This travel-ready external hard drive uses 3D NAND technology to pack tons of space into a small form factor that allows easy pocket entry and removal.

Back up your songs, photos, and files with these external hard drives.

Patrick Hyde has 4 years experience writing about consumer technology and electronics.

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Weighing less than 2 ounces, the all-metal, shock-resistant enclosure is very portable.

This travel-ready external hard drive uses 3D NAND technology to pack tons of space into a small form factor.

If cost is no concern, we recommend taking a close look at the Seagate Backup Plus Hub.

Features an internal shock sensor that will make sure your data isnt corrupted if the drive is jostled while in use.

A boon for those looking for true plug-and-play simplicity and freedom.

The Western Digital My Passport is inexpensive, but it offers outstanding performance.

The A60 reads and writes super fast thanks to the USB 3.0 cable.

With its distinctive rubber bumpers and brushed aluminum chassis, the drive offers drop resistance up to 5 feet.

The WDBlack P10 Game Drive offers reliable performance in a chassis whose outward appearance looks fit for a battlefield.

Internal storage drives are getting bigger, cloud storage is getting cheaper, and USB drives are getting less common.

But that doesnt necessarily negate the need for a good external hard drive in fact, sometimes theyre the best way to go.

Buying the best external hard drive isnt as simple as purchasing the first (or cheapest) one you see.

For starters, youll want to decide between a hard drive and a solid-state drive, both of which offer some major advantages and disadvantages.

Youll also want to think about drive speed, hard drive format, connectivity, and special protection features.

The Samsung T5 Portable DDS is on the pricey side (especially in the larger capacities), but the speed and security it comes with are worth it for those looking for durable performance.

What really makes this device stand out, though, is its super-fast transfer speed, with up to 540 MBs thanks to the SSD design, making it ideal for transferring giant files like 4K videos.

The T5 connects to just about anything, too, with its USB 3.1 Type-C and Type-A ports and works with Windows, Mac, and Android devices.

Most hard drives only claim reliability and durability for mechanical operation over time, but ADATAs SD700 SSD drive offers more substantial protection.

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