Comparison of the reliability of hard drives from major manufacturers. The best external hard drives for reliable data storage Which external hard drives are the most reliable
External hard drives can be very useful for transferring data from one computer to another, if you frequently need to transfer data, or if you need a medium for transferring data from your camera when you don't have access to a computer or laptop. An excellent solution may be to choose an SSD drive. But if you need storage with a large capacity and at a low price, then you will have to go with an HDD. You can find hard drives up to 4TB.
Most external hard drives run over USB and are powered by your computer, so you don't need to connect them separately to your network. In this article, we'll look at the best external hard drives of 2019 that you can buy for your computer. But first, let's discuss what you need to pay attention to when choosing.
The choice of a specific model will depend on your needs and the purposes for which you want to use this device. Let's look at the main categories.
1. Capacity
The smallest external drives are 128 GB in size, which is enough to store music and videos, or create backup copies of very important data and the operating system itself. You can even create a complete copy of your computer's hard drive and restore it if necessary. The most popular solutions for such tasks are 1 TB disks.
2. Performance
Most external hard drives are connected via USB. The previous version of USB 2.0 is a thing of the past and now most devices use a fast USB 3.0 connection. In some cases, you can get write speeds of up to 100 MB/s, read speeds will be the same, while speeds for USB 2.0 will be limited to 35 MB/s. It is worth noting that you will get this speed for large files, small files will be processed more slowly. The fastest SSDs can provide speeds of up to 1500 MB/sec.
3. Protection
Damage protection is very important for external hard drives. You will be moving and transporting them very often, so you need to be sure that nothing will happen to the data. Please note the impact tests performed. SSD drives are more durable and can withstand drops because there are fewer moving parts.
4. Security
The larger the disk, the more data can be stored on us and the more valuable information an attacker will have if it is stolen. There are two ways to protect data - use hardware or software encryption. Nowadays, many hard drives and solid-state drives already support hardware encryption.
Best external hard drives 2019
1. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC
This is a great external hard drive from Buffalo. In addition to standard functionality, such as USB 3.0 connectivity, it supports NFC technology. Your data is stored in a shock-resistant case, and it also supports 256-bit AES encryption for improved security. Price: $125.
2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB
Western Digital's new generation of My Passpor external hard drives have options ranging from 1TB to 4TB. It supports AES 256 encryption and has WD's own backup software.
The drive has excellent data transfer speeds and outperforms many of its competitors. It is far from the speeds of an SSD, but it’s a regular hard drive.
3. Seagate 5TB Expansion
The Seagate 5TB Expansion is larger, but you get more memory for the same price. There is 64 MB of fast cache and the necessary external power supply for operation. The drive produces 7200 rpm, which is a very good result for external drives.
4. Freecom mHDD Slim 1TB
This is a terabyte external hard drive that has a beautiful and stylish appearance. It is made in an aluminum case, only 9 mm thick and weighs 150 g. The disk also has good read and write speeds. Freecom mHDD Slim is capable of delivering 5400 rpm, which is much slower than the options discussed above. Read speed 124 MB/sec.
5. Seagate Innov8 8TB
It is also worth mentioning the Seagate InnoV8 line. This 2019 external hard drive has a standard 3.5mm size and does not require an external power source to operate. Another feature of this drive is the use of a USB Type-C connection interface. The disc also has a beautiful metal casing.
6. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB
If you need a fast, high-capacity drive, Seagate Backup may be a great solution. It comes in sizes up to 8TB and beats the competition in read and write speeds. The drive is connected using USB 3.0
7. Maxtor M3 4TB
This is an external hard drive that works without an external power supply and connects to a USB 3.0 interface. This is the largest 2.5" drive you can find. It comes with a three-year warranty and a beautiful body.
8. Western Digital My Passport Ultra Metal 2TB
WD produces hard drives to solve various problems. The MyPassport series is intended for consumers. The disk body is made of metal, but only the upper part, the bottom is only plastic. Read and write speed is 114 MB/sec.
9. LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive 4TB
This external hard drive supports both USB 3.0 and Type-C connections. Which already makes it an interesting solution. The disk consists of five magnetic plates of 800 GB each and has a form factor of 15 mm. The casing frame is made of aluminum to protect the disc from impacts.
