- Portable Ssd Drive Usb C
- Best Usb C Ssd Hard Drive
- Best External Ssd Usb C
- Best Ssd External Hard Drive
USB-C 3.1 technology; Compact design, password protection, durable build, and 3-year warranty; 5. G-Technology G-Drive External Hard Drive. Our pick for best external hard drive for PC gaming & Mac gaming. The LaCie 2TB Mobile SSD drive is an external USB-C drive with more than enough space for all of your digital files. An Apple Store exclusive, its brushed aluminum exterior makes it look like it. Samsung T5 Portable SSD USB-C/USB-A – 500GB, 1TB, 2TB SMALLEST All metal design, the Samsung T5 is yet another portable hard drive with USB-C connectivity and based on the super fast SSD storage. It is capable of transfer speeds of up to 540MB/s. It achieves this on the back of using V-NAND flash storage and USB 3.1 generation 2 interface. SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable External SSD - USB-C, USB 3.1. Straight up, the SanDisk Extreme.
There might come a time when you run out of storage on your laptop's hard drive or simply want to back up all of your files. You can open your computer and upgrade the storage inside, assuming your computer is repair-friendly. Alternatively, you can buy an external hard drive. Not only is it a useful way to back up your data, but it lets you easily move files from one device to another. These are the best external hard drives you can buy today.
The best external hard drives:
Editor's note:We will update our list of the best external hard drives over time.
1. Seagate Backup Plus Slim
Our list starts with the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. The headline feature is how slim it is relative to other external hard drives with similar storage configurations. Another nice touch is the aluminum enclosure, along with temporary memberships to Mylio Create and Adobe Creative Cloud.
The 120MB/s transfer speed isn't the fastest, but it's typical of mechanical hard drives. Also, the Backup Plus Slim uses USB 3.0 instead of USB-C, which is something to note if your computer only has USB-C ports.
2. Western Digital My Passport Ultra
At first blush, the Western Digital My Passport Ultra looks like any other external hard drive. However, taking a closer look reveals a surprisingly compact hard drive with one key feature: USB-C.
Also read:The best USB-C cables
Yes, there's a USB-C port on the My Passport Ultra. The hard drive comes with a USB-C-to-USB-C cable, though it also includes a USB 3.1 adapter for those with access to the older port. Transfer speeds hover around 125MB/s, so don't expect blazing read and write speeds. At least the hard drive features an anodized metal finish.
3. Samsung T5
Unlike mechanical hard drives, the Samsung T5 is an external solid-state drive (SSD). That means there are no moving parts to worry about. That also means the Samsung T5 is incredibly slim and compact, easily fitting in a shirt pocket.
Don't let the size fool you into thinking transfer speeds are slow, however. Thanks to its use of Samsung's V-NAND flash memory and USB-C, the T5 provides transfer speeds of up to 540MB/s.
4. SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD
We continue the portable SSD offerings with the SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD. According to SanDisk, maximum sequential read and write speeds are rated at 1050 and 1000MB/s, respectively.
Apart from being speedy, the Extreme Portable External SSD is also rugged. The portable SSD features an IP55 rating for protection against water and dust. Also, it can withstand drops from up to two meters onto a concrete floor.
5. Adata SE800
There are plenty of hard drives out there with massive capacities, but they sacrifice a great deal of portability. On the other hand, the Adata SE800 offers a powerful combination of up to a 1TB capacity and heavy-duty endurance. https://hereafile231.weebly.com/online-casinos-that-give-free-money-to-start.html.
With read and write speeds of up to 1000Mbps and a weight of just 40 grams, the SE800 is perfect to take on the go. It packs USB-C connectivity, but the durability features are where this Adata option really shines. The hard drive is MIL-STD 810G rated for drop tests and it carries an IP68 rating for water and dust.
Speedy USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity helps to guarantee top speeds while a hairline brushed metal finish gives the Adata SE800 a luxurious feel. It comes in either 512GB or 1TB capacities.
6. Western Digital My Book Duo
Portable Ssd Drive Usb C
Jumping from the most portable hard drive to the least, the Western Digital My Book Duo is a tank. It's best for those who mostly stick to their desks and want to maximize their storage options.
