An external hard drive is a data-holding storage device that plugs into your computer. Not only is it an efficient way to hold much more space for your computer or gaming system, but it’s also fantastic for physically transferring storage data to different locations. External hard drives are an outstanding way to backup files, as well.
Each terabyte of storage is 1000 gigabytes. Therefore, each 1TB external hard drive carries 1000 gigabytes of data. In most cases, 1TB of storage is enough space to efficiently hold a fair amount of high-quality videos, pictures, backup files, audio files, etc.
Unfortunately, not all external hard drives were made equal. Some can be very slow at file transfers, break easily which can result in loss of files, compatibility with different software, and overpriced. After extensive research, testing, and reviews; We formulated a list of the 8 best portable1TB external hard drives. Each one of these is very reliable and provides the best value.
In Short, Here Are The Best Portable External Hard Drives With 1 Terabyte Of Space
- WDBYVG0010BBK-WESN
- Seagate STHN1000402
- SP Silicon Power
- Toshiba (HDTB410XK3AA)
- SP Silicon Power USB 3.0
- Toshiba (HDTC910XR3AA)
- WDBUZG0010BBK-WESN
- Seagate Portable STGX1000400
1. WDBYVG0010BBK-WESN
Coming in either black, red, or blue; The WDBYVG0010BBK-WESN is a superb 1TB external hard drive for the money. The primary upgrade this hard drive offers is its +256 bit AES hardware encryption for security. In other words, if your planning on adding sensitive information to your hard drive and need added security, this one’s an excellent choice. You must initiate password protection for it to work.
Aside from its essential security capabilities, it comes with an impressive 3-year limited warranty, as well. You’ll also appreciate its automatic backup. The primary downside with this hard drive is it’s only compatible with PC.
Unfortunately, Mac users must look elsewhere. Aside from that, it’s an amazing choice for PC users who need a portable 1TB external hard drive with AES encryption, backup, and storage!
Users Say: “Super small. Perfect for storage extension for my PS4. Literally took zero effort to set up other than just plugging it in. Haven’t had any problems even with a few times where I’ve had an interrupted connection or power outage. Always recovers and works fast (which considering the price difference between this and an SSD, I strongly considered an SSD but I haven’t had a problem with speed and such).”
Tech Specs & Details
- 1 Terabyte of storage
- + 256 bit AES hardware encryption
- Auto backup
- 3 color options
- 3-year manufacturer’s limited warranty
- Portable
2. Seagate STHN1000402
Just recently, the Seagate STHN1000402 had a significant price cut. Although we’re unsure if this discount is permanent or temporary, we believe it’s either way, an outstanding value. You can get this 1 Terabyte hard drive in either black, light blue, or red.
With the purchase, you get a 2-year limited warranty. On top of that, it also comes with a 60-day complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan and a 1-year free subscription to Mylio Create.
Primarily made of aluminum with a minuscule amount of brushed metal enclosure, it’s made of stylish but robust material. It’s compatible with both Windows and Mac for either PC or laptop. Amongst users, it’s very popular with incredible ratings. You’ll also appreciate the fast 120MB/s max speed. Overall, this hard drive is a dependable choice for any application. It’s well priced and very portable!
Users Say: “Bought this to back up a ton of image files and so far it’s working perfectly. The interface I found quirky, but finally figured it out. I gave a three for tech support only because I haven’t used it. I doubt I’ll be porting this anywhere, but, if I were, it’s exceedingly compact and the fact that it runs off USB power is a huge plus. Overall, great purchase at an amazing price.”
Tech Specs & Details
- Compatible with Mac or Windows
- 1 Terabyte of storage
- Aluminum enclosure
- USB 3.0
- Portable
- Auto back-up
- 120 MB/s
- 4 color options
- 2 year limited warranty
3. SP Silicon Power
Designed for Mac, PC, PS4, and Xbox; The SP Silicon Power is yet another excellent portable external hard drive. It too provides a durable construction with IPX4 water resistance and shockproof capabilities. With a 3-year warranty, you’ll enjoy peace of mind.
