Picking the best external hard drive or SSD for your Windows computer
When looking for external storage options for your Windows computer, it’s essential to consider a few things. The most influential spec is capacity, which tells you how many files you can store on the drive. We recommend at least 1TB of storage so that you get the best value for your money. External solid-state drives (SSDs) have come down significantly in price lately and will give you faster file transfer speeds. However, classic hard disk drives (HDDs) are still common, and offer higher capacity for less money. Portability is also worth thinking about, as smaller drives can be slipped into a pocket, while larger capacities might need their own power supply and will likely take up more space.
The market for external drives for your Windows computer is dominated by a few large players, and it’s best to stick to drives from these reliable brands. After all, your data is important, and trusting it to a relatively unknown brand could be worrisome. We’ve included both external hard drives and SSDs, so you can pick the one that fits your budget and capacity requirements. All the drives above will work well with your Windows computer, be that a laptop, handheld, or desktop PC. If you’re also a Mac user, you should check out our list of the best external drives for Macs, to find one that’s good for both systems.
