Fastest Portable Hard Drive

What's the best external hard drive for photos for photographers? An SSD (solid state drive) hard drive, of course. It's an improvement version of the HDD (hard disk drive). Why do photographers should adopt this new SSD hard disk technology? The reason is simple: just like a memory stick, there are no moving parts within an SSD hard drive. So you've got both reliability and high performance for photo and video editing. I'll go through some of the best portable SSD hard drives by looking into two main factors, speed and reliability. Top rated external SSD external hard drives for photographers should be:

• Smallest Portable Hard Drive
• Fastest Portable Usb Hard Drive
• Fastest Usb Hard Drive
• Fastest Portable External Hard Drives

The WD Elements External Portable Hard Drive offers reliable storage, fast data transfer rates and universal connectivity with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 devices to back up your files on the go. With 1TB of memory, this portable hard drive provides ample data storage space in a compact device. One of the reasons you may find it inconvenient to save your documents on an external drive is the time you have to spend to do it. If this is the case, the SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable External.

• USB-C compatible for fast data transfer
• Shock, dust, and water resistant
• Small and lightweight
• Compatible with major operating systems like Mac, Windows, and Linux

A List of Top 10 Best Portable SSD Hard Drives for Travel Photographers in 2020

SanDisk Extreme 900 portable SSD

Top of the notch SSD hard drive from global brand SanDisk, the Extreme 900 portable SSD is unbeatable in term of speed. This is amazing. Photographers with high end DSLR camera love this kind of high-performance portable SSD hard drive. You don't even need drivers when connecting your computer to the hard drive. The other important feature we should not overlook is temperature and impact resistant.

Pros

• Read up to 850 MB/s and write up to 850 MB/s, using USB 3.1 Gen 2
• Compatible with PC & Mac computers

Cons

• Speed not matched as mentioned
• Not for running operating system

Samsung T3 Portable SSD

Second after SanDisk, I'd recommend Samsung T3 Portable SSD. The Samsung SSD T3 works well with PC, Mac, and even Android operating system. It's very compact and lightweight. This sleek SSD hard drive fits well in your pocket, so you can take all your photos with you anywhere you go.

Pros

• Read-write up to 450 MB/s
• Achieve the best performance with USB-C cable (make sure you have a USB-C cable support at least 5Gb/s transfer speed)

Cons

• Not friendly with Apple devices

VectoTech Rapid 2TB External SSD USB 3.0 Portable Solid State Drive

This portable SSD hard drive is a great addition to your storage needs. It's easy to use; it's plug and play. The SSD drive offers fast transfer speeds. Slick and lightweight is usually preferable by travel photographers. In addition, VectoTech Rapid Portable SSD is shock and vibration resistance, so it's a plus when you move around a lot.

Pros

• Super fast Read/Write speeds up to 450Mb/s
• Shock and vibration resistant
• 2-year manufacturer warranty

Cons

• Need driver installation with Mac OS powered devices

PNY Elite Portable SSD

This external Solid State Drive is ideal for photographers, videographers, graphic designers who needs to back-up or transfer large files. It was built with performance and reliability in mind. It's also probably one of the most compact SSD hard drives in portable SSD class. It works on MAC and Windows out of box. Plug and play. The down size is storage capacity available, unlike the above reviewed portable SSD hard drives, which offer more capacity.

• Read up to 430 MB/s and write up to 400 MB/s
• Great look, feel and quality of materials

WD 2TB My Passport SSD Portable Storage – USB 3.1

What I really love about this WD My Passport SSD hard disk is its shock-resistance, compact storage in a durable design. The automatic backup feature is useful for most photographers. Overall, it's the best SSD portable hard drive for Macs.

• Read speeds up to 540 MB/s
• USB Type-C and USB 3.1

U32 Shadow External 2TB USB-C (3.1 Gen 2) Portable Solid State Drive SSD

The Thunderbolt 3 compatibility makes the U32 Shadow External SSD drive outstanding for its speed and performance. On the other hand, this SSD hard disk is quite portable, which makes it easy to pack and travel.

• Compatible with USB 3.1/3.0 and Thunderbolt 3
• Durable build and design with aluminum housing

LaCie Rugged 1TB Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 SSD Portable Hard Drive

If you travel a lot for photography purpose, LaCie Rugged Portable Hard Drive will survive extreme data security in most circumstances.

• Shock, dust, and water resistant for all-terrain use
• Speeds of up to 387 MB/s

Seagate Portable 4TB External Hard Drive USB 3.0

Seagate has been popular for years as a hard drive maker. This external SSD hard drive is quite affordable for most photographers. What's more? You won't sacrifice the reliability with this Seagate brand. Overall, it's the best cheap external SSD hard drive everyone can buy.

Smallest Portable Hard Drive

• Lightweight and compact design
• Plastic top cover
• Mac compatibility

Samsung T5 Portable SSD

With read and write speeds up to 540 MB/s, it's a great travel hard drive for photographers. It's compact and lightweight.

