Best Data Storage Hard Drive
Best Data Storage Hard Drive
Jun 24, 2018 Hard drives are the most common type of storage medium, and it’s probably the first thing you think of when coming up with solutions for storing a lot of data. They’re cost effective as well, ranging anywhere between $16-$20 per terabyte for most external hard drives, and you can fit a lot of data onto a single drive. An external hard drive is an excellent way to keep your priceless data safe, and Western Digital (WD) has been in the business of making top-tier external storage devices since 2006. There are a wide range of external hard drives in the WD family of devices, making it difficult to know just which model would be right for your data preservation.
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drive 2020Looking for the best external hard drive in 2020? Our essential guide will help you navigate the maze of options out there, explaining what you need to be looking for in terms of capacity, specs, extra features and brand name. Don't part with any money before you've consulted our carefully curated list.
Getting the right hard drive in place can solve your digital storage problems for years: you'll finally have enough room for all those movies, music files, photos, documents, and everything else you've managed to amass – and if you buy one of the best external hard drives, you'll be able to trust it with your data.
How to choose the best external hard drive for you
Storage Hard Disk Drive
The good news is choosing an external hard drive needn’t be particularly time-consuming task – it's mainly a question of capacity, which boils down to how much room you need for all your stuff, now and in the future.
After capacity, consider if you want a portable drive (powered via USB), or a fixed desktop drive (with its own power socket). Portable drives are ultra convenient but cost more, whereas the desktop drives are cheaper and often have higher capacities.
As prices fall, SSD (solid-state drives) are becoming more popular: they're ultra-fast – much quicker than conventional mechanical drives – but you will pay extra for that speed, and can't usually get as much in terms of capacity.
So, which is the best external hard drive? We like all of the drives we've mentioned below, so it really depends on how much storage space you need and how much you're willing to spend to get it.
The 10 best external drives you can buy today
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drives Seagate Backup Plus 4TB1. Seagate Backup Plus 4TB
Capacity: 1TB-5TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB Portable: Yes
You can pick up Seagate's portable drives in a host of capacities, colours, and dimensions, so head to the Seagate site for a comprehensive breakdown, but across the board you're looking at USB 3.0 speeds, Windows and Mac support, and 120 MB/s or higher transfers.
There are some differences: opt for the chunkier, 4TB 'Fast' model and you get 220 MB/s transfer rates in return for a little extra bulk on the drive itself. If you just want simple, affordable, reliable backups (software is included), then these are great portable options.
© Provided by T3 (Image credit: Western Digital)2. WD Black D10
Capacity: 8TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB Portable: No
If you're happy to leave your drive powered up on the desktop and don't need it to be portable, then the Western Digital Black D10 has the performance and the looks that you need. There's only one storage option – 8TB – but that should be enough for you, whether you're using this with a computer or a video games console.
And that wide compatibility is only part of the story here. It's speedy and quiet even under pressure, it's designed to be placed either horizontally or vertically, and you can even charge your other gadgets off it. If you're looking for one of the best external hard drives for a desktop setup, then you can't do much better than this.
© Provided by T3 (Image credit: Western Digital)3. WD My Passport
Capacity: 1TB-5TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB 3.2 Portable: Yes
You can always rely on Western Digital for your external hard drive needs, and the updated My Passport line gives you a pile of additional storage at a good price, and in a compact form factor. You can even pick from black, blue and red as the outer casing colour.
With an eye-catching design and USB 3.2 support, the drive comes with 256-bit AES hardware encryption is included and backup software, if you need it. You can easily connect the drive to your favourite cloud services too – simple, effective, reliable hard drive storage.
© Provided by T3 (Image credit: Lacie)4. Lacie Mobile SSD
Capacity: 500GB-2TB Drive: SSD Connector: USB 3.1 / Thunderbolt 3 Portable: Yes
The Lacie Mobile SSD wraps up 500GB, 1TB or 2TB of SSD capacity in an impressively slim design. It's ready to go on Windows or Mac right out of the box (no formatting needed), and can reach super-fast read speeds of 540 MB/s (though your actual rate may be less).
Go for the very top capacity and you can store up to 200,000 high resolution photos and up to 65 hours of video, so this isn't a drive that you're going to need to replace anytime soon. It comes with a reversible USB-C cable that'll work with USB 3.1 and Thunderbolt 3 devices.
