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The best external hard drives
By Justin Krajeski This post was done in partnership with Wirecutter. When readers choose to buy Wirecutter's independently chosen editorial picks, Wirecutter and Engadget may earn affiliate commission. Read the full guide to external hard drives. We've spent hundreds of hours researching and testing external drives to find the best options for any use and budget. If you want a dependable external drive that has plenty of storage space for documents and photos and is easy to take on the go, get the 2 TB Seagate Backup Plus Slim. But we also have recommendations if you want more storage space, if you want something more reliable or even faster, or if you need to regularly move large amounts of data from one computer to another with an external drive.
Xbox One gets its first exclusive external hard drive
Even though modern consoles ship with at least 500GB of storage, you only have to install a small number of digital games before your internal disk is full. Sony and Microsoft have alleviated some of the pain by bundling more storage, but if you've already put money down for a next-gen gaming machine, you're left with the option of switching out the default hard drive or, if your console supports it, attaching external storage via USB. Seagate recognized that most gamers probably prefer the hassle-free option, so it's teamed up with Microsoft to create a new 2TB Game Drive that works with both Xbox One and Xbox 360.
Which portable hard drives are worth buying?
With all our computers, phones and cameras, we create a lot of data. And while there are plenty of cloud-based options for storing all the information you generate, many people prefer something they can physically touch. A portable hard drive can give you plenty of control, while still making it possible to carry your data around in your bag. But which drives make it easy to transfer files to them in the first place? And which ones will survive the trips you take them on? We've taken a look at some of the better portable drives available now to find out which ones have the right stuff.
Upcoming Xbox One update might let you use external drives
According to Microsoft product director Albert Penello, external drive support for the Xbox One has always been on the company's docket to enable in a future update. That refresh looks to be on the horizon after an unnamed Xbox developer took to Reddit to tease an image showing that very feature in action. Members of the Xbox One preview programme are often privy to early features, which have recently included improved Party Chat and manual checks for system updates, but this leak will likely attract the most attention. Although the Xbox One ships with a 500GB internal hard drive, blockbuster games can command 50GB without breaking a sweat. That game storage, of course, adds up over time. Attaching an additional drive will not only stop you from running out of space, it'll also stop you from voiding your warranty with a do-it-yourself replacement.
Oyen Digital MiniPro enclosure dresses your hard drive like a Mac Pro
A few months ago I reviewed an external hard drive enclosure I was pretty fond of -- the Mercury On-The-Go-Pro. Today I want to tell you about one I like even more: The Oyen Digital MiniPro enclosure. The two enclosures actually are very similar in functionality. They both allow you to take your old laptop hard drives, insert them into the enclosure, and turn those old drives into useful spare external drives. They also both offer one USB 3.0 port and two Firewire 800 ports. The reason I like the Oyen Digital MiniPro more, however, is because its design mirrors the Mac Pro. It's made from a solid aluminum housing that Mac Pro users know and love. Because of this, it actually looks like it was designed by Apple. The enclosure is also bus-powered, so no power cord is required. The Oyen Digital MiniPro enclosure comes in black or silver aluminum and is US$69.95. It's available on Amazon and at the company's store.
Mercury On-The-Go-Pro enclosure keeps your old internal drives useful
People often think there are only two options for old Mac laptops: sell them or throw them away. But there's a third option that can keep parts of your old MacBooks useful for a long time -- a hard drive enclosure. An enclosure allows you to turn any internal hard drive into an external one. I recently used the Mercury On-The-Go-Pro from OWC. It has allowed me to turn an internal 500 GB hard drive from a MacBook into an external USB 3.0 / Dual Firewire 800 drive that's useful on the lastest MacBook Pro with Retina display. I literally got the Mercury On-The-Go-Pro in the post this morning and 20 minutes later I was using my old internal drive as an external one. Keep in mind, I had already removed my hard drive my old laptop. But once that was done, converting it into an external drive with the Mercury On-The-Go-Pro was a snap. I simply inserted the hard drive into the enclosure's motherboard, then screwed it in place to the Mercury On-The-Go-Pro's clear acrylic enclosure. I then plugged my new external drive into a USB 3.0 port on my Mac and it transferred data at full USB 3.0 speeds. Besides the USB 3.0 port, the enclosure offers two FireWire 800 ports, which allows you to have quick transfer speeds on older Macs that lack USB 3.0, but still have the faster-than-USB 2.0 FireWire 800 ports. The best thing about the Mercury On-The-Go-Pro too is that it's bus-powered, so there's no need for an external power supply. The Mercury On-The-Go-Pro FireWire 800/USB 3.0 enclosure is Mac and PC compatible and costs US$64.99. A USB 3.0-only model is $37.99.
