Hard Drives: Buying Advice, Tips, and News
Need more space? An external hard drive offers an affordable way to store backups, photos, videos, and more. We’ve been testing drives for decades, and we rigorously benchmark the latest models to recommend the top options for every budget and workload.
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Byte Right: Our Shopping Guide to External Hard DrivesLaptop drive almost full? Need to back up your photos? Desktop-size and portable platter storage provides a cost-effective alternative to SSDs. Our deep-dive reviews help you track down the right external hard drive.
By Tony Hoffman
Our Current Top Tested Picks
WD My Passport, Works with USB-C (6TB)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The name may be quirky, but the WD My Passport, Works with USB-C is a capacity champ among portable external hard drives, available in versions up to 6TB.
Full WD My Passport, Works with USB-C (6TB) ReviewPros
- 6TB is current peak capacity for a portable hard drive
- Includes Acronis True Image backup software
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Good benchmark results for a portable platter-based drive
Cons
- USB-C compatibility requires included adapter
- Platter drives are inherently slow compared with external SSDs
Pros
- 6TB is current peak capacity for a portable hard drive
- Includes Acronis True Image backup software
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Good benchmark results for a portable platter-based drive
Cons
- USB-C compatibility requires included adapter
- Platter drives are inherently slow compared with external SSDs
WD My Book
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The 8TB version of the Western Digital My Book is a deep well of affordable storage for your photos, music, videos, and more.
Full WD My Book ReviewPros
- Comes in a variety of large capacities.
- Three-year warranty.
Cons
- Requires external power adapter.
Pros
- Comes in a variety of large capacities.
- Three-year warranty.
Cons
- Requires external power adapter.
ADATA HD710M Pro External Hard Drive
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Love or hate its camouflage look, the ADATA HD710M Pro external rugged hard drive provides on-par performance and fine durability at a competitive price.
Full ADATA HD710M Pro External Hard Drive ReviewPros
- Durable in drop tests.
- Good dollar-per-gigabyte ratio.
- Trim enclosure.
- Lightweight for a ruggedized unit.
- Cable storage around the edges.
Cons
- Camouflage exterior may not be for everyone.
- Plastic housing only.
Pros
- Durable in drop tests.
- Good dollar-per-gigabyte ratio.
- Trim enclosure.
- Lightweight for a ruggedized unit.
- Cable storage around the edges.
Cons
- Camouflage exterior may not be for everyone.
- Plastic housing only.
SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD is an attractive, cost-effective portable hard drive, best for Mac users, that provides some protection from the elements but lacks a software suite and hardware-based encryption.
Full SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD ReviewPros
- Rugged enough to protect from the elements, with rubberized sheath and port cover
- Attractive design
- Ideal for use with macOS
- Both USB-C and USB-A cables bundled
- Competitive pricing
Cons
- Lacks software suite and hardware-based encryption
- Requires reformatting for use with Windows
Pros
- Rugged enough to protect from the elements, with rubberized sheath and port cover
- Attractive design
- Ideal for use with macOS
- Both USB-C and USB-A cables bundled
- Competitive pricing
Cons
- Lacks software suite and hardware-based encryption
- Requires reformatting for use with Windows
WD Black P10 Game Drive
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
Endowed with a gamer aesthetic, the WD Black P10 Game Drive can serve as a simple, stylish repository for your massive game library at a reasonable price.
Full WD Black P10 Game Drive ReviewPros
- Sturdy, compact design
- Good grippability
- Appealing gamer aesthetic
Cons
- USB Type-C cable not included
Pros
- Sturdy, compact design
- Good grippability
- Appealing gamer aesthetic
Cons
- USB Type-C cable not included
iStorage DiskAshur DT2
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
A vault for sensitive data, the iStorage DiskAshur DT2 is a desktop hard drive offering huge capacity (up to 18TB), a host of security features with multiple government certifications, and a relatively low cost per gigabyte.
