Greatest Exterior Exhausting Drive (2026): SSD to Retailer Information, Video & Extra

Should you’re operating out of space for storing in your laptop computer or you want to again up your information and retailer that backlog of movies you are going to edit sooner or later (I’m, I swear), an exterior onerous drive can clear up your downside. The difficulty is, there are tons of of drive choices starting from dirt-cheap to crazy-expensive—which one is correct to your wants? I’ve examined dozens, throughout working methods and with completely different use instances in thoughts, to seek out the very best exterior onerous drives for storage, backups, gaming, video modifying, network-attached storage (NAS) gadgets, and extra.

Try our different guides, together with Again Up and Transfer Your Pictures Between Providers, Again Up Your Digital Life, and Again Up Your iPhone.

Up to date January 2026: We have added Seagate’s One Contact SSD, swapped out our padding drive decide, and eliminated the Essential X6, which, sadly, has been discontinued. We have additionally added a word explaining the rebranding of WD_Black and WD Blue drives as SeaGate Optimus GX, and up to date costs and hyperlinks all through.

Greatest for Backups

For incremental backups, which we suggest, velocity is not an enormous issue. That is why the primary drive I like to recommend is that this Western Digital Components onerous drive. I’ve been utilizing a variation of the Components desktop onerous drive to make incremental backups of my information for greater than a decade. These drives are massive and require exterior energy, however they’re a number of the most cost-effective, most dependable drives I’ve used.

Switch speeds will not be off the charts—the Components drive I examined scored 120 megabytes per second (MB/s) for sequential writes on Home windows—however once more, it’s best to ideally be operating backups in a single day anyway, and even at these speeds the typical PC backup shall be carried out by morning. These drives use USB-C with assist for USB 3, and I’ve had no downside utilizing them with Home windows, macOS, and Linux.

Storage choices go all the best way as much as 20 terabytes. Simply verify the costs; typically you will get a 10- and even 12-TB drive for not far more than the 8-terabyte model. And I’ve not seen an enormous distinction between the Components line, the WD My E book drives, or the WD My Passport drives. The My Passport drives command a premium worth as a result of they’re smaller, and the My E book drives have some encryption options that drive up the worth, however I discover the fundamental Components drive is adequate for most individuals.

Different Nice Backup Drives

• Seagate Enlargement 8-TB Exterior Exhausting Drive for $159: Seagate is one other dependable drive maker. It by no means hurts to have extra backups, and for those who do need a number of backups, use drives from completely different manufacturers, since it can scale back the possibility that each fail concurrently.

Greatest for Moveable Backups

{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson

Western Digital

My Passport Extremely

Should you journey loads, you will need one thing that is simpler to hold than the Components drives, which are not the very best in a suitcase. For backups when touring, I really like Western Digital’s My Passport collection, particularly the brand new “Extremely” model, which makes use of a normal USB-C wire, eliminating the necessity to carry a separate cable. It isn’t the thinnest drive in the marketplace, nevertheless it’s lower than an inch thick and stable sufficient that I by no means anxious about tossing it in my bag. (Though it needs to be stated that this can be a spinning drive, so do not actually toss it.) I additionally like that the corners are properly rounded and there are not any screws or anything that can catch on cloth in your bag.

There are a number of colours obtainable and you will get from 1 TB to six TB. I examined the 5-TB mannequin, however Western Digital claims the identical speeds no matter drive measurement. I examined it utilizing CrystalDiskMark on Home windows, AmorphousDiskMark on macOS, and KDiskMark on Linux and averaged the outcomes to provide you with 121 MB/s for learn velocity and 115 MB/s write velocity. It isn’t what you’d need to copy pictures rapidly for a consumer within the area, however quick sufficient to run a every day backup in your resort room.

