Best Portable External Hard Drives of 2026
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Portable external hard drives are an essential accessory for anyone who needs to store and transport large amounts of data. These devices are compact, lightweight, and offer high-capacity storage solutions, making them ideal for students, professionals, and travellers. With a portable external hard drive, you can easily back up important files, transfer data between devices, and free up space on your computer or laptop. These devices come in a range of sizes and storage capacities, so there is a model to suit every need and budget.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
Top 10 Portable External Hard Drives
Seagate 2TB Portable External Hard Drive
The Seagate Portable Drive is a handy 2TB external hard drive that allows you to easily store and access your content while on the go. It is designed for seamless compatibility with both Windows and Mac computers, making backup as simple as drag and drop. Setting it up requires no software, just connect it to your computer for automatic recognition. Additionally, the included 18-inch USB 3.0 cable ensures plug and play convenience, allowing you to transfer files effortlessly.
Toshiba Canvio Partner 2TB Portable Hard Drive
The Toshiba Canvio Partner is an external hard drive that offers a generous 2TB of storage space, allowing you to keep all your important documents, photos, music, and videos in one place. With its USB 3.0 interface, you can enjoy fast transfer speeds of up to 5Gbps, making it effortless to move large files quickly. Its user-friendly design means you can simply plug it in and start using it immediately, without the need for any software. Plus, its lightweight and compact structure makes it perfect for carrying on the go.
UnionSine 1TB Ultra Slim Portable USB 3.0 Hard Drive
The UnionSine HD2510 Drive is a versatile external hard drive compatible with a wide range of devices, including TVs, gaming consoles, and computers, making it ideal for all your storage needs. Its improved non-slip design with rounded corners offers a comfortable and secure grip, so you can carry it easily without worry. Thanks to USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 compatibility, you can enjoy lightning-fast transfer speeds of up to 120MB/s read and 103MB/s write, saving you valuable time. Plus, it’s simple to use with plug-and-play functionality, and the aluminium anti-interference layer helps protect your data and keep the drive cool during use.
UnionSine HD2510 500GB Portable External Hard Drive
The UnionSine HD2510 Hard Drive offers versatile compatibility, allowing you to connect it to various devices like TVs, game consoles, and computers. This ensures you can easily access your data wherever you need it. Its improved design features rounded corners and a non-slip surface, providing a comfortable grip during use. With lightning-fast transfer speeds of up to 120MB/s read and 103MB/s write, you can quickly move large files. Plus, the plug-and-play functionality makes setup effortless, as there's no need for software installation.
WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive
The WD My Passport Drive offers trusted, portable storage to keep your digital life organised and safe. Its slim design allows for easy carrying, making it perfect for on-the-go use. With built-in backup software, you can effortlessly schedule automatic backups of your essential files, ensuring that your precious photos, videos, music, and documents are never lost. Additionally, the drive features 256-bit AES hardware encryption, providing an extra layer of security through password protection, so you can feel confident about your data's safety.
ModusTech 1TB Portable External Hard Drive
The ModusTech External HDD offers ultra-fast USB 3.0 and Type-C connectivity, allowing you to transfer files at speeds up to 5 Gbps. This means you can back up large files like HD movies and games effortlessly. Its compact and portable design makes it easy for you to carry your data wherever you go. Plus, with a plug-and-play setup, you can start using it immediately without any software installation. With massive storage options, the drive caters to all your data storage needs.
Sonnics 1TB Silver USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive
The Sonnics 1TB Portable Drive offers super-fast transfer speeds with its USB 3.0 connection, allowing you to move large files quickly and efficiently. Its ultra-slim and lightweight design makes it easy to carry around, perfect for those on the go. You don’t need an external power source as it runs straight from any USB 2.0 or 3.0 port, giving you hassle-free use. Plus, it comes pre-formatted to FAT32, ensuring compatibility with both Mac OS and Windows systems, so you can easily share files across devices.
WD 5TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive
The WD 5TB Elements is an exceptional external hard drive designed for high storage and fast transfer rates. With its impressive 5 TB capacity, you can easily store and transfer large files, including HD movies, without hassle. Its lightweight and compact design makes it perfect for on-the-go use. Additionally, you can boost your PC's performance by transferring files swiftly to this device, allowing your computer to run smoothly. The hard drive is pre-formatted for Windows and can be reformatted for macOS, providing flexibility for different users.
Seagate 5TB Portable External Hard Drive
The Seagate 5TB Drive is an Amazon exclusive that simplifies file backups for both Windows and Mac users. You can easily back up your files using the drag-and-drop method, making the process quick and straightforward. Installing the drive is hassle-free as it connects directly to your computer and is automatically recognised, eliminating the need for software. With the included 46cm USB 3.0 cable, you can enjoy fast file transfers, ensuring that your data is moved swiftly and efficiently.
Maxone 500GB Ultra Slim External Hard Drive
The Maxone 500GB HDD boasts an ultra slim and sturdy metal design, making it both portable and durable. Measuring just 0.4 inches thick, its all-aluminium build ensures it remains cool and quiet during use. You will enjoy fast and stable performance, especially with your PS4 or Xbox One, as it supports USB 3.0 technology for speedy data transfers of up to 5 Gbit/s. Plus, it’s a plug-and-play device that eliminates the hassle of installation, allowing you to easily add extra storage to your computer or game console.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the difference between a portable hard drive and an external hard drive?
At the very basic level, desktop external hard drives need to be plugged into a power socket, while the portable variety draws power from the USB port when it's connected to your PC or laptop. The desktop variety uses a 3.5-inch drive that operates at 7200rpm, while portables use a 2.5-inch drive that run at 5400rpm.
2. Can PS5 connect to external hard drive?
External HDDs and external SSDs are compatible with PS5, but you can only play PS4 games from them. PS5 software is designed to run from the console's ultra-fast custom SSD, so PS5 games cannot be played while stored on external devices.
During our portable external hard drive research, we found 105 portable external hard drive products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 4,802,589 customer reviews through our big data system to write the portable external hard drives list. We found that most customers choose portable external hard drives with an average price of £46.66.
The portable external hard drives are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of portable external hard drives, including Seagate, Toshiba, UnionSine, WD, ModusTech.
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.