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- Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
I have been using Onedrive for years (as I get 1 TB of space with Office 365).
I have been looking at them from a technical perspective. I am not interested in a commercial comparison in this post, so would appreciate it if people create a separate post if they want to discuss that.
It is quite a long time since I used Google Drive on Windows albeit I use it on my android phone now and them. However Google Drive has moved on from days when it was just a basic syncing feature.
Onedrive Files on Demand
This was a great feature when introduced into Onedrive.
Basically files are stored on line but you see them in a normal file structure (effectively a placeholder for those who remember Windows 8 design)
You can select files/folders to be online only (and they get downloaded as you need them) or online and on local pc as well (files are marked as "keep on pc".
The advantage is of FOD is it saves space on local (many GBs for me). The downside is it can take a while to download a large file.
You can turn it off completely and then all files on cloud will be on local pc as well. Many cloud services only operate in this basic syncing mode. I do not see much point in turning this off as you can select files and folders to be online only or not anyway.
The main reason to do this is so files are always available if internet access is not available.
Google Drive Streaming and Mirroring Files
Google introduced a similar system to FOD called "Streaming" in 2017.
It is essentially the same as FOD i.e. files/folders can be marked as online only or both online and local (they call it offline mode which is a bit confusing as it implies you cannot see it online).
They also have a mirroring function which is essentially same as turning FOD off.
Google Drive does have one slight advantage over Onedrive as it allows you to easily select any folder on PC to sync i.e. not part of the Google Drive logical mapping of online folders.
I presume these folders sync only i.e. files must be on local pc and online at same time but I have yet to test if you can mark a file as online only.
Onedrive only syncs files/folders in the Onedrive Folder structure but you can achieve same end i.e. sync files outside onedrive folder structure using junction links
Drive Letter Mapping
Google Drive just shows as a "local partition drive" with a drive letter like any partition.
Onedrive does not show as a drive letter - you can always access files or folders as C:\users\XXXXX\onedrive\.....
However, you can map the onedrive folder as a "network drive" and add a drive letter as in picture below for convenience to save typing long file/paths.
GUI Implementation
Overall, I would say the Onedrive gui implementation is better, with more context menu options. You would expect this as it is a native MS product.
One particular downside with Google Drive was it marked files as online only or for offline only with a tiny symbol on the file icon and difficult to read (you need eyes like a hawk).
Onedrive shows it as a separate "status" column file explorer
Onedrive does have other features that integrate well with Office 365 but for most of us, not a feature we would use in home life.
I have not looked at Dropbox, but a quick review on web suggests it is similar to Google drive i.e. files/folders can be online only or online/local.
Overall Conclusions
Overall, I conclude there is not a lot of difference between them in terms of technical functionality for the average user
Of course, there is a risk that changes to Windows could break using of google drive via file explorer as is suggested as possible here.
In the end, it really comes down to personal preference - for most it will come down to a simple cost benefit analysis.
I have been looking at them from a technical perspective. I am not interested in a commercial comparison in this post, so would appreciate it if people create a separate post if they want to discuss that.
It is quite a long time since I used Google Drive on Windows albeit I use it on my android phone now and them. However Google Drive has moved on from days when it was just a basic syncing feature.
Onedrive Files on Demand
This was a great feature when introduced into Onedrive.
Basically files are stored on line but you see them in a normal file structure (effectively a placeholder for those who remember Windows 8 design)
You can select files/folders to be online only (and they get downloaded as you need them) or online and on local pc as well (files are marked as "keep on pc".
The advantage is of FOD is it saves space on local (many GBs for me). The downside is it can take a while to download a large file.
You can turn it off completely and then all files on cloud will be on local pc as well. Many cloud services only operate in this basic syncing mode. I do not see much point in turning this off as you can select files and folders to be online only or not anyway.
The main reason to do this is so files are always available if internet access is not available.
Google Drive Streaming and Mirroring Files
Google introduced a similar system to FOD called "Streaming" in 2017.
It is essentially the same as FOD i.e. files/folders can be marked as online only or both online and local (they call it offline mode which is a bit confusing as it implies you cannot see it online).
They also have a mirroring function which is essentially same as turning FOD off.
Google Drive does have one slight advantage over Onedrive as it allows you to easily select any folder on PC to sync i.e. not part of the Google Drive logical mapping of online folders.
I presume these folders sync only i.e. files must be on local pc and online at same time but I have yet to test if you can mark a file as online only.
Onedrive only syncs files/folders in the Onedrive Folder structure but you can achieve same end i.e. sync files outside onedrive folder structure using junction links
Sync Any Folder to OneDrive in Windows 10
How to Sync Any Folder to OneDrive in Windows 10
www.tenforums.com
Drive Letter Mapping
Google Drive just shows as a "local partition drive" with a drive letter like any partition.
Onedrive does not show as a drive letter - you can always access files or folders as C:\users\XXXXX\onedrive\.....
However, you can map the onedrive folder as a "network drive" and add a drive letter as in picture below for convenience to save typing long file/paths.
GUI Implementation
Overall, I would say the Onedrive gui implementation is better, with more context menu options. You would expect this as it is a native MS product.
One particular downside with Google Drive was it marked files as online only or for offline only with a tiny symbol on the file icon and difficult to read (you need eyes like a hawk).
Onedrive shows it as a separate "status" column file explorer
Onedrive does have other features that integrate well with Office 365 but for most of us, not a feature we would use in home life.
I have not looked at Dropbox, but a quick review on web suggests it is similar to Google drive i.e. files/folders can be online only or online/local.
Overall Conclusions
Overall, I conclude there is not a lot of difference between them in terms of technical functionality for the average user
Of course, there is a risk that changes to Windows could break using of google drive via file explorer as is suggested as possible here.
Microsoft moving Windows 11 File Explorer to Windows App SDK
Thurrott.com: In an unexpected move, Microsoft said this week that it will transition the Windows 11 File Explorer app to the Windows App SDK, a potentially monumental change that could break compatibility with apps that integrate with this key system app. News of the change came during a...
www.elevenforum.com
In the end, it really comes down to personal preference - for most it will come down to a simple cost benefit analysis.
My Computer
System One
-
- OS
- Windows 10 Pro + others in VHDs
- Computer type
- Laptop
- Manufacturer/Model
- ASUS Vivobook 14
- CPU
- I7
- Motherboard
- Yep, Laptop has one.
- Memory
- 16 GB
- Graphics Card(s)
- Integrated Intel Iris XE
- Sound Card
- Realtek built in
- Monitor(s) Displays
- N/A
- Screen Resolution
- 1920x1080
- Hard Drives
- 1 TB Optane NVME SSD, 1 TB NVME SSD
- PSU
- Yep, got one
- Case
- Yep, got one
- Cooling
- Stella Artois
- Keyboard
- Built in
- Mouse
- Bluetooth , wired
- Internet Speed
- 72 Mb/s :-(
- Browser
- Edge mostly
- Antivirus
- Defender
- Other Info
- TPM 2.0