The Best External HDDs of 2024

By all accounts, an SSD will outpace an HDD, but a hard drive is still king when it comes to storing an absurd amount of data at an affordable price. An external HDD comes in all shapes and sizes, from portable to a compact but more stationary secondary storage device. Of course, the best external HDD is going to be one that fits your needs!

Best External HDD Overall: SanDisk Professional G-Drive

The SanDisk Professional G-Drive wouldn’t be at the top of our list if it wasn’t pulling out all the stops. Outside of needing a power supply, it has so few weaknesses. For instance, you have a wide variety of storage options, from a mere 4TB to a whopping 22TB. With its USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and read/write speeds of up to 280Mbps, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive won’t have you checking your watch like the average HDD would.

An anodized aluminum casing protects all those delicate mechanical parts, giving the SanDisk Professional G-Drive the durability it needs when you’re on the go.

Best Budget External HDD: LaCie Mobile Drive

There’s always room for a no-nonsense kind of HDD, and the LaCie Mobile Drive fits the bill beautifully. You’re not only getting plenty of storage for daily use, you’re getting it at a pretty good price. On the outside, the LaCie Mobile Drive is surprisingly durable, given its aluminum casing. That’s more than enough to protect the mechanical parts whenever you toss the HDD into a carrying case.

When in use, the LaCie Mobile Drive’s USB-C port does the work, keeping read and write speeds at a consistent 130Mbps. This is particularly handy if and when you decide to back up data, which you can easily do using LaCie’s intuitive software, LaCie Toolkit.

Best High Capacity External HDD: Western Digital My Book

Expanding your storage doesn’t have to be complicated, not while the Western Digital My Book is an option. With nothing but a power supply and compatible cable, the My Book is ready to use as soon as it’s plugged in.

With just the Western Digital My Book alone, you have up to 22TB of storage to fill, making it a fantastic option for storing large video files and more. And even if that isn't enough, you can opt for the Western Digital My Book Duo, which features two drives for a total of 44TB.

Best External HDD for NAS: Western Digital Elements

If you’re setting up a NAS for your own media server but aren’t tech-savvy or just want a quick-and-easy installation, the Western Digital Elements is a no-brainer. All you do is plug in a power source, then connect the USB cable to your PC, and it’s ready to go. Up to 22TB of storage at your fingertips!

The best part of Western Digital Elements is that it’s compatible with both Windows and Mac. The HDD is formatted for Windows right out of the box, but with a few clicks, you can reformat it for Mac. You’ll also love how small and compact the Western Digital Elements Desktop HDD is. It’s comparable to a modem in both height and width, so you won’t have any issues finding a place for it.

Most Portable External HDD: ADATA HD710 Pro

Whether you frequently go outside or consider yourself a very clumsy person, the ADATA HD710 Pro is the king of protection. It has three layers protecting the HDD inside—an outer silicon layer, a shock-absorbing buffer, and a plastic shell around the fragile components.

What’s particularly impressive is the ADATA HD710 Pro’s shock-absorbing buffer. In addition to preventing damage, the HDD has vibration sensors. If and when you drop the HDD, the sensors put a brake on the mechanical parts, further preventing permanent damage.

You can also rest easy knowing your ADATA HD710 Pro will be just fine if it gets a little wet or comes in contact with dust. Assuming the waterproof port cover is secure, the HD710 Pro can withstand 2 meters underwater for up to 60 minutes.

FAQ

Q: What is the difference between a HDD and SSD?

It all comes down to how HDDs and SSDs store data. HDDs are mechanical in nature, using moving parts to read and write information. SSDs, on the other hand, don’t use mechanical parts at all.

Q: How long does an external HDD last?

Assuming it runs without issues (which is totally possible), an external HDD can last five years or more. What’s important is to keep your external HDD from experiencing drops, bumps and scrapes as this can cause the mechanical parts inside to break.

Q: Should I use a HDD or SSD for NAS?

Both. Even the best NAS these days still use HDDs as primary storage, given how cost efficient they are, but also utilize the better performance of SSDs for cache acceleration, for example.

However, if you have to choose between an HDD or SSD for NAS, HDD is the overall better choice. It’s far more affordable and you can still find HDDs with comparable read/write speeds to your average SSD.

Q: How do I reformat my hard drive?

To reformat a hard drive on Windows:

1. Open Disk Management and right-click the hard drive you want to format.
2. In the drop-down menu, choose Format.
   1. Check “Perform a quick format” if you’re keeping the hard drive; uncheck if you’re giving the hard drive away.

3. Pick a file system, then click OK.

To reformat a hard drive on Mac:

1. Open Finder and click the Go tab.
2. In the drop-down menu, choose Utilities, then open Disk Utility.
3. On the left-hand side, select the hard drive you want to format.
4. Along the top, select the Erase option.
5. Choose the File System

You can also “erase” the hard drive multiple times. If you’re keeping the hard drive, once is fine; if you’re giving it away, you’ll want to erase several times.