10.IStorage diskAshur 2TB
This drive is ideal for governments and various organizations that care about data security. It supports 256-bit AES encryption, and if anyone tries to interfere, there is physical protection. You can even set up automatic data destruction in case of a hacking attempt. But it costs more than other options. But you won't be able to access your data. This is the best external hard drive 2019 with security feature.
11. Toshiba Canvio Basics 2TB
Today I will tell you about how to choose an external hard drive for your computer, laptop or tablet. Moreover, choose the right one, according to your needs, and so that the purchase lasts for many years.
In this article, I will tell you all the nuances of choosing external hard drives, I will consider in detail the parameters that you should pay attention to before purchasing, and, of course, I will compile a reliability rating for you.
1. External hard drive options
To properly understand which external hard drive is better and why, you need to decide on a list of parameters for comparison. Usually they focus on the following basic characteristics:
- form factor;
- interface;
- memory type;
- disk volume.
Additionally, the disk rotation speed, data transfer rate, power consumption level, built-in backup capabilities, the presence of additional functions (moisture and dust resistance, charging USB devices, etc.) can be taken into account. Don’t forget about individual preferences, such as color or the presence of a protective cover. This is especially true in those cases when it is taken as a gift.
1.1. Form factor
The form factor determines the size of the drive. Once upon a time there were no specialized external drives; in fact, ordinary disks were used. They were installed in a container with external power - and this created a portable device. Therefore, the names of the form factors migrated from stationary equipment: 2.5”/3.5”. Later an even more compact 1.8" version was added.
3,5”. This is the largest form factor. Due to the impressive size of the plates, it has a large capacity, the count goes to terabytes and tens of terabytes. For the same reason, a unit of information on them costs the least. Disadvantages: heavy weight and the need to carry a container with a power supply. Such a disk will cost from 5 thousand rubles for the most affordable model. The most popular external drive of this form factor for several months has been the Western Digital WDBAAU0020HBK. Its average price is 17,300 rubles.
2,5”. The most common and affordable type of disk. And here’s why: quite light compared to 3.5”; There is enough power supply from USB (sometimes the cord takes up 2 ports); quite capacious - up to 500 gigabytes. There are practically no downsides, except that the price per 1 gigabyte will be slightly higher than in the previous version. The minimum cost of a disc of this format is about 3,000 rubles. The most popular HDD of this form factor is . Its average cost at the time of my review is 4,700 rubles.
1,8”. The most compact models that have not yet captured the market. Due to their small dimensions and the use of SSD memory, they can cost more than 2.5” drives, but are not inferior to them in volume. The most popular model is Transcend TS128GESD400K, which costs about 4,000 rubles, but reviews about it leave much to be desired.
1.2. Interface
The interface determines how the disk is connected to the computer, that is, into which connector it can be connected. Let's look at the most popular options.
USB- the most common and most versatile connection option. Almost any device has a USB output or a corresponding adapter. Today, the current standard is USB 3.0 - it gives read speeds of up to 5 GB per second, while the 2.0 version is only capable of 480 MB.
Attention! Version 3.1 with speeds of up to 10 Gb/s works with the Type-C connector: it can be inserted on either side, but it is not compatible with older ones. Before purchasing such a drive, make sure that it has the appropriate connector and is supported by the operating system.
Disks with USB 2.0 and 3.0 connectors differ slightly in cost; both options can be purchased from 3,000 rubles. The most popular such model is the already mentioned . But the few USB 3.1 models are noticeably more expensive - you need to pay from 8 thousand for them. Of these I would highlight , with a cost of about 9,200 rubles. And by the way, he looks very cool.
SATA. The SATA standard has practically disappeared from the external drive scene; there are no models with it on sale. It allows speeds of up to 1.5/3/6 GB per second, respectively - that is, it loses to USB in speed and prevalence. In fact, SATA is now used only for internal drives.
eSATA– a subtype from the family of SATA connectors. Has a slightly different connector shape. It is also rare; for an external drive with this standard you will have to pay from 5 thousand rubles.
FireWire. FireWire connection speeds can reach 400 Mbps. However, such a connector is also quite rare. You can find a model for 5,400 rubles, but this is rather an exception; for other models, the cost starts from 12-13 thousand.
