What you don’t need to do is search for hours or days to find the best one for your needs.
We have done the work for you and have created a special list of the 8 best external hard drives you can buy in 2019.
They are super-durable, fast and with a large memory capacity …
.. to save all your important files and documents!
And that’s what you want, isn’t it?
Let’s take a look together at the list …
WD Elements : Our Recommendation
Hard disk size: from 500 Mb to 4 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
Do you have a lot of data to save and are you looking for the best external hard drive that can guarantee you material quality, solidity and maximum storage capacity? Our advice is to evaluate the purchase of one of the Western Digital Elements external hard drives.
Western Digital is one of the best and most reliable brands on the market in 2019 and offers you an external hard drive with a 2.5 “box that can hold from 500 Mb to 4 Tb. Lots of space for all your files, your photos, your music and your movies.
It supports a HDD type HD and is pre-formatted with NTFS file system for Windows, but it can be easily used even with Mac devices after formatting the disk. To transfer data, these external hds use a USB 3.0 interface with universal connectivity, therefore also suitable for USB 2.0. USB 3.0 ensures you the best data transfer speed, up to 5Gb / s, while if you use USB 2.0 you will have a data transfer up to 480 Mb / s.
It’s a 2.5 “portable hard drive with a rotational speed of up to 5400 rpm that you can attach directly to your PC or other media. It is self-powered thanks to a lithium battery which guarantees excellent autonomy. Included is a handy quick installation guide and a trial backup software. Finally you can also find a better wireless version.
In short, the Western Digital Elements is an external HD to store reliable data, certainly very fast, universal and with many reviews that confirm its quality. Precisely for this reason it is the best external hard drive to store data, the most recommended by our experts.
Pros:
• Our first recommendation as the best external hard drive
• Portable 2.5 “HD that can hold up to 4 Tb
• Fast data transfer: up to 5Gb / s for USB 3.0 and up to 480 Mb / s for USB 2.0, therefore excellent storage speed
• Universal USB 3.0 interface, able to interact even with USB 2.0 devices
• The hard drive runs at a speed of up to 5400 rpm to attach to the PC or another medium
• HD self-powered with lithium battery
• Local backup software and on Cloud Western Digital in free trial
• Lightweight and small-sized case, comfortable to carry safely in your pocket, built with solid materials
• There is also a wireless version
Cons:
• Preformatted with NTFS file system
• A longer power cable would have been useful.
WD My Passport Maximum compactness:
Hard disk size: from 1 Tb to 4 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
Would you like to buy a good quality portable external hard drive but don’t know which one to choose? If compactness and design are important to you, without of course giving up memory capacity, then you’re on the right review. We are talking about one of the best external hard drives of 2019, the Western Digital My Passport.
More reliable, solid, small enough to fit comfortably in one hand (2.5 “) so you can always carry it with you, but with a large data storage capacity. It can hold a 1 to 4Tb hard drive, ideal for creating a backup of your computer, or simply creating a redundant backup for safety.
You’ll see that using it will be very easy, with a simple Plug & Play and, if you connect it with your PC, thanks to the WD Backup software the external HD will automatically backup. You can choose the frequency and time to backup. For better protection of the two data, it implements 256-bit AES hardware encryption and software that maintains the correct data, requesting access with the entry of a password.
You can also easily save all the data you have on your social media or Cloud services, thanks to the included WD Discovery software. The WD My Passport hosts an external HDD self-powered with a battery and a USB 3.0 interface, with one of the best transfer speeds: up to 100 Mb / s. The interface is universal and usable without problems with USB 2.0.
This external hard drive has a formatting for Windows 8.1, but reformatting is sufficient by inserting the suitable file systems for the mac and it will be perfect for your Apple device. It is an external hard drive with a very nice and particular look that you can find in many different colors, all without ever neglecting, as is the case with WD tradition, the quality of the best construction materials.
As confirmed by some reviews, the quality and reliability of the product is underlined, also demonstrated by the non-heating in case of prolonged use.
