Best External Hard Drive (2025): SSD to Store Data, Video & More Leave a comment
In the event you’re operating out of cupboard space in your laptop computer, or if you want to again up your information and retailer that backlog of movies you are going to edit in the future (I’m, I swear), an exterior exhausting drive can remedy your drawback. The difficulty is, there are tons of of drive choices starting from filth low-cost to loopy costly—which one is true to your wants? I’ve examined dozens, throughout working techniques and with completely different use circumstances in thoughts, to search out the perfect exterior exhausting drives for storage, backups, gaming, video enhancing, network-attached storage (NAS) units, and extra.
Try our different guides, together with How one can Again Up and Transfer Your Images Between Providers, How one can Again Up Your Digital Life, and How one can Again Up Your iPhone.
Up to date February 2025: We have added the Western Digital My Passport Extremely, LaCie’s Rugged Pro5, and the Samsung EVO 990 naked drive. We have additionally up to date costs and hyperlinks all through.
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Desk of Contents
Selecting the correct exhausting drive comes all the way down to balancing three issues: pace, dimension, and value. In the event you’re making nightly backups, then pace in all probability does not matter. Go for the most cost effective drive yow will discover—up to a degree. Drives do not final ceaselessly, however some last more than others. I recommend sticking with identified manufacturers with a very good repute, like Seagate, Western Digital, Samsung, and the others featured right here. That is based mostly partly on expertise and partly on the drive failure information that Backblaze has been publishing for years now. Backblaze goes by way of huge quantities of exhausting drives backing up prospects’ information, and its report is price studying. The takeaway is straightforward: Follow names you recognize.
Which Are the Most Dependable Manufacturers of Exterior Exhausting Drives?
That is troublesome to reply, because it is determined by too many elements. However in case you go by Backblaze’s stats report for 2023, the perfect drive makes are Toshiba, Seagate, Western Digital, and Hitachi (HGST in Backblaze’s charts). The present best-performing drives seem like Seagate’s 6- and 8-TB SSDs. With that in thoughts, if I have been constructing a network-attached storage (NAS) system, the Seagate Exos 8 TB HDD is what I might use. After that although, failures—particularly amongst SSDs—seem fairly random.
Which Is Higher, SSD or HDD?
It is determined by what you are doing. In the event you want quick information switch speeds, you then desire a solid-state drive (SSD). You probably have huge quantities of information to retailer or again up, then a spinning drive (hybrid exhausting drive, or HDD) is the cheaper choice. In the event you’re a videographer, you want each—open your pockets large. Typically, SSDs are the best way to go when you’ll be able to afford it.
If pace trumps value, you then need to have a look at the solid-state drives we have listed right here. SSDs do not simply have a pace benefit. Additionally they lack transferring elements, which implies they will stand up to the bumps and falls of life in a bag on the street higher than spinning drives. The drawback is that they’ll put on out quicker. Each write operation to an SSD—that’s, whenever you save one thing to it—barely degrades the person NAND cells that make up the drive, which wears it out considerably quicker than a spinning drive. Simply how a lot quicker is determined by how you employ it. That mentioned, I’ve a number of SSDs which might be greater than 5 years outdated, and I’ve used them for every day backups all through that point. None of them have had any issues.
Do you want an SSD over a spinning drive? The reply is sort of all the time sure—in case you can afford it. However they’re particularly helpful for any drive you are working with often: your essential boot drive, an exterior drive you employ to edit paperwork from, and for backups, in case you want them to occur quick.
The one caveat is that in case your Mac or PC does not help the identical USB normal because the exterior SSD you are contemplating, you then is perhaps losing your cash. A drive claiming USB 3.0 speeds within the neighborhood of two,000 Mbps will do you no good if all of your laptop computer has is USB 2.0 ports. Remember to test the specs to your laptop computer, and do not waste your cash paying for switch speeds you may by no means see.
Which Backup Software program Ought to You Use?
The reply is determined by whether or not we’re speaking about macOS, Home windows, Linux, Android, or no matter Apple working system you is perhaps utilizing now or sooner or later. Sadly, there is no such thing as a one answer for every thing. We recommend utilizing one (or two) of the storage units right here and a few form of cloud storage backup as nicely. That manner, even when your drives fail, your information continues to be backed up within the cloud. See our full information to backing up your digital life for our top-pick backup options for each platform.
