The 8 Best External Hard Drives You Can Buy

Don't wait until you're running out of space on your computer to get a good external hard

drive. While owning one is a great way to expand your storage capacity, it's also an essential way to back up files with a local copy, rather than relying solely on cloud storage. External hard drives are more affordable than ever, but the multitude of options available can be a little confusing. Here are eight drives that should fit all kinds of storage needs, whether you're looking for something small and portable or a colossal drive you're unlikely to ever fill up. Toshiba Canvio Connect II (1TB) Amazon | $60 For most users, a 1TB drive will be all the storage they're likely to need. That will give you plenty space to back up an average laptop with plenty of room left over. Toshiba's Canvio Connect II is one singled out by Laptop Mag as a great, inexpensive drive that offers speedy performance and compatibility with both Mac and Windows, all in a light and compact package. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive (4TB) Amazon | $100 Portable external hard drives are convenient, but if you want the most storage for the lowest cost, you may want to look at a desktop hard drive. They're bigger and need to be plugged into the wall (not just USB), but the cost per terabyte is considerably lower. The Wirecutter singles out Seagate's 4TB Backup Plus Desktop Drive as its top pick, both for its speed and its handy backup software (which includes iOS and Android apps in addition to desktop ones). Seagate Expansion (1TB) Amazon | $55 Seagate's Expansion drive is another popular option for a basic, inexpensive external hard drive. It's the overall bestselling external hard drive on Amazon, where it also gets consistently good customer reviews. A potential downside for some, however, is that it is only Windows-compatible out of the box. You can use it with a Mac, but you'll need to reformat it first. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below CalDigit Tuff (2TB) Amazon | $180 An overbuilt rugged hard drive may be overdoing it for some users, but these drives can provide some extra peace of mind if you're regularly tossing the drive into a laptop bag or using it in less-than-ideal conditions. CalDigit's Tuff portable drive impressed PCMag with its combination of features and relatively good value for a rugged drive. It claims to be both waterproof and dustproof, and promises to survive drops up to four feet. You'll also get both USB 3.0 and USB-C cables, which can be stored along with the drive itself in an included storage box for some added protection. Glyph Atom SSD (1TB) Amazon | $440 If performance is your top concern, then you'll want to look for an SSD (solid state drive) instead of a traditional hard drive. Just be prepared to pay considerably more for that speed. The Glyph Atom is one option that gets high marks from CNET, which praised its portability and ruggedness in addition to best-in-class performance. It's designed for use with Macs out of the box, but can be reformatted for Windows. WD My Book Duo (20TB) Amazon | $800 Most of us need a terabyte or two, but more demanding users—especially those storing vast quantities of photos or videos—can fill that up in no time. If you're in the latter camp, Western Digital's My Book Duo series of drives might be worth a look. They're available in a range of sizes from 4TB all the way up to a recently released 20TB model that'll set you back a hefty $800. That enormous capacity means the drive will up a lot of desk real estate, but at least it makes the most of its hulking presence by doubling as a USB hub with a pair of USB 3.0 ports. Advertisement - Continue Reading Below Amazon | $128 Samsung's line of portable SSDs have been consistently well-regarded, and its latest, the T5 series, is no exception. The entry-level 250GB drive is a great, affordable option if you need speed but not a ton of storage, although larger models are also available for a price (up to 2TB for $800). In addition to featuring the speed you get from an SSD, these Samsungs also are some of the most portable drives around, boasting a palm-sized, all-metal design. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2TB) Amazon | $69 It's neither as fast nor as portable as an SSD drive like the Samsung T5, but Seagate's Backup Plus Slim is a fair bit thinner and lighter than many standard external hard drives. That, combined with its reliability and overall performance, helped make it The Wirecutter's pick for best portable hard drive. It's also a popular choice with customers, who've given it a four out of five rating after nearly 13,000 reviews on Amazon.