Best External Hard Drives
If you need more storage space for you digital files, you want to backup your data, or you want to able to share files between multiple computers then an external hard drive is for you. When deciding to purchase a new drive some of the factors you should consider include the storage capacity, transfer speeds, portability, and durability. Prices range from around $50 to over $500, however many good options are available for under $100.
We evaluated dozens of models to come up with our list of the top 10 best external hard drives. Below we review each. If you need more advice or help see our External Hard Drive Buying Guide.
9.3
WD My Passport Ultra
Price: $59
Storage Capacity: 500 GB to 3 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 4.3 x 3.2 x 0.6
Weight: 5.4 oz
Operating System: Windows
9.2
Transcend Military Drop Tested StoreJet 25M3
Price: $54.99
Storage Capacity: 1 TB to 2 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 5.1 x 3.25 x 0.8
Weight: 7.7 oz
Operating System: Windows
9.2
Seagate Expansion Portable Drive
Price: $54.99
Storage Capacity: 1 TB to 5 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 4.8 x 3.2 x 0.6
Weight: 6.4 oz
Operating System: Windows
9.2
Transcend StoreJet for Mac SJM 100
Price: $99.99
Storage Capacity: 2 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 5.1 x 3.24 x 0.8
Weight: 8 oz
Operating System: Mac
9.1
Seagate Backup Plus Fast
Price: $199.99
Storage Capacity: 4 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 4.6 x 3.2 x 0.88
Weight: 10.8 oz
Operating System: Windows
9.1
LaCie Rugged Mini External Hard Drive
Also available is the LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt version which sells for $180 for 1 TB of storage capacity. This version uses a Thunderbolt connector to give you the fastest transfer speeds possible.
Price: $99.99
Storage Capacity: 500 GB to 4 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 5.5 x 3.5 x 1
Weight: 8 oz
Operating System: Windows
9.1
Toshiba Canvio Connect II
Price: $54.99
Storage Capacity: 500 GB to 3 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 4.3 x 3.1 x 0.6
Weight: 5.8 oz
Operating System: Windows
9
Seagate Expansion Desktop External Hard Drive
Price: $84.99
Storage Capacity: 2 TB to 5 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 7.1 x 4.7 x 1.5
Weight: 2.1 lbs
Operating System: Windows
8.8
WD My Cloud EX2
Price: $299.99
Storage Capacity: 4 TB to 12 TB
Connectivity: USB 3.0
Size (Inches): 6.8 x 6.1 x 3.9
Weight: 3.4 lbs
Operating System: Windows
8.7
WD My Passport Wireless External Hard Drive
Price: $149
Storage Capacity: 1TB or 2 TB
Connectivity: Usb 3.0 and WiFi
Size (Inches): 5 x 3.4 x 1
Weight: 9.6 oz
Operating System: Windows
External Hard Drive Buying Guide
Types of Storage Devices
There are several different types of external hard drives including:
- Desktop – External desktop hard drives are designed to be used with your standard desktop computer where it will normally stay in one place although it can be moved. This type of drive usually has more storage capacity and is cheaper per GB of storage, but it is also larger in size and will usually have a separate power adapter.
- Portable – Portable external hard drives are normally meant to be used with laptops or any computer where you need to the ability to easily transport the storage device. They are smaller and are normally powered by a USB cable, but are usually more expensive per GB of storage than desktop models.
- Wireless – Wireless external hard drives are portable units that provide an onboard Wi-Fi connection so you do not need a cord to connect to your device when transferring files. Wireless storage expanders are especially useful with tablets where you have a limited internal storage capacity, but you would still like to have your entire video and music collection with you.
- Network Attached Storage – A network attached storage (NAS) device connects to a network instead of an individual computer and acts as a shared drive for backing up data and sharing files across your entire network. Some of these units provide advanced features like media streaming and you can find models with multiple drives that allow for more capacity and greater protection for data. These are much more expensive and larger than a typical external drive.
- Solid State Drive – Or SSD for short, is a type of hard drive. It offers much faster performance and reliability, but also costs a lot more than average and usually has much less capacity. Generally it is better to have a SSD as your main hard drive that your operating system resides on, and is not necessarily recommended for an external drive.
Storage Capacity
In simple terms storage capacity is how much data your drive can hold as measured in gigabytes (GB) or terabytes (TB). 1 TB is equal to 1000 GB. Current external hard drives range from about 250 GB up to 4 TB or more. Users who have a large video or music library probably will want at least 1 TB to 2 TB. If you don’t have a lot of media files to hold, you can get away with a drive having less storage. If you are backing up your data, you should get a drive with at least as much capacity as your internal hard drive on your computer.
Transfer Speed
The transfer speed is how fast data can transfer to and from the device as measured in Megabits per second (Mbps) or Gbps (Gigabits per second). 1000 Mbps is equal to 1 Gbps. The more often you backup or transfer files, the more of a priority should be placed on the speed. There are several different connectors that determine how fast your unit is and the external drive and computer must have compatible connectors to maximize speed. A Thunderbolt connector is the fastest connection available at up to 10 Gbps, but is also the most expensive and not as widely used. USB 3.0 is the next fastest at 5 Gbps. USB 2.0 will be the cheapest, but has speeds of 480 Mbps. If your drive has a USB 3.0 connector, but your computer is only USB 2.0 compatible, then the speed of transfer is only at the USB 2.0 speed.
Portability
Getting a small, portable unit is advisable if you need to transport your drive constantly. Smaller models cost more, but some are small enough to fit in a pocket. Make sure you also get one that is powered by the data cable so you do not have to have an outlet.
Durability
Hard drives are more prone to shocks, vibrations, moisture, and heat than SSDs. Some units come with cases that provide physical layers of protection for the drive in case you drop it or to protect it from heat and moisture. If you work in in a rough environment then one of these models might be for you.
Compatibility
Many units are built for use with either the Apple ecosystem or for PC’s. These will work right out of the box for you with the correct hardware. Some models will work with any hardware, but may require you to reformat the drive before using it with a specific internal hard drive. Make sure the storage device you buy is compatible with your operating system.
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