The My Book Duo is RAID-0 ready with WD Red drives inside and a USB-C port along with two USB-A options allow for plenty of peripherals. As for speed, the My Book Duo handles up to 360Mbps sequential reading and can switch to RAID-1 to mirror your data. There may be faster speeds out there, but with a capacity of up to 24TB, you should never be hurting for space with this one.
7. LaCie Rugged
Another option that's designed to face the elements, the LaCie Rugged makes our list of the best external hard drives for a number of reasons. From the capacity of up to 5TB to the six different formats, there's plenty of flexibility available in a compact package.
You'll probably never misplace the LaCie Rugged thanks to the bright orange bumper. The bumper works twofold — protecting the device from falls and water, and housing a convenient USB-C cable. You can max out the laptop transfer speed at 130Mbps and the LaCie Rugged can reportedly withstand up to one ton of pressure.
8. Western Digital Black P10
Pretty much all of the best external hard drives so far have been made for everyday use. However, gamers often find themselves needing extra storage too with how large games have become. That's where the Western Digital Black P10 makes its name. With a capacity of up to 5TB, you should be able to manage up to 125 new games at a size of 36GB apiece.
Also read: The best gaming laptops you can buy right now
Beyond the storage capacity, the Black P10 has an industrial design that feels like it belongs in your gaming arsenal. It's smaller than a standard Xbox controller and sits flat, and speeds of up to 140Mbps should keep you running smoothly. Weighing in at just about eight ounces, you should be able to stuff the Black P10 in a backpack and not feel any difference.
That was our list of the best external hard drives you can buy right now. Check out a few of these other PC accessories to complete your setup:
The market is teeming with storage choices, from relatively modest 500GB to 2TB models, to multi-terabyte models with capacities reaching into the double digits.
But finding the best hard drive for music production can come with its own challenges… Thunderbolt? USB type-C? Solid-state? Transfer speeds? etc. And with hard drive storage being cheaper and more accessible than in the past, there's no reason why you shouldn't invest in a couple of external drives to back up your valuable data, archive your projects, or free up space on your internal drive.
So in this post, we'll take a look at the top hard drives and solid state drives that you ought be using.
Top 5 External Storage Drives for Producers
Samsung Portable SSD T5
See Price @ AmazonThe Samsung T5 is one of the latest and most impressive SDDs, it's known for fast transfer speeds and the durability to hold up against the most demanding environments. It is available in several colors and fits neatly into your pocket or purse, giving you dependable storage wherever you go.
Specs and featuresThe T5 uses Samsung's V-NAND flash memory technology and has a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface onboard. With transfer speeds of up to 540 MB/s, it is 4.9 times faster than comparable HDDs. Large project files, multi-gigabyte audio, high-resolution photos, and even 4K videos transfer within minutes, so you don't have to spend a lot of time backing up and archiving your precious data.
The fast transfer speed translates to smooth and effortless streaming as well. If you don't want to clog up your computer's internal drive with gigs and gigs of sample libraries, you can stream them from the T5 without so much as a hiccup. Of course, you do need to have a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port on your computer and enable UASP mode. But once you set everything up, you can pretty much rely on the T5 to stream your audio flawlessly.
Like all SDDs, the T5 does not have moving parts, which goes a long way in ensuring durability and reliability. Even so, the circuitry is protected by a sturdy metal casing that has been drop-tested from a height of two meters. Unless you are in the habit of drop-kicking your external drives, it's safe to say that the T5 will handle even the most rigorous studio use.
The T5 is compatible with Macs and PCs, and even smartphones and gaming consoles. It comes with USB Type-C to C and USB Type-C to A cables for maximum connectivity options.
User impressionsMusic producers find the T5 to be an excellent budget-friendly storage option. Some have purchased it thinking that they would get only a minimal speed boost but were surprised to see how much it shortened loading times. The performance boost was even more noticeable when loading up large project files from the drive.
Bottom-lineWith a maximum capacity of 2TB, the Samsung T5 isn't the largest drive around. Nevertheless, the speed and performance make up for the somewhat modest space, and it is inexpensive enough so that you could get a few for backup and archiving purposes.