Thunderbolt works through a specific connector for Apple computers. The transfer speed, of course, is decent - up to 10 Gb/s, but incompatibility with more common types of connectors puts an end to the interface. If you plan to use only laptops from Apple, you can take it.
1.3. Memory type
External drives can handle either traditional spinning disk storage (HDD) or the more modern solid-state drive (SSD). There are also combined systems on the market in which a fast SSD is used for caching, and the HDD part is used for long-term storage of information.
HDD- a classic disk in which the plates spin. Thanks to the developed technologies, this is a fairly affordable solution. A good choice for long-term storage, since large-capacity disks are relatively inexpensive. Disadvantages of HDD - slight noise, depending on the speed of rotation of the disk. Models with 5400 rpm are quieter than those with 7200 rpm. The cost of an external HDD starts at approximately 2800 rubles. Once again, the most popular model is .
SSD- a solid-state drive that does not have any moving parts, which seriously reduces the risk of failure if the device is accidentally shaken. It features increased data transfer speed and very compact dimensions. So far it is inferior in terms of available capacity and cost: for the cheapest 128 GB drive, sellers are asking 4000-4500 rubles. Most often bought Transcend TS128GESD400K with an average cost of 4100 rubles, but then they complain about it all the time and spit on it. So it’s better to overpay and buy a normal external SSD, for example , but the price tag will be about 18,000 rubles.
Hybrid HDD+SSD drive are quite rare. The hybrid design is designed to combine the advantages of the two listed above in one device. In fact, the need for such disks is doubtful: if you need to seriously speed up your work, you should take a full-fledged internal SSD, but a classic HDD is good for storage.
1.4. Hard disk capacity
As for volume, it is worth proceeding from the following considerations. First, as volume increases, the price per gigabyte decreases. Secondly, file sizes (take the same films) are constantly growing. So I recommend looking towards larger volumes, for example, choosing an external 1 TB hard drive, especially since the price for such models starts at 3,400 rubles. At the same time, prices for an external 2 TB hard drive start at 5000. The benefits are obvious.
- Transcend TS1TSJ25M3. Price from 4000 rubles;
- Seagate STBU1000200 - from 4500 rubles;
- ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1TB - from 3800 rubles
- Western Digital WDBUZG0010BBK-EESN - from 3800 rubles.
- Seagate STDR1000200 - from 3850 rubles.
- Western Digital WDBAAU0020HBK - from 17,300 rubles;
- Seagate STDR2000200 - from 5500 rubles;
- Western Digital WDBU6Y0020BBK-EESN - from 5,500 rubles;
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra 2 TB (WDBBUZ0020B-EEUE) 0 from 6490 rubles;
- Seagate STBX2000401 - from 8340 rubles.
I see virtually no arguments in favor of a smaller volume. Unless you want to record a strictly fixed amount of data and give it along with an external drive to another person. Or the disk will be used, for example, with a TV that only supports a certain volume. Then there really is no point in overpaying for gigabytes.
1.5. Other criteria for choosing an external hard drive
Stationary or portable. If you just need to increase the available space without having to carry the drive anywhere, you can use hard drive containers. They can connect via USB, for example, and the disk itself to the container via SATA. It turns out to be a bulky, but quite workable bunch. Fully mobile drives can be very compact. If you choose a model with an SSD with a small volume, you can select models weighing up to 100 grams. It’s a pleasure to use them – the main thing is not to accidentally leave them on someone else’s table.
Availability of additional cooling and case material. This parameter is relevant for stationary models. After all, a hard drive, especially a 3.5” form factor, heats up noticeably during operation. Especially if data is being read or written actively. In this case, it is preferable to choose a model with a built-in fan. It will, of course, make noise, but it will cool the drive and extend its operating time. As for the case material, metal dissipates heat better and, accordingly, is the preferred choice. Plastic copes with heat less well, so there is a risk of causing the disk to overheat and cause malfunctions.
Protection from moisture and dust, shockproof. The trend is gaining momentum to make at least several models in the line protected from the effects of various damaging factors. For example, from moisture and dust. Such drives can be used even in less than ideal conditions, and they will work properly. Of course, long-term swimming is not recommended, but you don’t have to be afraid of a drop of water. Discs with shockproof protection stand out. Depending on the severity of the standard, they can be safely dropped from a meter side or freely thrown out of a window from the 3rd or 4th floor. I wouldn’t risk the data like that, but it’s nice to know that at least in standard scenarios like “fell out of hand,” the disk will survive.
