Desktop External Hard Drives for Big Archives

Desktop power, USB speed and rotation speed

Desktop externals hold a 3.5-inch drive, which needs more power than a USB port supplies, so they connect to a power adapter as well as a USB cable. That makes them bulkier than portable drives but suits large capacities. USB 3.0 or 3.2 Gen 1 at 5 Gbit/s already exceeds what a hard drive can read, so a Gen 2 port adds little for a single disk. A 7,200 RPM drive is quicker in access time than a 5,400 RPM one but louder and warmer.

File system, console use and keeping a second copy

Check how the drive is formatted before you rely on it. NTFS is the Windows default but macOS can read it without writing, exFAT works on both, and Time Machine needs a Mac format. Drives sold for games consoles have limits on supported size and file system, so check your console's rules. One external drive is still a single copy: for data you cannot lose, keep a second copy elsewhere. Hardware-encrypted models need their PIN or key, and the data is unrecoverable if it is lost.

Questions about Desktop External Hard Drives for Big Archives

Do desktop external drives need a power adapter?

Yes. The 3.5-inch drive inside draws more than a USB port provides, so the drive needs mains power as well as the data cable. Check the listing for the adapter and its voltage range.

Can I use one external drive with both a Mac and a PC?

Yes if it is formatted exFAT, which both read and write. NTFS is read-only on a Mac by default, and Mac formats are not readable on Windows without extra software. Time Machine backups need a Mac-formatted drive or partition.

Is a 7,200 RPM external drive better than 5,400 RPM?

It responds faster and transfers slightly more per second, but it is noisier, warmer and uses more power. For archives and backups, 5,400 RPM is usually fine; 7,200 RPM helps with working files such as active video projects.