Best FireWire 800 External Hard Drives of 2025

Kenneth Collin Avatar
Kenneth Collin
Last Updated: 31 Jan 2025

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FireWire 800 External Hard Drives are high-speed storage devices that allow users to store and access large amounts of data quickly and easily. These hard drives are designed to provide a fast and reliable way to transfer data between computers, making them ideal for professionals who work with large files such as video editors, photographers, and graphic designers. With FireWire 800 technology, these hard drives offer faster transfer speeds than USB 2.0, making them an excellent choice for users who need to transfer large files quickly.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

LaCie Rugged Triple 1 TB External Hard Drive Cover #TOP 1
LaCie Rugged Triple 1 TB External Hard Drive
ftb score rating icon 9.8
WD My Book Studio 2 TB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive Cover #TOP 2
WD My Book Studio 2 TB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive
ftb score rating icon 9.7
WD My Book Studio 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 800/400, Desktop External Hard Drive Cover #TOP 3
WD My Book Studio 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 800/400, Desktop External Hard Drive
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 4 FireWire 800 External Hard Drives

LaCie Rugged Triple 1 TB External Hard Drive

STEU1000400
Black
1 TB
LaCie Rugged Triple 1 TB External Hard Drive Cover
LaCie Rugged Triple 1 TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD – USB 3.0 FireWire 800 Compatible for Mac and PC Computer Desktop Workstation Laptop (STEU1000400)

The LaCie Rugged Triple HDD is designed for those who need reliable storage in various environments. Its drop, crush, and rain-resistant features ensure your data is safe, even in challenging conditions. You can easily back up your important files with the included automatic backup software, providing peace of mind. The AES 256-bit encryption adds an extra layer of security, keeping your information safe from unauthorised access. Plus, being USB-powered makes it perfect for on-the-go use, allowing you to work seamlessly from anywhere.

What We Like
Durable all-terrain design
Automatic backup software included
AES 256-bit encryption
USB-powered for portability
#TOP 2

WD My Book Studio 2 TB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive

WDBC3G0020HAL-NESN
Green
2 TB
WD My Book Studio 2 TB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive Cover
WD My Book Studio 2 TB FireWire 800 External Hard Drive

Features
Save And Access Data At FireWire 800 Speeds Or Change Gears And Utilize The USB 2.0 Interface
The Aluminum Enclosure Complements Your Mac Computer And The Book-Like Design Allows Two Or More My Book Drives To Nestle Neatly Together Like Volumes On A Shelf
Visual Backup Software And Drive Management Control Center. Install All Components, Some Or None. It's Up To You
#TOP 3

WD My Book Studio 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 800/400, Desktop External Hard Drive

WDBAAJ0010HSL-NESN
1 TB
WD My Book Studio 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 800/400, Desktop External Hard Drive Cover
WD My Book Studio 1 TB USB 2.0/FireWire 800/400, Desktop External Hard Drive

Features
Customizable e-Label
Pure Performance For Mac With FireWire 800
Password Protection And 256-Bit Encryption
Automatic, Continuous Backup
#TOP 4

OWC Mercury Elite Pro 2TB 2000GB Silver

OWC
OWCME3QH7T2.0
Silver
2.0TB
OWC Mercury Elite Pro 2TB 2000GB Silver Cover
OWC Mercury Elite Pro 2TB 2000GB Silver - external hard drives (Wired, 5 - 42 °C, FireWire 800, USB 3.0 (3.1 Gen 1) Type-B, eSATA, HDD, -40 - 65 °C, FireWire, USB, eSATA)

Features
7200RPM, 64MB Cache. eSATA/FW800/FW400/USB3 Interfaces
OWC Mercury Elite Pro 2.0TB 7200 RPM Storage Solution For Mac Or PC
Connection Cables Included
3 Year OWC Limited Warranty
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What is FireWire hard drive?

Simply so, what is a FireWire hard drive? Firewire is most often used to connect digital camcorders, external hard drives, and other devices that can benefit from the high transfer rates (up to 480 Mbps) supported by the Firewire connection. ...

2. Which is faster FireWire 400 or 800?

Here are the approximate rate differences from fastest to slowest: Firewire 800 – 800 Mbps (or 75MB/sec) USB 2.0 – 480Mbps (or 60MB/sec) FireWire 400 – 400Mbps (or 50MB/sec)

3. Is a FireWire port faster than a USB port?

In general, FireWire devices support a higher bandwidth than USB 2.0, and therefore can send more data faster. This results in the ability to utilize more inputs and outputs, as well as increased performance and stability.

4. What is the fastest external hard drive interface?

The Fastest External Hard Drive: Samsung T5. The Samsung T5 is the fastest external hard drive we've tested. CrystalDiskMark came back with incredible results, with a sequential read of 562.4 MB/s, a sequential write of 520 MB/s, a random read of 160.1 MB/s and a random write of 195.7 MB/s.

Editor's Notes

During our firewire 800 external hard drive research, we found 6 firewire 800 external hard drive products and shortlisted 4 quality products. We collected and analyzed 8,194 customer reviews through our big data system to write the firewire 800 external hard drives list. We found that most customers choose firewire 800 external hard drives with an average price of £238.28.

The firewire 800 external hard drives are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of firewire 800 external hard drives, including LaCie, Western Digital, OWC. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 115 consumers with an average rating of 4.7.

Written by
Kenneth Collin Avatar

Kenneth Collin graduated from Imperial College, London, at 22. He is a UX/UI designer, a web developer, and a writer, amongst others. At age 14, Kenneth programmed his first app. Kenneth's app served as a remote control for censored devices. "When I was 8, I would pick up scraps from electronics and try to rebuild or at least fix them," Kenneth said in one of his recent articles on Home repairs for top gadgets.