Watch the DemoGlyph StudioRAID Thunderbolt 2
See Price @ Amazon or SweetwaterThe Glyph StudioRAID Thunderbolt 2 is billed as a 'production-grade' external raid hard drive, which is intended to speed up and enhance workflow. Quite an excellent choice for studio musicians, video editors, and anyone that needs rugged and reliable storage, the Glyph StudioRAID is especially suitable for backing up large DAW files, rendered audio, and humongous sample libraries.
Specs and featuresThe Glyph StudioRAID supports Thunderbolt 2, which gives you a comfortable level of future-proofing. It also has USB 3.0 connectivity, so it will work with a wide variety of devices and configurations. But what really speeds up its performance is the support for current hardware RAID modes, including 1, 0, JBOD, and SPAN. This versatility gives you quick and seamless access to your digital library.
Right out of the box, the Glyph StudioRAID is formatted for HFS+ with Journaling and Time Machine compatibility. If you are planning on using it on a Windows machine, you simply have to reformat the drive beforehand, which should take only a few minutes at most. I can t see my downloads.
Like all respectable external hard drives, the Glyph StudioRAID comes in a robust metal enclosure, which protects it against the most determined bumps and jostles. It also has a built-in heavy-duty power supply and auto-sensing power feature, so you can pretty much just plug it in and get to work.
Other features include a soft-touch power switch and disk health monitoring. The Glyph StudioRAID supports drive capacities from 2TB to 28TB, so you can choose from cost-effective storage to near-limitless capacity.
User impressionsBest Usb C Ssd Hard Drive
Users of the StudioRAID have a great deal of confidence in Glyph, considering the company is one of the few that makes storage devices specifically for studio professionals. In most cases, the StudioRAID outperformed the closest competitor by a wide margin, streaming as much as 350MB per second. For handling multiple audio streams, the Glyph StudioRAID has proven to be unbeatable for many users.
Bottom-lineThe Glyph StudioRAID is admittedly a bit expensive, but you can't put a price on quality. Everything about the unit is noticeably high-quality, from the performance to the all-metal enclosure. If you want a dependable storage device that you can rely on for years, the StudioRAID is a great choice.
Watch the DemoGlyph Atom SSD 1TB USB-C
See Price @ Amazon or SweetwaterIf your needs are more modest, the Glyph Atom SSD is an excellent alternative to the monstrous multi-terabyte drives currently flooding the market. Offering up to 2TB of storage, it is better suited for transferring files and taking them on-the-go rather than archiving and sound library streaming. Even so, the Atom's features and trademark performance capabilities make it an essential studio tool that will find plenty of use in your rig.
Specs and featuresLike its bigger brother, the Glyph StudioRAID, the minuscule Atom boasts of Thunderbolt 3 capability and USB-C 3.1 Generation 2 compatibility. It is also HFS+ preformatted right out of the box, with Journaling and Time Machine support. Like the StudioRAID, a quick reformat is all it takes to get it communicating with your Windows machine.
Where the Atom differs is in its form factor. Amazingly compact and lightweight, this will hardly take up any space on your desktop, sitting unobtrusively next to your studio computer. But even with its minute dimensions, the Atom delivers impressive performance, streaming data at a blinding rate of 560MB per second. You could easily drag and drop gigabytes of audio files to it all day and not lose precious minutes in the studio. File to video converter download.
Unlike mechanical hard drives, the Samsung T5 is an external solid-state drive (SSD). That means there are no moving parts to worry about. That also means the Samsung T5 is incredibly slim and compact, easily fitting in a shirt pocket.
Don't let the size fool you into thinking transfer speeds are slow, however. Thanks to its use of Samsung's V-NAND flash memory and USB-C, the T5 provides transfer speeds of up to 540MB/s.
4. SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD
We continue the portable SSD offerings with the SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD. According to SanDisk, maximum sequential read and write speeds are rated at 1050 and 1000MB/s, respectively.
Apart from being speedy, the Extreme Portable External SSD is also rugged. The portable SSD features an IP55 rating for protection against water and dust. Also, it can withstand drops from up to two meters onto a concrete floor.
5. Adata SE800
There are plenty of hard drives out there with massive capacities, but they sacrifice a great deal of portability. On the other hand, the Adata SE800 offers a powerful combination of up to a 1TB capacity and heavy-duty endurance. https://hereafile231.weebly.com/online-casinos-that-give-free-money-to-start.html.