Disk rotation speed. Several parameters depend on the speed of disk rotation (measured in revolutions per second or rpm): data transfer speed, noise level, how much energy the disk requires to operate and how much it heats up, etc.
- 5400 rpm- the slowest, quietest drives - they are sometimes classified as “green” devices. Good for storing data.
- 7200 rpm- the average value of the rotation speed ensures balanced performance. If there are no special requirements, this is the best option.
- 10000 rpm- the fastest (among HDDs), the loudest and most voracious drives. They are inferior in performance to SSDs, so the benefits here are dubious.
Clipboard size. The clipboard is a small amount of faster memory that speeds up the disk. In most models, its size ranges from 8 to 64 megabytes. The higher the value, the faster the disk is processed. So I recommend focusing on a figure of at least 32 megabytes.
Supplied software. Some manufacturers supply discs with specialized programs. Such software can automatically copy selected folders in accordance with a specified schedule. Or you can make part of the disk into a hidden partition, access to which will be password protected. In any case, keep in mind that many of these problems can be solved with third-party software.
Additional connectors and types of communication. Some models come with a standard Ethernet network connector. Such drives can be used as a network storage device accessible from various computers. A fairly popular option is to save downloaded files on them. Some external drives are equipped with a Wi-Fi adapter for connecting to wireless networks. In this case, they can be used as a home file server and store multimedia files on it. Other drives may have an additional USB output on the case. Convenient if you need to quickly charge your smartphone, but are too lazy to go to the outlet.
Appearance. Yes, aesthetic considerations must also be taken into account. If the disc is being chosen as a gift, it’s a good idea to find out the tastes of the future owner (for example, strict black or playful pink, impeccable white or practical gray, etc.). For ease of carrying, I recommend purchasing a case for the disc - this way it gets less dirty and is more convenient to hold.
2. Major manufacturers of external hard drives
There are several companies that specialize specifically in the production of hard drives. Below I will look at the most popular of them and the rating of their best external drive models.
2.1. Seagate
One of the largest manufacturers of external hard drives is Seagate (USA). The undoubted advantage of its products is their affordable price. According to various sources, the company holds about 40% of the domestic market. However, if you look at the number of breakdowns, it turns out that Seagate drives are handed over to various PC repair companies and service centers in more than 50% of cases. In other words, the chances of encountering difficulties among fans of this brand are somewhat higher. The cost starts at 2800 rubles per disc.
The Best Seagate External Hard Drives
- Seagate STDR2000200 (2 TB) - from 5490 rubles;
- Seagate STDT3000200 (3 TB) - from 6100 rubles;
- Seagate STCD500202 (500 GB) - from 3,500 rubles.
2.2. Western Digital
Another large company is Western Digital (USA). It also occupies an impressive part of the market. The diverse ranges, including green, quiet and cool low-speed drives, are loved by customers. It is noteworthy that problems with WD drives are reported much less frequently. The price for Western Digital models starts at almost 3,000 rubles.
The Best Western Digital External Hard Drives
- Western Digital WDBAAU0020HBK (2 TB) - from 17,300 rubles;
- Western Digital WDBUZG0010BBK-EESN (1 TB) - from 3,600 rubles;
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1 TB (WDBJNZ0010B-EEUE) - from 6800 rubles.
2.3. Transcend
A Taiwanese company that produces all kinds of hardware - from RAM sticks to digital media players. It also produces external hard drives. As I wrote above, Transcend TS1TSJ25M3 is the most popular external hard drive among our compatriots. It is inexpensive, sold in almost every store, people like it. But there are plenty of negative reviews about it. Personally, I haven’t used it, I can’t say for sure, but people complain about it very often. In the reliability rating, I would not put it in the top ten for sure.
2.4. Other manufacturers
Next in the ranking are companies such as Hitachi and Toshiba. Hitachi has an excellent MTBF: the average service life before any problems arise exceeds 5 years. In other words, even with active use, these drives are on average more reliable. Toshiba rounds out the top four. The disks of this company have good characteristics. Prices are also not much different from competitors.