How We Examined Exterior Exhausting Drives
I examined these drives by first operating them by way of a collection of benchmarking instruments. On Home windows, I exploit CrystalDiskMark to measure each sequential learn/write speeds and random learn/write speeds. On macOS, I do the identical with the Blackmagic Disk Velocity Check and generally AmorphousDiskMark, and on Linux, I exploit KDiskMark (and I normally reformat the disk from exFAT to ext4). I run exams six instances after which take the typical. Along with benchmarks, I’ve two folders for testing real-world speeds. I switch a 25-gigabyte folder of MP3 information, after which a folder with three information that collectively are 25 gigabytes in dimension. For high finish drives I additionally check learn and write speeds for ProRes RAW video information.
As soon as I’ve run the exams, I exploit the drive in day-to-day duties—enhancing information straight off it (booting from it within the case of naked drives), making nightly backups, tossing it in my digital camera bag, and so forth. All these information factors, together with value, kind issue, portability, and different performance (does it provide encryption, and many others.), go into informing the selections about which disk is finest.
Finest for Backups
For incremental backups, which we suggest, pace is not an enormous issue. That is why the primary drive I like to recommend is that this Western Digital Parts exhausting drive. I’ve been utilizing a variation of the Parts desktop exhausting drive to make incremental backups of my information for greater than a decade now. These drives are huge and require exterior energy, however they’re among the least expensive, most dependable drives I’ve used.
Switch speeds are usually not off the charts—the Parts drive I examined scored 120 megabits per second (Mbps) for sequential writes on Home windows—however once more, you need to ideally be operating backups in a single day anyway, and even at these speeds the typical PC backup might be accomplished by morning. These drives use USB-C with help for USB 3, and I’ve had no drawback utilizing them with Home windows, macOS, and Linux.
Storage choices go all the best way as much as 20 terabytes. Simply test the costs; generally you may get a 10- and even 12-TB drive for not way more than the 8-terabyte model. And I’ve not seen an enormous distinction between the Parts line, the WD My Book drives, or the WD My Passport drives. The My Passport drives command a premium value as a result of they’re smaller, and the My Ebook drives have some encryption options that drive up the worth, however I discover the fundamental Parts drive is ample for most individuals.
Different Nice Backup Drives
- Seagate Expansion 8-TB External Hard Drive for $159: Seagate is one other dependable drive maker. It by no means hurts to have extra backups, and in case you do need a number of backups, use drives from completely different manufacturers, since it is going to scale back the prospect that each fail concurrently.
Finest for Moveable Backups
In the event you journey so much, you may need one thing that is simpler to hold than the Parts drives, which are not the perfect in a suitcase. For backups when touring, I like Western Digital’s My Passport collection, particularly the brand new “Extremely” model, which makes use of a typical USB-C twine, eliminating the necessity to carry a separate cable. It isn’t the thinnest drive available on the market, but it surely’s lower than an inch thick and stable sufficient that I by no means fearful about tossing it in my bag. (Though it needs to be mentioned that this can be a spinning drive, so do not actually toss it.) I additionally like that the corners are properly rounded and there are not any screws or anything that can catch on cloth in your bag.
There are a number of colours obtainable and you may get from 1 TB to six TB. I examined the 5-TB mannequin, however Western Digital claims the identical speeds no matter drive dimension. I examined it utilizing CrystalDiskMark on Home windows, AmorphousDiskMark on macOS, and KDiskMark on Linux and averaged the outcomes to provide you with 121 MB/s for learn pace and 115 MB/s write pace. It isn’t what you’d need to copy photographs shortly for a shopper within the discipline, however quick sufficient to run a every day backup in your resort room.
Different Moveable Backup Drives
The Finest Drive for When Velocity Is Every little thing
LaCie has up to date its rugged SSD line with the Rugged Pro5. This one ditches the long-lasting orange padding for blue, however it’s in any other case identical to the strange LaCie padded drives on the skin. On the within, that is an amazingly quick drive. The 5 within the identify is for, you guessed it, Thunderbolt 5, which regardless of being introduced seemingly forever ago, has been painfully sluggish to trickle onto the market. This made testing a bit difficult, however thankfully a pal let me borrow his brand-new MacBook Professional 14 for testing. And the outcomes have been spectacular.
LaCie claims learn/write speeds of as much as 6,700 MB/s and 5,300 MB/s, which it says are sufficient for real-time enhancing of 8K and 6K RAW footage. In testing the best speeds, file transfers have been 5,787 MB/s learn and 5,188 MB/s write—which, whereas not fairly matching the declare, continues to be far and away the quickest drive on the web page. However uncooked speeds are simply numbers for spreadsheets; I used to be extra concerned with real-world efficiency. Since I occurred to even be testing the Nikon Z6III (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which might shoot 6K ProRes RAW, I loaded a very good little bit of footage on the Pro5 and was certainly in a position to edit utilizing DaVinci Resolve Studio.
