Top 3 External Hard Drives in 2021

While the Cloud and online back ups are great. Sometimes keeping your files closer to you for easy access and portability is more preferable with an external hard drive. External hard drives are great for backing up your data and files. Sharing those files between multiple computers in your home, and of course as extra storage space for your computer. But what is the best 1 TB external hard drive for you? Listed below are some tips to keep in mind while purchasing an external hard drive as well as a review of three external hard drives.

Tips to buying the best external hard drive

When looking for a new hard drive, focus on these four factors: size, transfer speed, software packages, and durability. A lot of this depends on what it is that you’re looking for. If you’re looking for a hard drive that you can transport between home and the office, maybe something compact and yet durable would be a good choice for you. If you’re more interested in using the hard drive as a backup drive, then amount of storage, automatic backup software, and high transfer speeds between one source and another would be your best option. Maybe you need additional storage of movies and music. There are hard drives with specific software that turn your hard drive into a media device.

1. WD My Passport Ultra 1TB Portable External USB 3.0 Hard Drive with Auto Backup – Black

The WD My Passport Ultra is a great hard drive if you’re looking for something to backup your data. It has a USB 3.0 connectivity which allows you to move 4.8 gigabits of information per second from one system to another. The software is also designed to give you the choice of backing up your files to the external drive. You can also take backup to the cloud via the dropbox automatically by using software. It also gives you the extra option of securing your files through password protection and hardware encryption. Based on the reviews and the price, it is definitely a great option for backing up your computer files and data.

2. Toshiba Canvio 1.0 TB USB 3.0 Basics Portable Hard Drive – HDTB210XK3BA

This is a very basic portable hard drive that help to give the user flexibility in its usage. The Toshiba Canvio has a high transfer rate like the WD My Passport which would allow you to use it as backup or as a media storage device. This hard drive also has a built-in internal shock sensor to keep your data safe from being dropped or damaged making it a little safer to travel with. Based on reviews and the price, it’s a great deal for what Toshiba is offering. However, it lacks any kind of software which is good for low tech users but not a positive for users looking for a more specific type of hard drive.

3. Transcend 1 TB USB 3.0 External Hard Drive – Military Drop Standards

The Transcend USB Hard Drive is basically an armored hard drive designed to make backing up files simple and easy. Like the Canvio and My Passport Ultra, it’s designed to quickly transfer data from one point to another via the USB 3.0 interface. However, unlike the My Passport Ultra, it has no software to install. Instead, the user drags and drops files and info to the device. It also has a physical button, that when pushed, backups all of your information. The key selling feature for this device is the military-grade shock protection. You can use this device not only in homes but also away from your home.

Also Read: Update Windows 10

There are a lot of great external 1 TB hard drives out on the market currently as well as some iffy ones. Just keep in mind what you’ll be using the hard drive for and what it is that you need. When you compare your list to the product and read up on the reviews, you’ll be able to find the best 1 TB external hard drive for your needs.