This hard drive is has a stylish design with a scratch-resistant surface. With impressive transfer speed, it saves a lot of your time, as well. Overall, this hard drive is a fantastic choice that won’t let you down. It’s compact, portable, has great build quality with silicone construction, and very dependable for gaming or PC. Be sure to check out the reviews below!
Users Say: “This external drive was purchased as extra storage for an Xbox One for a tween. I plugged it in and followed the onscreen prompts. It was immediately recognized by the Xbox and prompted me to format. After formatting, it prompted me to select where I wanted a new game saving to occur and I chose this external drive. That was it. My son tells me that he’s had no issues with it at all. Very pleased with this purchase.”
Tech Specs & Details
- Compatible with USB 3.0
- 1 Terabyte of storage
- Shockproof
- 2 color options
- Portable
- 3-year manufacturer warranty
- Pre-formatted for Windows
4. Toshiba (HDTB410XK3AA)
Running under $50, the Toshiba (HDTB410XK3AA) is an affordable but high-quality 1TB external hard drive. Not only is it formatted NTFS for Windows or Macintosh, but it comes with a 1-year limited warranty, as well. It’s also compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. You’ll love the professional matte finish design, as well.
This hard drive is very popular with amazing user reviews. With a 4.3 inch length and 3.1-inch width, it’s very comfortable to travel with. Overall, it’s a fantastic external hard drive!
Users Say: “I really liked how this little guy was perfect for someone like me. It literally was drag and drop. I have tried other backups that required a bit of finagling, but not this little beast. I just plugged it in and dragged what I needed to it. Everything loaded much faster than I thought. I backed up 35,000 music files and over 25,000 photos and everything loaded in under an hour. Then I just organized everything from the backup and it was perfect. I would recommend this 100%.”
Tech Specs & Details
- Compatible with USB 2.0 or USB 3.0
- 1 year limited warranty
- Portable
- 1 Terabyte of storage space
5. SP Silicon Power USB 3.0
Currently, on a minor 8% discount, the SP Silicon Power USB 3.0 is a tough but portable 1TB external hard drive. Not only is it military-grade shockproof, but you’ll also appreciate its rugged tough construction. It comes with a 3-year limited warranty for peace of mind. Overall, it’s a reliable choice. Be sure to check out the reviews below!
Users Say: “To me when it comes to external hard drive especially 500GB and above I really focus on having a good quality one because I’m sure it would be a big loss if that drive ever decided not to work someday with all my data stored inside it, this one I got and expected to not functioning after a year or two but I found it went through so much with me moving, traveling use the attached cable so many times and yes it still going fine.”
Tech Specs & Details
- 1 TB of storage
- Compatible with PS4, Xbox, PC, Mac
- 3-year manufacturer warranty
- Portable
- Shockproof
6. Toshiba (HDTC910XR3AA)
The Toshiba (HDTC910XR3AA) is an exceptional 1TB external hard drive. You get a 2-year limited warranty with the purchase. Along with that, you also get Toshiba’s downloadable storage security software which makes it easier to back up your files. It’s compatible with both USB 3.0 and USB 2.0, as well. Overall, it’s an excellent choice and we highly recommend it!
Users Say: “I went with Toshiba after losing 4 of 5 Seagate hard drives to poor quality! Do not buy Seagate products: They’re cheaply made using low-quality components. This Toshiba drive is not only better made, its speed is superior to any drive I own (Seagate). It’s fast, small, and very well made. I have several older Toshiba drives that are also working perfectly. I’ll never go any other way but Toshiba for my memory drive requirements.”