Full iStorage DiskAshur DT2 ReviewPros
- Immense capacity
- Low cost per gigabyte for a security-centric drive
- AES-XTS 256-bit full-disk hardware encryption
- FIPS 140-2 Level 2/3, NCSC CPA, NLNCSA BSPA, and NATO Restricted certifications
- Easy for authorized users to unlock
Cons
- No protective case or ruggedness features
- Low score in PCMark 10 benchmark for everyday storage tasks
Pros
- Immense capacity
- Low cost per gigabyte for a security-centric drive
- AES-XTS 256-bit full-disk hardware encryption
- FIPS 140-2 Level 2/3, NCSC CPA, NLNCSA BSPA, and NATO Restricted certifications
- Easy for authorized users to unlock
Cons
- No protective case or ruggedness features
- Low score in PCMark 10 benchmark for everyday storage tasks
LaCie Mobile Drive (2022)
- 5.0 - Exemplary: Near perfection, ground-breaking
- 4.5 - Outstanding: Best in class, acts as a benchmark for measuring competitors
- 4.0 - Excellent: A performance, feature, or value leader in its class, with few shortfalls
- 3.5 - Good: Does what the product should do, and does so better than many competitors
- 3.0 - Average: Does what the product should do, and sits in the middle of the pack
- 2.5 - Fair: We have some reservations, buy with caution
- 2.0 - Subpar: We do not recommend, buy with extreme caution
- 1.5 - Poor: Do not buy this product
- 1.0 - Dismal: Don't even think about buying this product
Read Our Editorial Mission Statement and Testing Methodologies.
The 2022 edition of LaCie's Mobile Drive offers a cool, corrugated new design but is otherwise little changed from its 2019 predecessor. It's a little costly, but it's easy to set up and use, and comes with a handy backup tool.
Full LaCie Mobile Drive (2022) ReviewPros
- Sleek design
- Available in capacities up to 5TB
- LaCie Toolkit software handles backup, restore, and mirroring
- Three-year access to data recovery service
- Compatible with Windows, Macs, and iPads
Cons
- Relatively pricey
- Low PCMark 10 overall test score
Pros
- Sleek design
- Available in capacities up to 5TB
- LaCie Toolkit software handles backup, restore, and mirroring
- Three-year access to data recovery service
- Compatible with Windows, Macs, and iPads
Cons
- Relatively pricey
- Low PCMark 10 overall test score
Latest Hard Drive Stories
The Seagate One Touch external hard drive's big capacities, simple setup, and bus-powered operation make it an ideal solution for terabytes of cost-effective data storage.
$289.99
Seagate's RGB-lit FireCuda X Vault external hard drive is exactly what gamers need to cost-effectively store a large library of titles in cold storage.
$301.26
Forget about email hackers. What if someone nabs your external drive and all the data on it? Thwart thieves with a drive with strong encryption and security features. We've tested loads of them.
Running out of storage space, or looking for a smart way to back up your Mac? We've tested the top options to help you choose the best Apple-friendly SSD or hard drive for your needs.
Laptop drive almost full? Need to back up your photos? Desktop-size and portable platter storage provides a cost-effective alternative to SSDs. Our deep-dive reviews help you track down the right external hard drive.
Need portable storage that can survive a wilderness trek...or just the worst commute ever? Here's what to look for, plus reviews of the best tough flash and platter drives we've tested.
Here's how to make sure all the personal files and other data on your storage drive are erased and unrecoverable, whether you're running Windows 11, 10, 8.1, or 7.
High Bandwidth drives with 'dual pivot' technology may be just the start, with the potential to quadruple standard HDD performance.
External hard drives back up your most important files, but what happens when they malfunction? Here's what to do if your device is not detected by Windows or macOS.
The pocket-sized Samsung T9 Portable SSD 1TB drive transfers your largest files in seconds, and it's almost $50 off for Black Friday. 'Tis the season to secure your valuable files!
No more cluttered desktops or random USB chaos with this Seagate 4TB Backup Plus Portable drive that keeps your files safe, organized, and saves you almost 20% at Walmart.
If you have important data trapped on a computer that's not working, there are ways to recover it. You should already have a backup, but here's what you can do in an emergency.
The Western Digital Elements external hard drive is a simple, no-fuss USB 3.0 drive that’s perfect for backups, game files, and everyday storage.
If you need to migrate your data or are looking to keep a backup handy, you can clone your data drive. Here's how I did it without forking over any cash.
Just plug this USB stick into your device, drag-and-drop the files, and they're actually gone. Plus, it's only $30 with free shipping.
Backing things up doesn’t have to be a chore or cost a fortune. This 6TB WD My Passport drive is compact, secure, and $52 off thanks to Amazon's Spring Sale.
The WD 5TB Elements Portable Hard Drive offers plenty of space for all your files, photos, and videos. With a $50 discount, it’s a simple way to keep everything backed up while on the go.
Now available in a 6TB version, the Mac-oriented SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD offers some protection from the elements, but relatively slow speeds make it suited only to those who crave capacity.
$189.99
A few deals on SSDs and external hard drives are still ripe for the picking. Get all your backup needs squared away while you can.
Now that Cyber Monday is here, we've screened all the deals to help you find the best SSDs and external hard drives to upgrade your work and entertainment setup.
