Best External Hard Drives in the UK

As for the memory capacity, the manufacturer offers a pretty decent number of models. The one we describe here can fit up to 4 TB of data, which we consider an optimal amount. But you can choose models with 1 TB, 2 TB, 5 TB, and 500 GB capacity depending on your needs and budget.

Moving on, this HDD has a clear interface and can be connected via a basic USB cable. A data transferring speed is pretty average - around 1 GB per second, so keep that in mind in case you need to backup files quickly. We also really like that this model allows you not only to transfer files manually but also to schedule daily, weekly and monthly backups. That’s why even if you forget to copy some files by yourself, they will never get lost.

The other feature that ensures the safety of your personal data is that the manufacturer offers a 2-year Rescue Data recovery service. So, if something happens to your drive, your personal files won’t get lost forever. Plus, a 1-year warranty is also provided.

In conclusion, we consider the Seagate One Touch Portable External Drive a solid choice for everyone who values their personal data and wants to make sure their files are stored safely and are always at a hand. A sleek modern design with compact size and light weight allow you to access your data with ease even on the go.

Worried about the data safety? If you store extra important files on the HDD, this is fully understandable. The Seagate drive supports you with the included 2-year limited warranty. Should anything happen to your external drive that’s covered by it, you know you’re in the safe place.

But that’s not all; what you also get is the 2-year Rescue Data Recovery services. Accidental drops or sudden malfunctioning, you’ll get the timely assistance from the support team. Know that you’re not facing a HDD issue alone and help is always one phone call away.

Is this external drive quiet or loud? The honest answer would be that it’s on the louder side of HDDs. That’s something you should know when planning to use it full-time. If you’re not easily distracted, then this unit is near-perfect. If you are, but need it for occasional data transfers, you’re also good.

Summing up, this external drive by Seagate is a real find for modern creative jobs or bulky projects. Fast data transfer and boosted safety make this device a pleasure to have and use. Get one for your personal needs – or surprise your co-worker with a nifty present.

The data transfer on this external HDD is carried out via the USB 3.0 cabled interface, which offers enough throughput for fast data transfer.

Technically speaking, the "largest capacity" that we've mentioned above is somewhat colloquial because the drive we're reviewing provides you with four terabytes, which is awesome and more than you'd expect considering the product affordable price.

But, needless to say, it is not necessarily the largest capacity out there but the largest capacity that this portable HDD is available with.

Having said that, 4 terabytes is more than most people need. You'll be able to store hundreds of Blu-ray movies and install as many games as you want without worrying about running out of storage space for years to come.

Buying the Toshiba Canvio Basics external hard disk drive, you get access to a nice portable data storage, which is capable of not only storing your files but of doing this in a very secure and convenient way.

As we have mentioned before, this model is user-friendly and it starts working right after you plug it in. It’s like using a flash drive, though no flash drive will give you so much storage space at this price. But there is more!

The Element hard drive comes with the free trial version of the WD SmartWare Pro. It allows you to back up your data in Dropbox thus expanding your data storage options greatly. The installation app is on the HDD, you just need to run it on your PC and follow several simple instructions. However, don’t forget to save it elsewhere before formatting the hard drive.

Being made of high-quality materials, the WD Element pleases its user with very durable construction. It is wear-proof and can withstand accidental drops and hits, thus protecting the hard drive and all your data reliably.

The front and back sides of the housing have a matte finish so it is not a fingerprint magnet. That is a clever touch considering how annoying fingerprints on a glossy surface can be. Otherwise, the design is pretty simple, no bells and whistles. If you care little about your HDD being eye-catching and more about its functionality, that wouldn't be much of a problem, though. Finally, this 2TB model is pretty compact, so there is no need to carry your briefcase for the HDD only. Just drop it in your pocket.

Without a doubt, the WD element hard drive is a pretty simple and user-friendly model that can store hundreds of video files, thousands of audio tracks, and so many more for you securely. And at the same time, it won’t cost you an arm and a leg. Does it sound like the hard drive you are looking for? Then the WD HDD is right up your alley.

Aside from reasonable price and great overall performance, many customers are lured into getting this drive due to its USB Type C connector. Found on most recent devices with slimmer profiles, it's obvious the future is behind this connector type. That said, the drive ships with an adapter, so if you use a USB Type-A smartphone or laptop, you will be able to hook it up as well.

Another advantage of this drive is that it comes including the bundled software. The WD Discovery provides quick access to the drive and Cloud home where you can transfer files and back up your data. The WD Security, as you can guess from the name, will let you protect your data by setting up a password for the drive with 256-bit AES hardware encryption. Nothing fancy yet everything you need to make sure the digital contests of your life is safe and sound.

Finally, WD My Passport has one of the lengthiest warranties (3 years). So, if you often travel and/or your devices go through quite a lot of tossing during your commutes, this should give you some nice peace of mind.

To end it up, My Passport Drive from WD isn't the fastest drive you can find. That's true. Besides, it doesn't have a lot of fancy features. However, it has everything most people want these days, including a decent performance with batches of small files, reasonable retail price, nice write/read speeds, and high-level protection. On top of that, it works with nearly all devices including xbox, PS4 and PS5 lag-free and offers plenty of space to store some of the most demanding 4k games.