You can also note Samsung, which is diligently improving its performance. A portable external drive from this company will cost at least 2,850 rubles.
Companies like ADATA and Silicon Power offer many disks costing about 3000-3500 rubles. On the one hand, flash drives from these companies are often of questionable quality, either due to counterfeits or problems with components. On the other hand, the experience of using a shock-, moisture- and dust-proof disk from Silicon Power for me and many friends is purely positive.
3. External hard drives - reliability rating 2016
All that remains is to determine the best external hard drive. As often happens, it is impossible to give one exact answer here - too many parameters can influence the judges’ decision. If you need to speed up your work with data, for example, regularly process heavy videos, take an SSD drive. If you want to create an archive of family photos spanning a couple of decades, choose a spacious HDD from Western Digital. For a file server you definitely need something from the “green” series, quiet and inconspicuous, because such a disk will operate in constant mode. For myself, I highlight the following models in the reliability rating of external hard drives:
- Toshiba Canvio Ready 1TB
- ADATA HV100 1TB
- ADATA HD720 1TB
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1 TB (WDBDDE0010B)
- Transcend TS500GSJ25A3K
The demand for external storage media has become especially evident in recent years. The reason for this was not only the constantly increasing weight of multimedia content, but also the daily growing activity of virus attacks and the risk of data loss.
In the huge variety of HDDs and SSDs, it is difficult to determine which one to choose - the most productive or the cheapest. The purpose of this article is to give an objective idea of all aspects of choosing this device.
Why do you need a hard drive?
A portable hard drive is a portable storage device.
Its main functional features:
- high capacity. The device allows you to store and transfer huge amounts of information - from hundreds of gigabytes to several terabytes. It can be used as a second hard drive, as an operating system bootloader;
- mobility. Can be connected to several computers via a standard USB interface and transferred from place to place;
- safety. You can duplicate and store information outside of your PC or laptop and limit access to it by third parties.
The reliability of data storage is higher and the necessary files are always at hand.
Selection options
Among the criteria for choosing an external USB hard drive are capacity, bandwidth, warranty period, and low power consumption.
- making it easier to work with the disk;
- convenient copy saving mode;
- improved energy saving;
- encryption of information;
- synchronization with the system;
- the ability to restore files, etc.;
- appearance. Pocket options are available in a wide range. Creative people will appreciate devices in a bright, eye-catching case. Models in a stylish aluminum case will complement the image of a respectable businessman. Stationary hard drives are less varied, but they can be selected to suit any interior;
- guarantee. Depending on the manufacturer, from 1 to 5 years.
Format factor: pocket and desktop
The format factor is one of the key indicators of a hard drive.
SSD and HDD hard drives 2.5 inches are the most popular. Their dimensions do not exceed the size of a smartphone - they easily fit into a pocket or handbag. These devices are characterized by low power consumption and can operate from a standard USB connector on a computer or laptop. Their volume does not exceed 2 TB.
3.5-inch drives are stationary options. Compared to pocket models, they weigh more significantly (up to 1.5 kg) and have a maximum capacity of up to 4 TB. They may require separate power to operate. Some manufacturers produce sets of several hard drives. The volume of such a kit can reach 20 TB.
Ultra-mobile options – 1.8-inch SSD drives.
Type: SSD or HDD?
Based on media type, hard drives are divided into SSD and HDD.
HDD is an electronic-mechanical device made of aluminum or glass plates coated with a ferrimagnetic layer. During operation, the plates rotate, and the magnetic heads hover above the surface at a height of 10-12 nm and do not touch the surface of the plates.
Solid state drives are chip-based storage devices.
The write/read speed of an SSD is approximately 5 times higher than that of a HDD, but its capabilities are limited by low-speed interfaces.
SSDs are absolutely silent and resistant to mechanical damage. Their disadvantages are the high price with minimal volumes and a limited number of rewrite cycles. Some enthusiasts have long predicted the victory of solid-state SSDs over HDDs, but the price of such an alternative is too high.
Connection interface
The speed of the portable drive depends on the connection interface.
The most common is USB 2.0 with a transfer speed of 480 Mbps. This is not a high figure.
Today, almost all modern laptops are equipped with a USB 3.0 interface with speeds of up to 4.8 Gbps.
