Hey friends! As your resident tech specialist, let‘s dive into why adding an external drive can take your computing experience to the next level. I‘ll also recommend some stellar options to consider across popular categories. Time is precious – so I‘ll be thorough yet concise to help determine if one of these gadgets should be in your gear bag!
Why External Storage?
Before USB ports and cloud syncing, laptop and desktop users constantly juggled capacity limits. Once internal drives filled up, you prayed something less vital could get the boot!
Thankfully external HDDs and SSDs now affordably address this in spades. They also enable easy data transfer between devices and backup crucial files as a just-in-case measure.
Some key perks:
- Portable – Use across multiple devices with one drive
- Expandable Storage – Add terabytes without opening your computer
- Durability – Rugged protection from drops and weather
- Security – Hardware encryption and authentication options
- Performance – SSDs in particular enable impressive speed
Basically, they provide flexibility and convenience traditional fixed internal storage can‘t. Now let‘s explore 5 great reasons to take the plunge!
Reason 1: Vast Capacities
Storage ceilings keep soaring ever higher year after year. Where a few terabytes was once a rare luxury, 10TB+ on a single drive is now readily attainable.
For example, photographs and 4K video eat gobs of space incredibly fast. Prosumer DSLR cameras generate images 25MB or larger. So a big family trip might easily shoot over 10,000 photos and video clips – that‘s upwards of 250GB used in just a week! Music and gaming are equally voracious.
Desktop external drives aimed at backups and media now offer between 4TB and a cavernous 20TB. Even compact portable SSDs tuck away up to 4TB – 10X or more what many laptops provide internally!
So if you‘re constantly battling capacity limits or shuffling things between devices, external drives transform into nearly unlimited reservoirs – no deletions required!
Reason 2: Blazing Speeds
While mechanical HDDs continue outselling SSDs for cost savings, solid state external drives unlock performance previously impossible. Leveraging NAND flash memory and fast connectivity like USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt 3, prosumer models smash read and write speeds past:
- 2,000 MB/s – crazy fast!
- 10 to 20X quicker than external HDDs
For context, copying a 50GB 4K video project takes approximately:
- HDD (140 MB/s) – 6 minutes
- SATA SSD (550 MB/s) – 1.5 minutes
- NVMe SSD (2500 MB/s) – 20 seconds!
This matters tremendously for creative pros, gamers and any tasks involving large files. Waiting on transfers or load times sucks productivity away. External SSDs vanquish that drag.
Reason 3: Robust Portability
Because external drives get carted around way more than internals, manufacturers recognize enhanced durability is a must. Premium portable models now include:
- Shock absorption – cushion internal components
- Dust and water resistance – IP54/IP55 ratings
- Drop protection – 6+ feet before potential issues
- Crush resistance – 1000+ lbs of pressure
With an SSD rather than HDD inside, fragility worries disappear compared to typical 2.5 inch laptop drives. You can safely chuck it in a bag and go thanks toingress sealing, shock dampening corners and tough casing materials able to laugh off real world abuse.
Reason 4: Security & Privacy
Losing a drive full of financial records, personal info or work projects constitutes a full-on emergency. Hardware encryption saves the day by mathematically scrambling data using complex AES-256 or similar algorithms.
Without applying the password or encryption key, accessed files and folders resemble random useless gibberish. Some models even incorporate biometric fingerprint unlocking for additional simplicity while preventing other access.
For businesses and critical data protection needs, certain SSDs achieve compliance with elevated encryption certifications like:
- FIPS 140-3 Level 3
- Common Criteria EAL4+
- NIST 800-88 Purgeable Media
Essentially, it would take nation state resources to crack these secure external drives should they fall into malicious hands. Peace of mind feels nice!
Reason 5: Broad Compatibility
Unlike internal drives, essentially every external model works interchangeably with Mac, Windows and Linux. This results from universally supported data transfer interfaces like USB-A and USB-C. Furthermore, many now easily interface with gaming consoles, tablets, phones, Chromebooks and more right from the box – no reformatting required.
Swapping your drive between an office tower, home laptop, PlayStation 5 and iPad represents no issue. This flexibility and plug-and-play experience removes annoying usage barriers and expands accessibility enormously as needs dictate with one investment.
Hopefully the speed, durability and practicality benefits of modern external options are clear! Beyond satisfying raw capacity requirements, they meaningfully improve workflows and productivity for all kinds of demanding computing.
