A portable hard drive or SSD is a do-it-all data device that can (depending on capacity) carry huge libraries of files and share them between PCs, Macs, tablets, and phones. The best external SSD can also hold full system backup files to restore your system’s OS and software in the event of a crash, or let you run programs directly from the drive itself.
To help you pick the right external storage device for your needs, we test and review dozens of drives as they become available and publish our list of specific recommendations for the best portable SSDs and hard drives below. If you’re looking for an internal hard drive for your PC or NAS, head to our list of best hard drives. Below, you’ll find our list of the best external SSDs and HDDs we’ve tested.