The draw back right here is the worth. At $600 for the 4-TB model (which is the minimal you’d need for working with ProRes RAW video information), this can be a very expensive drive. It’s nonetheless, nicely definitely worth the cash if it is pace you are after.
Finest Funds Moveable SSD
These Essential drives are my favourite general-purpose exterior storage drives. They’re fairly priced (for a conveyable SSD) and speedy sufficient for many makes use of. The X6 is light-weight and tiny, making it a good selection for working on the espresso store.
This is not a blinding-fast exhausting disk. In truth, underneath the hood, the X6 makes use of an older drive interface (Serial AT Attachment, or SATA), which was extra widespread with spinning exhausting drives. So whereas it is small and lightweight, its pace is restricted by that older interface expertise. In my testing on Home windows and macOS, that works out to about 550 Mbps learn pace and 208 Mbps write pace. That is ok for backup and use as an exterior drive, however I do not suggest it for Xbox or PlayStation use. It does work high quality with the iPad Professional although.
The most important draw back is the plastic development—it’s a conveyable exhausting drive, not an indestructible exhausting drive. In the event you’re fearful about it breaking in your bag, seize a padded case. There are loads on the market, like this one. The Essential X9 (under) is a step up from the X6, each when it comes to construct high quality (it is steel to the X6’s plastic) and pace, however the X9 is significantly costlier.
Different Nice Funds Drives
- Kingston XS1000 2-TB for $120: This tiny little drive is the smallest on this information. Just like the Essential X6, it has a principally plastic enclosure, but it surely has withstood life in my bag fairly nicely. Whereas it is not as strong because the padded choices under, it is sturdy sufficient for many issues. It is also speedy. Kingston claims as much as 1,050 Mbps. I by no means managed that, however I routinely hit round 800 Mbps, with some older laptops nearer to 600 Mbps, which continues to be fairly good. The drive bogs down a bit with giant information (MP4s, for instance), so it is not the perfect for professional videographers, however for everybody else, this can be a stable, barely cheaper choice.
Finest for Photographers
Essential’s X9 Professional hits the candy spot of pace, portability, and value to be the most effective drives on the market for photographers seeking to make backups within the discipline. These drives are tiny, about half the dimensions of a deck of playing cards, and weigh a mere 1.3 ounces (38 grams). They’re going to hook up with absolutely anything. I examined the X9 Professional on Home windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS and by no means hit any points with any of them. In the case of pace, the X9 Professional claims symmetrical learn and write speeds, at 1,050 Mbps. I really constantly obtained greater speeds, as much as 1,110 Mbps for learn and 1,100 Mbps for write. That places the X9 Professional on the high of the pack when it comes to transportable drive pace.
I have been testing the X9 Professional for a number of months now, and whereas I am unable to but converse to the long-term survival price, I’ve been testing X6 and X8 drives from Essential for over two years now with out difficulty. There may be additionally the X10 Pro drive ($180), which gives even quicker speeds if in case you have a PC that helps USB 2X2. (The newest Intel chips help this spec, however Apple doesn’t, so there isn’t any level in shopping for the X10 Professional if in case you have a Mac.) I don’t personal a PC that helps USB 2X2 for intensive testing, however I did get an opportunity to a minimum of attempt it, and the X10 Professional does certainly ship on its promise of two,100 Mbps (I obtained it as much as 2,050 Mbps). In case your {hardware} helps it, the X10 Professional is price the additional cash.
Finest Go-Wherever Drive
In the event you want a drive that may stand as much as life in a backpack or digital camera bag, get moist, or deal with a drop onto exhausting surfaces, OWC drives are your most suitable option. It is powerful to choose a winner right here as a result of there are lots of stable choices, however OWC’s Elektron drive narrowly beat others in benchmark exams. I additionally like that you may swap out the drive contained in the aluminum casing (it is simple to unscrew), which implies two years from now, you’ll be able to decide up a quicker naked SSD and drop it within the hardy Elektron enclosure.
Different Nice Rugged SSDs
- Sabrent Rocket Nano 1-TB SSD for $120: I actually like this one. It is smaller and barely quicker than the OWC, but it surely has two drawbacks. The primary is that it will probably get sizzling. In the event you’re attempting to work with it in your lap, it may be downright uncomfortable. The opposite difficulty is that generally it is sluggish to be acknowledged by my PC. I may discover no sample to this; generally it appeared straight away, and different instances it took a few minutes. If these issues do not trouble you, this drive is tiny, cheaper, and features a padded rubber case.