Here are 5 great suggestions covering all major usage scenarios and budgets to consider putting to work for you:
| Model | Type | Capacity | Seq. Read | Seq. Write | Warranty | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsung T7 SSD | Portable SSD | 500GB – 2TB | 1050 MB/s | 1000 MB/s | 3 years | $$ |
| WD My Book Duo | Desktop HDD | 4TB – 20TB | 360 MB/s | 360 MB/s | 3 years | $$$ |
| Crucial X6 | Portable SSD | 500GB – 2TB | 800 MB/s | 640 MB/s | 3 years | $$ |
| WD_BLACK P50 | Portable SSD | 500GB – 2TB | 2000 MB/s | 1900 MB/s | 5 years | $$$$ |
| iStorage diskAshur Pro2 | Portable SSD | 500GB – 2TB | 1000 MB/s | 900 MB/s | 3 years | $$$ |
I‘ve linked current price checks below from Amazon for reference across the featured recommendations. Numbers will fluctuate a bit over time based on sales and retailer.
Best Overall: Samsung T7 SSD
The brilliantly compact and performant Samsung T7 nails the modern professional‘s need for accessible portable storage. Rated to survive 6 foot drops and resist dust/water ingress, it shrugs off whatever your daily grind dishes out.
Blazing real-world copy speeds up to 1050 MB/s outclass other comparably sized models. And it connects instantly across all environments via standard USB 3.2 – though USB-C or Thunderbolt 3/4 set you up best to maximize T7 muscle.
For creatives, contractors and small business pros perpetually moving between work sites with sensitive customer data in tow, this reasonably priced SSD capacity feels outrageously liberating!
Most Storage: WD My Book Duo
When expansive capacity for archiving client footage, backing up important project files or simply never thinking about limits again represents the goal, the dual-drive My Book Duo grasps for the sky – or realistically your desk!
Spanning an epic 20TB, even 6K video projects and AAA game libraries pose no issue. RAID 1 support even mirrors content between the two integrated drives automatically for real-time redundancy. On the performance front, expect sufficient sustained rates to handle most runtime needs beyond pure speed testing.
Ultimately this sizable investment cuts out storage anxiety once and for all for creative workgroups, legacy family photos/video or medical/legal document retention needs requiring decades of accessibility.
Best Budget: Crucial X6
Shoppers after reliable portable SSD performance without paying premium pricing should consider Crucial‘s X6. Fractions the cost of flagship models with similar capacity, real world read/write speeds still impress in the 500-800 MB/s range.
While not matching cutting edge portables, that handily trounces HDDs and older USB gen 1/2 interfaces. Coupled with shock and drop resistance meeting US defense standards, the X6 keeps your files swiftly at hand through daily abuse.
For students on the go, field journalists, mobile content creators and SMB staffers spread across sites, the blend of working durability and responsiveness outpunches antiquated HDD solutions.
Best for Gaming & Graphics: WD_BLACK P50
Gamers, game devs and CGI rendering pros demand no compromises storage to power intense workflows. The WD_Black P50 delivers exactly that – sequential read/write speeds up to an astonishing 2000MB/s thanks to cutting edge NVMe technology in a compact design.
That means lightening quick loading of massive title assets along with outrageously fast scratch disk/export times for Adobe products, AutoCAD and other content creation tools. Sizes up to 2TB keep your entire game library or project archives close at hand and travel ready. No more wasting hours waiting on data to crawl between drives!
Most Secure: iStorage diskAshur Pro2
Certain individuals absolutely cannot compromise when securing sensitive materials in the field – think client privileged data, financial records and proprietary work IP externalized for convenience. Here the encryption strengths of Apricorn‘s diskAshur Pro2 elite the playing field.
FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and Common Criteria EAL4+ certifications confirm enterprise-grade AES-256 hardware encryption keeps drives impenetrable if lost or stolen. Configurable options like admin/user profiles, read-only access and forced timeouts minimize insider risk as well. Yet convenient PIN unlocking avoids password fatigue for approved handling.
While overkill for vacation photos, this peace of mind proves priceless for publicly traded materials, customer lists and confidential development artifacts.
Well, that wrapped up quickly yet thoroughly! Let me know if you have any other questions about picking the right external drive for your needs and budget. Specific use cases, ideal technical specs or manufacturer guidance – I‘m delighted to help tailor options to maximize your upgrade value.
That said, I‘m confident the models outlined above slot nicely into mainstream contemporary wants whether chasing lightning workflows, indestructible portability for field sites or uncompromised data protections. Remember to size up appropriately based on your 3-5 year projected storage needs too. It stings paying a premium for added capacity later on when that epic media library gets rolling!
Ultimately any modern external HDD or SSD affords excellent flexibility beyond cramped internal drive bays. Take advantage of multiplying capacities, ruggedness and ever accelerating connections to unlock productivity and peace of mind! Thanks friends for listening – now get out there and create something amazing.