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drives Seagate Backup Plus Desktop5. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop
Capacity: 3TB-8TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB Portable: No
We're also big fans of the Seagate Backup Plus models (see below) but these are the higher capacity, non-portable versions: you still get the speed and reliability that Seagate's known for, but you have to find an extra power socket to plug into as well.
That extra power means more capacity and faster speeds of course, so it's not all bad: transfer rates go up to 160 MB/s on Windows or Mac and you can get up to 8TB of capacity here. The optional two-port USB hub on the front is handy for charging gadgets too.
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drives Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC6. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC
Capacity: 1TB-2TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB Portable: Yes
The main party trick of this compact, portable, stylish drive from Buffalo is the NFC (Near Field Communication) technology built in, which means you can unlock the contents of the drive with the swipe of the supplied smart card, with no passwords required.
On top of that encryption and protection, you also get USB 3.0 connectivity (with integrated cable), shock protection, resistance from water and dust and capacities up to 2TB in size, so if you're looking for a portable drive with a little bit extra, this could be it.
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drives SanDisk Extreme 5107. SanDisk Extreme 510
Capacity: 120GB-1TB Drive: SSD Connector: USB Portable: Yes
The SanDisk Extreme 510 is an unusual-looking portable option if you want the speed of a solid-state drive and don't mind paying for the privilege - note that although the label on the front says SanDisk, the company is in fact now owned and run by Western Digital.
That strange casing makes the drive resistant to drops, shocks, vibrations and extreme temperatures, and the manufacturer is promising up to four times faster transfer speeds than a comparable HDD drive. Integrated data encryption is provided as standard too.
© Provided by T3 Best ssd Samsung 860 EVO8. Samsung 860 EVO
Capacity: 250GB-4TB Drive: SSD Connector: USB Portable: Yes
Samsung has always been ahead of the game with SSDs and the 860 EVO is a very good example of that – now available in storage sizes up to a colossal 4TB. This huge capacity means if your pockets are deep enough, then mechanical drives are no longer needed.
For this drive Samsung has switched to using V-NAND 3-bit MLC technology for storage, which is very reliable and as a result the 860 EVO comes with a 5-year warranty, which is a great longevity. Add sequential read speeds of up to 550 MBS per second and sequential write speeds of up to 520 MBS per second and you’ve got a fast, reliable and reasonably priced option. We approve.
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drives WD My Book Duo9. WD My Book Duo
Capacity: 4GB-16TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB Portable: No
The third WD drive in our rundown is for those who really need a lot of capacity and are happy to pay for it - as the name suggests, the My Book Duo has two drive bays, so you can slot in two hard disks for a total capacity of anywhere between 4TB and a huge 16TB.
Even with the two bays, the drive isn't difficult to configure, and with the standard WD backup software supplied you can be up and running in minutes. If you prefer, you can have the two drives mirror each other, so you've always got two copies of your data.
© Provided by T3 Best external hard drives Lacie Rugged10. Lacie Rugged
Capacity: 500GB-4TB Drive: HDD Connector: USB-C Portable: Yes
Best Data Storage Hard Drive Pc
If you're looking for an external hard drive to cope with the stresses and strains of modern-day life then you can't do much better than the bright, padded Rugged model from Lacie, shock and drop resistant to a height of 1.2 metres when not running.
It's also pressure-resistant, and comes with automatic backup software and encryption to keep your data as safe as possible. A variety of connection options are included, from USB 3.0 Type-C to Thunderbolt and Firewire, and it's Mac and Windows compatible as well.
- Want something networked instead?Here are our favourite NAS drives
There might come a time when you run out of storage on your laptop’s hard drive or simply want to back up all of your files. You can open your computer and upgrade the storage inside, assuming your computer is repair-friendly. Alternatively, you can buy an external hard drive. Not only is it a useful way to back up your data, but it lets you easily move files from one device to another. These are the best external hard drives you can buy today.
The best external hard drives:
Editor’s note:We will update our list of the best external hard drives over time.
Hard Drive Storage Cabinet
1. Seagate Backup Plus Slim
Our list starts with the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. The headline feature is how slim it is relative to other external hard drives with similar storage configurations. Another nice touch is the aluminum enclosure, along with temporary memberships to Mylio Create and Adobe Creative Cloud.