Different Moveable Backup Drives

• Western Digital Components 5-TB Moveable HDD for $135: This drive is barely thinner than our prime decide, however feels flimsier in my expertise. Speeds are tad slower as effectively, however for those who’re on a funds this can prevent a bit of money. Corsair is advertising and marketing this as a great way to backup your iPhone ProRes footage, and whereas it actually works for that, efficiency is proscribed by the iPhone’s USB-C interface. For max throughput, join it to a PC with a USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 port.
• Seagate One Contact 4-TB for $125: Seagate’s One Contact drive presents some encryption instruments, however speeds lagged a bit of behind our prime decide. Nonetheless, this can be a stable choice for backups and it is surprisingly small for a spinning drive enclosure. Additionally word that this drive is typically bought with 4 months of Adobe Artistic Cloud (a roughly $40 worth), however for those who use it, remember to cancel as a result of after these 4 months you will be charged.

Greatest USB5 Drive: The Thunderbolt 5

{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson

LaCie has up to date its rugged SSD line with the Rugged Pro5. This one ditches the long-lasting orange padding for blue, however it’s in any other case identical to the abnormal LaCie padded drives on the skin. On the within, that is an amazingly quick drive. The 5 within the title is for, you guessed it, Thunderbolt 5, which regardless of being introduced seemingly perpetually in the past, has been painfully sluggish to trickle onto the market. This made testing a bit tough, however luckily a buddy let me borrow his brand-new MacBook Professional 14 for testing. The outcomes have been spectacular.

LaCie claims learn/write speeds of as much as 6,700 MB/s and 5,300 MB/s, which it says are sufficient for real-time modifying of 8K and 6K RAW footage. In testing the very best speeds, file transfers have been 5,787 MB/s learn and 5,188 MB/s write—which, whereas not fairly matching the declare, continues to be far and away the quickest drive on the web page. However uncooked speeds are simply numbers for spreadsheets; I used to be extra taken with real-world efficiency. Since I occurred to even be testing the Nikon Z6III (8/10, WIRED Recommends), which might shoot 6K ProRes RAW, I loaded a very good little bit of footage on the Pro5 and was certainly in a position to edit utilizing DaVinci Resolve Studio.

The draw back right here is the worth. At $600 for the 4-TB model (which is the minimal you’d need for working with ProRes RAW video information), this can be a very expensive drive. It’s, nevertheless, effectively definitely worth the cash if it is velocity you are after.

Greatest USB4 Drive

{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson

Should you do not but have any gadgets with Thunderbolt 5 assist, this Thunderbolt 4 drive can be my advice for anybody obsessive about velocity. Corsair’s EX400U is a powerful little drive, constantly delivering speeds of round 3,800 MB/s for sequential learn and and three,550 MB/s write. Once more, that is solely going to be potential you probably have a tool that helps USB4/Thunderbolt 4 (together with latest Macbooks, Dell XPS, and others—see our information to the very best laptops for extra). Technically, simply as I used to be wrapping up this replace, Lacie’s new rugged SSD got here out which beat this drive in my exams by about 10 MB/s, however this drive is smaller, lighter, and cheaper.

I additionally like that Corsair has included a Magsafe connector on the again of the case, which makes nice choice for backing up ProRes video footage out of your iPhone.

Greatest for Photographers

{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson

Essential’s X9 Professional hits the candy spot of velocity, portability, and worth to be among the finest drives on the market for photographers trying to make backups within the area. These drives are tiny, about half the scale of a deck of playing cards, and weigh a mere 1.3 ounces (38 grams). They’re going to connect with absolutely anything. I examined the X9 Professional on Home windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS and by no means hit any points with any of them. In terms of velocity, the X9 Professional claims symmetrical learn and write speeds, at 1,050 MB/s. I really constantly received increased speeds, as much as 1,110 MB/s for learn and 1,100 MB/s for write. That places the X9 Professional on the prime of the pack when it comes to moveable drive velocity.

I have been testing the X9 Professional for a number of months now, and whereas I can not but converse to the long-term survival charge, I’ve been testing X6 and X8 drives from Essential for over two years now with out difficulty. There may be additionally the X10 Professional drive ($235), which presents even sooner speeds you probably have a PC that helps USB 2X2. (The newest Intel chips assist this spec, however Apple doesn’t, so there is not any level in shopping for the X10 Professional you probably have a Mac.) I don’t personal a PC that helps USB 2X2 for intensive testing, however I did get an opportunity to no less than strive it, and the X10 Professional does certainly ship on its promise of two,100 MB/s (I received it as much as 2,050 MB/s). In case your {hardware} helps it, the X10 Professional is price the additional cash.

