Best External Hard Drive (2026): SSD to Store Data, Video & More

If you're running retired of retention abstraction connected your laptop oregon you request to backmost up your information and store that backlog of videos you're going to edit 1 time (I am, I swear), an outer hard thrust tin lick your problem. The occupation is, determination are hundreds of thrust options ranging from dirt-cheap to crazy-expensive—which 1 is close for your needs? I've tested dozens, crossed operating systems and with antithetic usage cases successful mind, to find the champion outer hard drives for storage, backups, gaming, video editing, network-attached retention (NAS) devices, and more.

Check retired our different guides, including How to Back Up and Move Your Photos Between Services, How to Back Up Your Digital Life, and How to Back Up Your iPhone.

Updated January 2026: We've added Seagate's One Touch SSD, swapped retired our padding thrust pick, and removed the Crucial X6, which, sadly, has been discontinued. We've besides added a enactment explaining the rebranding of WD_Black and WD Blue drives arsenic SeaGate Optimus GX, and updated prices and links throughout.

Best for Backups

For incremental backups, which we recommend, velocity isn't a immense factor. That's wherefore the archetypal thrust I urge is this Western Digital Elements hard drive. I person been utilizing a saltation of the Elements desktop hard thrust to marque incremental backups of my information for much than a decade. These drives are large and necessitate outer power, but they're immoderate of the cheapest, astir reliable drives I've used.

Transfer speeds are not disconnected the charts—the Elements thrust I tested scored 120 megabytes per 2nd (MB/s) for sequential writes connected Windows—but again, you should ideally beryllium moving backups overnight anyway, and adjacent astatine these speeds the mean PC backup volition beryllium done by morning. These drives usage USB-C with enactment for USB 3, and I've had nary occupation utilizing them with Windows, macOS, and Linux.

Storage options spell each the mode up to 20 terabytes. Just cheque the prices; sometimes you tin get a 10- oregon adjacent 12-TB thrust for not overmuch much than the 8-terabyte version. And I person not seen a immense quality betwixt the Elements line, the WD My Book drives, oregon the WD My Passport drives. The My Passport drives bid a premium terms due to the fact that they're smaller, and the My Book drives person immoderate encryption features that thrust up the price, but I find the basal Elements thrust is capable for astir people.

Other Great Backup Drives

• Seagate Expansion 8-TB External Hard Drive for $159: Seagate is different reliable thrust maker. It ne'er hurts to person much backups, and if you bash privation aggregate backups, usage drives from antithetic brands, since it volition trim the accidental that some neglect simultaneously.

Best for Portable Backups

If you question a lot, you'll privation thing that's easier to transportation than the Elements drives, which aren't the champion successful a suitcase. For backups erstwhile traveling, I emotion Western Digital's My Passport series, particularly the caller “Ultra” version, which uses a modular USB-C cord, eliminating the request to transportation a abstracted cable. It's not the thinnest thrust connected the market, but it's little than an inch heavy and coagulated capable that I ne'er disquieted astir tossing it successful my bag. (Although it should beryllium said that this is simply a spinning drive, truthful don't virtually flip it.) I besides similar that the corners are nicely rounded and determination are nary screws oregon thing other that volition drawback connected cloth successful your bag.

There are a assortment of colors disposable and you tin get from 1 TB to 6 TB. I tested the 5-TB model, but Western Digital claims the aforesaid speeds careless of thrust size. I tested it utilizing CrystalDiskMark connected Windows, AmorphousDiskMark connected macOS, and KDiskMark connected Linux and averaged the results to travel up with 121 MB/s for work velocity and 115 MB/s constitute speed. It's not what you'd privation to transcript photos rapidly for a lawsuit successful the field, but accelerated capable to tally a regular backup successful your edifice room.

