5 best external hard drives of 2024

Overall, SSDs will outperform HDDs, but HDDs are still king when it comes to storing large amounts of data at an affordable price. 

SanDisk Professional G-Drive

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The SanDisk Professional G-Drive tops the list because it solves all the problems. Aside from needing power, it has very few weaknesses. For instance, you have a variety of storage options, from just 4TB to 22TB. With a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 port and read/write speeds of up to 280Mbps, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive won't make you test its speed as often as a regular HDD.

Anodized aluminum housing protects all those delicate mechanical parts, giving the SanDisk Professional G-Drive the durability it needs on the go.

LaCie Mobile Drive

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There's always room for a conventional hard drive, and the LaCie Mobile Drive fits the bill. Not only do you get plenty of storage for everyday use, but you also get it at a pretty good price. On the outside, LaCie Mobile Drive is incredibly durable thanks to its aluminum casing. That's more than enough to protect the mechanical parts every time you throw the HDD into the case.

When in use, the LaCie Mobile Drive's USB-C port will operate, maintaining read and write speeds at a stable 130Mbps. This is especially useful if you decide to back up data. You can easily do this using LaCie's intuitive software, LaCie Toolkit.

Western Digital My Book

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Expanding memory doesn't have to be complicated, while Western Digital My Book is an option. With nothing more than a power source and a compatible cable, My Book is ready to use as soon as it's plugged in.

With Western Digital My Book, you get up to 22TB of storage, making it a great choice for storing large video files and more. And even if that capacity still isn't enough, you can choose the Western Digital My Book Duo, which includes two drives with a total capacity of 44TB.

Western Digital Elements

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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, Western Digital Elements is worth considering. All you do is plug it in, then connect the USB cable to your PC and it's ready to go. The drive has a storage capacity of up to 22TB!

The best thing about Western Digital Elements is that it is compatible with both Windows and Mac. The HDD is formatted for Windows from the start but with just a few clicks you can reformat it for Mac. You'll also love the compactness of Western Digital Elements computer hard drives. It is equivalent to a modem in both height and width, so there should be no problem finding a place to place the device.

ADATA HD710 Pro

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Whether you go out often or are a very clumsy person, the ADATA HD710 Pro is the number 1 choice. It has three layers of hard drive protection - the outer silicon layer, the shockproof cushion and the plastic shell surrounding the drives. fragile parts.

What's especially impressive is the ADATA HD710 Pro's anti-shock buffer. In addition to preventing damage, the hard drive also has a vibration sensor. When you drop your hard drive, sensors brake the mechanical parts, preventing permanent damage.

You can also rest assured knowing that the ADATA HD710 Pro will still perform well if it gets a little wet or exposed to dust. With a sturdy waterproof port cover, the HD710 Pro can withstand a depth of 2 meters underwater for up to 60 minutes.

Isabella Humphrey

Update 25 June 2024