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The best external hard drives and SSDs for Mac and PC in 2021

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(Image credit: Western Digital)

The best external hard drives and solid state drives (SSDs) are essential kit for any working creative – or indeed for anyone who values their data. While it's hard to run out of disk space on most desktop computers these days, if you work on a laptop with an SSD at its heart you'll find that it doesn't take long to fill it up, and having an external drive to hand makes it easy to reclaim space and get things moving a little more smoothly.

An external drive's also the ideal way to back up all your precious files and documents just in case anything goes wrong with your main drive, or if your laptop gets lost and stolen. And you don't need to spend big to get all the external storage you need; it's easy to find a basic 4TB external hard disk for under $100/£100, which should be ample for most creatives.

The downside to hard drives, of course, is that they're slow and they have moving parts, which makes them a little less suitable for taking out and about with you. For something faster, lighter and generally more portable, you want an SSD. But whatever external drive you choose, you'll find that they're generally easy to use; simply plug them into your Mac or PC via Thunderbolt or USB and you should be good to go. Some come with their own software for easy backups, however you'll also be able to drag and drop files around if you prefer to be in control.

In this article, we list the very best external hard drives and SSDs available today, and include all the facts and figures you need to find the right model for you. Additionally, if you've bagged a PS5, check out our best SSD for PS5.

Don't have room for a physical device in your workspace? Then alternatively, check out our guide to best cloud storage. And if you need to know about the best external drive bargains as well as other great seasonal savings, be sure to take a look at our guide to Black Friday 2021.

The best external hard drives and SSDs 2021

(Image credit: Amazon)

01. Western Digital My Passport

The best external hard drive overall

Specifications

Capacity: 2TB-4TB

Interface: USB 3.0

Transfer speed: Up to 480MB per second

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Good capacity and speed +Strong encyption

Reasons to avoid

-WD backup software is basic -Needs formatting for Mac

For the best combination of price, performance, storage and reliability, it's hard to beat Western Digital My Passport range. This external hard drive offers plenty of storage, from 1TB up to 5TB, and features 256-bit AES encryption for peace of mind as well as coming with WD's own backup software, so once you've plugged in and set up it'll happily get on with keeping your data safe and secure.

Data transfer speeds are impressive. And while it can't match the speeds of solid state drive devices (SSDs), it hits a great balance between high storage and quick file transfers, without knocking the price way up. That makes this our pick as the best external hard drive available today.

If you want something even faster, though, Western Digital also offers SSD and Ultra versions: check our WD My Passport deals for the best prices.

02. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC

The best external hard drive for all-round security

Specifications

Capacity: 2TB

Interface: USB 2.0/ 3.0

Transfer speed: Max 5 Gbps (USB 3.0)

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Rugged design +NFC security +256-bit AES encryption

Reasons to avoid

-Not the fastest

Even the best external hard drives have one glaring issue that you need to be aware of, and that's the moving parts inside them that are susceptible to knocks and drops. And while spending extra on an SSD is the best way to mitigate against such disaster, investing instead in the Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC is a cheaper option. It has a rugged design that means it can withstand a bit of rough handling, making it a much more portable option than other external hard drives, and as an added bonus it comes with 256-bit AES encryption, making it completely inaccessible to anyone other than you.

You can quickly and easily unlock the device using an NFC (Near Field Communications) card, and it also offers a generous 2TB of storage space. It's not the fastest external hard drive, but its rugged design and security features more than make up for that.

03. Samsung Portable SSD T5

The best high-speed external storage device

Specifications

Capacity: 250GB-2TB

Interface: USB 3.1 (Gen 2)

Transfer speed: Up to 540 MB/s

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Fast worker +Great for video +Install applications

Reasons to avoid

-No security features

You might not think that speed really matters when you're looking for the best external drive, but you'll soon change your mind when you're copying over gigabytes of files and watching the progress bar crawl along at a glacial pace. That's when having an SSD feels like the really smart option, and while it's been around for a while, the Samsung T5 SSD is still a fantastic choice with speeds of up to 550MB/second.

It's tiny and it'll plug straight into Macs and PCs via USB-C or older USB-A, and unlike hard drives it has no moving parts so it can take a lot more punishment; drop a hard drive and it's touch-and-go whether it'll survive the fall, but even a basic SSD can take that in its stride.

External SSDs may cost considerably more than hard disks, but the faster speeds go a long way. You'll be able to easily load edit and save 4K video directly on the T5, which can be very slow with a USB hard disk. You can install applications onto it, and you can even run an entire alternative operating system off it at full speed, if you're so inclined.

The downside is the pricing. SSDs give you less capacity for more money, so we don't recommend the T5 for backup. It's better to have a bigger hard disk for that, and use the T5 in more specialised situations that need all that lovely performance.

