If you’re looking for something to add some extra storage space to your laptop or PC setup, then an external hard drive is what you’re looking for. These drives are available in a wide variety of sizes — from the more portable 500GB harddrives, to fast SSD drives, to rugged thunderbolt enabled drives.
However, with the wide variety of options currently in the market, shopping for the best external hard drive that fits your needs can sometimes be daunting. But there’s no need to worry, as we will be covering the best external hard drives for 2020.
Here are some of them:
- Samsung T3 Portable SSD
This portable SSD comes in with a stylish aesthetic. If looks do matter to you, then this external drive will easily win you over. But how well does it perform? Thanks to its USB 3.1 support and USB Type-C connectivity, this portable SSD can write and read with ridiculously fast speeds.
It also has:
- storage capacity starting from 250GB to 2TB depending on the model
- 256-bit hardware encryption for added security
- smaller than standard 2.5-inch drives, making it lightweight and easier to carry
For those in need of fast SSD speeds, stylish looking aesthetics, and small and compact external drives; then the T3 portable SSD is what you’re looking for.
- Seagate Backup Plus Slim
This affordable, high capacity, and fast storage drive comes in with various storage options starting at 500GB to a massive 4TB storage device. This external hard drive also features:
- Free backup software
- 200GB of OneDrive cloud storage
- Form factor that looks and feels good in your hands.
If you’re looking for a reliable and trustworthy hard drive that offers extra storage, without the need for additional features such as extended warranties and security options, then this affordable external hard drive is the option for you.
- Transcend Storejet 25M3
This shock resistant and budget-friendly external hard drive is one of the more popular options from this list. The Storejet 25M3 is packed with lots of protection and various storage capacity options.
This drive also has features such as:
- 5,400 RPM drive for faster read and write speeds
- AES encryption (256 bit) for data security
- One-click backup capabilities to easily recover lost data
- USB 3.0 connectivity for faster transfer rates on supported devices
For those who are looking for a minimal and lightweight external hard drive, this one might not be the best option for you. However, if you don’t mind the larger form factor, this external hard drive is still an excellent option with its impressive features and price.
- Western Digital My Passport Ultra
If you want reliability and blazing fast speeds in compact designs, then this external hard drive should be a good option. The My Passport Ultra looks and feels right out of the box with storage capacity options starting at 1TB up to 4TB devices.
This external hard drive is also packed with features such as:
- USB 3.0 connectivity
- 120 MB/s speeds
- Western Digital backup and other bundled software
- Three-year limited warranty
- Six color options
If you don’t mind the premium price tag that comes with its premium features, nothing could go wrong with this external hard drive.
- LaCie Rugged
Another famous option apart from the ones listed above, here’s an external hard drive that can cope up with the daily stresses of our modern-day life.
This drive comes with:
- HDD and SSD with both versions having their popular rugged protection
- Thunderbolt
- USB type-C connectivity
- USB 3.0 support
- Storage options from 250GB to 2TB
If you want a rugged external hard drive that can almost endure anything you throw at it, and you don’t mind the brightly colored, protection pads; then this portable drive may be the best option for you.
- SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD
Here’s another SSD option with superfast transfer rates and SSD reliability. The Extreme 900 Portable SSD comes in with:
- 480GB-2TB storage options
- USB Type-C connectivity
- USB 3.0 support
- Sequential speeds on USB 3.0 up to 450 MB/s.
If you’re looking for an SSD with an extended warranty, a ruggedized body, and with the fastest transfer rates; then this portable SSD is something you should consider.
Closing thoughts
With all of these options in the external hard drive market, you can always choose one that suits your needs and one that brings value to you. Additionally, you should also choose a device with features which can be beneficial and advantageous to your hardware. For example, if your device doesn’t support Thunderbolt connectivity, then you should avoid more expensive Thunderbolt-enabled products.