• Compatible with Windows, Mac OS, and Android devices
• Metal design
• Read-Write speeds of up to 540 MB/s
• Comes with USB Type C to C and USB Type C to A cables

SanDisk Extreme 500GB Portable SSD: The Best Waterproof

If your ultimate choice is the best water-resistant external SSD hard disk, you should not look further. The SanDisk Extreme 500GB is my favorite.

• Up to 550MB/s read speeds
• IP55 for water and dust resistance
• Shock-resistant (Shock-resistant (up to 1500G)
• Vibration-resistant (5g RMS, 10-2000 HZ)
• Non-operating temperature
• For PC and Mac users

Toshiba Canvio Advance 2TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0

Compatible with Mac and Windows, the Toshiba Canvio is a USB 3 portable hard disk made for storing photographs. It's quite easy to use with a MacBook laptop to backup photos. Overall, it's very reliable.

For those photographers with a massive collection of photographs, I'd recommend that you should either buy a few of the Toshiba Canvio external hard drives or get the 4TB capacity.

• Slim design
• Toshiba Storage Backup Software (downloadable)
• Automatic backup and password protection

Good to Know

Of all the digital storage, the SSD technology is a good investment. For most travel photographers, what we need most is digital storage to keep all their photographs. Having the best SSD hard drive is essential for most of us. I chose the to best portable SSD hard drives over normal external hard drives because of these two factors: reliability and speed.

These features are what we need to pay attention to before buying an external hard drive to store and backup our photos. The top rated external hard drives will make photographers and videographers easier for use in the home studio or travel, especially for backup large photo files. There are times we our normal external hard disks are having issues due to its old technology. With the best portable SSD hard drives you'll feel more comfortable storing your valuable photos.

What's else? If you're looking for a gift idea for your friend who's a passion photographer, giving the best external SSD hard disk is a great choice. The list above gives you a variety of options for either Windows or Mac users.

Portable Hard Drive Reviews

These top rated external hard drives are very popular among customers because they're lightweight, easy to take on the go, dependable, safe, and come at a price that most customers can afford. When you're ready to purchase an HDD that is going to suit your needs, then you can feel confident buying one of these drives. Should you wish to continue your search then you can read through the following buyer's guide to find something that is going to suit your specific needs.

There are so many external hard drives out there and it can be quite daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you. That's why this guide is going to highlight all the major features that you need to look out for so that you can find the perfect HDD that is going to accommodate your needs.

1. Toshiba

Best Overall Portable Hard Drive

With its simple plug and play operation you're going to see that this device is incredibly easy to use and maintain. There's no complicated software to install, and the device is made to accommodate large digital files with spacial storage capacity.

The design is not only sleek but it is smudge free so that you never have to deal with pesky fingerprints. All in all, this is a top rated design because it's so easy to take on the go and makes storing all your extra data as easy as pie.

– Darius Spieth Www xbox com.

2. Western Digital

Best Overall Portable Hard Drive – Runner Up

With its USB 3.0 connectivity, you're going to see that this drive is incredibly easy to use, and it's formatted for Windows, but can be reformatted for Mac. With a 3 year limited warranty, this device is guaranteed to stand the test of time and gives you the storage performance that you crave.

Fastest Portable Usb Hard Drive

A top rated hard drive, this device is praised by customers because it's easy to use and lightweight enough to carry on the go. The sleek design and superior performance make this the external hard drive of choice among PC users, and even Mac users can benefit from it as well. If you're someone who has a lot of data and you're looking for a place to securely store it, then look no further then this expert hard drive by WD.

– Darius Spieth

3. Silicon Power

Best Budget Portable Hard Drive

This works with either a PC or a Mac, and it allows you to share data and files between different platforms with ease. You also get a tremendous 3 year manufacturer warranty that backs your purchase, so you can be sure that this hard drive is going to stand the test of time and last you for years to come.

In fact, you're going to be amazed by the overall durability and performance of this hard drive. Customers love it because it gives them a safe storage outlet that they can truly trust. When you're ready to safely and securely store your data on a lightweight and dependable drive, then you've come to the right place.

– Darius Spieth

There are so many external hard drives out there and it can be quite daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you. Adobe cs5 full. That's why this guide is going to highlight all the major features that you need to look out for so that you can find the perfect HDD that is going to accommodate your needs.

Portable Hard Drive Comparison

Portable Hard Drive Buying Guide

What is a Portable Hard Drive?

You always want to back up your computer, but you may not be confident just storing data in the cloud. When you want a physical copy of your computer's files and not just something floating in the air, then you need an external hard drive to do this for you. It can be daunting when it comes time to purchase an external hard drive, because there is so much out there to choose from. That's why we're going to help you out in this buyer's guide by pointing you in the right direction.

