Most new computers don’t come with a lot of storage space – unless you’re investing in a high-end model, they are usually 256 or 512 gigabytes. Game consoles like the PS4 and Xbox One come with 1 terabyte drives (which is approximately 1,000 GB), but if you don’t regularly take games out of the drive as you get more, the drives run out easily. A good storage solution is to find the best external hard drive for your needs.
A traditional hard drive that uses “old” hard drive technology (mechanical platters and a movable read and write head to access data) is suitable for most users, thanks to the faster feature USB-C and USB 3.0 (as well as 3.1 / 3.2) interfaces. Prices have dropped significantly in recent years, even with mega-capacity models reaching 5 TB, but costing just over $ 100. A solid-state drive has no moving parts and has read speeds up to four times faster, but it costs a lot more per gigabyte.
Most hard drives here will work on multiple platforms – whether you have a Windows PC, Mac computer, PlayStation 4 or Xbox – as long as the drives are formatted correctly for the right platform. But they will often be designed to work with a specific, out-of-the-box platform and sometimes come with platform-specific backup software. Unless otherwise noted, all PC units mentioned here are compatible with Windows, but can be formatted for Mac. Many of them include cables or adapters to accommodate USB-C and USB-A ports. But if they are not included, you can easily buy dongles for about $ 10.
And remember: a single backup does not solve it. Ideally, you want redundant backups off-site or using cloud storage for important data (like family photos) in the event of theft or fire. And be sure to encrypt your data as well.
With these caveats noted, our current choices for the best external hard drives and SSDs are below. These (or nearly identical models with less storage capacity) were used or tested anecdotally by CNET editors. We will update our list of the best external hard drives and SSDs as we test new products.
David Carnoy / CNET
SanDisk manufactures the Extreme Portable SSD (see below) that offers transfer speeds of up to 550 MB per second, but if you are a photographer or cameraman looking for something faster for your PC or Mac, the Extreme Pro Portable SSD is the right way to go . for extra storage space. The 1 TB version ($ 190) costs just $ 30 more than the standard Extreme Portable and offers almost twice the speed with transfer rates of 1,050 MBps (just over one gigabyte per second), according to SanDisk. I copied a 4.2 GB video file to the SSD in 8.1 seconds from a Mac Mini 2019 running a Core i5 processor with 16 GB of RAM.
Compatible with Macs and Windows PCs, it is technically robust with an IP55 rating, which means it can withstand a steady stream of water. It is also shock resistant. It has a USB-C interface and includes the USB-C to USB-C and USC-A to USB-C cable. The price of the 2 TB model jumps to $ 350.
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For $ 80, you can get an external drive so you don’t have to worry about managing the storage space on your PS4 (you can play without lag directly from the drive). The 2 TB version of the Seagate Game Drive costs about $ 40 less. But you can also spend the extra money and get 4 TB for this portable external hard drive.
Note that Seagate creates an SSD game unit for Xbox, but not for PS4. It costs about $ 200 for 1 TB. See More information.
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If you’re looking for a high-capacity drive for your Xbox One, the WD Black P10 5TB portable hard drive is good value for around $ 150 (the 3 TB version costs $ 110). This external drive also comes with a digital code that offers two months of Microsoft’s Game Pass Ultimate, a good perk, especially if you are already a member. If you don’t need the two months of Game Pass Ultimate, you can save $ 10 on the standard version of the drive, which also works with PCs and PS4. The portable unit can offer speeds of up to 130 MBps. See More information.
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The Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB is one of the most compact non-SSD drives, making it the best external hard drive for those looking to save space. And for less than $ 60, it’s also good value. Available in some color options, it also comes in 1TB ($ 55), 4TB ($ 93) and 5TB ($ 115) versions, but larger capacity units are thicker. See More information.
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This unit is as future-proof – and backward compatible – as they come. You pay a little more than the standard WD drive, but this newer model offers a USB-C connection, which means it has the best and latest connectivity for Macs and PCs. No USB-C on your system? No problem: Western Digital also includes a USB-A to USB-C adapter, to work with almost any computer out of the box. See More information.
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After Seagate acquired LaCie several years ago, LaCie became the company’s premium brand and this 5TB model can be found on several video editors’ tables (including many on CNET). This rugged hard drive uses a USB-C interface, is compatible with Mac and Windows PCs and is water and shock resistant. A 4 TB Thunderbolt with USB-C version is available for Macs equipped with Thunderbolt for about $ 200. See More Information.
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Western Digital, which owns SanDisk, sells its WD My Passport SSD, as well as this external SanDisk portable SSD for basically the same price (about $ 170 for the 1 TB version). I like the design of this model a little more and it is technically robust with an IP55 rating, which means it can withstand a steady stream of water. It is also shock resistant. It has a USB-C interface with transfer speeds of up to 550 MBps. The price of the 2 TB model jumps to $ 300. Read our preview of the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD.
David Carnoy / CNET
If you want to save $ 20 to $ 30 on a 1TB mini SSD, the RavPower Mini external SSD is priced below some branded competitors from SanDisk, Western Digital, Samsung and others. Amazon has it for $ 150 with a $ 20 coupon. It offers data transfer speeds of up to 540 MBps. (Editor’s note, September 2020: This product appears to have disappeared on Amazon and the RavPower website. We will remove it from this list if it does not return soon.) Read more.