The Best External Hard Drives for Your Home Office
Frustrated about your enormous amount of data? Can’t install new games on you PC for storage issue? Tired of finding and deleting old files for storage? We will help you find the best external hard drives to solve your data problems.
Here are our top 10 recommendations for the best external hard drives:
As an affiliate partner, I may earn qualifying purchases made on products.
Our best selection is Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive. It is compatible with a huge variety of devices such as PS4, PC, Xbox, and Mac. It has a solid build with a black matte finished surface.
The best feature about this external hard drive is its huge storage capacity. You can store any type of content in the 5TB storage and access it anyplace and anytime. It is a small and lightweight device so you can take it anywhere without worrying about space in your backpack.
Additionally, the 120 megabytes per second reading speed of this hard drive makes it faster. Just drag and drop your content and save in a flash! Another amazing feature is it is also preformatted for windows and pc. So, you can just plug your device and it’ll be good to go!
Moreover, you don’t about the cable anymore it is 18” long. Also, the data transfer rate is faster as it is a USB 3.0 cable.
Finally, you can buy this 5TB External Hard Drive from Seagate if you want long term reliability. Seagate provides a one-year limited warranty. Also, a year of rescue data recovery services. So, with all of these amazing features mentioned you can choose this product.
Want a titan sized storage with all the premium features in an external hard drive? You can choose WD 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive. It also has a sleek design with a durable build.
It supports a wide variety of hardware interfaces like USB, USB 3.0, and USB 2.0. This device is also compatible with both Mac and PC. So, you can use this external hard disk in multiplatform with ease.
Besides, it has a high data transfer rate. Providing excellent and responsive data storing. You can just plug in the device and use it in windows. Because it ensures maximum compatibility with your Windows device.
Moreover, this device has a premium brand quality from western digital. You can get rid of the tension of losing any of your important data using this product. As it is reliable and perfect for daily heavy usage.
Furthermore, the company offers 2 years of manufacturer’s limited warranty. So, you can definitely trust WD and buy this amazing product.
Sometimes you need a budget-friendly product that is as portable and fast as any premium external hard drive. Can’t find a product like that? Don’t worry. Our next product WD 2TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive is here to blow your mind.
The most amazing thing it is smaller with a dimension of 3.23”x4.35”. It has both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatibility. So, you don’t have to solve the puzzle of cable anymore!
Furthermore, it saves you valuable time as its data transfer rate is lightning fast. Improve your PC performance by freeing up space in your internal drive.
Also, it is well compatible with Windows 10, Windows 8.1, and Windows 7 as NTFS. It got a high capacity for these OS versions, you can easily reformat it for other operating systems also.
Finally, so for a Western Digital branded the best quality in the budget. Stress-free service life with a 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty also comes with this product.
Our next recommendation is the Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB Portable External Hard Drive. It comes with an elegant and matte black sleek design. The smooth finish of this hard drive also can resist smudge.
With massive storage, you can also take it anywhere you want for its 2.5-inch lightweight build. You don’t need to google and confuse yourself. Just plug and play and you can use it. For using in Mac, reformatting is also easy peasy.
You don’t ever have to worry about losing any more storage space. Just use this external hard drive to add more storage to keep your data stored for life!
Additionally, the transfer rate of USB 3.0 is 5 Gbit/s and 480 Mbit/s for USB 2.0. Providing high-speed reliable data transfer even on the go. Obviously, no external AC power cord is not needed.
So, with these must-have features and Toshiba’s 1-year standard limited warranty you can buy this amazing product.
WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive is a very stylish and unique looking product. With a classy design, polished outlook, and high matte finish, this product is also perfect for use as a social media and cloud storage.
First of all, the storage has a large capacity of 5TB. You can store a large capacity of files which you take anywhere. As it is easily portable. Never face heartbreaking data loss with the automatic backup feature of this hard drive.
One amazing feature of this unique product is the 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection. Even it is a portable hard disk you can store your personal data for this extra security.
It got a super speed USB 2.0 port. Also, compatible with Windows 10 or Windows 8.1 operating systems. If you have other OS, you can easily reformat it.
Finally, with the extra security features of Wester Digital. You also get a 3-year manufacturer’s limited warranty. So, feel free to try it out and see if it suits your needs.
LaCie Rugged Mini 4TB External Hard Drive is a unique designed and compact styled product. With a stylish look, it is also resistant to crush, drop, shock, dust, and water. Simple, we can say it’s an army quality product!
It also comes with a large 4TB capacity storage. You can take it anywhere because of its lightweight and high portability. It is almost resistant to every kind of fall you can think of as mentioned before. So, you don’t need to worry about keeping this hard drive safe! It’ll keep your data safe.
Moreover, it got a high-speed USB 3.0 seamless connection. Providing speed up to 130 MB/s. So, you never have to waste your valuable time again!
Another amazing feature is you will get 1 monthly membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud. So, you get access to all awesome photo and video editing apps.
So, you can really consider buying this external hard drive with a 2-year limited warranty.
Up next we have Toshiba Canvio Gaming 2TB Portable External Hard Drive. It is specially made for gamers. It supports platforms like Playstation, Xbox, PC, and Mac too.
Gaming can be also portable with your progress saved! This sleek and compact hard drive made it possible. You can store up to 50 games in the 2TB storage. Saving your progress and never lose them again.
Moreover, it comes with “Always-On” mode firmware dedicated to gaming. For this amazing and unique feature, you will get a super responsive experience even on the go!
So, the limitation of gaming is past now. You can play any new or high spec games on the go connecting to other devices anytime. Also, you can transfer any data faster as it got a USB 3.0 feature.
