One of the best and secure ways to store your data in a larger scale is by using portable external hard drives. Well you see, this kind of hard drive is also available in large capacity that you can store a lot of things. Portable external hard drives are very convenient to use, and there is no need of flash drives anymore. Most of them come in a size of a power bank to make it easy for users to bring along with. With many brands available on the market, it might not be easy to get one for some buyers. Moreover, we have a buyer’s guide that might give you some ideas to purchase the high quality portable external hard drives below.
Portable External Hard Drives Buyer’s Guide
In case you are new to portable external hard drives, there are some tips that you should know. We have some basic tricks that you should be aware of before you buy a portable external hard drive. Consider those things, and you will be able to choose the ideal option of portable external hard drives faster and easier. Take a look and see if our tips are helpful for you.
Transfer Speed
This is one of the most important things to consider before buying a portable external hard drive. You wouldn’t want to spend hours copying a file with large size that takes less time with other hard drives. If you transfer large files on a regular basis, go for the ones with USB 3.0 or USB 3.1. This type of hard drive can transfer large data in a great speed which is very time saving to use. You can easily notice that they are fast with the blue mark right inside the port, or basically by reading their description.
Portability
Some people overlook the part for the fact that size does’t matter to them. As a matter of fact it does, you should always select the portable hard drives that are “portable”. Choose the ones that are light and small enough to fit in your bag or pocket so that you can easily access to them. At the same time, consider the weight of the hard drive that you want to choose as well. There are many portable, compact, and lightweight external hard drives out there that you can select. We also bring 10 of them for you today too, so stay with us.
Durability
Furthermore, bear in mind that all your data is all in that one hard drive, everything will be gone if it dies. There are many good quality hard drives that come with strong casing and design to protect the hard drive from damages. Many of them are durable and also some are even waterproof and shockproof which is actually great to have. There are times when we drop or bump our hard drives, choosing the durable ones is always recommended.
Contents
1. Portable External Hard Drive by Western Digital
With the new upgrade version, this portable external hard drive is fast, simple, and super convenient to use. It comes with 3.0 USB type which offers reliable and fast file transferring speed and rates every time. The best part is that it also offers to back up your phones, videos, and other files as well. Apart from providing great performance and high capacity, the quality of this hard drive is also incredible. It is very durable, and its size is very compact which is very easy to bring along with to places. From the design to the quality, this external has them all. There are different capacity that you can choose from 1TB to 4TB, the choice is all yours.
Pros:
- The external hard drive is compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
- It delivers fast data transfer at all size with any files
- It is durable and compact for easy use and portability
Con:
- The cable of the hard drive is a little short so you have to have it next to your device when in use
2. Portable External Hard Drive by Toshiba
The unique thing about this hard drive is that it comes with plug & play function. This function allows you to use the hard drive right away without the need to install the software at all. That means you can copy your files and datas right away from or to your PC in just seconds. Powered by USB 3.0 technology, transferring file and data will be super and fast which is simply time saving. With sleek profile design, this external hard drive is definitely one stylish option to choose. It comes with the design of matte along with smudge-resistance finish which is absolutely cool. This portable external hard drive is available from 1TB to 4TB, which one are you going to pick?
Pros:
- The hard drive features plug & play function for easy use without software installation
- It works fast, and it is compatible with USB 2.0 and 3.0
- The design of the drive is sleek and compact for easy use and portable
Con:
- It is a little slow when copying large photo files
3. Portable External Hard Drive by Seagate
There have been many users who find it difficult to use their external hard drive with some certain PCs. Worry no more with this portable external hard drive because it is designed to work with Windows and Mac computers. At the same time, you don’t need to install any software at all which means you can use it right away. You can simply connect the hard drive to your computer, and it will recognize each other, simple as that. Plus with plug & play simplicity, this hard drive is very simple and easy to use. From quality to performance, this hard drive has them all. Many customers are happy with this option, you could be one of them too.
Pros:
- This hard drive is easy to use, and it is very easy to set up with a simple connection
- It works with Windows and Mac computers
- The design of this portable drive is compact and lightweight which is portable
- The process of transferring data is fast and smooth
Con:
- It is a bit noisy when running, but the noise is not too loud
4. Portable External SSD by Samsung
The interesting thing about this external hard drive is its super fast read-write speed that goes up to 540MB/s. On top of that, it comes with USB type C to C and USB type C to A cables. That makes it even more convenient since the hard drive is compatible with many different devices. The best part is its 3.1 Gen2 that makes the speed of file transferring unbelievably fast compared to the others. As for the style, this hard drive is simple yet stylish which is ideal for every user out there. The top to bottom metal design along with super compact size makes this hard drive one stylish kind to have. Not to mention that it comes with optional password protection and hardware encryption, this hard drive is amazing. There are 4 colors available, you should check them out.
