<p>Hardware wallets have <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware_security_module" rel="nofollow noreferrer">Hardware Security Modules</a> which are specially designed hardware for storing and securing cryptographic keys. In general, HSMs are better than generic laptops or phones as HSMs are often validated for HSM standards like <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIPS_140-2" rel="nofollow noreferrer">FIPS 140-2</a>. These standards require that the HSM meet certain specifications for security, tamper resistance, etc. The use of HSMs means that the private keys can basically never leave the device.</p>

<p>Hardware wallets are also much easier to use than an air gapped machine and less prone to human error (e.g. accidentally allowing the air gapped machine to go online).</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-18T17:31:41.223Z
Thanks! By the way, can you clone or backup hardware wallets?
Juan Leni
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-18T18:02:07.983Z
Yes. Most hardware wallets use BIP 39 seeds and have you write down the BIP 39 mnemonic for that seed so if you lose the hardware wallet or it is destroyed, you can restore a new one from that mnemonic.
Ava Chow
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-08-16T16:45:13.770Z
2017-08-16T16:45:13.770Z
Ava Chow
<p>What are the advantages of a hardware wallet vs an airgapped mobile phone or computer? It is the memory quality so much different from a good RAID?
How are people with multiples of coins and over 100k storing their keys?</p>

<hardware-wallet>
Hardware Wallets vs second mobile or airgapped computer
Juan Leni
# Hardware Wallets vs second mobile or airgapped computer

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-08-16)

What are the advantages of a hardware wallet vs an airgapped mobile phone or computer? It is the memory quality so much different from a good RAID?
How are people with multiples of coins and over 100k storing their keys?

**Tags:** hardware-wallet


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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_1 on 2017-08-16. Score: 1 | Accepted answer

Hardware wallets have [Hardware Security Modules](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hardware_security_module) which are specially designed hardware for storing and securing cryptographic keys. In general, HSMs are better than generic laptops or phones as HSMs are often validated for HSM standards like [FIPS 140-2](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIPS_140-2). These standards require that the HSM meet certain specifications for security, tamper resistance, etc. The use of HSMs means that the private keys can basically never leave the device.

Hardware wallets are also much easier to use than an air gapped machine and less prone to human error (e.g. accidentally allowing the air gapped machine to go online).

> **Comments:**
> **username_0**: Thanks! By the way, can you clone or backup hardware wallets?  
> **username_1**: Yes. Most hardware wallets use BIP 39 seeds and have you write down the BIP 39 mnemonic for that seed so if you lose the hardware wallet or it is destroyed, you can restore a new one from that mnemonic.  

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