The Best External Hard Drives in 2023

Do you love taking pictures, organizing documents, playing games, listening to music or having all the latest movies and TV shows ready to watch at your fingertips? If the answer was yes to any of those, then you might need an external hard drive.

Whether you’re a gamer, a busy parent or a media collector, you might be on the hunt for extra space to keep your computer files safe and secure. If you’re looking for the best external hard drive to hold all of your important files, use this guide as a reference to ensure you get the most out of your purchase.

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Last update on 2023-09-15 // The links above are affiliate // Images from Amazon

How to Choose the Best External Hard Drive

What’s an external hard drive and why would you need one?

An external hard drive is a piece of external hardware that stores files. If you want the extra room on your computer, laptop or console, you can choose to buy an external hard drive to keep certain files within the drive for safekeeping. Many external hard drives also come with additional security features to make sure your files are as safe as they can be.

There are many reasons why a person might want one or more external hard drives. Here are the three main reasons:

• More space! The space on your computer is precious. More space means more room for larger programs and bigger games. By keeping your pictures, music and other files on an external hard drive, you can free up valuable real estate on your desktop.
• Convenience. An external hard drive can keep all of your important files organized in one place so they’re easily accessible. Having a huge amount of files on your computer can also slow it down, so a hard drive can help improve the performance of your system.
• Safety. Whether it’s something like getting your laptop stolen or having your computer crash; life happens. If you have an external hard drive, you can avoid losing your files by having backup copies.
  On top of being useful and efficient, external hard drives are fairly affordable, making them a no-brainer addition to any PC setup.

Capacity

Most of the best external hard drives come with 1TB, 2Tb, 4TB or 5TB. There are even some that go up to 8TB or 16TB. “TB” stands for “terabytes”, which is approximately a trillion bytes of computer storage.

Figuring out how much storage you need will play a critical role in which external hard drive you choose. If you’re mainly dealing with word-processing documents and smaller files, you should be fine with 1TB or less. However, if you’re storing large game files, pictures and music, you should probably consider something with 2TB or more if you want long-term storage availability.

Price

An external hard drive doesn’t have to suck up your budget, but you’ll also want to consider paying more or less depending on how much space you need. External hard drives can run between $50 and $150 depending on their specifications. Here are a few features that effect the price of an external hard drive:

Type: There are two main types of storage drives to know about: solid-state drives (SSD) and hard disk drives (HDD). Here are a few pros and cons for both:

• SSDs are fast; a PC with an SSD can boot up very quickly.
• SSDs are more expensive, especially if you want more storage.
• HDDs can store huge amounts of data without costing too much in comparison to SSDs.
• HDDs can slow down over time.

SSD external hard drives are expensive and uncommon, so it’s generally a safer bet to choose an HDD external hard drive in most cases.

Storage: The more storage you want on your external hard drive, the more you’ll have to spend. External hard drive storage capacity can range from 1TB to over 8TB, with 4-6TB being more common choices.

Note that anything over 8TB is a LOT of space and can be considered overkill for some people, so don’t pay more for an external hard drive with that much space unless you’re sure that’s the best option for you. That being said, a large-capacity external hard drive may be necessary for large families, businesses and hardcore enthusiasts.

Portability: The level of portability you need should depend on your lifestyle. Some external hard drives are more portable than others; in other words, some are lighter and more durable while others are heavier and better suited to sitting on your desk at home. External hard drives designed for portability can be more expensive but might be worth it if you need to frequently travel for work or play.

Interface

The interface of the best external hard drive will be easy to read, user-friendly and intuitive. If you don’t want to spend hours trying to navigate or configure your external hard drive, you might consider an external hard drive with built-in software.

Different brands of external hard drives may come with different software that allows you to schedule backups and manage your files. Some programs even help you monitor the health of the drives and assist you in running backups to other sources, such as the Cloud.

If you’re looking for a fast setup with most of the work already done, look for external hard drives with “plug and play” features for a less complex setup. An external hard drive with a dashboard interface can also be a time-saving way to check in on your remaining storage space and ensure that all of the drive sectors are functioning as they should.

Ports

If you’re looking at buying an external hard drive, you’ll need to know what ports you’ll be working with.

Here are the most common types used today:

• USB 2.0
• USB 3.0 (the most common for the best external hard drives)
• USB 3.1 Gen 1
• USB 3.1 Gen 2
• USB-C
• Thunderbolt 3

If you want to stay current with technology, it’s important to research the latest ports because these will have an impact on the speed and connectivity of your devices.