Other Portable Backup Drives

• Western Digital Elements 5-TB Portable HDD for $135: This thrust is somewhat thinner than our apical pick, but feels flimsier successful my experience. Speeds are tad slower arsenic well, but if you're connected a fund this volition prevention you a small cash. Corsair is selling this arsenic a bully mode to backup your iPhone ProRes footage, and portion it surely works for that, show is constricted by the iPhone’s USB-C interface. For maximum throughput, link it to a PC with a USB4 oregon Thunderbolt 4 port.
• Seagate One Touch 4-TB for $125: Seagate's One Touch thrust offers immoderate encryption tools, but speeds lagged a small down our apical pick. Still, this is simply a coagulated enactment for backups and it's amazingly tiny for a spinning thrust enclosure. Also enactment that this thrust is sometimes sold with 4 months of Adobe Creative Cloud (a astir $40 value), but if you usage it, beryllium definite to cancel due to the fact that aft those 4 months you'll beryllium charged.

Best USB5 Drive: The Thunderbolt 5

LaCie has updated its rugged SSD enactment with the Rugged Pro5. This 1 ditches the iconic orangish padding for blue, but it is different conscionable similar the mean LaCie padded drives connected the outside. On the inside, this is an amazingly accelerated drive. The 5 successful the sanction is for, you guessed it, Thunderbolt 5, which contempt being announced seemingly everlastingly ago, has been painfully dilatory to trickle onto the market. This made investigating a spot tricky, but fortunately a person fto maine get his brand-new MacBook Pro 14 for testing. The results were impressive.

LaCie claims read/write speeds of up to 6,700 MB/s and 5,300 MB/s, which it says are capable for real-time editing of 8K and 6K RAW footage. In investigating the highest speeds, record transfers were 5,787 MB/s work and 5,188 MB/s write—which, portion not rather matching the claim, is inactive acold and distant the fastest thrust connected the page. But earthy speeds are conscionable numbers for spreadsheets; I was much funny successful real-world performance. Since I happened to besides beryllium investigating the Nikon Z6III (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which tin sprout 6K ProRes RAW, I loaded a bully spot of footage connected the Pro5 and was so capable to edit utilizing DaVinci Resolve Studio.

The downside present is the price. At $600 for the 4-TB mentation (which is the minimum you'd privation for moving with ProRes RAW video files), this is simply a precise pricey drive. It is, however, good worthy the wealth if it's velocity you're after.

Best USB4 Drive

If you don't yet person immoderate devices with Thunderbolt 5 support, this Thunderbolt 4 thrust would beryllium my proposal for anyone obsessed with speed. Corsair's EX400U is an awesome small drive, consistently delivering speeds of astir 3,800 MB/s for sequential work and and 3,550 MB/s write. Again, this is lone going to beryllium imaginable if you person a instrumentality that supports USB4/Thunderbolt 4 (including caller Macbooks, Dell XPS, and others—see our usher to the champion laptops for more). Technically, conscionable arsenic I was wrapping up this update, Lacie's caller rugged SSD came retired which bushed this thrust successful my tests by astir 10 MB/s, but this thrust is smaller, lighter, and cheaper.

I besides similar that Corsair has included a Magsafe connector connected the backmost of the case, which makes large enactment for backing up ProRes video footage from your iPhone.

Best for Photographers

Crucial's X9 Pro hits the saccharine spot of speed, portability, and terms to beryllium 1 of the champion drives retired determination for photographers looking to marque backups successful the field. These drives are tiny, astir fractional the size of a platform of cards, and measurement a specified 1.3 ounces (38 grams). They'll link to conscionable astir anything. I tested the X9 Pro connected Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS and ne'er deed immoderate issues with immoderate of them. When it comes to speed, the X9 Pro claims symmetrical work and constitute speeds, astatine 1,050 MB/s. I really consistently got higher speeds, up to 1,110 MB/s for work and 1,100 MB/s for write. That puts the X9 Pro astatine the apical of the battalion successful presumption of portable thrust speed.

I've been investigating the X9 Pro for respective months now, and portion I can't yet talk to the semipermanent endurance rate, I person been investigating X6 and X8 drives from Crucial for implicit 2 years present without issue. There is besides the X10 Pro thrust ($235), which offers adjacent faster speeds if you person a PC that supports USB 2X2. (The latest Intel chips enactment this spec, but Apple does not, truthful there's nary constituent successful buying the X10 Pro if you person a Mac.) I bash not ain a PC that supports USB 2X2 for extended testing, but I did get a accidental to astatine slightest effort it, and the X10 Pro does so present connected its committedness of 2,100 MB/s (I got it up to 2,050 MB/s). If your hardware supports it, the X10 Pro is worthy the other money.

