The Best External Hard Drives
We reviewed six external hard drives based on owner ratings, expert reviews, and price. The Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive is our top pick for its reliability and fast data transfer speeds.
Updated
The bottom line
The Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive is our top pick due to its high owner ratings (4.6/5 from 272878 ratings), fast data transfer speeds, and reliable performance. The YOTUO 1TB External Hard Drive is a budget pick, offering good value at $82.99 with decent transfer speeds and shock protection. The Seagate One Touch 8TB External Hard Drive is an upgrade pick for those needing massive storage, though at $269.99 it is significantly more expensive.
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive $129.99
Best overall external hard drive
The Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive offers reliable performance and fast data transfer speeds at $129.99. Owners rate it 4.6/5 from 272878 ratings. The tradeoff is its slightly higher power consumption and lack of SMART support.
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YOTUO 1TB External Hard Drive $82.99
Best budget external hard drive
The YOTUO 1TB External Hard Drive provides good value at $82.99 with decent transfer speeds and shock protection. Owners rate it 4.3/5 from 4045 ratings. The tradeoff is some initial setup difficulties reported by users.
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Seagate One Touch External Hard Drive $269.99
Best for massive storage needs
The Seagate One Touch 8TB External Hard Drive offers 8TB of storage at $269.99, with USB-C compatibility and Rescue Data Recovery Services. Owners rate it 4.6/5 from 272945 ratings. The tradeoff is its higher price and bulkier design.
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- Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive Best for reliability and fast transfers 9.0/10 $129.99 Amazon
- Seagate One Touch External Hard Drive Best for high-capacity storage 8.0/10 $269.99 Amazon
- YOTUO 1TB External Hard Drive Best budget option with decent performance 7.0/10 $82.99 Amazon
- YOTUO 750GB External Hard Drive Good mid-range option, but not for newer consoles 6.0/10 $44.99 Amazon
- YOTUO 500GB External Hard Drive Affordable, but with some reliability issues 5.0/10 $34.99 Amazon
- Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive Good for 1TB storage, but overpriced 4.0/10 $119.89 Amazon
Who should buy which
Users needing high reliability and fast data transfers should opt for the Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive. Those on a budget should consider the YOTUO 1TB External Hard Drive. Users requiring massive storage should go for the Seagate One Touch 8TB External Hard Drive.
Common complaints
Some users reported initial setup difficulties with the YOTUO drives. A few owners mentioned erratic throughput and high power consumption with the Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive. The Seagate One Touch 8TB External Hard Drive is bulkier and more expensive, which may be a downside for some.