Security

Different external hard drives may have added security features, such as automatic backup. If you’re buying an external hard drive to keep your files safe, it might be a good idea to consider an external hard drive with hardware-based encryption. This is especially important if you intend on using your external hard drive for travel or for storing private files.

RAID, backup solutions and hardware encryption. There are several extra features that can add protection to your stored files, including software that provides automatic backups and password protected encryption. While these features will take up space within the external hard drive, they can add valuable security to your sensitive or private files.

Privacy. If you’re using your external hard drive for work or if you’re sharing it with other people, the security of your files should take priority. Some drives come with software that allows you to set up individual users with their own allotted space. Having password encryption is also an extra shield to protect your files if your drive gets stolen.

Physical durability. If you plan on taking your external hard drive with you while on the go, you need to make sure you get one that’s durable, slip-resistant and shockproof. Some models are even water-resistant.

Warranty. You should be able to use your external hard drive for at least a couple of years, so make sure you get one with a long warranty and avoid running it on a daily basis to lengthen its longevity.

Speed

The speed at which the external hard drive reads and writes data is critical to how quickly you can access the files on your desktop or other devices. You’ll need an external hard drive with higher speeds if you’re dealing with larger files, such as videos.

The speed of an external hard drive largely depends on how it connects to your device. If you want a faster external hard drive, look for one with USB 3.0 rather than 2.0, because 3.0 is about ten times faster. Other fast options include eSATA, FireWire and Thunderbolt. Make sure you know what types of ports your computer or device has to ensure compatibility with your new external hard drive.

Compatibility

Operating System. Whether you run Windows 10, MAC OS X or something older, it’s important to check that the hard drive you want will work for your system. Some external hard drives are specific only to Windows and not Mac. In those cases, you will need to configure the external hard drive for Mac.

Multiple Devices. If you want to use your files across multiple platforms, such as between laptops, PCs and gaming consoles, you’ll need to find an external hard drive that has the right compatibility features for your needs. Some external hard drives are optimized for storing games from consoles, including the Xbox One and the PS4.

12 Best External Hard Drives

WD Black 2TB P10

A Perfect Hard Drive for Gamers

WD Black 2TB P10 is portable and lightweight (it weighs only 140g) high performing hard drive that is primarily made as a gaming drive, or better say for the purposes of the additional console storage. Therefore, it should be no surprise that this drive comes with exceptional compatibility that allows for its easy pairing with Windows and Mac devices, PlayStation, Xbox One, and so on.

This hard drive is extremely durable; it is reliable and more importantly, delivers very good overall performance that is resulting in 130MBps sequential read/write speeds.

WD Black 2TB P10, as its name suggests, comes with 2TB of space, which should enough for the majority of console gamers (there are also a 4TB and 5TB version) and offers a very attractive, unique design that makes it distinctive on the market and rather desired, especially in the gaming community.

Furthermore, P10 offers USB3.2 connectivity and plug-and-play functionality; as well as very good overall value, as it should be the case with the best external hard drives out there. To conclude, if you are seeking a reliable and fast external hard drive, to store all your precious games and movies, WD Black 2TB P10 is definitely the drive to look for.

Pros:

• Three-year warranty
• Durable
• Lightweight
• Excellent compatibility
• Plug and play functionality
• Stylish

Cons:

• Not the cheapest on the market

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Seagate Backup Plus Slim

Old Hardware in a Shiny Armor

If you are looking for a solid-performing external hard drive that brings an attractive appearance and a compact size in one, Seagate Backup Plus Slim drive is a good choice for you.

Although this updated version of Backup Plus Slim doesn’t bring many changes compared to the previous version, except for the more stylish-looking enclosure that is, again, made in a minimalistic manner, it is still good enough for the most users. No, it won’t blow you away with its performance and read/write sequential speeds of around 120MBps; nevertheless, it will do a job.

Seagate Backup Plus Slim is available in four colors (black, red, light blue and silver) and four capacities (1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 5TB) and like its predecessor offers a one-year free Mylio Create subscription and free two-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan. Moreover, it offers a two-year warranty and USB3.0 connectivity (its cable has a removable USB Type-C connector), and more importantly, has a tiny body that allows for its easy placement in a pocket or a bag.

Altogether, Seagate Backup Plus Slim doesn’t bring anything revolutionary, or majorly different to the competition or its predecessors. In other words, this drive is probably the best evidence that hard drives’ time is over and that we are now counting their last days.