Tech Specs & Details
- Compatible with USB 3.0
- 1 Terabyte of storage
- Portable
- 2 year limited warranty
- Downloadable Backup Software
7. WDBUZG0010BBK-WESN
For many reasons, the WDBUZG0010BBK-WESN is the most famous 1TB hard drive on the market with near-flawless reviews. To make things better, it’s currently on a hefty 41% discount, as well. This external hard drive is compatible with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0. You’ll also be very impressed with the amount of storage its compact design is able to handle. With a 4.35-inch length, 3.23-inch width, and weighing only half of a pound, you’ll have no issues fitting in a pocket or purse.
Another tremendous benefit is its 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty providing peace of mind. It’s compatible with both Mac and Windows. Whether you’re gaming or need it for PC storage, it’s a fantastic bang for the buck portable external hard drive. Be sure to check out the reviews below!
Users Say: “This drive is much more than I thought it would be. Plugin is ready and much smaller (physically) than I thought it would be. I thought 2TB would be a wee bit smaller than I needed but it wasn’t until I did the actual math that I realized I’ll be using this for years to come. I loaded some 500 pictures onto the drive and they took up a very tiny slice of the whole drive. Pleasantly surprised to say the least. Glad I bought it and would recommend it to anyone that wants one.”
Tech Specs & Details
- Portable
- Formatted NTFS for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7
- 1 Terabyte of storage
- Compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0
- 2-year manufacturer’s limited warranty
8. Seagate Portable STGX1000400
Here is yet another one of the most popular 1TB external hard drives on the market. While it’s not as famous as WD, the Seagate Portable STGX1000400 is a phenomenal choice for Xbox, PS4. You’ll love how it’s already preformatted for Windows and PC, as well.
There are a plethora of reasons why we love it. For one, it’s remarkably dependable. If you want a hard drive with the highest customer satisfaction and the lowest amount of issues among users, this hard drive might be the one for you. The moment you attach it to your Mac or Windows, it automatically recognizes the device and makes it effortless to drag and drop storage.
Of all the hard drives on this list, this is actually the brand I decided to keep and stick with. In my experience, I’ve never had a single issue with this hard drive since I got it 5 years ago. It provides relatively quick 120 MB/s max speed, as well. Overall, it’s a very reliable choice and provides superb value for your money!
Users Say: “I plugged the external hard drive into my MacBook Pro. At first, the computer recognized it but then said it could not use the drive. I went to Support on the Amazon order page and asked for help. Amazon called me within 10 seconds. I explained the situation and they put me on hold. A couple of minutes later I was on the line with Apple Support. The Apple tech logged in remotely and fixed my issue. I hung up with Apple with everything fixed. Then about 10 seconds later Amazon called again and asked if the issue had been resolved. Yes, I think this is the most amazing customer service I have ever had on anything anywhere in my 65-year life. As far as the Seagate drive is concerned, it seems fine. It is small for a 4TB drive. It is backing up my laptop as I write this.”
Tech Specs & Details
- 1 year limited warranty
- Compatible with Windows or Mac
- 2 color options
- USB 3.0 for PS4, Xbox, PC, and Mac
- Portable
- 1 Terabyte of storage
Quick Recap
Here Are The Best 1TB External Hard Drives
- WDBYVG0010BBK-WESN
- Seagate STHN1000402
- SP Silicon Power
- Toshiba (HDTB410XK3AA)
- SP Silicon Power USB 3.0
- Toshiba (HDTC910XR3AA)
- WDBUZG0010BBK-WESN
- Seagate Portable STGX1000400
What’s an external hard drive?
An external hard drive is basically a drive that provides storage space. While a computer’s internal hard drive delivers storage within the computer, an external hard drive is portable and comes in various amounts of storage space.
How much does an external hard drive cost?
While it primarily depends upon the provided space, $47 all the way up to $850. However, most popular external hard drives run between $47 to $200’s.
How many terabytes of storage do external hard drives offer?
External hard drives come in various storage space amounts any from 1 terabyte all the way up to 24 terabytes and almost everything between.
What does an external hard drive do?
An external hard drive provides storage space within a square-like portable object.
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