While Solid State Drives or SSDs are the fastest forms of storage available out there, many people still prefer to stick to the physical hard disk drives. Yes, they might not be able to match the high speed of SSDs, but they offer a ton of storage space for way less price. Now, with so many options available to choose from, which one should you go with? Well, if you are looking for a portable hard disk, fret not, as we bring to you our list of 10 best external hard disk drives that you can buy:
1. Western Digital My Passport Portable External Hard Drive
Western Digital is one of the most famous and biggest names when it comes to storage of all sorts. The Westen Digital My Passport is one of the company’s best selling products, simply because of the level of reliability and performance that it offers. Available in an array of vibrant, fun colors, the sleek style fits comfortably in the palm of your hand, so you can easily take your treasured content everywhere you go. The external hard disk drive comes with USB 3.0 connectivity and up to 4TB capacity. Additionally, WD also provides its customers with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption with the WD Security software that helps keep your content private and safe.
Buy from Amazon: ($52, 1TB)
2. Seagate Backup Plus Portable External Hard Drive
If not Western Digital, then Seagate has to be your preferred storage partner. At just 12.1millimeters thin, the Seagate Backup Plus offers storage options of up to 4TB of capacity. It makes use of the high-speed USB 3.0 and 2.0 connectivity which offers plug-and-play functionality on your PC and a max data transfer speed of 120MB/s without the need for an external power supply. The Seagate Backup Plus is a simple and neat looking external HDD, available in Red, Blue, Black and Silver color options. What’s more is that included in the price of the external hard disk drive is a 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan.
Buy from Amazon: ($59.95, 1TB)
3. LaCie Porsche Design External Hard Drive
External hard disk drives don’t have to look all that plain and simple, right? That’s where the LaCie External HDD comes in. Featuring a 3 mm solid aluminum casing surrounding the disk inside, the Porsche Design Mobile Drive looks absolutely stunning and elegant. The external hard drive makes use of the USB 3.0 Type-C port to deliver speeds up to 100 MB/s. Also, while the company states that the product was designed for Mac users, any PC user with a Type-C port will also be able to experience the same level of premiumness that this drive offers.
Buy from Amazon: ($74.94, 1TB)
4. Toshiba Canvio Basics
One of the most high-performing yet portable external hard disk drives out there, the Toshiba Canvio Basics is a no-frills and simple looking external HDD. Despite its small and compact size along with a smudge-resistant design, the Canvio Basics can offer storage options starting from 500GB and all the way up to 3TB. As for data security, the HDD comes equipped with an Internal Shock Sensor and Ramp-Loading Technology which helps protect your drive from damage due to accidental drops. All in all, the Toshiba Canvio Basics is the external hard disk drive for you if you want a simple and reliable external HDD which is plug and play from the get-go.
Buy from Amazon: ($58.95, 1TB)
5. Adata HD710 Pro External Hard Drive
Data protection comes in all sizes, and users want the best protection possible for their data, right? Designed for outdoor people who want rugged devices is the Adata HD710 Pro which packs in a robust and stylish enclosure at an attractive price point. Apart from the industry standard protection of IP68 dust and waterproof standards, the external hard disk drive also passes military-grade shock proofing with triple-layered protective construction. All this, coupled with storage options up to 4TB and USB 3.1 Gen 1 connectivity make the Adata HD710 Pro one of the most reliable external hard disk drives out there.
Buy from Amazon: ($69.20, 1TB)
6. WD Elements Portable External Hard Drive
Simple and portable is exactly how you define the Western Digital Elements external hard disk drive. With up to 4TB in a lightweight design, you can take your photos, videos, music and other files wherever you go. Oh, and thanks to USB 3.0 connectivity, you get maximum performance speeds of up to 5 GB/s when transferring your files to and from WD Elements portable drive. While the WD My Passport comes with data protection, the WD Elements external HDD is a simple plug and play drive that can easily be your go-to drive.
Buy from Amazon: ($52.99, 1TB)
7. Silicon Power Armor A60 USB 3.0 Type C External Hard Drive
If the Adata HD710 Pro is a little too out there for you, but you still prefer having an advanced level of durability on your device, the Silicon Power Armor A60 might interest you. The A60 external hard disk drive is military-grade shockproof and has IPX4 water-resistant protection. It makes use of a USB 3.0 interface along with support for Type-C. Also, unlike other manufacturers that offer a single year of warranty, the Silicon Power Armor A60 comes with 3-years of manufacturer warranty. All in all, the Silicon Power Armor A60 is a good looking and highly reliable external hard disk drive.
Buy from Amazon: ($72, 1TB)
8. Apricorn Aegis Padlock USB 3.0 256-bit AES XTS Hardware Encrypted Portable External Hard Drive
Data encryption and password protection are the main focuses of the Apricorn Aegis Padlock. Considering that it relies on the USB 3.0 port for connectivity, the transfer rates are almost the same as other competing HDDs on this list. But what makes this external hard disk drive unique is the 256-bit AES XTS Hardware Encryption thanks to the Wear Resistant Key Pad. The body in itself comes with tough epoxy coating to protect it from physical attacks. And in case things go south, the hard disk also comes with a Brute Force Self Destruct Feature.
Buy from Amazon: ($189, 1TB)
9. Seagate Backup Plus Hub External Desktop Hard Drive Storage
If you’re interested in purchasing an external hard disk drive to offload all your system data, the largest size matters. The Seagate Backup Plus Hub is one of the best external hard disk drives in that department, allowing you to run a one-click backup or schedule an automatic backup plan to protect your files on its high storage options starting from 3TB and going all the way up to 10TB. The Hub makes use of USB 3.0 for connectivity, but also comes with two integrated high-speed USB 3.0 ports on the front that allow you to connect and recharge your other USB devices as well. Oh, and Backup Plus Hub also includes a 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan.
Buy from Amazon: ($154.99, 8TB)
10. Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro
Wireless connectivity is on the rise, and the Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro embraces that technology. Apart from using a USB 3.0 port for connectivity, the external hard disk drive also comes equipped with wireless 802.11ac for fast data transfers. Offering a battery backup of up to 10 hours, you can use the external hard disk drive for wirelessly streaming 4K videos and viewing photos with the My Cloud mobile app. Additionally, the Wireless Pro External HDD also comes with an SD card slot, allowing you to quickly transfer media from your camera’s SD card.
Buy from Amazon: ($149.99, 1TB)
SEE ALSO: 10 Best External SSDs You Can Buy
10 Best External Hard Disk Drives You Can Buy
Well, that’s all from our side. The above list was curated with a lot of members of the Beebom team getting together and deciding on the best choices. Thanks to the powerful USB 3.0/3.1 connectivity options, you can transfer your data to a portable hard disk drive at fast speeds. So, did any of the aforementioned external hard disk drives catch your eye? Or do you have any other suggestions in store for us? Make sure to share your thoughts in the comments section below.