Greatest Tiny Drive

{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson

Seagate’s new Extremely Compact SSD straddles the road between USB thumb drive and conventional exterior drive. The dimensions, design, and built-in USB-C connector make it a thumb drive, however the drive inside is far sooner, providing 1,000 MB/s throughput by way of USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). In my CrystalDiskMark take a look at, it managed 1034 MB/s and a write velocity of 1018 MB/s, which, whereas not as quick as a number of the new Thunderbolt 5 drives coming in the marketplace, continues to be method, method sooner than most USB sticks. In some methods, performance-wise, this can be a extra compact, down-market model of the X9 drive above (LaCie is Seagate’s high-end, Mac-focused model). You do get barely much less efficiency for the cash, however the compact, no-cable-needed type issue is likely to be price it to some individuals.

My one gripe with this drive is that it is on the vast aspect for a thumb drive, which implies that in case your laptop computer has USB-C ports shut collectively it’d cowl two. You possibly can mitigate this by ditching the rubber housing, however then you definately lose a number of the safety (the drive with housing is rated to face up to 3 meter drops and is IP54 rated for mud and water resistance). It additionally goes out and in of inventory ceaselessly. Seagate’s Extremely Compact SSD is one in every of a number of SSDs adopting the thumb drive type issue. We have additionally examined and just like the SK Hynix Tube 31, which is featured in our information to the Greatest USB Flash Drives.

Different Nice Tiny Drives

• Kingston XS1000 2-TB for $203: This tiny little drive is among the smallest on this information. Just like the Essential X6, it has a largely plastic enclosure, nevertheless it has withstood life in my bag fairly effectively. Whereas it is not as sturdy because the padded choices under, it is robust sufficient for many issues. It is also speedy. Kingston claims as much as 1,050 MB/s. I by no means managed that, however I routinely hit round 800 MB/s, with some older laptops nearer to 600 MB/s, which continues to be fairly good. The drive bogs down a bit with giant information (MP4s, for instance), so it is not the very best for professional videographers, however for everybody else, this can be a stable, barely cheaper choice.

Greatest Go-Anyplace Drive

OWC

Envoy Professional Elektron SSD

Should you want a drive that may stand as much as life in a backpack or digital camera bag, get moist, or deal with a drop onto onerous surfaces, OWC drives are your most suitable option. It is robust to choose a winner right here as a result of there are various stable choices, however OWC’s Elektron drive narrowly beat others in benchmark exams. I additionally like that you could swap out the drive contained in the aluminum casing (it is simple to unscrew), which suggests two years from now, you possibly can decide up a sooner naked SSD and drop it within the hardy Elektron enclosure.

Different Nice Rugged SSDs

• Sabrent Rocket Nano 1-TB SSD for $170: I actually like this one. It is smaller and barely sooner than the OWC, nevertheless it has two drawbacks. The primary is that it may get sizzling. Should you’re attempting to work with it in your lap, it may be downright uncomfortable. The opposite difficulty is that typically it is sluggish to be acknowledged by my PC. I might discover no sample to this; typically it appeared straight away, and different occasions it took a few minutes. If these issues do not trouble you, this drive is tiny, cheaper, and features a padded rubber case.

Greatest Padded Drive

{Photograph}: Scott Gilbertson

Samsung’s T9 has been my go-to moveable drive for a pair years now. Whereas I do just like the LaCie drives (just like the rugged Pro5 above) that normally dominate this class, the Samsung is lots quick. The 20Gbps T9 was in a position to take full benefit of that velocity, clocking in at over 1350 MB/s, handily beating the Essential X9. The T9 additionally appears to have a decrease energy draw, or no less than after I plug it into my Android pill it drains the battery far lower than another drive I take advantage of recurrently.

