storage space. SanDisk is a go-to brand for memory cards, and its products are built to last, with an operating shock rating of 2,000Gs, equivalent to a 10-foot drop.

3. Wintec 32GB FileMate Professional Class 10 SDHC Card
   Vendor: newegg
   Price: $25.99 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $3

   Is It Worth It?: The price on this Wintec 32GB FileMate Professional SDHC Class 10 Secure Digital High Capacity Card translates to $0.81/GB, prompting us to bestow the Editors' Choice laurel. An ideal storage solution for serious photographers, and rated a solid 4 out of 5 stars by 28 newegg customers, this is the lowest total price we've ever seen for a 32GB Class 10 SDHC card without rebate hassles.

4. A-DATA 64GB Retractable USB Flash Drive
   Vendor: eXpansys
   Price: $59.99 with free shipping
   Lowest By: $9

   Is It Worth It?: At $60 and $0.94 per GB, this is not the USB drive for everyone, and a fairly expensive loss if you misplace it. But it's absolutely amazing that so much data can be stored in such a small space; just a decade ago, SCSI drives the size of a thick hardback book might store a maximum of 12GB. This is a great gift for photographers, studio musicians, students, or anyone who uses data files that take up tons of room. It features slide retraction of the connector and a loop for attachment to a lanyard or key chain, and will store the rough equivalent of 6,000 songs with room to spare.

5. Refurbished Western Digital 1TB FW 800 / USB External Hard Drive
   Vendor: Western Digital
   Price: $89.99 with free shipping EXPIRED
   Lowest By: $50

   Is It Worth It?: The Western Digital My Book Studio LX 1TB hard drive offers storage at $0.09/GB, and features a high-performance FireWire 800 interface. It also includes a "smart display" that shows the capacity and storage status even when the drive is unplugged. Although formatted for Macs, it can easily be reformatted for a PC. Buy this refurbished product with confidence, as a 6-month Western Digital warranty applies.

Front page photo credit: Grant Leavitt via Flickr

Lou Carlozo is a dealnews contributing writer. He covers personal finance for Reuters Wealth, and was most recently the managing editor of WalletPop.com, and before that a veteran columnist at the Chicago Tribune. Follow him on Twitter @LouCarlozo63. You can also sign up for an email alert for all dealnews features.