Guide to the best external hard drives (and SSDs) on the market. The smart guide to learn how to choose the right product for you, also taking a look at the models we recommend
Whether you are looking for a Hard Disk to create a small home Server (or a External SSD for other uses), or simply a product to save your dear memories such as photos, videos and work documents, or you still find yourself with a notebook equipped with a low-capacity SSD, you will surely have found yourself submerged by a myriad of models on the market, wondering which one could be right for you.
Choosing the right external hard drive is as easy as it is “dispersive”. Over time, we at TechGameWorld.com have developed an excellent technical background on them, having reviewed various and varied products of this kind on our pages. Precisely for this reason we will advise you in this guide to the Best External Hard Drives and SSDs, the models that we consider most suitable for the quality-price ratio.
We will structure this guide into two macro sections, in the first we will try to make it brief excursus on the main features to take into consideration for the purchase, so as to make you readers independent in the choice, in the second part we will see the models recommended by us.
If you don’t intend to immerse yourself in technicalities, you can safely skip to the section at the bottom of the page of the recommended models. Let’s not waste any more time and get straight to the point.
The main features to consider | Best External Hard Drives (and SSDs).
Size and write speed
By size we mean the physical dimension of the disk. We can have 2.5″ and 3.5″ drives.
The 2.5″ ones, to be clear, are the classics that we connect with the USB cable, and are defined as self-poweredperfect for mobility but also for not having bulky products on the desk. Write speeds for these products rarely exceed 5,400rpm (revolutions per minute of the disc being written). These discs are great for saving data occasionally, or even daily of medium to large sizehowever less suitable for saving an exaggerated amount of data every day, especially if very heavy, or in the scenario in which a continuous backup disk is needed.
Unlike, the Hard Disks with a size of 3.5 “on the other handprecisely having larger disks (called “plates”). they reach higher speeds, up to 7,200 rpm. They are bulkier, and are perfect for those who need to transfer important files, therefore very heavy files, and who above all do it on a daily basis, perhaps even for work reasons. Excellent for home servers, or for corporate use, or for H24 Backup operations.
A separate discussion for SSDs, as they can be solid state memory chips, in this case you have to choose based on their type, and above all on the controller used, the guarantor of quality.
Capacity
It seems like an obvious topic but it’s not at all. Many times we make the mistake of opting for an undersized or oversized model. We always choose based on our real needs, it makes no sense to buy an oversized model because “sooner or later we will fill it”, or underestimate our needs.
The choice that is the most popular and which could be a perfect cut for most is the classic 2TB. But if you store hundreds of movies, videos, and photos, they could get cramped. In short, try to make an appropriate estimate for your use.
Connectivity and data transfer speed
Needless to talk about old protocols at the dawn of 2022. To date, whether we choose one of the best external hard drives or SSDs, we advise against a USB 2.0 and SATA model respectively. Nowadays most laptops have 3.0 and Type C 3.1 ports. We risk a performance bottleneck otherwise.
Description Formats and Standards
To stay on cheaper standards a USB 3.0 model, which ensures a data transfer speed of up to 5 Gbps theoretical approximately 625MB per second real, could be a valid choice. Using it with the classic USB A connector.
For more performance we can opt for a USB 3.1 connection, which offers 10 Gbps theoretical about 1250 MB per second real. Logically backwards compatible. The latter is often associated with the use of USB Type-C connectors, a new connector that you can also have on your recent smartphones. For performance reasons it is logically sold with a USB Type C cable. The advantage is greater compatibility even with modern devices, higher transfer speed, and a more universal cable. Then there are also devices with USB 3.1 protocol that use a “double” protocol, on one side the classic USB Type-A connector on the other (the input for the Drive) Type C, but in this case they come with adapters included for transform the cable from USB A-Type C to Type C-Type C.
So what to choose? If the price difference is not abysmal, and we have compatible devices (in 90% of cases I think it will), we advise you to choose a Type C model, or indicated with 3.1 even if with a double USB A to USB C connector. .