Pros:
• Self-powered 2.5 “portable HD that can hold hard disks ranging from 1 Tb to 4 Tb
• Fast data transfer
• Implement the WD Backup Software which allows an automatic backup, with the possibility of setting frequency and time
• Maximum data security, thanks to AES 256-bit hardware encryption + WD Security software and ability to enter a password, for better protection of your data
• You can easily download the data on your social media or cloud services through the WD Discovery software
• Universal USB 3.0 interface, able to use it even with USB 2.0 devices
• Automatic message with the contact details of the owner of the HD, useful in case of loss
• Very easy to use, with the Plug & Play, and a convenient operating LED
• Particular design, attractive and solid materials, available in many different colors
Cons:
• The software is slightly slow
• The data protection software creates some problems when the HD is moved to different PCs.
Toshiba HDTB310EK3AA The best seller:
Hard disk size: from 500 Mb to 3 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
The jungle of external hard drives is wide, true, and you would like to understand which is the best external hard drive for you but do not know how to choose? If you want a cheap but reliable external hard drive that can store a lot of information, why not evaluate one of the best external hard drives on the market in 2019, the Toshiba Canvio Basics? On the other hand, it is also the most sold of 2019.
Toshiba is a well-known brand of quality and produces products that are good value for money. The Canvio Basics has a 2.5 “case, so it is perfect to always carry with you and, thanks to the rigid plastic it is made of, it appears to be quite solid and resistant even to stress. It can contain hard drives with a memory between 500 Mb and 3 TB and is able to store everything, becoming your multimedia archive of reference.
Its operation is easy, with plug & play. It is preformatted with the NTFS file system, specific for Windows, but you can easily make it compatible with Apple systems too. Simply reformat the HFS + hdin and you get full compatibility with Macs, but this file system is also compatible with Windows. For complete compatibility this could be the best solution.
The internal attack of the hard disk is Serial ATA III, better, while the connection interface between the external HD and the computer is USB3.0, also compatible with a USB2.0. Data transfer speed is high, thanks to the combination of USB 3.0 and Serial ATA attack and up to 5 Gbps.
It is of the HDD type and is reliable. It is self-powered and the following minimum requirements are required for its operation: 750 MHz CPU, 10MB HD system and 256 MB memory. Storing data, even multimedia, with this external hd will be very simple, fast and practical. During operation a small LED will indicate that the HD is at work.
Considering that we are talking about one of the best and best-selling external hard drives, users’ opinions can only confirm the excellent quality / price ratio of this product.
Pros:
• Best selling external hard drive of 2019
• Portable 2.5 “HD which can hold hard drives between 500Mb and 3Tb
• HDD type with 5400 rpm rotation speed
• Universal USB 3.0 interface, also compatible with USB 2.0 devices
• Internal connection between hard disk and Seria ATA III type houses with better performance in terms of speed
• Fast data transfer, thanks also to SuperSpeed technology
• Silent and self-powered
• Essential lines, convenient to always carry with you.
Cons:
• Once purchased it is not immediately compatible with the Mac, initial formatting is required
• The disc attachment tends to come off easily, so you need to pay attention to the position.
Maxtor Seagate: Best economic option
Hard disk size: from 500 Mb to 4 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
See how many external hard drives are on the market? It’s certainly not easy to figure out which one to choose, especially if you don’t want to buy an expensive product. If you want to find your way around an external hard drive that is among the best at competitive prices, our advice is to evaluate the Maxtor Seagate.
His 2.5 “case can contain a hard disk with a memory ranging from 500 Mb to 4 Tb. Your data will always be safe, thanks to the Secure Drive that will take care of protecting them. In addition to the Secure Drive you also have the Safety Key, always aimed at the best protection of your data.
You can easily connect this external HD to your PC thanks to USB 3.0, which, together with the SuperSpeed cable, increases the speed of data transfer from the computer. It gives you the possibility to archive all your data, thanks also to the possibility of exploiting a personal backup, AutoBackup. The HDD type hard drive has a rotation speed of 5400 rpm. It has a particular appearance, with wavy plastic. Overall, however, it has a solid and sufficiently protective structure.
