5 Best High-Capacity External Hard Drives with Terabytes of Storage

We could be preaching to a choir here but we are constantly deleting files to make room for new photos or videos on our laptops and PCs. If you find yourself in the same boat, then you must’ve thought about buying the best high-capacity external hard drives. 

While there are cloud-based storage solutions aplenty, they often bog users down with a monthly fee. What’s more, portable SSDs, albeit rapid, cost a pretty penny too. Understandably, investing in the best high-capacity hard drives will keep you worry-free for the foreseeable future.

So, without any further ado, let’s take a closer look at some enticing options. But first, you might want to check out-

• These rugged hard drives and SSDs, that come with an IP rating.
• External SSDs that are geared toward the iPad Pro.

Now, let’s take a look at some of the best high-capacity hard drives.

1. WD Elements 14TB External Hard Drive

The WD Elements Desktop HDD can be configured with up to 22TB of storage, thereby letting you store large files. The drive bay sports a sleek design that will gel well with most setups. What’s more, the unit can be set up in a jiffy and merely requires you to connect it to your desktop. Of course, you will have to power the device as well. Thankfully, the company bundles an AC adapter in the box, so you don’t have to go fishing for a compatible brick. 

Coming to the meat of the matter, the WD Elements 14TB HDD is compliant with a host of platforms, including Windows machines and MacOS. The drive can work with Xbox and PS4 as well, however, the company advises using a snappier SSD or HDD.

Moving on though, the drive is compliant with both, USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 protocols and can be seamlessly reformatted to be used with a MacBook. Unsurprisingly, the HDD has amassed stellar reviews, with the majority of buyers happy with their purchase. Needless to say, the WD Elements 14TB External HDD is among the best high-capacity hard drives on the market. 

2. Seagate Expansion 16TB External Hard Drive

The drive can be specced with up to 18TB of storage. What’s more, the unit makes use of the USB 3.0 interface for fast data transfer speeds. Moreover, the drive isn’t a chore to set up as it comes preformatted for both, Windows and Mac machines. Do note that you will have to plug in the bundled 18W adapter to power up the device. Another thing to note is that the drive comes with the company’s Rescue Data Recovery service. 

To that end, Rescue services will assist buyers with data recovery on the off chance the drive incurs water damage or gets damaged in a natural disaster. Understandably, the drive has amassed glowing reviews, with the majority of users applauding the unit’s performance. So, if you’re on the lookout for a reliable, high-capacity external hard drive, the Seagate Expansion 16TB is a solid option to consider. 

3. LaCie D2 Professional 10TB Hard Drive

What’s more, the drive bay features a fan that dissipates heat, thereby allowing you to crunch through your work in a noise-free environment. Add to that, the company is using Seagate’s Barracuda Pro drives, which rev at 7,200 RPM and offer superb dependability. That’s not all, as the drives are reasonably snappy too, and can transfer data at up to 240MB/s. 

And, the list of pros doesn’t end there. In fact, much like the Seagate Expansion drive mentioned above, the D2 Professional also bundles Rescue Data Recovery Services. Buyers opting for the drive can avail of the services for five years, which is great.

You’ll also get a one-month subscription to Adobe’s Creative Cloud platform, so you can plug in the drive and jump to edits right away. Speaking of which, the LaCie D2 Professional is compliant with USB-C and USB 3.0 interfaces. Moreover, the drive can work across both, Mac and Windows devices too. 

4. Fantom Drives GFORCE 3 Pro 

You’ll also get a stylish chassis to holster the GFORCE 3 Pro’s mammoth 18TB of storage. To that end, the drive bay employs a fanless hard-bodied aluminum exterior that should protect the drives from accidental bumps.

What’s more, the material works as a heat sink to dissipate heat, thereby allowing the drive to perform at its peak for longer. And, since we’re on the subject of design, you should know that you can orient the Fantom Drives GFORCE 3 Pro horizontally or vertically. 

The unit is compliant with both, Windows and Mac machines although it comes preformatted for the former. You can even use it with a PS4, provided you buy an 8TB version of the same. More importantly, the GFORCE 3 Pro is compatible with both, USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt 3 interface. That said, buyers will have to purchase a Thunderbolt 3 cable separately. All said and done, the Fantom Drives GFORCE 3 Pro is among the top high-capacity external hard drives you can buy today. 

5. Oyen Digital Novus 

Moving on, the drive comes enclosed in an aluminum body which is further wrapped in a silicon rubber sleeve. Consequently, the drive should stand the test of time. More notably, the unit employs a 7,200 RPM enterprise drive that has been formatted for both, Windows and Mac machines. 

As such, you can get to work instantly by simply plugging in the drive to your system. The cherry on top is that the drive is backed by a three-year warranty. To no one’s surprise then, the majority of customer reviews praise the drive’s performance. As such, buyers vying for a high-capacity external hard drive will find plenty to like here. 

More Storage, Lesser Problems 

Most modern laptops ship with a paltry amount of storage. As such, a high-capacity external hard drive is a necessity in today’s day and age. Making matters more interesting, the aforementioned drives come with a host of features, with some offering assistance with data retrieval on the off chance you damage the drive as well. So, what are you waiting for? It’s time to drag and drop all your photos and videos from your PC to a high-capacity external hard drive.