With read and write speeds of up to 1000Mbps and a weight of just 40 grams, the SE800 is perfect to take on the go. It packs USB-C connectivity, but the durability features are where this Adata option really shines. The hard drive is MIL-STD 810G rated for drop tests and it carries an IP68 rating for water and dust.
Speedy USB 3.2 Gen 2 connectivity helps to guarantee top speeds while a hairline brushed metal finish gives the Adata SE800 a luxurious feel. It comes in either 512GB or 1TB capacities.
6. Western Digital My Book Duo
Portable Ssd Drive Usb C
Jumping from the most portable hard drive to the least, the Western Digital My Book Duo is a tank. It's best for those who mostly stick to their desks and want to maximize their storage options.
The My Book Duo is RAID-0 ready with WD Red drives inside and a USB-C port along with two USB-A options allow for plenty of peripherals. As for speed, the My Book Duo handles up to 360Mbps sequential reading and can switch to RAID-1 to mirror your data. There may be faster speeds out there, but with a capacity of up to 24TB, you should never be hurting for space with this one.
7. LaCie Rugged
Another option that's designed to face the elements, the LaCie Rugged makes our list of the best external hard drives for a number of reasons. From the capacity of up to 5TB to the six different formats, there's plenty of flexibility available in a compact package.
You'll probably never misplace the LaCie Rugged thanks to the bright orange bumper. The bumper works twofold — protecting the device from falls and water, and housing a convenient USB-C cable. You can max out the laptop transfer speed at 130Mbps and the LaCie Rugged can reportedly withstand up to one ton of pressure.
8. Western Digital Black P10
Pretty much all of the best external hard drives so far have been made for everyday use. However, gamers often find themselves needing extra storage too with how large games have become. That's where the Western Digital Black P10 makes its name. With a capacity of up to 5TB, you should be able to manage up to 125 new games at a size of 36GB apiece.
Also read: The best gaming laptops you can buy right now
Beyond the storage capacity, the Black P10 has an industrial design that feels like it belongs in your gaming arsenal. It's smaller than a standard Xbox controller and sits flat, and speeds of up to 140Mbps should keep you running smoothly. Weighing in at just about eight ounces, you should be able to stuff the Black P10 in a backpack and not feel any difference.
That was our list of the best external hard drives you can buy right now. Check out a few of these other PC accessories to complete your setup:
The market is teeming with storage choices, from relatively modest 500GB to 2TB models, to multi-terabyte models with capacities reaching into the double digits.
But finding the best hard drive for music production can come with its own challenges… Thunderbolt? USB type-C? Solid-state? Transfer speeds? etc. And with hard drive storage being cheaper and more accessible than in the past, there's no reason why you shouldn't invest in a couple of external drives to back up your valuable data, archive your projects, or free up space on your internal drive.
So in this post, we'll take a look at the top hard drives and solid state drives that you ought be using.
Top 5 External Storage Drives for Producers
Samsung Portable SSD T5
See Price @ AmazonThe Samsung T5 is one of the latest and most impressive SDDs, it's known for fast transfer speeds and the durability to hold up against the most demanding environments. It is available in several colors and fits neatly into your pocket or purse, giving you dependable storage wherever you go.
Specs and featuresThe T5 uses Samsung's V-NAND flash memory technology and has a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface onboard. With transfer speeds of up to 540 MB/s, it is 4.9 times faster than comparable HDDs. Large project files, multi-gigabyte audio, high-resolution photos, and even 4K videos transfer within minutes, so you don't have to spend a lot of time backing up and archiving your precious data.
The fast transfer speed translates to smooth and effortless streaming as well. If you don't want to clog up your computer's internal drive with gigs and gigs of sample libraries, you can stream them from the T5 without so much as a hiccup. Of course, you do need to have a USB 3.1 Gen 2 port on your computer and enable UASP mode. But once you set everything up, you can pretty much rely on the T5 to stream your audio flawlessly.
Like all SDDs, the T5 does not have moving parts, which goes a long way in ensuring durability and reliability. Even so, the circuitry is protected by a sturdy metal casing that has been drop-tested from a height of two meters. Unless you are in the habit of drop-kicking your external drives, it's safe to say that the T5 will handle even the most rigorous studio use.