Finally, if you are a gamer Toshiba Canvio Gaming 2TB Portable External Hard Drive is the best choice for you. Don’t worry about its life because it has a 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty from Toshiba.
Our next recommendation is a little bit different looking than other variations of the list. Seagate Backup Plus 5TB External Hard Drive comes with 5TB of storage with a sleek silver-colored design.
With a minimal brushed metal look, it is best suitable as a laptop or PC hard drive. Use it with Mac and windows when you need or where you need it. Also, its USB 3.0 feature makes data transfer seamless and faster.
The most unique feature of this external hard drive is you can back up your data by automatic scheduling of daily, weekly, or monthly. Never lose your precious data using this amazing hard drive.
Moreover, you will get a 1-year subscription to Mylio create. Also, 2-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan. Isn’t that amazing?
Finally, this minimal looking powerhouse comes with a two-year limited warranty and two-year Rescue Data Recovery Services. Providing long-time stress-free service with reliability.
Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB External Hard Drive comes with a large 6TB of portable storage. With this gigantic storage, you can take any of your data anywhere without worrying about space. Let your travel be more entertaining as you can keep all your photos, movies, music, or any of your works with you for years.
This external hard drive works flawlessly with Windows computers. Just drag and drop your file in this device and back up is done in an instant like magic.
Besides, setup is easier than eating food! Just connect with your windows device and it will automatically detect it. You don’t need to stress yourself to find any extra drivers or software.
Additionally, as our first device from this list, it also got an 18” USB 3.0 cable with an 18-watt power adapter. Providing a data transfer speed like flash from the justice league!
Finally, with the larger space and faster data transfer speed, it also comes with a 1-year limited warranty. You can buy this if you need a swiss-army knife-like service from an external hard drive.
Finally, we feature WD 4TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive. It comes with a spacious 4TB of storage with WB brand reliability. Also, it got time machine compatibility for efficient auto backup.
Like the previous WD products, this external hard drive protects your data. Providing hardware encryption and password protection keeps your data secure even if you lose the hard drive.
Furthermore, it is highly compatible with any device for its USB 3.0 and 2.0 support. With the build quality, this hard drive is also super durable. So, you don’t have to worry about data failure or losing your stored works.
So, free up your PC hard disk and you can trust this amazing portable external hard drive. With the sturdy Western Digital build quality, this portable hard disk will last for years and protect your data. Also, it got a 3-year manufacturer’s limited warranty from WD.
External Hard Drive Buyer’s Guide
Many people have stopped relying on external hard drives for paid iCloud storage or even SSDs. But there is actually nothing more reliable than an external hard drive that safely stores all of your data in one place with no risk of it ever getting lost. It is an investment like perhaps 4k computer monitors that everyone should make!
In addition to being super durable, they are also more money-saving. You can add an entire terabyte of storage to your digital by simply plugging in an external hard drive into your computer for a much lower price than you would on any other platform.
External hard drives are extremely important for people who have so many valuable things in digital storage which they would not like to ever lose. It gives you the freedom to fill up your storage, move it to a secure location, and then fill it up more without being scared to lose your data.
How to Pick the Best External Hard Drive?
Making sure you get the right external hard drive is key to safely storing your most important digital data. Reliability is the first thing you look for in order not to get disappointed when anything of significance is lost.
In this guide, you will walk you through the most important aspects to consider when buying an external hard drive. The most critical part is the drive capacity. It can make the most difference when it comes to its price so it is something to consider carefully. You will also want to think about the actual size of the drive, its durability, how it connects to your computer as well as its shape and color.
Let’s break it down!
Speed and Connectivity
When choosing the best external hard drive, opt for a fast one that will not irritate you with its speed. A fast one should have SSD (Solid State Drive) technology or the last connectivity technology, such as USB-C. These two factors are definitely influential to the rate at which you can transfer data from your computer to the drive and vice versa.
So when you are choosing the best external hard drive for you, be sure to check that it is an SSD in addition to its connectivity type. Most ones will have a USB 3.0 but if you really want some speed, you can go for a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type C. Don’t forget to check that there is also a USB Type-C port on your PC or laptop so your purchase matches your current devices.
Storage Space
The next thing you should look out for is the storage space you will need. The best external hard drive will have room for all of your current files with space to grow. Think far ahead while you are making this purchase so you enjoy some longevity for your product.
Knowing how much space you need to begin with is a great way to start determining the terabytes of your next external hard drive. This will help in avoiding getting a small-sized one then running out of room for your valuable data. This will lead to buying more and more external hard drives and cluttering your digital space. But you also don’t want to get a huge one with space you will never use so take your time in deciding what is best for your needs.
A 1TB will you give sufficient room to store your files without really damaging your budget. But if you are planning on going overboard with your storing then definitely go for a larger capacity one. We typically recommend a much bigger external hard drive for people who store films, music, videos, games, etc.
Size and Weight
External hard drives are also great transfer tools in addition to storing. You can definitely use them on the go instead of carrying your computer around everywhere or even just between home and work. Luckily they are mostly compact in size and relatively lightweight.
While you are choosing the best external hard drive, take a look at its specs to decide whether it is the right size for you. Consider that you may want to travel with it or even carry it in your everyday bag along with your noise cancelling earbuds so it needs to be lightweight enough for convenience.
Fred splits his corporate time between the office and his WFH office. He believes that a few days of working remotely is a great way to boost productivity and employee happiness. Fred started WFH Adviser in order to share insights and products with people who are beginning their WFH journey.
