INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
It's essential you buy the best external hard drive that suits your needs if you work with a lot of files and documents with large file
sizes - and we're here to help with our list of the best external hard drives money can buy in 2018.When looking for the best external hard
drive or storage solutions for your needs, you need to make sure you consider some important things
For a start, you'll want to get an external drive with the right amount of capacity - after all, you don't want to run out of space, but nor
do you really want to pay for storage you're not going to use.You'll also want to think about data transfer speeds - if you're moving a lot
of large files to your external hard drive then you'll want something that can move them quickly.However, the best external hard drives are
also dependable and reliable, so you can safely store your data or backups without worry
The best external drives will be portable, with large capacities and robust designs that keeps your data safe when they are being moved
around.There's a huge range of external hard drives on offer, so we've put together this list of the best external hard drives to help you
find the perfect one for your needs.1
Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFCCapacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0NFC securityRugged designNot the fastest driveAn external hard drive you
can buy without breaking the bank, Buffalo's MiniStation Extreme NFC could be your match made in heaven.With compatibility for both Mac and
Windows machines, the Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC is very flexible, and comes with a rugged case that's dust and water resistant, along
with a built-in USB 3.0 cable.Not only is your data kept protected from knocks and drops with the rugged shell, but it's also got 256-bit
AES security features and NFC (Near Field Communication) features as well.Essentially it allows you to unlock the drive to get to your files
quickly and easily by tapping the supplied NFC card onto the drive's body
Western Digital My Passport 4TBCapacity: 4TB | Interface: USB 3.0Large capacityGood data transfer speedsWD backup software is basicThe
latest generation of the Western Digital My Passport range of external hard drives has landed, coming in sizes from 1TB to 4TB
It features cloud storage and 256-AES encryption, along with WD's own backup software.Best of all, it is a very good performer when it comes
to data transfer speeds, beating many of its competitor
Unsurprisingly, it doesn't reach the top speeds of solid state external drives, but for external hard drives based on traditional HDDs, this
Adata SD700 External SSDA terabyte in the palm of your handCapacity: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB | Interface: USB 3.0Great performanceIP68 ratingNo
USB Type-CThe Adata SD700 will suit those looking for a rugged storage device that can provide ample capacity without costing too much
external hard drive, it's a lot faster than external drives that use traditional spinning hard drives - so you're getting great transfer
speeds as well as rugged protection.It also comes in capacities up to 1TB, so you don't have to worry about missing out on storage space
just because it uses an SSD - this drive really does hit all the right notes.4
WD My Book Duo 4TBThe most space you can getCapacity: 4TB | Interface: USB 3.0 x 2Huge amounts of spaceRAID supportExpensiveNeed two USB 3.0
ports freeIf you're looking for the absolute largest capacity external hard drive, then the WD My Book Duo 4TB is the one to get, offering a
huge 4TB (you can also get versions with up to 20TB) of storage space over two hard drives.If you don't mind sacrificing some of the ample
storage space you can set the drives up in a RAID array, so you have file backups of your files should one of the drives die.This USB 3.0
drive has many of the features of a fully-fledged NAS device (including a high price), and if you have a router with a USB 3.0 port you
could use this as a network attached storage device in its own right.The device, which comes with two-year warranty, has 256-bit AES
hardware encryption, and automatic backup software (WD SmartWare Pro).Worth noting that the enclosure used is fully serviceable and that WD
ships the drive already pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS).5
Buffalo MiniStation ThunderboltBest Thunderbolt external hard driveCapacity: 1TB, 2TB | Interface: Thunderbolt, USB 3.0Low price compared to
other Thunderbolt drivesMac-formattedNot SSDIf you have a device with a Thunderbolt port, then this is a great option, as it provides twice
the speeds of standard USB 3.0 drives
It's also not especially expensive compared to other Thunderbolt drives
The price is kept down due to its use of a traditional hard drive, rather than an SSD, which limits the potential speeds
It also comes with a USB 3.0 port for people without access to Thunderbolt.6
Seagate Innov8 8TBCombines capacity and portabilityCapacity: 8TB | Interface: USB 3.0 and USB Type-CHigh capacityNo need for power supply
with USB-CExpensiveUSB-C support still in infancyThe Seagate 8TB Innov8 range is worth a mention
It is a normal-size 3.5-inch desktop hard disk drive but doesn't need an external power supply to run.Instead, it needs to be powered via a
USB Type-C connector without which it won't work
It does pave the way for customers to move staggering amount of data around without being tethered.What sets the Innov8 apart from the
competition is the design
All metal with fins to keep the drive cool and a minimalist approach to the drive's construction.If absolute performance coupled with ease
of use is what you are yearning for, then for a small business user or someone working in the creative industry, the Innov8 is a
no-brainer.Others will probably settle for far cheaper but less elegant options like the WD My Book mentioned previously.Read our full
review: Seagate Innov8 8TB external hard disk drive7
Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TBCapacity: 5TB | Interface: USB 3.0Very fast data transfer speedsReliableYou pay more for the
Mac-formatted versionIf you want to combine speed and capacity, then the Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB is definitely worth
It comes in a range of sizes up to 8TB and it beats the competition when it comes to read and write speeds as well.On top of this storage
and speed, you get a decent amount of peace of mind thanks to Seagate's lower than average failure rates, especially in bigger capacity hard
drives.You also get backup software, and the drive is compatible with both Windows and Macs, though it's formatted for Windows out of the
box unless you go for a Mac-specific hard drive - though these are more expensive.8
Western Digital My Passport Wireless ProCapacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0 and Wi-FiWireless ACUSB 3.0 supportGood battery lifeNo
the HDD restores faith in the Western Digital name
The design, for instance, has been overhauled and no longer resembles the My Passport Ultra nor My Passport for Mac
it confused with anything else
This lets the drive be used completely free of wires over 2.4GHz or 5GHz channels
benefit in just about every other area
LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive 4TBCapacity: 4TB | Interface: USB-CFast USB-C connectionGreat designExpensiveYou need USB-C ports to take
advantage of speedYou may have stumbled upon the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive when perusing the Apple website for USB-C accessories
(Shingled Magnetic Recording) technology.Comprising five 800GB platters in a 15mm form factor, the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile is an
in the form of USB-C, but it should be noted that the Porsche Design Mobile is still limited to USB 3.0 speeds
iStorage diskAshur 2TBCapacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0Physical securityRugged designExpensiveTypically, iStorage hard disks cater best to
someone tries to tamper with your iStorage drive, you can configure it to self-desturct
What's more, the data is encrypted by the 256-bit AES protocol, with multiple forms of protection in place to ensure the bad guys don't get
in no matter how persistent
When you consider all that extra security, the prices won't scare you away either.Sure, it's still expensive, four times the price of an
equivalent 2TB drive, and unlikely to be the most nimble performer
But, you're paying for a product that's virtually uncrackable
Bear in mind, though, you'll get no help from the manufacturer if things go awry and you lose your password.Read our full review: iStorage
diskAshur DTGabe Carey and Matt Hanson also contributed to this article4f76d5b0c5401b75de80bb88e43837d4.jpg#