The T5 is compatible with Macs and PCs, and even smartphones and gaming consoles. It comes with USB Type-C to C and USB Type-C to A cables for maximum connectivity options.
User impressionsMusic producers find the T5 to be an excellent budget-friendly storage option. Some have purchased it thinking that they would get only a minimal speed boost but were surprised to see how much it shortened loading times. The performance boost was even more noticeable when loading up large project files from the drive.
Bottom-lineWith a maximum capacity of 2TB, the Samsung T5 isn't the largest drive around. Nevertheless, the speed and performance make up for the somewhat modest space, and it is inexpensive enough so that you could get a few for backup and archiving purposes.
Watch the DemoGlyph StudioRAID Thunderbolt 2
See Price @ Amazon or SweetwaterThe Glyph StudioRAID Thunderbolt 2 is billed as a 'production-grade' external raid hard drive, which is intended to speed up and enhance workflow. Quite an excellent choice for studio musicians, video editors, and anyone that needs rugged and reliable storage, the Glyph StudioRAID is especially suitable for backing up large DAW files, rendered audio, and humongous sample libraries.
Specs and featuresThe Glyph StudioRAID supports Thunderbolt 2, which gives you a comfortable level of future-proofing. It also has USB 3.0 connectivity, so it will work with a wide variety of devices and configurations. But what really speeds up its performance is the support for current hardware RAID modes, including 1, 0, JBOD, and SPAN. This versatility gives you quick and seamless access to your digital library.
Right out of the box, the Glyph StudioRAID is formatted for HFS+ with Journaling and Time Machine compatibility. If you are planning on using it on a Windows machine, you simply have to reformat the drive beforehand, which should take only a few minutes at most. I can t see my downloads.
Like all respectable external hard drives, the Glyph StudioRAID comes in a robust metal enclosure, which protects it against the most determined bumps and jostles. It also has a built-in heavy-duty power supply and auto-sensing power feature, so you can pretty much just plug it in and get to work.
Other features include a soft-touch power switch and disk health monitoring. The Glyph StudioRAID supports drive capacities from 2TB to 28TB, so you can choose from cost-effective storage to near-limitless capacity.
User impressionsBest Usb C Ssd Hard Drive
Users of the StudioRAID have a great deal of confidence in Glyph, considering the company is one of the few that makes storage devices specifically for studio professionals. In most cases, the StudioRAID outperformed the closest competitor by a wide margin, streaming as much as 350MB per second. For handling multiple audio streams, the Glyph StudioRAID has proven to be unbeatable for many users.
Bottom-lineThe Glyph StudioRAID is admittedly a bit expensive, but you can't put a price on quality. Everything about the unit is noticeably high-quality, from the performance to the all-metal enclosure. If you want a dependable storage device that you can rely on for years, the StudioRAID is a great choice.
Watch the DemoGlyph Atom SSD 1TB USB-C
See Price @ Amazon or SweetwaterIf your needs are more modest, the Glyph Atom SSD is an excellent alternative to the monstrous multi-terabyte drives currently flooding the market. Offering up to 2TB of storage, it is better suited for transferring files and taking them on-the-go rather than archiving and sound library streaming. Even so, the Atom's features and trademark performance capabilities make it an essential studio tool that will find plenty of use in your rig.
Specs and featuresLike its bigger brother, the Glyph StudioRAID, the minuscule Atom boasts of Thunderbolt 3 capability and USB-C 3.1 Generation 2 compatibility. It is also HFS+ preformatted right out of the box, with Journaling and Time Machine support. Like the StudioRAID, a quick reformat is all it takes to get it communicating with your Windows machine.
Where the Atom differs is in its form factor. Amazingly compact and lightweight, this will hardly take up any space on your desktop, sitting unobtrusively next to your studio computer. But even with its minute dimensions, the Atom delivers impressive performance, streaming data at a blinding rate of 560MB per second. You could easily drag and drop gigabytes of audio files to it all day and not lose precious minutes in the studio. File to video converter download.
The Atom comes in an all-aluminum enclosure, which provides sufficient protection under most conditions. It is bus-powered too so you won't have to wrestle with a bulky, space-eating power supply. And for maximum connectivity, the Atom comes with a USB-C to USB-C (3.1) and a USB-C to USB 3.0 cable.
The Atom is available in capacities from 250GB to 2TB.
