The best Thunderbolt external hard drives on the market.
The best Thunderbolt external hard drives will come in handy for those who work with large projects and want to keep them in reliable storage. With external hard drives, you can not only store your files but easily transfer them between devices.
Regardless of the reason you are shopping for an external drive, there are plenty of options to choose from. For you not to go through the selection process on your own, I’ve reviewed the most popular models the modern market offers.
Capacity: 4 TB | Interface: dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, USB-C, USB 3.0, USB 2.0
The G-Technology 4TB G-DRIVE allows you to store 4 TB of your files. Moreover, you can benefit from the Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports and USB C-type port that supports the first-generation USB 3.1. Besides, this Thunderbolt external hard drive supports 5 simultaneous connections.
The case is made of aluminum which gives the device a stylish look.
Due to high-quality construction, you can enjoy many years of trouble-free operation. If you are a Mac user who constantly works with large files, the G-Technology 4TB G-DRIVE will be especially useful for you. Aside from high transfer speeds (7200 rpm), it offers top-tier performance and reliable operation.
Capacity: 4 TB | Interface: Thunderbolt 3 port, USB 3.0
While offering a 4 TB capacity, the Seagate Firecuda has a minimalist design and adjustable LED lighting, which will definitely add a vibrant touch to your work. This model deserves praise for the number of ports it incorporates.
This Thunderbolt external hard drive is mainly suitable for video gamers or creative professionals who constantly work with large files.
Capacity: 500 GB | Interface: Thunderbolt 3, NVMe
The Samsung X5 Portable SSD offers 500 GB of storage and an unusual design. This model has a durable construction which allows it to survive up to 2 meters drops. The distinctive feature of this Thunderbolt external hard drive SSD is an anti-slip surface.
The Samsung X5 Portable SSD delivers up to 40Gbps speeds and employs the NVMe interface to faster process heavyweight data. However, this external hard drive better works with Thunderbolt 3 Macs and is rarely compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Windows computers.
Capacity: 2 TB | Interface: USB-C, USB 3.0, USB 2.0
The LaCie Mobile Drive is an affordable external hard drive from Apple. With a capacity of 2 TB, it offers USB-C, USB 3.0, USB 2.0 connections.
Although its design is relatively minimalist, the LaCie Mobile Drive offers a high level of reliability due to its sturdy aluminum case. It is designed for macOS users, but it will appeal to everyone who loves style and simplicity.
Capacity: 2 TB | Interface: USB 3.0, Thunderbolt 3
This Thunderbolt external hard drive has an excellent price of about $100 while offering 2 TB of storage, up to 140MB/s speeds and support for a USB C-type drive. It is a 7200 RPM drive that delivers data much faster compared to the 5400 RPM drive.
However, G-Technology won’t beat a solid-state drive (SSD) in terms of speeds. Due to the well-elaborated design, you can use this hard drive either at home or during your trips.
| IMAGE | NAME | FEATURES | |
|---|---|---|---|
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G-Technology 4TB G-DRIVE
Our Choice
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CHECK PRICE → | |
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Seagate Firecuda
for Gamers
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CHECK PRICE → | |
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Samsung X5 Portable SSD
Stylish
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CHECK PRICE → |
You can choose between two kinds of external hard drives, such as a hard disk drive (HDD), also known as electro-mechanical data storage, or solid-state drives (SSD). The latter is lighter, more high-speed and power-efficient. Although an HDD is more affordable, it works slower than its contender.
When choosing between the best Thunderbolt external hard drives, you should pay special attention to their capacity. The most optimal option is 500 GB. However, you can pick a hard drive with more storage, such as 2 TB or 4 TB, which will come in handy if you need to store video content and games. This review also comprises the model with the 16 TB capacity, which will serve the needs of videographers.
Although the USB 3.0 connection demonstrates high speeds at 5GBps (640MBps) transfer rates, as the USB 3.0 is 10 times faster than the USB 2.0, it is still inferior to the Thunderbolt technology. While using 10Gbps transfer rates, the Thunderbolt connection is up to 20x faster compared to USB 2.0 and up to 12x faster than FireWire 800.
Price is the most essential aspect to consider when shopping for an external hard drive with a Thunderbolt connection. In general, you will need to pay about $200-$300 for a decent model. In case you are looking for something more budget-friendly, you can choose a hard drive with less capacity for about $100. If you are going to get an external hard drive with 16 TB of storage, be ready to spend up to $600.
Thunderbolt is being integrated into many computers, but it is rather a niche interface than a mainstream port. A hard drive that incorporates Thunderbolt technology will cost you more than the one with a USB 3 connection. However, a Thunderbolt connection offers improved performance and speeds.
While using 5GBps (640MBps) transfer rates, the USB 3.0 is 10x faster compared to the USB 2.0 connection. However, it is inferior to the Thunderbolt technology in terms of speeds. The Thunderbolt port has up to 20x higher speeds at 10Gbps compared to USB 2.0.
SSDs are considered more robust than HDDs if you are using them in harsh environments since they don’t include moving elements, such as actuator arms. Unlike HDDs, SSDs can better tolerate drops, strong shocks and vibrations, high temperatures and magnetic fields.
If your hard drive hasn’t been damaged, its lifespan can be around 3-5 years. However, everything depends on the model, manufacturer and conditions it is used in.
