Usb backup hard drives9/19/2023 If you are getting an external SSD and your PC has at least one 10 Gbps port, we recommend spending a little extra to upgrade to 10 Gbps. What USB connection? You can get a drive with a USB or Thunderbolt interface that operates at up to 5 Gbps (USB 3.x), 10 Gbps (USB 3.1 / 3.2 Gen 2), 20 Gbps (USB 3.2 Gen 2x2) or 40 Gbps (Thunderbolt or USB 4) but you'll pay more for the privilege. But if you need cavernous amounts of external storage, a hard drive is a better option for most, as multi-terabyte external SSDs sell for several hundred dollars, but 4TB portable hard drives can sell for under $100 (£90). A portable SSD will also be much faster at reading and writing lots of data. If you don’t need terabytes of storage and you often travel with your drive, a portable SSD is worth paying extra for. But they’re also much slower and more fragile than solid-state drives. Portable Hard Drive or SSD? Drives that have spinning storage platters inside are very affordable, with 1TB models often selling for under $50 (£40).Picking the Best External Drive or SSD for You Some of the fastest flash drives these days, though, are getting close to SSD performance, and some models offer up capacities up to 2TB, so they are a much more viable performance option than they used to be. You could also go for one of the best Flash drives, which are all pocket-friendly but usually not as performant as SSDs. If you're looking for a less expensive, more-DIY alternative you can also create your own external drive with one of the best SSD and hard drive enclosures. To help you pick the right storage device for your needs, we test and review dozens of drives as they become available and publish our list of specific recommendations for the best portable SSDs and hard drives on this page. So, which is the best external hard drive? We like all of the drives we've mentioned below, so it really depends on how much storage space you need and how much you're willing to spend to get it.But with dozens of portable storage options available, how do you know which is the right external drive to buy? Should you opt for a speedier, more rugged (and more expensive) external SSD instead of a portable hard drive made up of comparatively fragile spinning platters and an actuator arm? Or could a slower, roomier and much cheaper portable hard drive be adequate for your storage needs? Portable drives are ultra convenient but cost more, whereas the desktop drives are cheaper and often have higher capacities.Īs prices fall, SSD (solid-state drives) are becoming more popular: they're ultra-fast – much quicker than conventional mechanical drives – but you will pay extra for that speed, and can't usually get as much in terms of capacity. The good news is choosing an external hard drive needn’t be particularly time-consuming task – it's mainly a question of capacity, which boils down to how much room you need for all your stuff, now and in the future.Īfter capacity, consider if you want a portable drive (powered via USB), or a fixed desktop drive (with its own power socket). How to choose the best external hard drive for you Best computer speakers: get immersive audio.A variety of connection options are included, from USB 3.0 Type-C to Thunderbolt and Firewire, and it's Mac and Windows compatible as well. It's also pressure-resistant, and comes with automatic backup software and encryption to keep your data as safe as possible. If you're looking for an external hard drive to cope with the stresses and strains of modern-day life then you can't do much better than the bright, padded Rugged model from Lacie, shock and drop resistant to a height of 1.2 metres when not running. If you want to take a lot of storage around with you anywhere, give it a look. Some people won't care what their external hard drive looks like, and perhaps they're right not to, but we're very much fans of the aesthetic on show here.Ĭapacities go all the way up to 5TB but it's the slimline 2TB that's the real star of the range: it's very slim and very light, and it won't get noisy or hot during use, as it transfers data over its USB 3.2 Gen 1 connection (with a USB-A plug). It'll transfer your files quickly enough, but we wouldn't recommend trying to actually run games from this.Īs with the rest of the WD Black series, the industrial looks of the drive really catch the eye: all ridged black plastic that gives an extra sense of style and durability. The WD Black P10 is a fine choice for your next external hard drive if you're prioritising value for money over raw speed: it's a 2.5-inch HDD running at a speed of 5,400 rpm, so don't expect blistering SSD performance, and it's priced accordingly.
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