Pros:

• Beautiful design
• Decent performance
• A Free one-year Mylio Create a subscription

Cons:

• Too expensive if you just need storage
• No data decryption

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WD My Passport Ultra

A Solid Storage Device for Everyday Use

WD My Passport Ultra is a good storage device that doesn’t bring anything mesmerizing; nevertheless, it perfectly fulfils its purpose.

It is equipped with some useful features such as 256-bit AES hardware encryption, both USB Type-C and USB3.0 (over the adapter) connectivity and a solid WD Discovery software that allows for easy handling of photos and videos and their import from cloud services and social networks.

This device is available in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 5TB capacity and two colors: dark blue and silver. Moreover, it offers a compact design and very attractive appearance that presents a mixture of anodized metal and textures, and more importantly, comes with a three-year warranty.

WD My Passport Ultra offers solid read (125MBps) and write (120MBps) sequential speeds; however, it lacks some of the important features such as shock resistance and Mac compatibility.

All in all, WD My Passport Ultra is a good external hard drive option. Nevertheless, if you are concerned only about the amount of storage, there are certainly more affordable options out there, such as Seagate Expansion or WD Elements.

Pros:

• USB Type-C connection
• Three-year warranty

Cons:

• Lacks shock resistance
• Pricey

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SAMSUNG T7

A Highly Versatile Portable SSD with an Excellent Security Features

Samsung T7 is a tiny, super-fast external SSD that brings the familiar Samsung quality and offers a great list of features that make it a great multi-role external storage.

This is the drive that provides great compatibility (it is compatible with Windows, Mac, and Android devices); it is shock resistant and overall very durable, and most importantly, it is very fast and it provides sequential read/write speeds of around 1000MBps.

Moreover, this drive comes in three different capacities (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB), two colors (black and silver), and provides a whole bunch of security features that include AES 256-bit hardware encryption, fingerprint, and password security, and many more. Other of its interesting features involve its USB 3.1 Type C connectivity, but its lightweight design as well and the fact that it weighs only 58 grams, which makes it a perfect option for travels and businesses that demand a lot of ongoing work.

SAMSUNG T7 is fitted with 3-bit MLC V-NAND, which is another reason for its great performance, while its sleek look in a combination with square LED status indicator sort of circles its offering, giving it a final touch to its overall great value for the customer.

In other words, if the best external SSD is what you need, you may be sure that SAMSUNG T7 will deliver everything you need and much more.

Pros:

• Durable
• Sleek looking
• Good security features
• Compact
• Fast

Cons:

• A bit pricey

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Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch

A Decent Storage Solution for Everyday Backups

Seagate has produced a lot of similar, but still different products in its Seagate Backup Plus line and Ultra Touch is one of those derives that shares a lot in common, but still presents a distinctive device.

What separates it from the bunch, in the first place, is the design that incorporates the woven, textile fabric into its outside shell, making it original and good-looking at the same time.

This drive comes in two capacities (1TB and 2TB) and offers nice data protection, which includes both password and AES-256 hardware encryption. It comes with a two-year warranty and offers USB3.0/2.0 connectivity, along with the USB Type-C one that can be accomplished by installing the included cap addition.

The drive itself archives read/write speeds that are around 120MBps and is compatible with Windows and Mac OSs. Its software offers neat backup/recovery options, as well as mirroring, which is very handy if you always need to keep all your data with you. Along with that, Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch provides a one-year free use of the Mylio Create and two months of a free Adobe CC Photography membership.

Generally speaking, this external drive has every feature that a regular user might need, and all that for a fair price.

Pros:

• Nice data protection
• Small

Cons:

• Software package needs to be downloaded

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Plugable Thunderbolt 3 External SSD NVMe Drive

An External SSD Masterpiece

If you are in a need of a super-speedy, uncompromising external storage, Plugable Thunderbolt 3 External SSD NVMe Drive might be exactly what you need. This is the drive that delivers excellent performance and achieves staggering sequential speeds that go up to 2400MBps in the case of reading and up to 1800MBps in the case of writing.

Plugable NVMe drive is available in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB size and offers great durability that comes as the result of its full aluminum body and the lack of movable parts that altogether make this device a really tough dude. Also, this drive comes with great compatibility that allows for its use with Mac, Windows, and Linux systems, while its Thunderbolt 3 connection comes as a guarantee that its incredible NVMe speed won’t go down the drain, but be used in the best possible way and allow for really fast data management.