When it comes to finding what is going to work best for your needs then consider what you're going to be using it for, how much space you have to place it and how much storage space you need, and how often you're going to be backing up files. You also need to consider whether you're going to be transporting your external hard drive from place to place. If you don't need to carry it around then it's possible to purchase a heavier device at a lower price.

Fastest Usb Hard Drive

When you answer these questions then you'll get closer to discovering which is the right external hard drive for you. Lets now take a look at some of the features that you want to consider before you buy.

Storage Capacity

Storage capacity is a very important factor, and in HDDs it can range from 2GB to 4TB, dependent upon how much data you need to store. There are some drive companies that put two 4TB drives into one chassis, and this makes for a whopping 8TB HDD. This is going to be way too much for most people, but you simply need to know what's right for you. Most computers these days come with something between 250GB to 750GB of space in the hard drive. A mini external hard drive is known as a flash drive, and this well may be enough storage space for you. But if you need something larger to store documents, photos, videos, songs and much more, then you definitely need to look for an external hard drive. If you're looking to store a lot of videos then you may want to consider a HDD with 1TB to 2TB of storage. Should you just be storing emails and documents then you can go with something that is smaller. The more that you want to store and the larger the file type, the bigger you should go. You're going to find the price for your drive will greatly vary dependent upon the speed and storage capacity.

Transfer Speed

If you want to back your computer up every week or so then most external hard drives are going to work for you. If you're going to be using it to store large files then you need something that has more space and works more quickly. Look for a hard drive with USB 3.0 capability instead of USB 2.0. 2.0 is quite common but it's not going to be sufficient for your needs. 3.0 is going to work faster so that you can quickly and more efficiently store larger and more complicated files. Speed is an important consideration because there's nothing more frustrating than sitting around waiting for these things to upload and be saved. If you're merely storing documents then the speed shouldn't be such a huge consideration, but if you're storing larger files then speed is definitely going to be an important consideration. Keep in mind that not all external hard drives work with all computers, so you need to make sure that they're compatible. There's also Thunderbolt to consider, which is gaining in popularity these days. This was developed by Intel as a collaboration with Apple. Thunderbolt is incredibly fast, and in fact, it is one of the fastest out of all the ports. Just keep in mind that this is going to come with a huge price tag.

Portability

Portability is an important consideration when it comes to external hard drives. Should you want to keep your drive at home, then you can purchase one that weighs a bit more and costs less. If you need to tow it back and forth from home and work then it makes more sense to spend extra money on something that is lightweight. In fact, there are pocket-sized devices that are so lightweight you're not even going to realize that you're carrying them around. You also want to consider practical features such as enhanced data protection, and this reduces the risk of failure caused by shock should the device be dropped. You want to make sure that no matter which portable storage device you purchase that it is built from durable materials so that it is safe in the case of shock or damage. You want to avoid purchasing anything that seems flimsy and seek something that has solid, durable materials such as aluminum or plastic.

When it comes to a desktop style drive, they are technically portable but they're mostly designed to stay in place and require a power adaptor. Should you want something that is thin and more lightweight that you simply plug this into your computer without using an external power source, then this kind of desktop drive is not the right choice for you. You want to be sure to find one that comes with a built-in fan if you're using it more frequently or when it comes to heavy file transfers. This built-in fan is going to help you to extend the life of the HDD.

Safety

You want to definitely be sure that your hard drive comes with hardware-based encryption which is much more dependable than software-based. This is particularly important should you want to purchase a portable mobile drive to carry around, and it's also great when you are storing very sensitive information. When you carry your private files around it makes them more prone to theft and loss, and that's why encryption gives you that extra level of protection.

Reliability

Should you be someone who is new to using HDDs then you want something that is reliable and easy to use. Be sure to choose a drive that comes with included software, as this will just make things much easier in the long run. But no matter what you purchase it isn't going to be fail-safe, so you want to get something that is backed by a warranty. Look for a warranty that lasts longer than one year.

Compatibility

You need to take into consideration whether you have a PC or a Mac before you purchase an external hard drive. Some HDDs are only compatible with one kind of computer or the other. Windows store messenger. If you're buying a PC specific hard drive for a Mac, you're either going to need to reformat the hard drive that you buy or just purchase one that's specifically designed to be compatible with your computer.

Conclusion

Owning an external hard drive is a smart choice if you're someone that has a lot of data on your computer and you want to safely and effectively store it. There are numerous hard drives out there and that's why it can be daunting when it comes time to find the right one for you.

Fastest Portable External Hard Drives

The buyer's guide is intended to help you understand which drive might be right for your particular needs. Asking yourself certain questions about how much data you have and how you plan to use the drive is going to help you to find something that will fulfill your needs. The top rated drives that we discussed above are smart choices, and they're guaranteed to serve the needs of most computer users.

Should you need something that is different then you can continue your search online to find a drive that meets your specifications. It really comes down to how portable you need the drive to be, as well as how much data you need to store on the device.

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