It is an external hd that you can use both for Windows PC and for Mac, so maximum compatibility. It has an excellent range of operating temperature, also indicating the quality of this product. It can work without problems between 5 ° and 10 °, while if it is not operational it can support temperatures between -20 ° and 65 ° C.
You can find the Maxtor Seagate external hard drive at a very low price on the market which, compared to the quality of the product, makes it the best external hard drive in the economic segment.
Pros:
• Hard disk for a really cheap price
• Portable 2.5 “HD which can hold hard drives between 500Mb and 4Tb
• Data protection guaranteed by SafetyKey protection
• Universal USB 3.0 interface, also compatible with USB 2.0 devices
• Self-powered HDD type
• You have the option, with AutoBackup, to make customized backups
• Fast data transfer, thanks to SuperSpeed cable technology, up to 5Gbps
• External hard drive compatible with both Windows and Mac
• Excellent operating temperature range, between 5 ° and 40 ° C (working) or between -20 ° and 65 ° C when not operating.
Cons:
• It would have been useful to add a carrying case in the package
• The cable is a little too short, especially if you want to connect the external hard drive to a TV.
WD Elements Desktop : Better data protection
Hard disk size: from 2 Tb to 10 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
Is your PC particularly slow and struggling to work? Not sure how to lighten it? Have you thought about buying an external hard drive that allows you to pass some of the data that overshadows your computer and thus simplify your work? We suggest, in this regard, the purchase of one of the best external hard drives on the market, the Western Digital Elements Desktop.
It is a non-portable current-powered external hard drive that will allow you to store a large amount of data. In fact it can contain hard disks with a memory capacity between 2 and 10 TB. If you use this external hard drive constantly, transferring your PC files here, you will see how your computer will come back to life and walk again.
It is formatted in NTFS, therefore compatible with all Windows devices, but you can easily use it even with your Apple device, after fast formatting with a different file system. The rotation speed is 7200 rpm.
Data transfer is guaranteed by the USB 3.0 interface with SuperSpeed technology, which will offer you a file transfer speed of up to 5 Gbps. Although the interface is USB 3.0, the Elements external hard drive is backwards compatible with devices that have USB 2.0, even if the transfer speed in this case will be reduced.
The use of this external hard drive is really very simple, thanks to the Plug & Play functionality on Windows PC. And if you wish, you can use the WD SmartWave Pro Software for free, to back up your data.
Western Digital is a quality brand in the field of external hd, and even this product is decidedly well made. Solid, shock resistant and long-term reliable. To be an external hd for desktop it doesn’t have excessive dimensions, it is high around 17 cm, about 3.5 “, so it turns out to be rather compact.
The Western Digital Elements Desktop external hard drive, more reliable, larger and of excellent quality, is one of the best powered, an ally for you and your desktop PC and not only.
Pros:
• Very reliable current powered hard disk
• Memory capacity up to 10 Tb
• Rotational speed of 7200 rpm
• Fast data transfer, also thanks to SuperSpeed technology which guarantees a speed up to 5 Gbps
• Connectivity guaranteed by USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0
• Easy to use, thanks to the Plug & Play feature that makes it instantly detected by the PC as soon as you connect it
• It has the possibility of using the lock cable, which is often used in offices to prevent access mechanically
• In the event of non-use, after a few minutes it automatically goes into stand-by
• Solid and resistant structure with simple lines.
Cons:
• It is born preformatted in NTFS, so if you use a Mac you have to remember to reformat it with another file system
• The power cord is a little fragile
• The on / off button by many is considered useless.
WD My Book Greater storage capacity:
Hard disk size: from 3 Tb to 12 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
Are you looking for an external hard drive, not necessarily portable, that is more reliable and with better data storage capacity? Then you’re right on the right review, because we’re talking about the Western Digital My Book external hard drive.
