This portable SSD is also rated to IP67 for dust and water - that means the drive is fully sealed against dust and can be submerged in shallow water for up to 30 minutes. That speed will come in handy for working on files directly off the drive as well as for on-the-go storage. That is fast enough to transfer more than 32GB of photos in under a minute, in our experience. Connecting with USB 3.2 Gen 2 over USB-C, the drive can deliver up to a 1,050MB/s transfer rate. The SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD is one of the fastest external hard drives that we tested. Pros: Fast, compact, IP67 rated, resistant to small drops, excellent 5-year warranty.

Available capacities: 500 GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB.Connection: USB-C 3.2 Gen 2, with USB-A connector also included.Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches tech products.įast and portable, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD is also designed to protect data from drops and even water. After researching the best-reviewed models, we tested eight of the top ranked options, from desktop drives to portable solid-state drives (SSDs), to find the best external hard drives for speed, storage, and price. Some are behemoths with plenty of storage for a hefty price, while others are smaller in space and easier on the wallet.Īs a professional photographer dealing with numerous large files on a regular basis, using an external hard drive is a part of this writer's regular workflow. Other models are destined for desktop use, compared to most that are designed to withstand a few bumps inside a laptop bag. Of course, external hard disk drives (HDDs) come in different types and with different features. Unlike storing data on a remote cloud server, there are no monthly subscription fees and an even smaller chance of being victim to a data breach with an external hard drive. As technology advances, file sizes grow larger, and a computer's storage can quickly become overstuffed.

Best mac external drives