The 120MB/s transfer speed isn’t the fastest, but it’s typical of mechanical hard drives. Also, the Backup Plus Slim uses USB 3.0 instead of USB-C, which is something to note if your computer only has USB-C ports.
2. Western Digital My Passport Ultra
At first blush, the Western Digital My Passport Ultra looks like any other external hard drive. However, taking a closer look reveals a surprisingly compact hard drive with one key feature: USB-C.
Also read:The best USB-C cables
Yes, there’s a USB-C port on the My Passport Ultra. The hard drive comes with a USB-C-to-USB-C cable, though it also includes a USB 3.1 adapter for those with access to the older port. Transfer speeds hover around 125MB/s, so don’t expect blazing read and write speeds. At least the hard drive features an anodized metal finish.
3. Samsung T5
Unlike mechanical hard drives, the Samsung T5 is an external solid-state drive (SSD). That means there are no moving parts to worry about. That also means the Samsung T5 is incredibly slim and compact, easily fitting in a shirt pocket.
Don’t let the size fool you into thinking transfer speeds are slow, however. Thanks to its use of Samsung’s V-NAND flash memory and USB-C, the T5 provides transfer speeds of up to 540MB/s.
4. SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD
We continue the portable SSD offerings with the SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD. According to SanDisk, maximum sequential read and write speeds are rated at 1050 and 1000MB/s, respectively.
Apart from being speedy, the Extreme Portable External SSD is also rugged. The portable SSD features an IP55 rating for protection against water and dust. Also, it can withstand drops from up to two meters onto a concrete floor.
5. Adata SE800
There are plenty of hard drives out there with massive capacities, but they sacrifice a great deal of portability. On the other hand, the Adata SE800 offers a powerful combination of up to a 1TB capacity and heavy-duty endurance.
With read and write speeds of up to 1000Mbps and a weight of just 40 grams, the SE800 is perfect to take on the go. It packs USB-C connectivity, but the durability features are where this Adata option really shines. The hard drive is MIL-STD 810G rated for drop tests and it carries an IP68 rating for water and dust.
Speedy USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity helps to guarantee top speeds while a hairline brushed metal finish gives the Adata SE800 a luxurious feel. It comes in either 512GB or 1TB capacities.
6. Western Digital My Book Duo
Jumping from the most portable hard drive to the least, the Western Digital My Book Duo is a tank. It’s best for those who mostly stick to their desks and want to maximize their storage options.
The My Book Duo is RAID-0 ready with WD Red drives inside and a USB-C port along with two USB-A options allow for plenty of peripherals. As for speed, the My Book Duo handles up to 360Mbps sequential reading and can switch to RAID-1 to mirror your data. There may be faster speeds out there, but with a capacity of up to 24TB, you should never be hurting for space with this one.
7. LaCie Rugged
Another option that’s designed to face the elements, the LaCie Rugged makes our list of the best external hard drives for a number of reasons. From the capacity of up to 5TB to the six different formats, there’s plenty of flexibility available in a compact package.
You’ll probably never misplace the LaCie Rugged thanks to the bright orange bumper. The bumper works twofold — protecting the device from falls and water, and housing a convenient USB-C cable. You can max out the laptop transfer speed at 130Mbps and the LaCie Rugged can reportedly withstand up to one ton of pressure.
8. Western Digital Black P10
Pretty much all of the best external hard drives so far have been made for everyday use. However, gamers often find themselves needing extra storage too with how large games have become. That’s where the Western Digital Black P10 makes its name. With a capacity of up to 5TB, you should be able to manage up to 125 new games at a size of 36GB apiece.
Also read: The best gaming laptops you can buy right now
Beyond the storage capacity, the Black P10 has an industrial design that feels like it belongs in your gaming arsenal. It’s smaller than a standard Xbox controller and sits flat, and speeds of up to 140Mbps should keep you running smoothly. Weighing in at just about eight ounces, you should be able to stuff the Black P10 in a backpack and not feel any difference.
That was our list of the best external hard drives you can buy right now. Check out a few of these other PC accessories to complete your setup:
Best Data Storage Hard Drive