Performance and speed in reading and writing
At this point, leave some time for it. This as even if you read a specific specification on a manufacturer’s website, it is not certain that it will then be reflected in reality. This doesn’t always happen. And this happens because the tests in the laboratory are carried out in order to improve the outcome of the test as much as possible, and above all they are carried out with software that is more “sympathetic” to the Kernel of the given Drive. There are “basic” specifications, but this is not enough to determine the quality of a product before buying. Definitely more sensible, take a look at various reviews, but above all, at reviews that make use of multiple benchmarks and that test, just like we do, rigorous tests of daily use.
In general we can say that performance as pure and raw data depends a lot on the connection protocol, and on the type of device on which you are using it. So it’s useless to say data, and establish a “standard”.
Extra factors
Then there are some particular characteristics that are instead more of a “niche”. However, they are functions that could for some users, with specific needs, lead towards one model rather than another, so let’s try to see someone in detail;
Encryption
Encryption is one of them, there are models on the market, some with software features, others more expensive with real hardware solutions, which provide a sector aimed at data security. Straight to the point, these systems add an extra “layer” of security by encrypting with specific keys, usually the most used is the cifratura AES a 256 bit. Usually these external Hard Disks have proprietary software in order to allow the correct configuration and detection of the same, and allow you to set a password as the first step to unlock the Drive and therefore to gain access to the Disk. The disks are encrypted and represent a security in cases of Malware, attacks with Ramsonware, Sniffing Attacks and similar, since the files will be unreadable, corrupted or impossible to download, it also represents greater security for the Hard Disk itself, reducing the risk of getting infected. In our opinion, it is essential to have such security, but it may not be useful or at least not so necessary in case you need a Hard Disk to contain only a library of Movies or Music as a copy.
There are also models that allow solo to set a password for unlocking the Drive, this certainly represents a security, but once the Password has been detected (either through BruteForce or other techniques), the data would always and in any case be exposed.
Biometric unlocking systems
One more step in security, already present for several years, then made “better known” by Samsung with the series Tis unlocking with a biometric factor, i.e. with possibility of unlocking by fingerprint. There are several manufacturers who implement this function, you just have to be careful as many of the software that are widespread are not so much optimized, and this could cause many problems when using it with multiple platforms, especially if they are different from each other, due to of the drivers.
Mini format products
Some then might reach out for compact models. Especially useful for frequent travellers, or for photographers. In this case you have to deal with the speeds of the same, and an SSD would be more useful in this case.
A well-kept and constantly updated software
If for someone a Hard Disk is enough and advances as a Plug and Play tool, just as we do spontaneously with a common USB Pendrive, other users, especially those who work in Multi-Platform with multiple devices, or simply the advanced user who uses the same Drive with multiple partitions, it may need appropriate tools. In this case some companies come to the aid with real ones Software packages and dedicated Apps. An advanced user could then extend his choice of one model rather than another precisely in view of the care of the software. The Western Digital brand leads the industry in this with more than 7 device-specific appsfrom disk integrity analysis, to security management, up to partitions, backup and management of many other data. It is not enough to have a certain feature X, if it is not exploited correctly and made 100% usable.
Hard Drive or SSD? This is the dilemma
Better a Hard Drive or an External SSD? Both!
In fact, in this buying guide for the Best External Hard Drives and SSDs you will see both recommended devices. It is useless to go to war, they are not two products to be compared, but to be used in combination, having different purposes.
A hard disk has a specific purposeoffer great storage density, and allow for secure archiving, keeping data intact for much longer. SSDs are for real workto be able to carry out heavy writing and reading jobs on it, less integrity longevity in the face of saved data, (even if we are talking about numbers, and very often they have no background on reality), but more focus on use, in the speed storage and work, and in comfort.
Recommended models | Best External Hard Drives (and SSDs).
3.5” Hard Disk perfect for Server or Backup use
My Book di Western Digital
Simple and effective, this drive is perfect for sitting on your desk and doing the “dirty work”. Available in various sizes, it offers the inevitable package of software and WD Apps. USB 3.0, good speeds (Medium-High category), but above all excellent performance stability over time. It also comes with encryption. An excellent product for those who do not want to spend a lot, but having an excellent device in their hands. Available in 1 or 2 version…