Best External Hard Drive

We’ve been using the Seagate Portable 2TB Drive for a few weeks now, and it’s proven to be a reliable way to expand our storage. Setup was a breeze – we just plugged it in and our computer recognized it right away. No extra software needed.

The drive’s small size is a big plus. It fits easily in a laptop bag or even a pocket, making it perfect for carrying files between home and work. We like that it doesn’t need a separate power cord, drawing power from the USB connection instead.

In our tests, transfer speeds were good for most everyday tasks. We moved large photo and video files without much wait. Games loaded fine too, though the fastest SSDs will give you quicker load times.

We found the drive works well with both our Windows PC and MacBook. It also connected to our PlayStation without any issues, giving us more room for game installs. Just remember you might need to reformat it for some specific uses.

The plastic case feels sturdy enough for daily use. We didn’t baby it, and it held up fine to being tossed in bags and moved around. The 2TB capacity has been plenty for our needs, storing thousands of photos, videos, and documents with room to spare.

We’ve used the WD Elements 5TB drive for a while now, and it’s proven to be a solid choice for backup and extra storage. The small size is great – it easily fits in a laptop bag or even a pocket. We love how it just works when you plug it in, no setup needed.

The transfer speeds are good for a portable hard drive. It’s not as zippy as an SSD, but it gets the job done for most tasks. We moved a bunch of large video files, and it handled them without breaking a sweat. The price per terabyte is a real bargain too.

One thing to watch out for is the included cable. Ours started acting up after a few months, so we replaced it with a better one. Also, since it’s a mechanical drive, you’ll want to be gentle with it. Don’t bump it around while it’s running. But if you take good care of it, this drive should last you a long time and keep your data safe.

We’ve been using this Seagate drive for a few months now, and it’s become our go-to for backing up large files. The 4TB capacity is generous – we’ve barely made a dent in it after storing thousands of photos and videos.

Setting it up couldn’t be easier. We just plugged it in, and our computer recognized it right away. No extra software or complicated steps needed. The small size is great too. It fits in a pocket, so we can take our files anywhere.

The drive isn’t the fastest out there, but for most tasks, it’s quick enough. Transferring a 1GB file took about 15 seconds in our tests. Just remember it’s not as tough as an SSD. We try to be careful not to drop it or jostle it too much when it’s running.

We’ve been using the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD for a while now, and it’s really impressed us. This little drive is super quick. We transferred a 4K video file in seconds. It’s perfect for creative pros working with big files on the go.

The rugged build is a huge plus. We accidentally dropped it on concrete, and it kept working fine. The water resistance gives us peace of mind too. We took it to the beach without worry.

We love how tiny this drive is. It fits in our pocket easily. The carabiner loop is handy for attaching to a backpack. For secure storage, the password protection works well. It was easy to set up. This SSD is a great choice for anyone who needs fast, tough, portable storage.

We’ve used many external drives, and this Seagate model really impressed us. Its 5TB capacity is perfect for storing large media libraries or backing up multiple computers. We found the USB 3.0 connection fast enough to transfer big files quickly.

The drive worked great with our Windows PC right out of the box. Mac users will need to reformat it first, which is pretty simple. We liked that it’s compatible with gaming consoles too – perfect for expanding PlayStation or Xbox storage.

At about the size of a smartphone, this drive is very portable. The plastic casing feels sturdy enough for daily use. We didn’t notice any noise or heat issues while testing. The included 18-inch USB cable was handy, though a longer one would be nice sometimes.

We’ve been using the Seagate Expansion 8TB drive for a few weeks now, and it’s proven to be a reliable storage workhorse. Plugging it in was a breeze – we just connected the power adapter and USB cable, and it was ready to go. No software installation needed.

The massive 8TB capacity has been great for backing up our photo and video libraries. We’ve barely made a dent in the space after transferring over 500GB of files. While not the speediest drive out there, the USB 3.0 connection still moves files along at a decent clip for most uses.

We like the peace of mind that comes with the included data recovery service. It’s a nice bonus if something ever goes wrong. The drive is on the larger side, so it’s best suited for a desk rather than portable use. But for a home office or media server, it fits the bill nicely.

The Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB is a solid choice for anyone looking to expand their storage. We found its plug-and-play setup to be a breeze – no software installation required. Just connect it to a USB port, and you’re good to go.

In our tests, the drive performed well for everyday tasks like backing up files and storing media. The 2TB capacity gave us plenty of room for large collections of photos, videos, and documents. We appreciated how it didn’t slow down our computer when transferring files.

The compact size is a big plus. It easily slips into a pocket or bag, making it perfect for on-the-go use. While it did warm up a bit during long file transfers, it never got hot enough to worry us. The matte finish helps resist fingerprints, keeping it looking neat.

We’ve been using the WD Elements 16TB drive for a few weeks now, and we’re impressed by its performance. The massive storage space is perfect for backing up large media collections or storing hefty video files. We transferred a 50GB folder in about 15 minutes, which is pretty quick for an external drive.

The setup couldn’t be easier. We just plugged it in, and our Windows PC recognized it right away. No software installation needed. The drive is quiet during operation, with only a faint hum when accessing files.

One thing to note is that this is a desktop drive, so it’s not meant to be portable. It needs to be plugged into a wall outlet as well as your computer. The upside is that the external power supply allows for more reliable performance with such a large capacity drive. We think it’s a fair trade-off for the amount of storage you get.

The Samsung T7 impressed us with its lightning-quick performance. We transferred a 10GB file in just seconds. This speed boost over older drives was very noticeable in our tests.

We love how small and tough this drive is. It fits in a pocket and survived a few accidental drops with no issues. The metal case feels solid and kept the drive cool during long file transfers.

Using the T7 was simple on our computers and phones. We didn’t need to install anything on most devices. For extra security, we set up the optional password protection. This was easy to do and gave us peace of mind for sensitive files.

We tested the WD My Passport Ultra 5TB and were impressed by its modern look. The metal casing feels sturdy and looks great next to our laptops. It’s a nice step up from the plastic shells we often see.

The drive is fast and easy to use. We plugged it in and it worked right away with our Windows PC. Mac users will need to reformat it first. The USB-C connection is handy for newer computers, but it also comes with a USB-A adapter for older machines.

We liked the password protection feature. It uses 256-bit AES encryption, which gave us peace of mind when storing sensitive files. The 5TB capacity is huge – we fit thousands of photos, videos, and documents without coming close to filling it up.