Most laptops come with anywhere from 128 to 512 gigabytes of internal storage, and the typical user can get by with about 256. But as the size and sheer number of programs continues to balloon, so, too, do most people’s storage needs. This is where an external hard drive—a device located outside of your laptop or computer that connects to your machine—comes in handy. Not only can an external hard drive provide additional storage for all your data needs, it can also save your butt if something happens to your computer. Windows and Mac operating systems allow you to download programs to back up your computer to an external hard drive so the data can be recovered if your system is hit by a virus or some other calamity. It’s a small investment to make for something whose payoff could be priceless.
BEST OVERALL
Seagate Expansion Desktop 8TB
Type: Desktop | Connection: USB 3.0 | Size: 10 TB | Dimensions (L x W x H): 7.06 x 4.65 x 1.63 in.
This Seagate model is the one I’d choose for myself if I was in the market for a new external hard drive. It’s super speedy—120 megabytes per second—and was easily recognized by my Mac and PC desktops and laptops when I plugged it into the USB port. Its simple aesthetics and black color blend nicely into any décor.
BEST PORTABLE
Western Digital WD 5TB Elements Portable
Type: Portable | Connection: USB 3.0 | Size: 5 TB | Dimensions (L x W x H): 4.35 x 3.23 x 0.82 in.
This Western Digital hard drive packs an incredible amount of storage space into a small package. At a little over four inches long and about half a pound, this hard drive fits easily into your pocket, but the five terabytes of storage will hold about 30 million document pages. With a plug-and-play connection, it was easy to use this drive in my tests. The drive worked with both Windows and Mac computers, and an Xbox game console.