Lots of space at your disposal to back up your computer, but also to store music or movie files. The case can host hard disks with different data storage capacities between 3 and 12 Tb for the Duo version. If you opt for a device with greater capacity you can make it your best ally to always have with you movies, music, a real multimedia library.
Using this external device is really very simple. It interfaces with the devices via a USB 3.0 port, which is also compatible with devices that mount a USB 2.0 port. USB 3.0 will guarantee you a good speed of data transfer. This external hd is able to connect to the best social networks and storage services to import images and documents using the WD DIScovery software.
My Book is a very reliable device designed to be useful to you in every way. Implement WD Backup software to perform constant and scheduled backups. This software works without problems both with Windows and with Apple devices, in particular with Time Machine. Excellent compatibility also with Acronis True Image WD Edition software, for simple and perfect backup planning.
And once you have transferred your data to the external device, they will be safe there because, like many of WD’s external hard drives, it uses built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption. This is accompanied by the possibility of activating a password protection system, with WD Security, which will help keep your data private and protected.
It is an external hard disk designed specifically to be placed in a fixed position near a TV or PC. This is a desktop hard drive with a case that is not too large. The construction material is solid and then has a very attractive and particular design, totally reinvented.
The Western Digital My Book external hard drive is a complete, reliable device with all the software you may need.
Pros:
• Exceptional memory capacity between 3 and 12 Tb for the Duo version
• HDD type powered by current
• Connectivity guaranteed by USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0
• WD Backup software that performs automatic backup and is also compatible with Time Machine
• Implement data encryption and security software with which you can enter a password
• High speed data transfer
• Particular and very attractive design
Cons:
• Preformatted in NTFS, so if you use a Mac you have to remember to reformat it with another file system
• The LED light is missing
• It turns out to be a little noisy.
Toshiba HDTB420EK3AA Great basic
Hard disk size: from 500 Mb to 3 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
Are you taking a look at the external hard drives on the market and would you like something produced by one of the most reliable brands on the subject, but that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg? And we have the solution for you! We are talking, in fact, about the brand new Toshiba HDTB420EK3AA portable external hard drive Canvio Basics, perfect for those who use this type of device for the first time.
The build quality is good and its 2.5 “case is able to accommodate hard drives with memory capacities ranging from 500 Gb to 3 Tb. It is a perfect external device even for those who are not too technological, because it is practically ready for use. You connect it and, with the plug & play system, it does everything by itself.
Considering its memory capacity and ease of use, you can use it to store all your music files, but also videos, photos and, why not, documents. The transfer of data from external HD device is guaranteed by the USB 3.0 interface, which is also backward compatible with devices that use USB 2.0. The USB 3.0 port guarantees you a high storage speed, up to 5Gbps.
If you connect it with a Windows PC, you don’t need to install it, whereas if you are a lover of Apple products, formatting is required with the addition of the Apple compatible file system. Finally it has a classic exterior design and is matt black.
It is a simple, compact and portable external HD, as Toshiba can do, with quality standards among the best. Our advice is to evaluate the purchase of this external hard drive, which also enjoys good reviews from those who are using it.
Pros:
• Great hard disk easy to use
• Memory capacity between 500 Mb and 3 Tb
• Immediately ready for use, with the plug & play system
• High speed data transfer, up to 5 Gbps
• Connectivity guaranteed by USB 3.0, backward compatible with USB 2.0
• Lightweight, portable, compact external hard drive
• Simple and classic design, matt black color
Cons:
• USB interface soldered directly to the disk, so it is not possible to change the interface to which the HD is connected
• Missing feet that help keep the external HD still on the support surface
• When he works for a while he tends to warm up.
Seagate Expansion The style in a hard disk:
Hard disk size: from 500 Mb to 4 Tb
Hardware interface: USB 3.0 (USB 2.0 compatible)
Do you like objects with a slightly different design and would you like an external hard drive that also reflects this side of your being? One of the best hard drives for you, then, is the Seagate Expansion.