Additionally you can use:
- FireWire – high-speed interface 400 – 800 Mbit/s;
- eSATA – standard with bandwidth up to 3 Gbit/s;
- Ethernet is an interface that turns an external drive into a network drive.
Ethernet and FireWire only support 3.5-inch hard drives.
Video: selecting an external drive
Which brand is better to choose an external drive?
Which company's external media are the best? Fierce competition in this market segment has long driven out the weak. The remaining “old” manufacturers are Seagate, Western Digital and Toshiba.
Seagate Technology is the largest American company founded in 1979. Produces SSD, HDD and hybrid models. It owns the trademarks Barracuda, Cheetah, Savvio, Constellation, Pulsar, DiamondMax, Momentus. Bought out the Samsung hard drive production segment.
Seagate hard drives are the fastest.
Western Digital is an American computer electronics manufacturer. The only company that provides a service warranty for the return of a faulty product. In 2012, it acquired the Hitachi Global Storage Technologies division. Hitachi storage media is considered one of the most reliable.
Toshiba is a large international concern specializing in various areas of electronic technology.
Although Samsung and Hitachi exist only as brands, their products have a wide presence in the market.
Among younger companies we can note Transcend Information, ADATA Technology, Silicon Power.
For 500 GB
Pocket media with a capacity of 500 GB is the most compact, reliable and silent. Conventionally, they can be divided into 2 classes: high-speed devices with a rotation speed of 7200 rpm and economical ones with a rotation speed of 5400 rpm. Economical models are almost comparable in price to solid-state drives of the same capacity.
Media from Transcend and Western Digital are reliable and travel well. The devices are made in thin cases and come with software that implements a wide range of security functions.
Seagate Slim and Samsung G2 Portable are some of the most compact devices available today.
G2 Portable has average performance, but has several original innovations:
- designed using special USB on-board technology (the USB controller is located directly on the hard drive board);
- comes with software that allows you to encrypt data in real time and set a password to access important information.
Transcend StoreJet 25M3 has the best shock protection, as it is mounted on special shock-absorbing suspensions. It also features fairly good throughput – 89 MB/s.
For 1 TB
1 TB is the most popular capacity.
For those who value the miniature size of their device, the WD My Passport Ultra is an excellent choice. You won't find a more compact terabyte.
If the safety of information is your first priority, then you should opt for the Transcend StoreJet 25M3, which works best with large files and has a super-shockproof case.
The 3.5-inch Transcend StoreJet 35 Ultra combines large volume, high transmission speed and efficient power consumption. The portable drive from the same series, StoreJet 35T, has a lower transfer speed, but a very attractive price.
For 2 TB
2TB devices are chosen by those who store large amounts of data.
The WD My Passport Wireless model WDBDAF0020BBK-EESN supports Wi-Fi networks and reads external SD cards. The device is made in a 2.5-inch form factor. It combines all the popular technologies, is independent of the power source and is very reliable.
Hitachi hard drives, unlike media using Advanced Format technology, allow you to install the OS without partition alignment.
The STBV2000200 model leads the Seagate drive line in terms of performance.
Review of prices by manufacturer
Although the price of storage media is falling, 1 TB portable hard drives are still leaders in sales.
500 GB
1 TB
2 TB
Seagate Expansion Portable
From 2935 rub.
from 3,550 rub.
from 4,800 rub.
Western Digital Elements Portable
From RUB 2,999
From RUB 3,799
From 6,999 rub.
Toshiba Stor.E Plus USB 3.0
from 2,860 rub.
from 3,820 rub.
from 5,890 rub.
Samsung HX
From 3,440 rub.
From RUB 4,169
From 6500 rub.
Hitachi Touro USB 3.0
From RUB 3,880
From 4,070 rub.
From 4,420 rub.
With the advent of the third version of the USB interface, external media can provide a significant increase in data exchange speed.
When choosing a portable hard drive, you need to decide on its tasks. If you need it at home to store media files, it is better to choose spacious, but not the fastest models. If you plan to use it for work, compact, shock-resistant units are suitable. In any case, it is desirable that the device is compatible with modern interfaces.
