Unless you choose a high-end computer, most new models don't have a lot of storage space - usually 256 or maybe 512 gigabytes. Game consoles like that PS4 and Xbox One These include drives with a maximum capacity of 1 terabyte (which is roughly 1,000 GB) and drives that fill up quickly if you are not disciplined about removing games when you purchase more. Both scenarios can be improved with an external drive.
Thanks faster USB-C and USB 3.0 (as well as 3.1 / 3.2) Interfaces, a traditional hard drive that uses "old" hard drive technology (mechanical platters and a moving read / write head to access data), works fine for most people. Prices have dropped sharply in recent years. Even mega-capacity models hit 5TB but cost a little more than $ 100. A solid-state drive has no moving parts and reads up to four times faster, but it costs much more per gigabyte.
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Most hard drives work across platforms - whether you own a Windows PC, Mac, PlayStation 4, or Xbox - as long as the drives are properly formatted for the correct platform. However, they are often referred to as being out of the box with a particular platform, and sometimes they come with platform-specific backup software. Unless otherwise noted, all of the PC drives mentioned here are compatible with Windows, but can be formatted for a Mac user. Many of them include cables or adapters for USB-C and USB-A ports. But if they are not included, you can easily buy them Dongles for around $ 10.
And remember: a single backup won't cut it. Ideally, you need redundant backups off-site or in the cloud for key data (e.g. family photos) in the event of theft or fire. And make sure you encrypt your data too.
With those reservations, below are our current top tips for the best external hard drive and SSDs. These (or almost identical models with lower storage capacity) were used by CNET editors or tested anecdotally. We'll update our list of the best external hard drives and SSDs as we test new products.
David Carnoy / CNET
SanDisk makes the Extreme Portable SSD (see below), which offers transfer rates of up to 550MB per second. However, if you're a photographer or videographer looking for something faster for your PC or Mac, the Extreme Pro portable SSD is the way to go. The 1TB ($ 190) version costs just $ 30 more than the standard Extreme Portable and, according to SanDisk, delivers almost twice the speed with transfer rates of 1,050Mbps (just over a gigabyte per second). I copied a 4.2GB video file to the SSD in 8.1 seconds from a 2019 Mac Mini with a Core i5 processor with 16GB of RAM.
It is compatible with Macs and Windows PCs and technically robust with protection class IP55. This means that it can withstand a constant stream of water. It's also shockproof. It has a USB-C interface and includes both USB-C to USB-C and USC-A to USB-C cables. The price for the 2TB model rises to $ 350.
For $ 80, you don't have to worry about managing the space on your PS4 (you can play games straight from the drive with no delay). The 2TB version of the Seagate Game Drive costs about $ 40 less. But you can also spend the extra batter and get 4TB for this portable external hard drive.
Note that Seagate will create an SSD game drive for Xbox, but not PS4. It costs around $ 200 for 1TB. Continue reading.