It is a thin device consisting of a very light 2.5 “case and a hard disk that can store from 0.5 Tb up to 4 Tb of data. Here for all your storage needs you can have the ideal amount of TB available. The strong point is certainly the design: rectangular, but with a worked surface by inserting many small pyramids in it.
It is small and practical to carry with you, shorter than a pencil, to make you understand its dimensions. It is HDD type, has a rotation speed of 5400 rpm and interfaces with the PC or other device via a USB 3.0 port, backwards compatible with devices that have only a USB 2.0 port. it has a rather high data transfer rate, up to 5 Gbps, if you use the USB 3.0 port.
Its operation is simple. Just plug it in and, if it’s a Windows PC, the recognition will be immediate and instantaneous. For macs we recommend formatting. Backing up your files will be a breeze, thanks also to the intuitive Seagate Dashboard software with which you can, among other things, program the files you want to backup and set their cadence.
A simple and intuitive use, a good availability of storage capacity, a not excessive price and a beautiful design. If we add to this that the internal hard disk is a Sata III disk, and therefore reusable in the event the case is broken, we can confirm that the Seagate Expansion external hard disk fully deserves to become part of our special classification.
Pros:
• HDD type hard disk with a beautiful and particular design
• Memory capacity between 500 Mb and 4 Tb
• Connection / power cable with USB 3.0, compatible with USB 2.0 devices
• Possibility to manage the backup in a fast way through the Seagate
• Dashboard: you can program the files to be backed up and the cadence to which you want to perform it
• High storage speed
• Easy and intuitive file backup
• Easy to install, thanks to plug & play.
Cons:
• Short cable but not very short
• The shock does not seem to be particularly resistant.
Factors to consider when purchasing an external hard drive:
And here we are, after taking a look at the best external hard drives of the best brands, trying to figure out how to identify the best hard drive for you. To help you answer the question “how to choose”, we will analyze some of the most important factors that are useful to consider when evaluating the purchase of a portable external HD.
Analyzing these factors will allow you to have clearer ideas about the world of external hard drives and will provide you with all the tools to easily decide which HD is best for you. As you read individual points, consider how important that factor is to you and don’t forget to take notes! We are ready? And then let’s go!
Data storage capacity:
When you are going to evaluate the purchase of an external hard drive, be it laptop or desktop, one of the first questions you must surely ask yourself is: how much space do I need? Yes, because on the market you can find external hard drives with different data storage capacities ranging from a few GB to 10 TB.
In order to understand what is the best storage capacity you need, ask yourself what you would like to save on the external hard drive. If you need to carry out constant PC back ups, surely you need a fairly large hd, in line with the amount of data in your computer. Obviously the greater the capacity of the HD, and the better the quality, the higher the price, even if it is difficult to arrive at particularly prohibitive figures.
If you want to create a multimedia library, surely you need more storage capacity. Consider that in 1 Gb around 200 tracks enter, but this value varies according to the quality and possible compression of the saved files. Consider buying a slightly larger hd than your current needs because in just a short time the amount of things to archive increases, and external hard drives, even the best ones, quickly become “small”.
SSD vs HDD
SSDs and HDDs are different types of memory units. SSDs are solid-state drives, while HDD is a hard disk drive. Both allow you to store data either inside the PC or on the unit itself, or outside.
The SSD (Solid -State – Drive) is a memory unit organized in a very similar way to a USB stick, therefore with many flash memories connected together. There are no moving parts and they have a better reliability, but also a very high reading and writing speed with less danger of data fragmentation. Moreover they are very compact between them and therefore easily usable in tablets or laptops.
Even in the computer startup phase, the SSD ensures that the computer is up and running in seconds. Another advantage of the best SSD is its extreme solidity even at external stresses because, having no moving parts, there are fewer dangers than breaking.
The HDD is the most widespread storage method at the moment and consists of a spinning disk, so it is a type of mechanical data storage / reading. Clearly it is more fragile and subject to breakage, but it is also the currently most convenient system. It has a storage capacity from 500 Gb to some Tera. Even the SSD can have high storage capacities, but the cost of these memories is very high. HDD is the best choice if you want to store large amounts of multimedia files.