(Image credit: Seagate)

04. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB

The best external hard drive for PC and Mac backups

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB-5TB

Interface: USB 2.0/3.0

Transfer speed: 120 MB per second

Warranty: 2 years

Reasons to buy

+Great backup software +Fast transfer speeds +Large capacity

Reasons to avoid

-Lacks Thunderbolt

Here's another great choice for anyone who needs a no-nonsense backup solution that you can plug in, switch on and leave to get on with the business of safeguarding your files and documents. The Seagate Backup Plus comes with backup software included, and you can set it up to store data from just about everywhere; it'll copy data across from your computer, naturally, but also from your phone, cloud storage and social media accounts.

It's fast with a good choice of storage capacity from 1TB-5TB, and it's a good looker with an attractive slim metal design that's also nice and portable. Bear in mind, though, that if you're a Mac user you'll find that it's formatted for PC, however if you install the Mac NTFS driver you'll be able to use it on both platforms without the need for reformatting.

(Image credit: Buffalo)

05. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt

The best external hard drive with Thunderbolt

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB-2TB

Interface: Thunderbolt, USB 3.0

Transfer speed: Up to 10 Gbps on Mac

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Does the job well +Also has USB port

Reasons to avoid

-Not as fast as an SSD -Needs reformatting for Windows

If you're on a Mac and want to get top speeds out of the best external hard drives and SSDs, you want an option that uses a Thunderbolt connection. In which case, take a look at the Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt, which will give you speeds around double what you'd experience over a USB 3.0 connection.

Obviously you won't get SSD speeds out of this external hard drive, but this is as good as you'll get with an old-fashioned platter. And if you're not on a Mac you can still connect via its USB 3.0 port.

06. G-Technology G-RAID with Thunderbolt 3

The best high-capacity external hard drive with Thunderbolt

Specifications

Capacity: 8TB-24TB

Interface: Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.1

Transfer speed: 440 MB/second

Warranty: 5 years

Reasons to buy

+Very high capacity +Easy to remove disks +HDMI 2.2 port

Reasons to avoid

-Big and heavy

For maximum storage that'll look really good next to your Mac, G-Technology's G-RAID dual hard drive is an absolute must-have. Its aluminium casing means that it goes nicely with Apple's own designs, and its storage capacity is nothing short of spectacular, with between 8TB and 24TB available and a none-too-shabby 440MB/s transfer rate over Thunderbolt..

The G-Raid also features an HDMI 2.2 port on the back that'll route a video signal for an external display over the G-RAID's Thunderbolt 3 cable, which has plenty of bandwidth to spare, even with the hard disk going at full speed. And there's also a USB-C port to connect to Macs or PCs that lack Thunderbolt.

Expect to pay a small fortune for the largest capacities. But thanks to the easy drive removal system, you could always buy a cheaper, lower capacity G-RAID and upgrade it with off-the-shelf hard disks yourself.

(Image credit: iStorage)

07. iStorage diskAshur2

The best external hard drive for security

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB

Interface: USB 3.1

Transfer speed: Up to 160MB/s read, 143MB/s write

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Military-grade encryption +Fast transfer speeds +Self-destruct feature

Reasons to avoid

-Design not for everyone

If you're really serious about security and don't mind paying for it, you should definitely take a look at the iStorage diskAshur2. The price and amount of storage on offer might make you think that this is an SSD, but no; it's a hard disk, albeit one with bulletproof security credentials.

The key feature of this external hard drive is its built-in keypad that enables you to set your own 7-15 digit PIN. Without that, the diskAshur2's 256-bit AES encryption ensures that nobody can see what's on your drive. And if you're extra-sensitive about security, there's also the option to create a self-destruct PIN that'll wipe the drive when entered.

There are plenty of storage and colour options, and if you want extra speed, iStorage also does a range of similarly secure external SSDs (with prices to match).

08. Adata SD700 External SSD

The best cheap external SSD

Specifications

Capacity: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB

Interface: USB 3.0

Transfer speed: Up to 440MB/s read/write

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Great performer +Cheap price +Rugged and water resistant

Reasons to avoid

-No USB Type-C

For SSD storage at the absolute lowest price, check out our guide further down the page on building your own external drive. But if that seems just a little too much like hard work, the Adata SD700 is pretty much the cheapest alternative to a bit of SSD DIY.

Not only is it a great-value SSD, it's also good and rugged. SSDs can take a lot more punishment than hard drives, but this one goes a bit further: it's water-resistant for up to 30 minutes, and it's also IP68 rated, which means that it can withstand dust, dirt and sand. Perfect if you enjoy working on the beach!

Its capacity isn't all that but you can get a 1TB model if you need more storage; in all, though, it's a perfect mix of speed, price and durability.