The padding on the T9 is lower than what the LaCie drives provide, nevertheless it’s additionally significantly cheaper and has assist up effectively to life on the highway. The one catch is that its not waterproof or mud proof. The padding stops on the ends so it is not utterly sealed. I have never had any points, however for those who get it moist will probably be an issue. Should you’re anxious about that, try the T7 Protect under.

One other Nice Padded Choice

• Samsung T7 Protect 2-TB SSD for $235: That is similar to the above, nevertheless it provides an IP65 ranking, which suggests it is positive within the rain and is protected against mud and sand. The T7 line is notable for its built-in safety features like hardware-based encryption, however in contrast to the Contact mannequin, the Protect doesn’t have a fingerprint reader.

Greatest Gaming Drive

{Photograph}: Western Digital

Western Digital

P40 Gaming Drive

Take this class with a grain of salt. A lot of the drives right here will work simply positive for gaming (simply keep on with the quickest you possibly can afford). That stated, Western Digital’s new P40 does have some cool RGB lights on the underside if that is your jam. In my testing, that did not appear to impression energy consumption.

As for velocity, my exams have been inconsistent. This drive is able to speeds that handily beat each the Envoy Professional and Samsung T7, however at different occasions it appeared to bathroom down (no less than in benchmarks). In real-world use, the bottleneck I constantly hit was some lag in transferring big quantities of information. That is likely to be a deal-breaker for some, however for the worth, it stays a stable alternative.

Greatest Naked Drive

If you wish to put an even bigger SSD in your laptop computer, all you want is a naked drive, which is mostly cheaper than the drives with enclosures listed above. The very first thing to determine is which drive your PC makes use of. Seek the advice of your producer’s documentation to seek out out. Lately the most typical type issue is M.2 2280, which is the lengthy, skinny drive within the picture above. Extra compact laptops might use the same, however shorter, M.2 2242 design. Once more, verify your PC to verify the drive it wants before you purchase. Of the handfuls I’ve tried, Western Digital’s WD Black collection has stood out for velocity, and it would not run very popular.

The SN 990 PRO SSD NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen4 achieved speeds of seven,458 MB/s reads in my testing, kind of matching the claimed 7,450 MBs / 6,900 MBs learn/write speeds. Should you’re doing lots of drive-intensive duties, like modifying video or gaming, this drive is effectively definitely worth the cash. The biggest model you will get is 4 TB, and the worth is cheap contemplating the velocity. There are sooner drives, however you will pay for them and I discover that at present, past this drive there’s a diminishing return within the velocity vs worth curve. I have been utilizing this one as my major drive for a number of months months now and it really works nice for modifying 5.2K video footage and compiling software program. My favourite half? It generates little or no warmth.

Different Choices

• Western Digital SN850X 1-TB SSD for $245: One other quick one, Western Digital claims as much as 7,300 MB/s learn speeds, and in benchmark exams, this drive’s outcomes got here shut. Just like the Samsung above, to take full benefit of the velocity right here, you will want a system that helps the PCIe 4.0 SSD commonplace, however this can be a nice drive if you wish to improve a gaming system, whether or not it is a desktop PC or your PlayStation. This drive can be one of many few I’ve seen that is obtainable as much as 8-TB capability.
• Samsung 990 Evo Plus 2-TB for $273: The 990 EVO Plus is an improve to the very talked-about 990 EVO. The unique didn’t provide something compelling and by no means made this information, however the brand new model manages to be impressively speedy and never overly sizzling, as many Gen 5 PCIe disks I’ve examined have been. The 990 EVO Plus additionally launched with a 4-TB mannequin, one thing lacking the primary time round. By way of velocity it would not fairly match the SN850X above, topping out at 5,677 MB/s learn, nevertheless it’s lots quick for many makes use of and stays fairly cool even when pushed. Should you’re searching for a very good all-around drive that stays cool, this one makes a sensible choice, although it’s on the expensive aspect for what you get.

Steadily Requested Questions