Final answer:
A practical and cost-effective hardware tool for a computing system is an external hard drive, which offers flexibility and utility for expanding storage and backing up data, ranging between $50 to $100. It represents a one-time investment that can prevent data loss without contributing significantly to ongoing power costs.
Step-by-step explanation:
When considering hardware tools for a computing system, it's important to assess both the cost and the utility of the tool in question. From the information provided, it seems that we're looking for a hardware tool that offers flexibility and is cost-effective. One such tool that meets these criteria and is commonly used in computing contexts is an external hard drive.
An external hard drive is an excellent choice for expanding storage capacity and backing up important data. It's also relatively inexpensive compared to other computer upgrades or tools. An average cost for a good quality external hard drive of 1TB (terabyte) can range from $50 to $100. This investment is particularly beneficial for users who handle large files or require a secure backup solution. Considering its utility in a wide range of applications–and given the cost of using a computing system, which is influenced by the amount of power consumed and the time the system is running–an external hard drive is both a practical and an economical option.
For example, comparing the mentioned cost of running high-power consuming devices, having an external hard drive for regular backups could prevent data loss without incurring high power costs over time. It's a one-time investment with ongoing benefits.