Best Tiny Drive

Seagate's caller Ultra Compact SSD straddles the enactment betwixt USB thumb thrust and accepted outer drive. The size, design, and built-in USB-C connector marque it a thumb drive, but the thrust wrong is overmuch faster, offering 1,000 MB/s throughput via USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). In my CrystalDiskMark test, it managed 1034 MB/s and a constitute velocity of 1018 MB/s, which, portion not arsenic accelerated arsenic immoderate of the caller Thunderbolt 5 drives coming connected the market, is inactive way, mode faster than astir USB sticks. In immoderate ways, performance-wise, this is simply a much compact, down-market mentation of the X9 thrust supra (LaCie is Seagate's high-end, Mac-focused brand). You bash get somewhat little show for the money, but the compact, no-cable-needed signifier origin mightiness beryllium worthy it to immoderate people.

My 1 gripe with this thrust is that it's connected the wide broadside for a thumb drive, which means that if your laptop has USB-C ports adjacent unneurotic it mightiness screen two. You tin mitigate this by ditching the rubber housing, but past you suffer immoderate of the extortion (the thrust with lodging is rated to withstand 3 metre drops and is IP54 rated for particulate and h2o resistance). It besides goes successful and retired of banal frequently. Seagate's Ultra Compact SSD is 1 of respective SSDs adopting the thumb thrust signifier factor. We've besides tested and similar the SK Hynix Tube 31, which is featured successful our usher to the Best USB Flash Drives.

Other Great Tiny Drives

• Kingston XS1000 2-TB for $203: This tiny small thrust is 1 of the smallest successful this guide. Like the Crucial X6, it has a mostly integrative enclosure, but it has withstood beingness successful my container rather well. While it's not arsenic robust arsenic the padded options below, it's beardown capable for astir things. It's besides speedy. Kingston claims up to 1,050 MB/s. I ne'er managed that, but I routinely deed astir 800 MB/s, with immoderate older laptops person to 600 MB/s, which is inactive rather good. The thrust bogs down a spot with ample files (MP4s, for example), truthful it's not the champion for pro videographers, but for everyone else, this is simply a solid, somewhat cheaper option.

Best Go-Anywhere Drive

If you request a thrust that tin basal up to beingness successful a backpack oregon camera bag, get wet, oregon grip a driblet onto hard surfaces, OWC drives are your champion choice. It's pugnacious to prime a victor present due to the fact that determination are galore coagulated options, but OWC's Elektron thrust narrowly bushed others successful benchmark tests. I besides similar that you tin swap retired the thrust wrong the aluminum casing (it's casual to unscrew), which means 2 years from now, you tin prime up a faster bare SSD and driblet it successful the hardy Elektron enclosure.

Other Great Rugged SSDs

• Sabrent Rocket Nano 1-TB SSD for $170: I truly similar this one. It's smaller and somewhat faster than the OWC, but it has 2 drawbacks. The archetypal is that it tin get hot. If you're trying to enactment with it successful your lap, it tin beryllium downright uncomfortable. The different contented is that sometimes it's dilatory to beryllium recognized by my PC. I could find nary signifier to this; sometimes it appeared close away, and different times it took a mates of minutes. If those things don't fuss you, this thrust is tiny, cheaper, and includes a padded rubber case.

Best Padded Drive

Samsung's T9 has been my go-to portable thrust for a mates years now. While I bash similar the LaCie drives (like the rugged Pro5 above) that usually predominate this category, the Samsung is plentifulness fast. The 20Gbps T9 was capable to instrumentality afloat vantage of that speed, clocking successful astatine implicit 1350 MB/s, handily beating the Crucial X9. The T9 besides seems to person a little powerfulness draw, oregon astatine slightest erstwhile I plug it into my Android tablet it drains the artillery acold little than immoderate different thrust I usage regularly.

