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Portable USB Hard Drives for Backups and Travel

Pocket-sized 2.5-inch USB hard drives for backups, photo libraries and carrying files between computers, in capacities up to several terabytes. 365 products from $10.99 to $5,147.99. Western Digital, Seagate, Avolusion and more.

365 products from $10.99

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USB generation, cable and the port on your computer

Most portable drives use USB 3.0, which is also sold as USB 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1: the same 5 Gbit/s link. That is plenty for a hard drive, which reads at roughly 100 to 150 MB/s, so a faster USB version adds little. A USB 2.0 port works but caps speed near 35 MB/s. Check the connector on the drive: older models use a wide Micro-B plug, newer ones USB-C, so make sure your cable matches the drive's port and your computer's.

Capacity, thickness and protection against knocks

Capacities from 500 GB up to several terabytes use 2.5-inch drives, and the largest ones use thicker mechanisms, so a 5 TB portable is chunkier than a 1 TB one. Moving platters make hard drives vulnerable to drops while running, so rugged models with rubber bumpers earn their place if the drive travels. Some models add password protection or hardware encryption, which means the data is lost if the password is. Check the pre-installed file system: NTFS suits Windows, exFAT works across Windows and macOS.

Questions about Portable USB Hard Drives for Backups and Travel

Does a portable hard drive need its own power?
Normally not. 2.5-inch portable drives take power from the USB port. If a drive clicks or keeps disconnecting, plug it directly into the computer rather than a hub, and use the cable that came with it.
Is a portable SSD better than a portable hard drive?
A portable SSD is faster, silent and more shock-resistant, while a hard drive gives far more capacity for the size. Hard drives suit large backups and archives; SSDs suit working files and quick transfers.
Will one drive work on both a Mac and a PC?
Yes if it is formatted exFAT. Many drives arrive formatted NTFS, which macOS reads but cannot write. Reformatting erases the drive, so copy data off first, and Time Machine needs a Mac-formatted drive.