Best External Drive For Windows 10

1. Best External Drive For Windows 10
2. External Hard Drive Windows
3. External Hard Drive Compatible With Windows 10
4. Best External Hard Drive Pc

Step 8: Enter a name for the external hard drive in the Name field. Step 9: Click the Erase button. How to Reformat in Windows. Step 1: Plug your external hard drive into your computer. Step 2: If you have already written any data to the drive, back it up before proceeding to the next step. External hard drives typically come in OS-agnostic formats, so you can plug them into any computer and start using them right away. In some rare occasions, you may find an external drive that comes in a Windows-only format, but you can use your Mac's Disk Utility software to reformat the drive to a compatible format. Picking up one of the best external hard drives is becoming a vital part of both a PC gamers arsenal and that of a console owner. In a world of ever-growing game installs and mighty storage hogs.

You might run out of storage on your Surface PC and need additional space to store your documents, music, videos, or other files. It is a good idea to pick up an external hard drive as it usually has a large capacity and cheap in price.

There are several types of external hard drives out there for you to select depending on your requirements. Speed, capacity, portability, and price are what we're going to discuss in this article. Read on to find out which external hard drive is the best one for your Surface PC.

How Many Types of External Hard Drive?

To help you pick up the right external hard drive, we categorized it into three different types:

• Portable SSD – The Solid State Drive (SSD) stores information in microchips like a large memory stick while the traditional hard drive stores data on a storage platter that's accessed with a mechanical arm. As the SSD has no moving parts, the information can be read much faster than the traditional hard drive.
• Portable Hard Drive – A portable external hard drive uses a traditional 2.5″ hard disk drive that's frequently used in a laptop computer. This is a perfect external hard drive for most users in terms of affordability, portability, capacity, and speed. It is also available in wide options of capacity starting from 500 GB up to 4 TB.
• External Desktop Hard Drive – A desktop external hard drive uses a traditional 3.5″ hard disk drive that's frequently used in desktop computers. The main benefit of this type of storage is the inexpensive and large capacity of up to 10 TB on a single disk. However, it requires its own dedicated power supply so it's not ideal for portability.

Featured Recommendations

1 Best Portable SSD for Microsoft Surface

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 | 1TB

Rugged Portable Storage with 1GB/s Read/Write & IP55 Rating

Having a super-fast portable SSD around is really handy when you want to offload your current project or document to make extra space on your Surface. This new version of SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD supports high-speed transfers up to 1050 MB/s read speed and 1000 MB/s write speed so you can directly work on your project without transfer back and forth to your Surface. It's also great for housing your active Steam gaming library, with that fast speed, your game will be loaded up in a snap.

With the rugged design and IP55 rating, this portable SSD can stand up to dust, rain, splashes, and spills. By using the latest NVMe SSD, it's really compact and portable easily fits in the palm of the hand or in any pocket. It compatible with both Windows and Mac computers and backed by a 3-year warranty.

• Available Storages
• Performance
  • Read Speed: Up to 1050 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 1000 MB/s
  • Storage Type: NVMe SSD
  • Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s
• Product Features
  • Rugged Design - It is certified to stand up to 2-meter drops.
  • Compact. It's super portable easy to fit any pockets.
  • Shock-resistant & vibration-resistant - It built to survive an extreme environment and temperature.
  • IP55 Rating - for water and dust-resistant.
  • Built-in Hardware Encryption - It supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection.
  • 3-year limited manufacturer warranty
• In the box
  • SanDisk Extreme PortableUSB-C CableUSB-C to USB-A AdapterUser Guide

Samsung T7 Portable SSD | 1TB, Red

Ultra Portable and High-Speed 1050 MB/s from Samsung

The latest T7 Portable SSD from Samsung now two times faster than before with a read speed up to 1050 MB/s and 1000 MB/s write speed. When compared to the traditional external hard drives it's 9.5 times faster. Despite its slim and aluminum unibody, it's strong and has a shock-resistant bracket to secure your data even with drops from 6ft.

It supports Windows, Mac, and Android with the embedded app on the drive and on Google Play. The app lets you secure the drive with a password and managing drive firmware updates. Whether your Surface has only USB-A or USB-C port, this portable SSD comes with both types of USB-A and USB-C cables in the box.

Note To get the maximum speed of 1050 MB/s of the drive, your Surface needs to have USB-C or USB-A ports with USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). For Surface devices with USB 3.1 Gen 1 (aka. 3.0), the maximum speed will be capped at 625 MB/s (5Gbps).