Rumor: Lego City Undercover eShop download requires external hard drive
Aside from the payment required to download Lego City Undercover when it launches on the Wii U eShop next week, on March 18, you'll also need an external hard drive.The information comes from the official game page. Clicking pre-order on the top-right provides two options: retail and eShop download. The eShop listing says: "An external hard drive is required to download this software." It may be a situation where the basic Wii U's 8GB of storage isn't enough for the download, or it's possible an external hard drive is needed even with the 32GB deluxe model.We've contacted Nintendo for more information. We'll be sure to relay Nintendo's final word as soon as we get it.
Engadget Giveaway: win one of two ioSafe SOLO G3 rugged external hard drives!
External hard drives are handy, but there's always a concern that something may happen to it that would cause all of your docs, movies, precious memories and other files to all go poof in an instant. ioSafe's certainly made a name for itself in these kinds of situations, crafting a lineup of products that offer an ever safer shelter for your important digital mementos -- and it's offering up a 3TB SOLO G3 hard drive to two lucky winners! Enter by leaving a comment below, but don't forget to make a pit stop at the company's site (linked above) and check out its offerings.
LaCie intros Porsche Design drive for Macs with SSD and USB 3.0, helps the speed match the name
Porsche Design may not be directly involved in building German supercars, but there are certain expectations to be met, aren't there? LaCie is rolling out a new version of its Porsche Design hard drive skewed towards Mac owners that should offer more of the performance you'd associate with the automotive brand. The P'9223 Slim SSD is a third thinner than its ancestor but carries the option of a 120GB SSD that makes the most of the USB 3.0 port. If all runs well, nearly any Mac launched in 2012 can shuttle data along at a brisk 400MB per second. Demanding Mac fans will need to pay $150 for the flash-based edition to have the P'9223 feel truly Porsche-like; others only have to spend $100 if they're content with the Volkswagen pace of a 500GB spinning drive.
Western Digital bumps My Book Thunderbolt Duo to 8TB, consoles regular My Book buyers with 4TB
Many of us may have liked the prospect of Western Digital's My Book Thunderbolt Duo, but there's no doubt some of us who discovered that even 6TB just wouldn't cut it. If that digital pack rat mentality describes you, the solution is here: the company has taken advantage of larger 4TB hard disks to stuff a total 8TB of storage into the Duo's enclosure. The extra capacity hikes the price to $850, although the company notes that it's including the often expensive Thunderbolt cable to avoid any surprise trips to the store. Those without the ports or budget for the Duo can still reap some of the benefits through an updated, 4TB version of the regular My Book that hums along on USB 3.0 at a more reasonable $250 price. Either of the new drives should be lurking in stores if you're hurting for space as we write this.
LaCie's Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt: fast portable storage that can take a beating
LaCie's no stranger to kicking out portable HDDs that are a-okay with getting kicked around, and the Rugged USB 3.0 Thunderbolt Series is no exception. As the extended title implies, this one is equipped to transfer files via USB 3.0 or Thunderbolt, and it'll play nice with Mac and Windows platforms. The LaCie Rugged SSD offers up transfer rates as high as 380MB/sec -- a feat we came darn close to hitting ourselves in testing -- and the HDD variants claim up to 110MB/sec. The bantam drive is entirely bus-powered, and it's engineered to shake off drops of up to four feet. Interesting? Both models should be shipping shortly, with the 1TB HDD edition going for $249.99 and the 120GB SSDer for $199.99.