The padding connected the T9 is little than what the LaCie drives offer, but it's besides considerably cheaper and has assistance up good to beingness connected the road. The lone drawback is that its not waterproof oregon particulate proof. The padding stops connected the ends truthful it's not wholly sealed. I haven't had immoderate issues, but if you get it bedewed it volition beryllium a problem. If you're disquieted astir that, cheque retired the T7 Shield below.

Another Great Padded Option

• Samsung T7 Shield 2-TB SSD for $235: This is precise akin to the above, but it adds an IP65 rating, which means it's good successful the rainfall and is protected from particulate and sand. The T7 enactment is notable for its built-in information features similar hardware-based encryption, but dissimilar the Touch model, the Shield does not person a fingerprint reader.

Best Gaming Drive

Take this class with a atom of salt. Most of the drives present volition enactment conscionable good for gaming (just instrumentality with the fastest you tin afford). That said, Western Digital's caller P40 does person immoderate chill RGB lights connected the bottommost if that's your jam. In my testing, that didn't look to interaction powerfulness consumption.

As for speed, my tests were inconsistent. This thrust is susceptible of speeds that handily bushed some the Envoy Pro and Samsung T7, but astatine different times it seemed to bog down (at slightest successful benchmarks). In real-world use, the bottleneck I consistently deed was immoderate lag successful transferring immense amounts of data. That mightiness beryllium a deal-breaker for some, but for the price, it remains a coagulated choice.

Best Bare Drive

If you privation to enactment a bigger SSD successful your laptop, each you request is simply a bare drive, which is mostly cheaper than the drives with enclosures listed above. The archetypal happening to fig retired is which thrust your PC uses. Consult your manufacturer's documentation to find out. These days the astir communal signifier origin is M.2 2280, which is the long, bladed thrust successful the representation above. More compact laptops whitethorn usage the similar, but shorter, M.2 2242 design. Again, cheque your PC to corroborate the thrust it needs earlier you buy. Of the dozens I've tried, Western Digital's WD Black bid has stood retired for speed, and it doesn't tally precise hot.

The SN 990 PRO SSD NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 achieved speeds of 7,458 MB/s reads successful my testing, much oregon little matching the claimed 7,450 MBs / 6,900 MBs read/write speeds. If you're doing a batch of drive-intensive tasks, similar editing video oregon gaming, this thrust is good worthy the money. The largest mentation you tin get is 4 TB, and the terms is tenable considering the speed. There are faster drives, but you'll wage for them and I find that currently, beyond this thrust determination is simply a diminishing instrumentality successful the velocity vs terms curve. I've been utilizing this 1 arsenic my main thrust for respective months months present and it works large for editing 5.2K video footage and compiling software. My favourite part? It generates precise small heat.

Other Options

• Western Digital SN850X 1-TB SSD for $245: Another accelerated one, Western Digital claims up to 7,300 MB/s work speeds, and successful benchmark tests, this drive's results came close. Like the Samsung above, to instrumentality afloat vantage of the velocity here, you'll request a strategy that supports the PCIe 4.0 SSD standard, but this is simply a large thrust if you privation to upgrade a gaming system, whether it's a desktop PC oregon your PlayStation. This thrust is besides 1 of the fewer I've seen that's disposable up to 8-TB capacity.
• Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2-TB for $273: The 990 EVO Plus is an upgrade to the precise fashionable 990 EVO. The archetypal did not connection thing compelling and ne'er made this guide, but the caller mentation manages to beryllium impressively speedy and not overly hot, arsenic galore Gen 5 PCIe disks I've tested person been. The 990 EVO Plus besides launched with a 4-TB model, thing missing the archetypal clip around. In presumption of velocity it doesn't rather lucifer the SN850X above, topping retired astatine 5,677 MB/s read, but it's plentifulness accelerated for astir uses and remains rather chill adjacent erstwhile pushed. If you're looking for a bully all-around thrust that stays cool, this 1 makes a bully choice, though it is connected the pricey broadside for what you get.

Frequently Asked Questions