Moreover, this device offers a three-year warranty; it is easy to use and overall presents a uniquely fast and useful device, as it should be the case with the best external drives in the first place.

Pros:

• Easy to use
• Three-year warranty
• Excellent speed

Cons:

• The connection cable isn’t removable

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Silicon Power Rugged Armor A60

An Affordable External Hard Drive that Will Even Withstand a Storm

If you are looking for a drive that offers plenty of capacity and the highest possible case protection at a fair price, Silicon Power Rugged Armor A60 is the device for you. Its performance and transfer read/write speeds of around 110MBps won’t impress anyone. Nevertheless, they are good enough for the majority of users.

Silicon Power Rugged Armor A60 comes in capacities from 500GB to 5TB and it supports Linux, Mac and Windows. Also, it offers a USB 3.1 Gen1 or USB Type-C connectivity (depending on the model) that unfortunately doesn’t achieve its full potential because of the slow built-in 5400rpm drives. On the other hand, its rubber/plastic case provides an extensive mechanical protection, complies with various military-grade shockproof standards, and even offers IPX4 protection (water resistant) which makes it ideal for outdoor use.

This drive comes with the SP Widget software that offers just the right number of features, including AES 256-bit encryption, data backup, recovery – basically, all the stuff needed by a regular user.

Silicon Power Rugged Armor A60 comes with a three-year warranty and altogether presents a good entry-level outdoor storage option. Therefore, if you need a durable large capacity device, this is the one to choose.

Pros:

• Highly durable
• Quality software

Cons:

• Not the most reliable drives inside

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Toshiba Canvio Advance Backup 2.0

An Affordable and Reliable External Hard Drive

Toshiba Canvio Advance Backup 2.0 is a compact and easy-to-use external hard drive that comes at a reasonable cost, and more importantly, does a great backup job. This drive comes in multiple capacities that vary from 1TB, up to 4TB, and is available in four different colors (black, blue, green, red, and white). In other words, finding the best fit shouldn’t be a problem.

Toshiba Canvio Advance Backup 2.0 features USB 3.0 connectivity, supports data transfer speeds of around 120MBps, and is compatible with both Mac and Windows. However, Mac owners will have to reformat it to use it and won’t be able to use its Storage Backup software, which is only compatible with Windows.

Moreover, this drive features a stylish, textured finish, it comes with the Toshiba Storage Security software for password protection, and it brings a decent value to the customer. Fact is that it isn’t packed with fancy features, yet let’s be realistic, back-up is what these devices are made for in the first place, and that is the job in Toshiba Canvio Advance Backup 2.0 does flawlessly.

Pros:

• Compact
• Reasonably priced
• Available in multiple colors
• Automatic backup software
• Password protection software
• Easy to set up

Cons:

• Only USB 3.0 connectivity
• Storage Backup software only works with Windows

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Crucial X8

A Perfect External SSD for Everyday Use

Crucial X8 is a compact, durable, and easy to use external SSD that delivers solid performance while being affordable at the same time. This drive doesn’t belong to the crème de la crème of modern drives; however, it provides fairly decent sequential speeds that are moving around the 1000MBps mark, while its great compatibility that allows for its use with Windows, Mac, Android, Xbox, and many other systems, makes this drive a highly versatile one.

As mentioned, Crucial X8 offers great durability, due to its anodized aluminum unibody, as well as great resistance characteristics that allow it to withstand the extreme temperatures, shocks, vibrations, even drops from more than two-meter height.

Crucial X8 is available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacity; it offers USB-C connectivity and comes along with a decent three-year warranty. More importantly, inside of it, there is a TLC NAND flash, which means that the driver will face certain hiccups whenever its cache runs out, which usually happens when large files are transferred. Therefore, if you plan to use the drive for storing large files, such as Blu-ray rips, some other drives, such as Samsung T7 for instance, might be a much better option.

In any other scenario, this is an excellent, affordable choice that will give you a lot of usabilities and overall value, without a huge investment, as it should be the case with the best external SSD drives.

Pros:

• Durable
• Affordable
• Compact
• Good compatibility
• Very good performance
• Easy setup

Cons:

• It slows down during long writes

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SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

An Impressive NVMe SSD that Should Make Anyone Happy

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is one of the newcoming NVMe SSDs that are bringing amazing data transfer speeds and setting new standards for external drives. To be exact, this device has 1050MBps read speeds and 1000MBps write speeds, as well as excellent durability, presented in its two-meter drop resistance and IP55 waterproof rating. These features altogether make this drive one tough little cookie.