Latest PS3 challenges Wii U storage philosophy; EU, US disparity explained
The new, slimmer PS3 comes in two forms in the US, 250GB for $270 and 500GB for $300. Europe gets the 500GB model and a 12GB Flash-based system. All of these consoles support Flash storage expansion via USB, and the US version allows internal HDD replacement. The US gets two larger systems because its consumers demand more "out of the box," according to SCEA VP of marketing, handhelds and home consoles John Koller, speaking to Engadget. "The smaller Flash drive isn't coming to North America, and a lot of that reason is the digital consumer," Koller says. "We really want to make sure, out of the box, that there is an option for them to be able to download that content. That is really critical for us, very very important." Nintendo is taking a different approach to storage with the Wii U, launching 8GB and 32GB models with the ability to easily attach any form of external storage, even "a full-on three terabyte hard drive," says Nintendo America CEO and president Reggie Fils-Aime. "The reason we did it that way is that the cost of that type of storage memory is plummeting," Fils-Aime continues. "What we didn't want to do is tie a profit model to something that's gonna rapidly decline over time. We'll let the consumer buy as much as they want, as cheaply as they want." Sony sees US consumers are more willing to buy a new console with a larger hard drive than to purchase external storage. "When you look at some of the earlier chassis, and the really early adopters – the 20GB, and the 60GB – that consumer had a choice," Koller says. "They could either go out and buy another hard drive – and it's an easy install, so we make it easy for the consumer if they want to take a hard drive off the shelf and plug it in, they can do that. They had a choice of doing that, or purchasing another PlayStation 3. And what's been happening is we're seeing a lot of adoption of second consoles in-house." Besides, Sony doesn't make any money if you buy a Western Digital hard drive. But neither does Nintendo.
Western Digital outs My Passport Edge portable hard drives, offers both PC and Mac varieties
New portable storage options from Western Digital are breaking cover once again. This time around, the outfit has announced the My Passport Edge and My Passport Edge for Mac. These external hard drives tout USB 3.0 connectivity and 500GB capacities for packing those work files or carrying that Springsteen collection with you at all times. As the name of the Apple-labeled option suggests, it's well suited for your MacBook and works alongside Time Machine right out of the box -- all from the comforts of an aluminum shell. The premium exterior and Mac-friendly tech will cost you a bit more, though, as this version is priced at $119 while the regular offering will set you back $109. If you're looking to save a few bones and don't mind a plastic housing, you can take solace in the fact that the PC unit features an automatic backup function thanks to WD's SmartWare. The pair is available now, but if you're looking for a bit more info, consult the full PR below. %Gallery-164494%
Western Digital My Passport for Mac portable hard drives get stamped for USB 3.0 and 2TB capacity
If you prefer your Passports to sport the same Mac sensibilities as your go-to work machines, Western Digital has upgraded said portable hard drives for the aforementioned laptop variety. The My Passport for Mac family of external HDDs have received the same USB 3.0 boost and increased 2TB capacity that the regular ol' My Passport got cozy with back in the spring. However, the Apple flavored offerings tout Time Machine compatibility and a ruggedized WD Nomad casing that should keep your files safe from dust, moisture and unintentional drops. Options include 500GB and 1TB units as well, with prices ranging from $99 on up to $200 for the 2TB portable drive. The entire trio is available now and a few more details await in the full press release that follows.
Western Digital MyBook VelociRaptor Duo: Thunderbolt, 2TB capacity, and a whopping $900 price tag
If you fancy Western Digital's MyBook Thunderbolt Duo, the outfit has just announced a new external storage offering that also sports the aforementioned connection. The MyBook VelociRaptor Duo packs two 1TB 10,000 RPM WD drives that carry the same prehistoric moniker -- as the name suggests (in both cases). These dual heavy-hitters create a 2TB repository for HD video, 3D rendering and the like while boasting SSD-like speeds of up to 400MB/sec and both RAID 0 and RAID 1 configurations. Of course, if one of these drives isn't taxing enough on your savings account, you can daisy chain a few for a more robust storage setup. Time Machine compatibility? You betcha. The unit works with Apple's backup system immediately and is user serviceable should the need arise. For those ready splurge on a couple of VelociRaptors of their very own, the Duo is on sale now. If you're not quite ready to commit your funds, consult the full PR below for the nitty gritty.