Transfer speed:
One of the important values to consider when you need to purchase the best external hard drive, regardless of the brand, is the speed with which it is able to store data. This speed is important because, especially if you use the external hard drive every day, you can’t wait too long whenever the data needs to be updated.
One of the factors related to data storage speed is certainly the type of external hard drive you are working with. If we talk about the best external SSD hard drive the speed of data access and its transfer speed are very high.
Speaking instead of HDDs, here the transfer speed is very much influenced by the type of interface used. If, in fact, they use a more dated USB, the data transfer speed will not be excessive, maximum 480 Mbit / s. This type of technology is, as anticipated, rather dated and therefore involves a lower initial cost and can be fine if it is customary to transfer light files, such as text files or calculation files.
Currently the most widespread technology is USB 3.0, which guarantees a much better data transmission speed, up to 4.8 Gbps. It is certainly a more reliable technology, but expensive, but highly recommended for those who need to archive multimedia files or particularly heavy ones.
Lately, an even better technology was born, the Thunderbolt, capable of moving data at an extraordinary speed of 40 Gbps. At the moment, however, it is implemented in a few devices and is decidedly expensive.
Portability:
Portability is a feature you need to take into consideration after you have answered the question: what should I do with this external device? And above all where and for what will I use it? In terms of portability on the market, there are essentially two types of external hard drives: laptops, small in size, maximum 2.5 “and no more than about 2 cm thick, and desktop hard drives, fixed.
If you use it essentially at home, as an extension of your PC, to lighten it and make it more fluid, rather than as a real multimedia archive, then the best solution for you is an external device that is not necessarily portable.
If you use it to continuously transport data from one device to another or to store information on the move, the best solution is a portable external HD. In the case in which, instead, you think you have to keep it mainly inside your home or office, in a rather fixed place, our advice is to opt for the desktop type.
Safety:
In terms of security, some of the best external hard drives protect the data that is entered by encrypting them. In other cases there are special software that prevent intrusions by others and give the possibility to set a password that, therefore, protects even more the access to the information contained in the hard disk.
The software available is many and often proprietary. Some better external hard disks, especially desktops, sometimes also have the possibility of inserting a clamp that prevents the hard disk from opening and tampering, preventing the case from opening.
Ease of use and reliability:
Since the hard disks must contain data and are back-ups that must remain intact, it is certainly essential to take the reliability of the product into consideration. The more reliable a product is, the more guarantees will be given that that external hard drive will keep our data in the best possible way, without fear that it may be lost or broken.
This value is easily identifiable in part by the reviews, but above all by the opinions and testimonies of those who have been using that hard disk for some time. Consumers will be able to give you the best testimony on its reliability over time.
Ease of use is also important, of course, in line with your technological skills. To understand the ease of use of a hard disk, based in part on its functionality: the less it is processed, the easier it will be to use.
Compatibility:
Most of the best hard drives are compatible with all devices. What you can encounter, as a difference, is the initial formatting of the hard disk, which in some cases is done with an NTFS file system, specific for Windows. In these cases compatibility is also guaranteed with Apple devices. Simply reformat it with another file system, often compatible with both Apple and Windows. It’s a simple and fast operation.
And how much space do you need?
At this point you will have read about many portable external hard drives and you will have analyzed which are the important points to take into consideration when you decide to buy the best external hard drive.
To make a better purchase, combine this information with your real needs and combine the opinions of network users who are already using that external hard drive, perhaps for some time. You will then have a complete picture for each of the external hard drives and you can easily decide which products to return to after an initial skimming.
All done? And then you just have to decide which one to buy. Make the last considerations, look for the most reliable one for you and proceed with the purchase. Whether you want to backup your PC or want to create a multimedia archive, you’re just a step away from your goal. Review the reviews, decide how much memory you need and proceed. The best external hard drive for you is just a click away.
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