Best SATA I External Hard Drives of 2025
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SATA I External Hard Drives are a type of storage device that can be connected to a computer via a USB port. These hard drives are designed to provide additional storage space for users who need to store large amounts of data, such as documents, photos, videos, and music files. They are compact, portable, and easy to use, making them an ideal solution for people who need to access their data on the go. With their high-speed data transfer rates, these hard drives are perfect for backing up important files, transferring data between computers, or storing large media collections.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
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Top 10 SATA I External Hard Drives
Sonnics 2TB Grey External Desktop Hard drive USB 3.0
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.
WD 4TB Elements Portable External Hard Drive
The WD 4TB Elements Drive offers you ample extra storage for your videos, music, photos, and files, making it easier to keep your digital life organised. With its plug-and-play feature, you can quickly connect it to your Windows PC without any hassle. The drive supports fast data transfers via USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, ensuring that moving large files is efficient. Additionally, it comes with a free trial of WD SmartWare Pro software for automatic and cloud data protection, giving you peace of mind regarding your valuable data.
Maxone External Hard Drive 1TB HDD 2.5" Ultra Slim Aluminum USB 3.0 Backup
Peak Health MasterStorb External Hard Disk Drive USB 3.0 Super-Fast 2.5-inch SATA Laptop Hard Drive Portable Red
Toshiba Canvio Partner 4TB Portable 2.5’’ External Hard Drive
Seagate Expansion Portable 1TB External Hard Drive
The Seagate Expansion Portable offers a sleek and simple design, making it easy for you to take your photos, movies, and music wherever you go. With drag-and-drop file saving, you can effortlessly store your files without complicated software. The drive is powered by USB 3.0, ensuring faster data transfer speeds, which is particularly useful for large files. It also automatically recognises both Windows and Mac computers, allowing for a straightforward setup. However, for use with Time Machine, you will need to reformat the drive.
LaCie Rugged Mini 2TB Portable Hard Drive
The LaCie Rugged Mini is a robust 2TB portable hard drive designed for both PC and Mac users. Its shock and drop resistance of up to 1.2 metres ensures your data remains safe even in challenging environments. You can count on its pressure resistance of up to 1000 kg, making it perfect for transporting your important files without worry. Additionally, the included automatic backup software and AES 256-bit encryption help keep your data secure, giving you peace of mind that your information is protected against loss or theft.
Storite 2.5” Ultra Slim Portable External Hard Drive USB 2.0
UnionSine HD2510 Portable External Hard Drive 320GB Ultra-Thin 2.5 Inch USB 3.0 SATA HDD Storage
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is a SATA external hard drive?
Introduced in 2003, SATA (or Serial Advanced Technology Attachment) is the default interface for most desktop and laptop hard drives. They are referred to as SATA hard drives, but they are actually rotary hard drives with spinning platters and a moving needle that writes data to consecutive sectors on each platter.
2. Can we use SATA hard drive as external?
Can an internal drive be used externally? Yes. Hard drive caddies - or enclosures - are effectively SATA-to-USB converters and allow you to turn an internal SATA hard drive into an external one that you can use for storing or backing up files, or to keep a library of videos that you could leave attached to your TV.
3. Is SATA 1 enough for HDD?
You are not going to loose noticeable speed when you install the older laptop drive on a SATA I/SATA-1.5Gpbs port. Somewhat more verbose: 95MB/sec sustained linear read/write is about the normal max for a HDD. It is actually pretty good for a laptop drive.
4. Is SATA as good as SSD?
SATA vs HDD & HDD vs SSD SATA drives are less expensive and more common than SSDs. However, SATA drives are also slower to boot up and slower in retrieving data than SSDs. If you're looking for a hard drive with tons of storage space, a SATA drive may be for you, as they commonly hold terabytes of data.
During our sata i external hard drive research, we found 52 sata i external hard drive products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 3,261,797 customer reviews through our big data system to write the sata i external hard drives list. We found that most customers choose sata i external hard drives with an average price of £47.33.
The sata i external hard drives are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of sata i external hard drives, including Sonnics, Seagate, WD, Maxone, Peak Health.
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.