User impressionsUnsurprisingly, most users of the Atom find it to be just as impressive as its bigger capacity brothers. Many are especially impressed at how much power and performance they can harness with a single USB cable, with no power supply in sight. As expected, the Atom is totally silent, and many users report being unaware that it is on if not for the bright LED light. Audio and video work is notoriously demanding on hard drives, but the Atom keeps up like a champ.
Bottom-lineThe Atom is a cost-effective solution for most storage and data transferring needs. It is inexpensive enough that you could simply purchase one for every major project you are working on. This is often preferable to relying on larger drives that could fail and take all your data with them.
LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0
See Price @ Amazon or Sweetwaterhttps://truetload852.weebly.com/is-there-inventor-for-mac.html. LaCie has long been known for its reliability and performance, and the aptly-named Rugged is no different. Upholding the proud LaCie tradition admirably, the Rugged is the near-perfect solution for most every data storage need in the modern music production studio. With features such as USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity, the Rugged is well up the challenge of the most demanding music applications.
Specs and featuresLaCie proudly proclaims the Rugged to be one of the fastest bus-powered storage devices currently available. This claim is no idle boast, as the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt connectivity allows you to stream huge audio and video files without a hitch. In fact, the Rugged is designed to give you the perfect balance between speed, durability, and mobility.
The durability comes into play with the Rugged's ability to withstand drops from up to two meters, which should cover most typical studio situations. The drive also has IP 54-level protection against water and dust, so you can be sure that your data will remain intact even if you subject your equipment to rough and rugged road conditions.
The availability of USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports also ensures maximum compatibility with Macs and PCs. Whether you are looking for additional storage for your laptop or a quick and easy way to transfer files between remote computers, the Rugged is an ideal solution.
LaCie has seen fit to integrate the Thunderbolt cable into the drive's casing, so it is always there when you need it. A seemingly minor innovation to be sure, but it does help you avoid having to hunt for a Thunderbolt cable, which isn't currently ubiquitous in many studios yet.
User impressionsLaCie drives tend to attract serious studio professionals in the video and audio industries. The Rugged certainly doesn't disappoint, with its fast and reliable performance in a portable and convenient form factor. In numerous real-world test scenarios, the Rugged has consistently proven its ability to mount quickly and stream data without issues.
Bottom-lineThe LaCie Rugged ticks all the boxes when it comes to reliable and convenient storage. It also comes with an attractive price tag, making it worthy of serious consideration for anyone looking for an inexpensive but dependable external hard drive.
Watch the DemoG-Technology 1TB G-DRIVE
See Price @ Amazon or SweetwaterG-Technology's G-DRIVE delivers all the reliability and performance you would expect from a state-of-the-art SSD drive at a price that won't break the bank. One of the most rugged external drives you will find at this price point, it even measures up against costlier models with its modern connectivity and data protection features.
Specs and featuresBest External Ssd Usb C
With transfer speeds of up to 560MB per second, the G-DRIVE easily measures up to the demands of modern audio and video production environments. Even the largest data files zip back and forth within minutes, so you don't have to waste too much time on the necessary-but-tedious tasks of backing up and archiving.
The G-DRIVE has a USB-C port with support for USB 3.1 Gen 2 interfaces, ensuring compatibility with a wide range of desktop and laptop computers.
So far, so good. But where the G-DRIVE really leaves the competition behind is in its innovative data and mechanism protection features that ensure the utmost integrity of your file content. While most external drives are drop-tested to a height of two meters, the G-DRIVE is tested for three-meter drop protection. It also has a 1,000-pound crushproof rating and has IP67 protection against water and dust.
Enclosing the drive is an aluminum core casing that prevents overheating even at peak performance. This casing also serves to insulate the drive when it isn't being used.
The G-DRIVE is available in capacities ranging from 500GB to 2TB.
User impressionsMany users found the G-DRIVE to be even faster than other higher-spec'd drives with similar capacities. The difference isn't night and day, but it does give many users a sense of gratification knowing that superior performance is available at a slightly lower cost from a lesser-known brand.
The G-DRIVE's small form factor also scored points among home studio owners who don't have a lot of desk space to spare. And with its proven protection features, the G-DRIVE is even well-suited for the demands of the road.