If the computer's memory is full or the user wants to save and secure data, HDD is a great way to transfer important information to it. The disk will help relieve your PC and save important files in case your computer is lost or damaged. If the PC is running slowly due to overloaded memory, the storage device will save the situation by taking over some of the information. Another advantage is mobility. This is an important point if a person works with a large amount of information necessary for daily work. The disc is convenient to take on the road and can be connected not only to a computer, but also to a TV.
How to choose a drive: general parameters
For larger volumes and at a lower price, it is better to choose HDD. An important criterion is reliability and quality assurance. Externally, this is the same hard drive that is built into a PC, only packed in a neat box with a power supply and controller.
If the user does not intend to process a lot of information data, high-quality photographs and videos, but selects media for occasional use, he should pay attention to the best external HDD 500 GB. They have a low price and plenty of storage space.
When choosing a digital medium, you should consider the following parameters:
- Volume. Smaller disk capacity - 128 and 256 GB. This memory is enough to store music, movies, personal videos and photos.
- Productivity. The drives are equipped with a USB port, have high bandwidth and not every PC can handle it. If the media has a USB 2.0 port, this HHD has a lower speed, but is still suitable for storing movies or music.
- Fast writing and reading. The speed depends on the amount of RAM, and the larger it is, the faster the recording occurs.
- Frame. It must be resistant to external influences. Reading and writing data is carried out by rotating the disk and magnetic head. Such a drive is vulnerable and subject to mechanical damage. A high-quality housing protects moving parts from external influences; the selected model should have rubberized and metal parts.
- Weight. Since the disc is sometimes carried with you, its weight should be small, no more than 300 g.
- Protection from external influences. It is not enough to just have a strong case; the drive needs maximum protection from dirt and dust. You should choose a model that has certified protection (IPXX) or military standards.
- Data protection. In order not to lose accumulated files and to be sure of their protection, you need to choose a disk with hardware protection methods that are supported by solid-state drives.
Before purchasing a HDD, you should study the market, read customer reviews and consult with professionals.
Top 5 devices at 500Tb
Half a terabyte (500 GB) is the most budget category. The memory is enough to store about three hundred movies and 2000 CDs with excellent quality music compositions. Such a disk is suitable as a backup copy for accumulating and saving information from your computer. Most models with this amount of memory have a USB 3.0 output, which helps with file transfer speeds.
The best 500 GB external HDDs have similar characteristics and meet all user requirements. When choosing, you should pay attention to the model’s body, spindle speed, memory properties, connection connector (USB 2. 0 or USB 3. 0) and protection from external influences.
| Name | Advantages | Photo |
| WD 2.5 USB 3.0 500 Tb 5400rpm Elements Portable |
|  |
| TOSHIBA 2.5″ USB 3.0 500 Tb |
|  |
| SEAGATE 2. 5″ USB 3. 0 500Tb BLACK |
|  |
| TRANSCEND 2. 5″ StoreJet, M3 series 500 Tb |
|  |
| WD 2.5 USB 2.0 Elements Portable 500 Tb |
|  |
The listed drives are characterized by low power consumption and long-term use. Typically, manufacturers provide a product warranty of 2-3 years.
The best hard drives with 1Tb memory
To store a large amount of information, you should take a closer look at models with sufficient volume. The table below will tell you which external hard drive is best to buy in 2019.
| The best external HDD 1Tb | Peculiarities | Photo |
| TOSHIBA Canvio Ready 1Tb |
|  |
| ADATA DashDrive Durable HD650 1Tb |
|  |
| Western Digital WD Red 1Tb (WD 10EFRX) |
|  |
| SEAGATE STEAM 1000400 1Tb |
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Volume 2Tb
External drives with 2Tb memory are popular among active users, movie buffs and music lovers.
| The best external HDD 2tb 2019 | Peculiarities | Photo of the model |
| SEAGATE STEA 200400 2Tb |
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| WESTERN Digital My Passport 2Tb (WDBUAX0020B) |
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| ADATA HV620 2Tb |
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| TRANSCEND TS2TSJ25H3P 2Tb |
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Disks with 4Tb memory capacity
Such devices are most often purchased by professionals. When choosing a model, the manufacturer is an important factor. Appearance does not matter much, but the reliability of data safety is taken into account first of all. The most reliable manufacturers of external drives are: Seagate, Transcend, Western Digital, A-Date, Toshiba.