Pros:
- The hard drive is compatible with many different devices from PCs to smartphones
- The speed of transferring data is fast even with large files
- The solid design of metal body makes the hard drive super durable tough
- It is lightweight and so compact it fits in the palm of your hand
Con:
- Several users have unpleasant experience with C to C connection
5. Mini Portable External Hard Drive by LaCie
We all know a friend who always drops things, and this is the highly recommended hard drive option for them. The awesome thing about it is that it offers the all-terrain durability of drop, crush, and water resistance. That means you can be a little clumsy sometimes, and this hard drive won’t die on you at all. As for the quality, you can seamlessly connect it to USB 3.0 computers to transfer files and data in a fast speed. At the same time, this rugged external hard drive also offers premium protection for all of your datas as well. It is compact and lightweight yet super durable and cool, perhaps this might be the one you have been looking for.
Pros:
- It has transfer speed of up to 130MB/s which is fast and convenient
- The drive comes with automatic backups and folder sync to protect your files
- This hard drive is super durable, and it can withstand all minor accidents that you may have
Con:
- The process is a little slow in Lightroom
6. Extreme Portable External Hard Drive by SanDisk
When it comes to durability, this hard drive has to be on the list. With the ruggedized design, this hard drive is both water resistant and dust resistant, and no dust can interfere the operation at all. That is not all, it is also shock resistant as well to deliver durability at its best and top quality for you. That means no matter if you have a little accidental drops or bumps, this hard drive does not go anywhere.
Both the drive and the data inside are all safe, and that is one of the best things to have in a hard drive. As for the transfer speed, it can go as fast as 550MB/s which allows you to move high resolution file fast. With all the durability and quality, the hard drive itself is super compact and lightweight which is easy to bring along with. It is compatible with most Windows as well as Mac, and it is among the best external hard drives that you should have.
Pros:
- It is super durable, and it can withstand drops, water, and dust
- The transfer speed is fast and smooth
- The drive is compact and easy to bring along with to places
- It is ideal for PC and Mac users
Con:
- It heats up during long use
7. Rugged Portable External Hard Drive by Silicon Power
This is another rugged design external hard drive that you might want to take into consideration. It features the military grade shockproof construction that makes the drive itself super durable and tough. No drops or bumps could do any harm to the devices and the datas it stores at all. At the same time, it comes with the hexagonal pattern that covers the surface to deliver scratch-resistant function. The cool and unique part is the cable storage design that allows for simple cable carrying with ease. The data transfer speed is fast, and it works well with PCs and Macs without a single lag. It is durable, stylish, and compact, and it comes with different colors that you can choose from.
Pros:
- The military grade design makes this hard drive super durable
- It works fast, and it is compatible with PCs and Macs
- This hard drive is easy and safe to use, and it is also stylish
Con:
- The cable somehow doesn’t fit well in its storage place
8. Portable External Hard Drive by G-Technology
With the stylish and aluminum design, this hard drive is one cool option to choose. The style is something, and the quality as well as the performance that it delivers is another thing. This compact external hard drive comes with the capacity of 4TB that can store a lot of data. At the same time, it is also USB-C ready as well as USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3 compatible as well. This hard drive is very easy and convenient to use and you can also use it with Windows and Mac. It is cool and functional, and there are different colors and capacity that you can choose from. The choice is all yours, so take a look.
Pros:
- The hard drive transfers files fast and smooth
- It is compatible with many different devices for easy and convenient use
- The aluminum design is stylish and cool
- The hard drive is compact and lightweight
Con:
- It makes a little noise while transferring the data
9. Military Quality External Hard Drive by Transcend
Transcend is one of the well-known brands when it comes to high quality hard drives like this one. The design of military-grade shock resistance along with advance 3-stage shock protection system makes this portable hard drive super tough. Daily drops and bumps will not change the quality of it at all, and that is a great part. At the same time, it also delivers the easy plug and play operation that does not need any drives at all. You can also use it desktop or notebook as well, and very easy with a USB port. It is compatible with Windows, Mac OS C, Linux, and pretty much almost anything. The data transfer speed is fast, and there are different colors and capacity options that you can select. Take a look and see if you can pick a perfect option.
Pros:
- The transfer speed is fast due to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface
- The hard drive comes with anti-shock protection for extra durability
- It is compact and lightweight which is easy to bring along with to places
Con:
- It does not come with a backup software
10. Hardware Encrypted Portability External Hard Drive by Apricorn
As you can see, the design and the look of this hard drive is already different from the others. It comes with the compact and rugged design along with the wear resistant key pad that keep your data safe. At the same time, it delivers military grade of FIPS PUB 197 Validated Encryption Algorithm for extra security. As for the transfer speed, it provides super fast USB 3.0 connection to make data transfer ten times faster. It is very easy and safe to use, and the quality is amazingly durable. The cable is easy to store and use, and this portable hard drive is one of the best to have. If you have confidential data and information, this is the perfect hard drive to store them.
Pros:
- The hard drive is tough and durable for long term use
- It encrypts and keep everything inside safe and secure
- The design of the hard drive is compact and lightweight for easy portability
- It is very easy to use, and it is compatible with most PCs and Macs
Con:
- It does not have a stylish look
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