Bottom-lineRuggedness and reliability are what the G-DRIVE is all about, and it even delivers admirably in terms of speed. At this price point, the market is pretty much crowded with excellent external drive options. Even so, the G-DRIVE has what it takes to make it a serious contender.
Best Ssd External Hard Drive
How to Choose the Best External Storage Drive?
HDD vs. SDD
When choosing an external drive, the choice often comes down to hard disk drives (HDDs) or solid-state drives (SDDs). The traditional option is HDDs, which are cheaper and come with larger storage capacities. The downside is that HDDs are much more prone to damage when dropped or bumped, which could result in data loss. They are also heavier than SDDs, consume more energy, and have shorter lifespans. Even so, a good HDD from a reputable manufacturer should last for many years if you take good care of it.
SSDs are capable of faster performance, although this usually isn't a crucial factor for external drives. The best HDDs should be able to stream large audio files and sample libraries just fine for most purposes. In any case, SDDs generally have longer lifespans than HDDs. They are also lighter and run cooler. On the downside, they are more expensive than HDDs, especially when you go for multi-terabyte models.
Size and form factor
HDDs typically come in 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch sizes. Most external drives that come in dedicated enclosures contain 2.5' drives, such as the ones commonly used in laptops. You could, of course, purchase either a 3.5' or a 2.5' drive and place it in a suitable enclosure. This is usually a more cost-effective alternative to buying an external drive that comes in a dedicated enclosure, and you have a wider variety of disk capacities to choose from.
Traditionally, the main difference between the two form factors is that 3.5' HDDs can hold much more data. But this isn't necessarily the case anymore, as recent advances in technology have made it possible to store close to an equivalent amount of data in a 2.5' drive. One thing that hasn't changed though is that most 3.5' external drives still require a dedicated power supply, while most 2.5' drives can be powered off a USB port.
Connection type
All external drives connect to your computer via USB cables, whether they are HDDs or SSDs. But even USB connectors come in a few different types. Most older drives use Mini-B USB cables, which only works with USB 1.1 and USB 2.0 ports and devices.
The newer standard is Micro-B, which works with USB 3.0. Keep in mind that this cable isn't backward compatible with USB 1.1 or 2.0.
There is also a Type-C USB cable, which supports USB 3.0, as well as all earlier USB versions. An added benefit is that you can insert this type of cable in any direction, so you won't have to keep flipping the connector over to plug your external hard drive in!
Newer Type-C USB connectors work with Thunderbolt technology, which was initially compatible only with Apple devices. Thunderbolt 3 is now compatible with PCs, but keep in mind that while Thunderbolt devices work with all Type-C USB connectors, not all Type-C connectors support Thunderbolt.
If you want to future-proof your storage capabilities, you should, at the very least, go for an external drive that has a Type-C connector. Better still, look into a hard drive that supports Thunderbolt technology.
Storage capacity
The largest capacity HDDs you could get go up to 12TB or more. There are even larger capacity drives that can go up to 15 or 16TB, but these are generally intended for enterprise applications.
SDD drives were initially limited to smaller capacities, but you can now find SSDs capable of multi-terabyte storage. There is even an SSD that stores as much as 16TB of data, but as with HDDs, these are better suited for enterprise applications.
In any case, it is generally a good idea to go for external drives in the 4TB to 8TB range and divide your data between a few of them. This will provide you with enough storage space for all your projects, sample libraries, and backups, without costing you too much money. And with relatively smaller drives, there is less risk of losing all your data to a damaged single drive.
Transfer speed
Transfer speed is an important concern if you plan on streaming audio files, samples, and sample libraries from your external hard drive. A 7200 RPM drive will allow you to stream data much faster and with fewer hiccups than a 5400 RPM drive.
Best hard drive for time machine. Transfer speed is less of an issue if you are planning on using your external drive only for backing up project files. Even so, it is probably best to go with a 7200 RPM drive as the cost difference over a 5400 RPM drive is marginal.
Failure rate
Tri backup 8 1 0 download free. One other aspect you should look into is failure rate. SDDs do not have any moving parts, so they would theoretically last longer than HDDs. But if you plan on using your external drive only for backups and archives and don't run it continuously, you should be able to get many years of use out of it before you have to think about looking for a replacement.