On top of that, SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD has a five-year warranty and great compatibility, which allows its use with Windows, Mac, Linux, and a whole bunch of other Operating Systems. Furthermore, this SSD offers 256‐bit AES hardware encryption, great portability thanks to its light weight and small size, and it comes with excellent connectivity that is the result of the USB 3.2 Type-C connection that is integrated into this drive.

In other words, if you are a designer or simply a professional that is constantly on the go, seeking reliable storage that will take just a tiny space in your luggage and provide performance worth the best external SSD drives, SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is without a doubt a great choice for you and a device that will certainly fulfill your every need.

Pros:

• Five-year warranty
• Excellent performance
• Durable
• Lightweight
• Good compatibility

Cons:

• None

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LaCie Mobile Drive

A Beauty and a Solid Performer in One

A quality performance, followed by good looks and a large capacity is what most users are asking for from their external hard drives, and LaCie Mobile Drive fulfills exactly that.

It is available in four capacities (1TB, 2TB, 4TB and 5TB) and two colors (moon silver, space gray) and offers a highly attractive metal-skinned design that distinguishes from every other external drive. Moreover, it provides very good read (125MBps) and writes (120MBps) sequential speeds and overall decent versatility thanks to the USB3.0 and USB Type-C connectivity and compatibility with both Windows and Mac.

LaCie Mobile Drive offers a free one-month subscription to all Adobe Creative Cloud Apps, comes with a two-year warranty and very good LaCie Toolkit software that delivers some very handy functions such as “Mirror”, which allows for file syncing between the dedicated folder on the external drive and the computer itself.

Overall, LaCie Mobile Drive is a great pocket-sized storage device that is highly appealing to a very large base of users and altogether, one of the best external hard drives on the market, or at least the most attractive one.

Pros:

• Good LaCie Toolkit software
• Slim design
• Free one-month subscription to all Adobe Creative Cloud Apps

Cons:

• A bit pricey

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Seagate One Touch

A Compact Size and Solid Performance in One

Seagate One Touch is attractive looking external SSD, with decent performance and compact size that makes it a great storage option for the mainstream users.

Its sequential read/write speeds aren’t impressive and go up to 460MBps during reading and up to 400MBps during writing; however, are good enough for average everyday use and definitely much better than the speeds of regular hard-drives.

Seagate One Touch comes in 500GB and 1TB capacity; it is compatible with both Windows and Mac and it provides USB3.0 connectivity, which definitely isn’t the optimal solution; nevertheless, savings had to be made somewhere.

When talking about the design, Seagate One Touch offers a simple, yet, attractive appearance that presents the combination of plastic, fabric, and metal that altogether make it possible for this drive to be available in multiple color combinations that include white, black, gray, camo blue, camo green and many other.

Another interesting aspect of this drive is that comes along with two-month membership to Adobe CC photography plan and that it provides a respectable three-year warranty. In other words, it presents a good combination of size, performance, and overall functionality, which ultimately makes it one of the best external drives out there and a pretty good altogether option out there.

Pros:

• Stylish looking
• Available in multiple color combinations
• Lightweight
• Good software package
• Small

Cons:

• A bit pricey
• Short 0.2m USB cable
• Not that great performance during small files transfers

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LaCie Mobile Drive STHM2000400

An Excellent Performance in a Shiny Armor

LaCie Mobile Drive is a sleek and attractive-looking external hard drive that is available in 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 5TB size, and silver, moon silver, and space gray color. This drive works with both Windows and Mac, as well as a whole assortment of consoles, such as PS4 for example.

Inside of it, there is a solid 5,400rpm HDD, while you’ll have both USB-C and USB 3.0 type connectors for external connection. More importantly, this drive delivers pretty solid sequential read/write speeds that are somewhere around the 125MBps mark and offers a very good dedicated software that involves LaCie Toolkit, responsible for easy backup, restore, and mirroring.

Also, LaCie Mobile Drive comes with one free month of Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan, which isn’t much; however, it gives you just enough, in case you need something like that in the first place.

In other words, LaCie Mobile Drive presents a solid external HDD option, except for the price, which is a bit too high, regardless of the drive’s great looks and performance.

Pros:

• Very good performance
• Stylish looking
• Very good LaCie Toolkit software
• Good compatibility

Cons:

• A bit pricey

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External hard drives are incredibly affordable and there are plenty of options for size and features. They’re a must-have for any gamer or media enthusiast who wants an additional layer of file security (even if you already have the best gaming PC with reliable SSD)!