When it comes to computers, storage is one of the most important parts of your build. While they don’t sound as exciting as graphics cards, solid state drives (SSDs) and hard disk drives (HDDs) are what hold all of the data in your PC. Programs and applications, videos, photos, operating systems, basically anything your computer needs to run and the things that you save or download to your computer.
Both SSDs and HDDs can be internal and external, but external ones are portable, meaning you can transfer large files directly from device to device. So whether you’re buying a new computer or looking to add more storage to your setup, both forms of storage are viable options. It really all depends on what you use your computer for, what you’re planning on doing with the storage, and what your budget is. Luckily, we’ve done the research for you and have compiled a list of the best external SSDs and HDDs, no matter your build or budget.
Table of contents
Best HDDs
Western Digital My Passport (1TB)
This is the bread and butter of HDDs. The 1TB My Passport hard drive is basic, but it gets the job done at a reasonable price. It’s slim, lightweight and features a single USB 3.0 port. With automatic backup and hardware encryption if you download the WD software, this is the best external hard disk drive for those on a budget.
Read/Write speeds: 130/130 MB/s
Seagate One Touch Portable Hard Drive (2TB)
This external HDD from Seagate has 2TB of storage if you’re looking for something with more space than the WD My Passport. It has a USB 3.0 port and features password protection and data recovery services if the drive stops working or you lose data.
You can also schedule automatic backups at daily, weekly or monthly intervals so you don’t need to do it yourself manually.
Read/Write speeds: 540/160 MB/s
LaCie Rugged Portable Hard Drive (4TB)
The LaCie Rugged portable hard drive is an external HDD that can hold up to 4TB of data and has a USB-C connection.
It comes with its own protective casing in the form of an aluminium shell and shock-resistant rubber sleeve on the outside, as well as internal rubber bumpers. This means the HDD is protected from crushing, falls and rain. If you’re planning on moving your data around with you, this is the best external hard disk drive for keeping everything safe.
Read/Write speeds: 130/130 MB/s
Seagate Firecuda Game Drive God of War Limited Edition (2TB)
This God of War: Ragnarok HDD will show everyone that sees it how much of a gamer you really are. It features a cute print from the game and works with PC, Mac, Xbox and PlayStation. So, it’s the best for storing a variety of games for multiple platforms on one external hard drive.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a gaming accessory without customisable, built-in RGB lighting so you can match it to your rig. As for connectivity, it comes with its own USB 3.0 cable for when it’s time to plug-and-play.
Read/Write speeds: 120/120 MB/s
Seagate Firecuda Gaming Hub Desktop Hard Drive (16TB)
If you’re looking for a heavy-duty HDD for all your computer storage needs, the Seagate Firecuda desktop hard drive is a great pick. With 16TB of storage, you’ll have enough room for your whole Steam library and more.
The Seagate Toolkit software also allows you to customise the RGB lighting on the drive, letting you match it to your other gaming peripherals and helping to light up your setup even further. This HDD uses USB 3.0 to connect to your PC, but it also comes with ports for USB-C and USB-A to connect other gaming accessories.
Read/Write speeds: 270/255 MB/s
Best SSDs
SanDisk E30 Portable SSD Drive (1TB)
This tiny SSD from Sandisk is smaller than a phone but holds a decent 1TB of data. Not bad for a hard drive that’s so tiny. It even has a rubber carry hook so you can attach it to your laptop case or bag, so you won’t have to worry about forgetting your important documents ever again.
It comes with a USB-C to USB-A cable and being a solid state drive, is much faster at reading saved data than a HDD is.
Read/Write speeds: 520/520 MB/s
Samsung Portable T7 Shield SSD (4TB)
If you’re looking for something with a bit more storage space, this Samsung external SSD can hold 4TB and has high read and write speeds up to a maximum of 1,050/1,000 MB per second. Compatible with PC, Mac, tablets, phones and gaming consoles, it’s perfect for storing images, videos, programs and games.
Read/Write speeds: 1,050/1,000 MB/s
LaCie Rugged Portable USB-C SSD Drive (1TB)
If you like the sound of the LaCie Rugged HDD drive but want something a bit faster, it also comes in an SSD version. Like its HDD counterpart, the LaCie Rugged SSD has a rubber casing that protects the drive from falls, water and dust. The hard drive is only 1TB, but this is a good amount of storage for most uses.
It features transfer speeds up to a maximum of 950MB per second, which is extremely fast, especially if you’re trying to transfer large files and programs. Its compatibility with both PC and Mac also mean that you can work however you prefer, while the drive’s handheld size means you can work from wherever.
Read/Write speeds: 950/950 MB/s
Seagate Firecuda Portable SSD USB3.2 (2TB)
The Seagate Firecuda range of data storage is huge, with a variety of both HDD and SSD products. This portable solid state drive is the fastest on the list, with a maximum transfer speed of 2,000MB/s.
It also works with the Seagate Toolkit software so you can customise the RGB lighting strip for big individuality whether you’re working or gaming. With a USB-C cable included, this external SSD is compatible with most modern computers.
Read/Write speeds: 2,000/2,000 MB/s
SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD (2TB)
If you’re looking for a fast and powerful SSD that holds a good amount of data, the SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD is a great pick for its price. SSDs aren’t cheap, but if you have a drive that can transfer 50GB in a minute, it’s worth it.
This external SSD has compatibility with Lightning and USB-C.
Read/Write speed: 3,000/2,500 MB/s
What’s the difference between an SSD and HDD?
While solid state drives and hard disk drives share a lot of similarities as computer storage options, and both can be internal or external, but there are some pretty big differences between the two.
The biggest one is that HDDs have moving parts to read the data being stored, while SSDs are motionless. Instead, they read data off of chips – kind of like a USB. Because they have moving parts, HDDs tend to be louder and the machine parts will naturally wear over time (depending on usage), but they also have the advantage of being cheaper and can hold more in terms of storage.
Since the invention of the SSD, HDDs are primarily used as a secondary or external storage system. SSDs are much quieter and faster than HDDs, but more expensive for the same amount of storage space. Most computers have internal SSDs installed by default now, often with 500GB to 1TB of storage, which is plenty for operating systems, games and general storage.
Lead image credit: iStock/Martin DM