Best External SSDs and Hard Drives

What is a hard disk drive?

Hard disk drive (HDD) is the basic non-volatile storage drive that is used for storing and retrieving digital data. HDD has rotating platters coated with magnetic material with reading/write heads that access the data while the platters are spinning. Hard drives are most commonly found in PCs, laptops, consumer electronics, and enterprise storage systems. The reading and writing of the hard disk are controlled by hard disk drives that offer data storage. Hard drives are connected to the motherboard via various cables including advanced technology attachment (ATA), serial ATA, Parallel ATA, or small computer system interface (SCSI) cable.

What is a solid-state drive?

A solid-state drive (SSD) is a new generation of storage device that is used to store data on interconnected flash memory chips. The files in the solid-state drive are saved on a grid of NAND flash cells in which each grid can store between 256 KB and 4MB. SSDs are typically faster and reliable as compared to HDDs. They are mostly found in the latest systems and high-end machines like the Apple MacBook Pro and other expensive laptops. The solid-state drives are basically used by businesses and enterprises that work with large amounts of data (such as programming environments or data analysis). Moreover, the gaming industry also utilizes SSDs because games constantly load and write files (e.g. levels, maps, textures, and characters).

The top 6 external hard drives

1. 5TB Seagate backup plus external hard drive

Seagate is a hard drive that comes with the capacity of 1TB, 2TB, and 5TB with a USB 3.0 interface. It has a dimension of 7.62 x 11.43 x 1.9cm and weighs 0.58lbs (265g). It is a fast, affordable, portable, and compatible small storage device that can easily be fit in your pocket. Whether you need to travel to the workplace or outstation, this is your way to go HDD. The best part is that it comes with a one-year data recovery warranty.

2. 12TB WD Elements external hard drive

WD hard drives provide large storage space capacity including 3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, 14TB, 18TB. It has a dimension of 4.80 x 13.49 x 16.58cm and weighs 1.92lbs (0.87kg). WD Elements 12TB external HDD offers the most storage for the buck. It comes with a sober vertical format enclosure that looks great on any desk while saving the space of the desk too.

3. 18TB SanDisk G-Drive Professional external hard drive

SanDisk G-Drive is a fast external storage drive that is best suited for Mac laptops. It comes with the capacity of 4TB, 6TB, 12TB and 18TB with USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 (x1) Thunderbolt 3 (USB-powered) interface. It has a dimension of 13 x 21 x 4.55cm and weight 2.6lb (1.18kg). It utilizes a thunderbolt with a daisy chain up to six units. It has a fast 7200 RPM drive that comes with an AC power adapter. Moreover, it offers a generous five-year warranty too.

4. Rugged ADATA HD710 PRO external hard drive

ADATA HD710 PRO is a speedy hard drive with a strong rugged silicon case and good cable management. It has a storage capacity of 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, and 5TB with a USB 3.0 interface. It has a dimension of 9.6 x 13.21 x 2.56cm and weight 0.86lb (0.39kg). This HDD can withstand falls from 1.5m because of the vibration sensing technology. 

5. Buffalo ministation extreme external hard drive

Buffalo ministation has a unique NFC-based wireless lock and unlock feature that offers best wireless security. The user can easily lock and unlock the drive with a single tap from their smartphones. It has a storage capacity of 1TB and 2TB with 8.99 x 14.10 x 2.1cm dimensions. Its portable hardware encrypted drive comes with three year warranty.

6. 5TB WD BLACK P10 Game external hard drive

WD BLACK 5TB P10 is one of the most-demanding gaming hard drive that is compatible with all game consoles. It has a storage capacity of 2TB, 4TB, and 5TB with a USB 3.0 interface. It has a dimension of 11.81 x 8.79 x 2.08cm and weight 0.51lb (250g). It comes pre-formatted with the ExFAT file system that offer ample storage. It’s also suitable for long-term multimedia storage when connected to a PC or a Sony or Samsung large-screen smart TV.

The top 6 external SSD drives

1. Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q 4TB external SSD

The Sabrent rocket is one of the super-fast, portable, and lightweight external SSD that has a storage capacity of 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB, 16TB. It has three different type of interfaces including USB Type-C, USB 3.2, and Thunderbolt 3. It comes with 4.49 x 10.49 x 1.40cm and weights 4.55 Oz (129g). It’s available in QLC and TLC versions with the performance of flash-based storage.

2. SanDisk 1TB Extreme Pro Portable SSD

The latest SanDisk 1TB extreme pro delivers speed up to 2,000MBps (2GBps) read/write speeds if you pair it with the right equipment. It’s compatible with both Macs and Windows PCs and has an IP55 rating. It’s also shock-resistant and boasts a heat-sink-like forged aluminum chassis. It has a USB-C port and comes with a USB-C to USB-C and a USC-A to USB-C connection. The 1TB model costs around $230, while the 2TB version costs $364.

3. Samsung T7 SSD

Samsung T7 SSD is a best external SDD that comes with a lot of advance features. It has a storage capacity of 50GB, 1TB, or 2TB with USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface. It’s incredibly fast with sequential read and write speeds of up to 1,050 and 1,000 MB/s. The most advanced feature is the built-in security that utilizes the AES 256-bit encryption by which user can access the drive using the finger thumb impression.

4. Adata SE730H External SSD

Adata SE730H is the high-speed storage device that comes with a storage capacity of 256 GB and 1TB. It offers great performance that has a rugged body which helps in keeping it safe from water, drops, and knocks. It is the most compact external SSD with the dimensions of 72.7 x 44 x 12.2mm and weighs 37g. Moreover, it’s smaller and lighter as compared to Samsung’s T3 and T5 drives.

5. WD My Passport Wireless SSD

WD My Passport Wireless SSD is the best portable SSD for travelling photographers, offering a storage capacity of 250 GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB. The WD My Passport Wireless SSD is the latest addition to WD’s growing line of wireless hard drives. Users can view and move data using Wi-Fi rather than a cable, which is more convenient. The flexibility and durability of the WD My Passport Wireless SSD are amazing, plus a built-in SD card reader making it one of the best portable SSDs for photographers.

6. G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE mobile SSD

G-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE mobile SSD is the most reliable and secure SDD which keeps the file safe and secure. It has a storage capacity of 500 GB, 1TB, and 2TB with three different interfaces namely USB-C, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3. It’s rugged, compactable, and fast enough to improve the workflow. Moreover, it’s dust resistant & water-resistant and can survive falls of up to 3 meters.

Final words

Storage devices plays a vital role in storing a large number of data files, images, documents, videos, and other forms of data. The two non-volatile storage devices are a hard disk drive and a solid-state drive, which are mostly used in computers, laptops, and PCs. Businesses that require a strong, fast, and reliable storage device can option a SDD drive from the above mentioned external SDDs. While HDDs are most commonly found in traditional computers and pcs. Both HDD and SSD have different features and functionalities including speed, performance, and security that proves to be very beneficial for the storage of your important files.

For additional guidance on gaming setups, you can check out our comprehensive guide on laptops for gaming.