Finest Padded Drive
The go-anywhere drives above are a stable answer for individuals who have to make backups within the discipline, like photographers and videographers. However in order for you an additional degree of consolation, this padded drive from LaCie has lengthy been a favourite of vacationers. LaCie makes each an SSD model and a conventional spinning drive model. If pace is not a problem, as with making nightly backups, then the cheaper spinning drive makes extra sense. In the event you’re backing up in the course of a photograph shoot or comparable scenario the place backing up must occur quick, the SSD model is what you need.
Different Nice Padded Choices
- Samsung T7 Shield 2-TB SSD for $149: It is not as padded as LaCie’s rugged drives, but it surely’s cheaper and delivers almost the identical pace. It has an IP65 score, which implies it is high quality within the rain and is protected against mud and sand. The T7 line is notable for its built-in security measures like hardware-based encryption, however in contrast to the Touch model, the Protect doesn’t have a fingerprint reader. Nonetheless, in case you do not want the complete padded safety of the LaCie and need to save a little bit cash, the T7 Protect is an efficient choice.
Finest Gaming Drive
Take this class with a grain of salt. Many of the drives right here will work simply high quality for gaming (simply stick to the quickest you’ll be able to afford). That mentioned, Western Digital’s new P40 does have some cool RGB lights on the underside if that is your jam. In my testing, that did not appear to affect energy consumption.
As for pace, my exams have been inconsistent. This drive is able to speeds that handily beat each the Envoy Professional and Samsung T7, however at different instances it appeared to bathroom down (a minimum of in benchmarks). In real-world use, the bottleneck I constantly hit was some lag in transferring big quantities of information. That is perhaps a deal-breaker for some, however for the worth, it stays a stable alternative.
Finest Naked Drive
If you wish to put an even bigger SSD in your laptop computer, all you want is a naked drive, which is mostly cheaper than the drives with enclosures listed above. The very first thing to determine is which drive your PC makes use of. Seek the advice of your producer’s documentation to search out out. In my expertise, the most typical kind issue is M.2 2280, which is the lengthy, skinny drive within the picture above. Extra compact laptops might use the same, however shorter, M.2 2242 design. Once more, test your PC to substantiate the drive it wants before you purchase. There are a ton of those available on the market, and I have not had time to check many but, however thus far, out of the half dozen I’ve tried, Western Digital’s WD Black collection has stood out for pace, and it does not run extremely popular.
The SN 770 M.2 2280 achieved speeds of 5,100 Mbps in my testing, which is blazing quick. In the event you’re doing loads of drive-intensive duties, like enhancing video or gaming, this drive is nicely definitely worth the cash. The biggest model you may get is 2 TB, however the value is affordable contemplating the pace improve. I have been utilizing it as my essential drive for a number of months and located it quick sufficient for every thing I do, together with enhancing 5.2K video footage and compiling software program. My favourite half? It generates little or no warmth. My older Dell XPS 13 used to get too sizzling to make use of with out one thing between it and my lap. Now it does not get sizzling till I begin attempting to export video, however shortly cools off as quickly because it’s accomplished.
A Luxurious Improve
- Western Digital SN850X 2-TB SSD for $85: This drive is so screaming quick I needed to run my exams twice as a result of I did not imagine the primary end result. Western Digital claims as much as 7,300 Mbps learn speeds, and in benchmark exams, this drive’s outcomes got here shut. To take full benefit of the pace right here, you may want a system that helps the PCIe 4.0 SSD normal, however this can be a nice drive if you wish to improve a gaming system, whether or not it is a desktop PC or your PlayStation. This drive can be one of many few I’ve seen that is obtainable as much as 8-TB capacity.
- Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2-TB for $143: The 990 EVO Plus is an improve to the highly regarded 990 EVO. The unique didn’t provide something compelling and by no means made this information, however the brand new model manages to be impressively speedy and never overly sizzling, as many Gen 5 PCIe disks I’ve examined have been. The 990 EVO Plus additionally launched with a 4-TB mannequin, one thing lacking the primary time round. By way of pace it does not fairly match the SN850X above, topping out at 5,677 MB/s learn, but it surely’s loads quick for many makes use of and stays fairly cool even when pushed. In the event you’re searching for a very good all-around drive that stays cool, this one makes a good selection, although it’s on the expensive aspect for what you get.