Buffalo outs HDW-P550U3 external drive with USB 3.0 and WiFi in Japan
Buffalo's HDD repertoire is already pretty well stacked, but there's nothing wrong with the company giving you extensive storage options. The newest one to join the external drive pile is the HDW-P550U3, boasting a decent 500GB capacity, the latest-gen of USB tech (or 3.0, if you prefer), WiFi (B,G,N) for some cordless doc-transferring action and a hefty 2,860mAh battery that promises to give you around five hours of usage. Sadly, unlike its HD-PATU3 cousin, there's no Thunderbolt incision in this guy, but this is likely to still keep folks interested in the former. That's not to take anything away from the HDW-P550U3, though, which is expected to be available in Japan next month with a 23,205 yen price tag, or about $295 in US cash.
G-Technology kicks out USB 3.0 G-Drives for Macs, keeps your Retina MacBook Pro well-fed
If you've just picked up a MacBook Pro with Retina display or a 2012-era MacBook Air, you may be jonesing for a matching external hard drive to take advantage of that much-awaited USB 3.0 support. G-Technology has you covered -- and how. Updated versions of the laptop-oriented G-Drive Mini, Mobile and Slim (you're looking at the Mobile up top) all roll in the higher peak speeds and progressively trade raw speed as well as 1TB capacities for sleekness, while the twin-drive, 1.5TB G-RAID Mini will tax that 5Gbps bandwidth without becoming too ungainly. Not taking your external storage on the road? The single-disk G-Drive now climbs to 4TB in addition to jumping on the USB 3.0 bandwagon, and the dual-drive G-RAID will serve up as much as 8TB at the newly brisk speeds. All but the G-Drive Slim support FireWire to ease those jitters over transitioning from old to new, although they won't all arrive at the same time. Most of the G-Drive and G-RAID gear will be showing up in August at prices between $110 and $810, but the two Mini-labelled drives could be a bit late to the party with a less defined summer target. You can get the full scoop after the break.
SATA-IO unveils USM Slim external storage jack for ultrabooks, tablets and 'other portable devices'
So, how do you best improve upon the USM standard and boldly take it to new frontiers? Well, as with most tech, simply shrinking it down never seems to hurt. The new USM Slim standard has just been announced by the Serial ATA International Organization (SATA-IO) as part of the SATA 3.2 Revision. It takes the ability to plug in powered, external storage with on-board SATA and slims down the port from 14.5mm to 9mm. By trimming the jack by of a third of its bulk the SATA-IO have prepped the standard for the next generation of products, including ultra-thin ultrabooks, svelte tablets and "other portable devices." What might those other devices be? Well, we can't help but hope for a smartphone that boots to Ubuntu when docked (or Ubuntu TV) and can connect to a sizable external hard drive... ah, pipe dreams. Check out the PR after the break.
Toshiba Canvio 3.0 external drives bump up to 1.5TB, give Mac users some love
Toshiba's Canvio external drives have just gotten a hefty boost, most of all for data swappers that play both the Mac and PC sides of the computing fence. Both the regular Canvio 3.0 and the Canvio Basics 3.0 have made the jump from 1TB to 1.5TB of capacity to hold that much more in the way of backups and videos. If you spring for the top-end 1.5TB Canvio 3.0, though, you'll also get a new NTFS driver for the Mac that lets you take the USB 3.0 disk between a Mac and a Windows PC without having to either load a special reader app or wipe the drive clean. Living in that technology utopia will cost you $200 when it's ready in early June, but the Mac- or Windows-only among us can pay as little as $120 to get a 500GB Canvio while still getting backup software and one of six glossy colors. More frugal travelers can pay $10 less at the capacity for one of the software-free Basics drives.
LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series now available for $200
Back at CES, we first got word of the LaCie eSATA Hub Thunderbolt Series that would put two hard drives of the eSATA sort to good use. The company announced today that the storage peripheral is available now via its online store with a $199 price tag. If you recall, the device will allow you to daisy chain up to 12 drives (six hubs) to a Thunderbolt-enabled Mac while still showcasing 3Gbps eSATA speeds. If you're wanting a closer look or you're ready to commit, visit the source link below.