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 85 mm x 57 mm x 8 mm
  • Weight: 58 grams
  • All metal and unibody design
• Performance
  • Read Speed: Up to 1050 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 1000 MB/s
  • Storage Type: NVMe SSD
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
    Supports transfers speed 10 Gb/s, and compatible with USB 3.0/2.0
• Product Features
  • Advanced Heat Control
    It uses ePCM tech and Dynamic Thermal Guard to better control heat.
  • Shock-Resistant
    Solid State Storage together with aluminum unibody construction, your data is safe when falls of up to 6ft.
  • Password-Protection
    It comes with embedded software to help set up a password and get the latest firmware updates.
  • 3-year warranty
• Available Capacity
• Available Colors
  BlueGrayRed
• In the box
  • Samsung T7 Portable SSDUSB-C to USB-C cableUSB-A to USB-C cableUser Guide

2 Best Portable Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface

WD My Passport | 2TB

Best External Drive For Windows 10

For most users this WD My Passport probably the best option for general purpose uses. It offers an overall perfect balance in design, size, speed, and affordability. This model comes in a wide range of colors and capacities, so you can pick up the right one for you. In terms of security, WD featuring 256-bit AES hardware encryption with provided WD Security software. Plus, the WD My Passport offers fast transfer speeds via USB 3.0 connections and also backward compatible with USB 2.0.

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.54 inch
  • Weight: 5.92 ounces
  • Available in multiple colors.
• Speed & Capacity
  • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
  • Capacity: 1/2/3/4 TB
• Tools & Softwares
  • WD Backup - automatically backup your photos, media, and documents.
  • WD Security - work together with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
• Comes with a 3-year warranty

Toshiba Canvio Basics | 2TB

The next external hard drive is from Toshiba that features a sleek and beautiful matte finishing that makes it sit well on the table. It is also equipped with a smudge-resistant finish that protects the device in case you drop it to the ground. It provides excellent added storage space to your Surface PC and any other device that is compatible with it. It is a bus-powered device, meaning that it doesn't require an external power adapter to operate.

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 4.3 x 3.1 x 0.55 inch
  • Weight: 5.28 ounces
  • Only available in Black.
• Speed & Capacity
  • Using USB 3.0 backward compatible with USB 2.0
  • Capacity: 500 GB, 1/2/3 TB
• Comes with a one year Toshiba warranty

External Hard Drive Windows

3 Best External Desktop Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface

Seagate Backup Plus Hub | 8 TB

Seagate STEL8000100 Backup Plus Hub 8TB External Desktop Hard Drive Storage

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 4.65 x 7.8 x 1.61 inch
  • Weight: 2.34 lbs
• Speed & Capacity
  • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
  • Capacity: 3/4/6/8/10TB
• Integrated USB 3.0 hub
  • 2 x USB 3.0 ports on the front for connecting additional USB devices.
  • Each port is powerful enough for charging your phone or tablet.
• Tools & Softwares
  • Downloadable Seagate backup – easily backup your photos, media, and documents.
  • Mac Seagate NTFS Driver – allows NTFS can be read/write on Mac computers.
• Add-on Benefits
  • Includes 2-month complimentary membership to Creative Cloud Photography Plan.

WD My Book Desktop External HDD | 8 TB

2019 external hard drive. WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN Bluestacks new version for windows 7.

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 5.5 x 6.7 x 1.9 inch
  • Weight: 3 lbs
• Speed & Capacity
  • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
  • Single Drive: 3/4/6/8/10 TB
  • Dual Drive: 12/16/20 TB
• Tools & Softwares
  • WD Backup – automatically backup your photos, media, and documents.
  • WD Security – work together with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
  • Apple Time Machine compatibility
  • Downloadable Acronis True Image WD Edition for Windows.
• Comes with a 3-year warranty

4 Outdated and Out of Stock Recommedations

Samsung T5 Portable SSD | 500 GB

SAMSUNG T5 Portable SSD 500GB - Up to 540MB/s - USB 3.1 External Solid State Drive, Black (MU-PA500B/AM)

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 2.3 x 3 x 0.4 inch
  • Weight: 1.6 ounces
  • All metal and unibody design
• Speed & Capacity
  • USB 3.1 Gen 2 compatible with USB 3.0/2.0
  • Read/Write speeds up to 540 MB/s
  • Capacity: 250/500 GB, 1/2 TB
• Security
  • You have an option to enable password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption.
• Included Cables
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable
  • USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable
• Comes with a 3-year warranty

SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD - 480 GB

External Hard Drive Compatible With Windows 10

SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable 480GB SSD (SDSSDEXT-480G-G25)

Best External Hard Drive Pc

• Design & Portability
  • Dimension: 2.98 x 2.98 x 0.42 inch
  • Durable design with a convenient metal clip
• Speed & Capacity
  • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
  • Read speed up to 430 MB/s
  • Capacity: 120/240/250/480/500 GB, 1 TB
• Security & Software
  • SanDisk SecureAccess – the software allows you to create a vault with password protection and 128-bit AES encryption.

Conclusion

Those are the top external hard drives that served a reliable job in a different type of purpose you will come up with. The traditional external hard drive offers a perfect balance of price, speed, capacity, and portability. While the portable SSD offers a much better reading/writing speed for more expensive. Lastly, the desktop external hard drive is recommended for a large repository that can store up to 10 TB per disk.