09. WD My Book Duo

The best external hard drive for generous storage

Specifications

Capacity: 4TB-36TB

Interface: USB-C (Gen 1)

Transfer speed: Up to 360MB/s

Warranty: 3 years

Reasons to buy

+Huge amounts of space +Integrated USB hub +Includes backup software

Reasons to avoid

-Needs reformatting for Mac

Need all the storage? If so, you need the WD My Book Duo, which comes with storage options up to a frankly ludicrous 36TB. And while that seems overkill for anyone except video professionals, there's a great case for choosing way more storage than you actually need in this case.

Rather than use all the storage normally, you can instead use the My Book Duo's drives as a RAID 1 backup, which means your data's duplicated across two drives so that if one of them fails, everything's still safe on the other drive, making this the perfect choice for anyone who doesn't want to leave anything to chance where their files are concerned.

It provides two additional USB ports on the rear, so you can easily insert flash sticks. The device has 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and automatic backup software (WD SmartWare Pro).

It's also worth noting that the enclosure used is fully serviceable, and that WD ships the drive already pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS). So you will need to reformat it to work with your Mac.

10. LaCie Rugged USB-C

This best rugged external hard drive

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB-5TB

Interface: USB 3.1

Transfer speed: 130 MB/s

Warranty: 2 years

Reasons to buy

+Withstands high drops +Water resistant +Backwards compatible with older USB

Reasons to avoid

-Bright orange may not suit

While its bright orange rubber casing may be a but much for some people, the LaCie Rugged USB-C is a top option if you're after a hard drive that can take a fair bit of punishment. Lacie's rugged hard drives can withstand drops of up to 1.2 metres as well as shrugging off the pressure of a one-ton car, and they're rain-resistant too, making them perfect if you need a lot of storage to take with you on an outdoor adventure.

That casing makes it difficult to lose, too. And if you need something a bit faster, Lacie also does a range of rugged SSDs that can withstand even rougher handling.

The best external hard drives: What to consider

The best external hard drives will have to have ample storage capacity for all your data, ideally with room to spare. A 500GB drive will probably do the job if you want to clear project files off your main computer, but if you regularly work with video then you'll probably need more than that. We'd recommend working out roughly how much storage space you need, then doubling it to be on the safe side.

You'll need also to be sure you can actually connect it to your PC or Mac. The early generation of rectangular USB-A ports are gradually being superseded by the newer, smaller reversible USB-C ports, which now dominate all modern laptops. So make sure you know which slots your device has, and that the external hard drive or SSD supports one of them.

External storage should also be fast and responsive, ideally as much as just moving things about on your normal computer. The external hard drives on this list are all pretty nippy, but if you want something even faster, a solid state drive (SSD) offers the ultimate in speed, even though these devices are also more expensive. For more on this, keep reading below.

Hard drive vs SSD: which is best?

When you're buying an external drive it comes down to a choice of two types: either a hard disk drive (HDD) or a solid state drive (SSD). Hard drives have been around for a very long time and are built around a spinning platter; SSDs are a relatively recent development and store data using flash memory, which means that they have no moving parts.

This means that SSDs are lighter, faster and use less power than HDDs; however the downside is that you'll inevitably pay more for your storage if you opt for SSD.

In other words, if you want to store huge amounts of data while keeping prices low, a HDD is the way to go. But if speed is your top priority – for example, if you move a lot of large files, or want to run programs off the drive – then choose an SSD.

Alternatively, you can always use a smaller SSD for files that you need to access or move around often, and then store the other data that you use less often on a higher capacity HDD.

We've included both in this best external hard drive roundup. Right now, our top pick for best external hard drive is the Western Digital My Passport 4TB, which is a mechanical hard drive. We think it offers creatives the perfect balance of speed, reliability, portability and price for both Mac and PC users.

Can I make my own external hard drive or SSD?

Yes, you can! If you don't mind getting a little hands-on, you can save money by buying an internal hard drive or SSD and a suitable enclosure and putting it together yourself; it'll take five minutes, tops. For the best performance, go for an NVMe SSD and enclosure, but bear in mind that to get top speeds out of it you'll need to plug it into a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port. For less speed at a better price, seek out a SATA SSD and a compatible enclosure; it's also easy to find hard disks and enclosures for maximum storage at the lowest prices.

Note that you won't benefit from any useful automated backup software that you might get with a ready-made external drive, so of that matters to you then you'll either need to source your own or settle for one of the options above.

It's also worth knowing that if an external drive fails on you, it's possible that the fault's in the enclosure rather than the drive. So if your external drive dies, it's worth finding a cheap enclosure and swapping the drive into that to see if it comes back to life; it's worked for us before!

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Source: https://www.creativebloq.com/features/best-external-hard-drives-and-ssds-for-mac-and-pc

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