Choose a portable HDD if a growing photo archive needs room and transfers are occasional; choose a portable SSD if you regularly move large batches or carry the drive between devices. A desktop HDD suits a fixed backup location. Whichever drive you choose, check its capacity, connection and backup format, and keep another copy elsewhere if the files are irreplaceable.
If phone photos, videos and personal files keep accumulating, measure the space they use before choosing a drive. Leave room for the files and backup versions you intend to add, rather than judging capacity by photo count alone.
People who regularly copy large batches between a computer and a portable drive have more reason to consider an SSD. Which? distinguishes the faster SSD route from HDDs used for long-term file backup; the computer connection still matters to the speed you can use.
A family moving files between Windows PCs, Macs and cloud photo libraries needs to plan where copying will happen. Apple’s Time Machine guidance, Microsoft’s File History guidance and Google’s export instructions describe different workflows, so one drive format should not be assumed to serve them all.
Measure the files you intend to protect, then decide how the drive will connect and whether it will stay at home or travel. A second copy stored separately addresses a different risk from choosing a larger or faster drive.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Archive capacity | Measure the current library, including videos, and allow for future files or retained backup versions. | If my family’s files keep growing, I need space beyond a one-off copy. About 33% of consumers put archive capacity first. |
| Connection and backup format | Check the computer’s port and the supplied cable; decide whether the drive is for Time Machine, Windows backup or manual transfers. | When our photos come from several devices, I need a backup route that works with the computer we will use. For about 27% of consumers, setup compatibility is the primary concern. |
| Transfers and portability | Consider how often you move large batches or carry the drive, and whether the computer supports the drive’s connection. | If I copy large photo batches regularly, transfer time and carrying the drive matter to me. Roughly 20% of consumers prioritise these needs. |
| Separately stored copies | Plan where the drive will be kept between backups and whether important files also need a cloud or off-site copy. | If a single incident could affect both our computer and its nearby drive, I want another copy elsewhere. This is the first concern for about 20% of consumers. |
Photos and videos vary in size, and a drive that holds today’s files may leave little room for later additions or backup versions.
Check the space used by the folders, photo library or cloud export you will copy. Decide whether you need a current copy or retained versions before choosing capacity.
Apple says Time Machine cannot back up to a Windows-formatted disk and prefers APFS or APFS Encrypted. A drive used for ordinary file transfers between Mac and Windows has a different role from a dedicated Time Machine disk.
Settle on the drive’s job before copying files or changing its format. Move any existing contents elsewhere first: formatting erases data on the drive.
Samsung says the maximum speeds of its T7 family require a compatible host, cable and connection mode. The figure on a drive is not a promise of the same transfer speed from every computer.
Inspect your computer’s port and confirm the cable supplied with the exact drive before making speed a deciding factor.
A local copy can be lost in the same theft, fire or malware incident as the original. The National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy kept in a separate safe location.
Disconnect and store the drive separately when practical. For irreplaceable photos, keep another cloud or off-site copy and try restoring a sample folder.
The portable T7 and T7 Shield SSD lines are relevant when frequent transfers and a compact drive matter.
The Canvio Basics line offers USB-powered portable HDD storage for a local file archive.
The Extreme Portable SSD range is relevant to households considering a compact drive for computer-based photo transfers.
These Joybuy selections cover portable SSDs for repeated transfers, portable HDDs for a carryable archive, and a desktop HDD for a fixed backup location. Measure your library and check your computer’s connection and intended backup format before choosing among them.
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Consider this portable SSD if you regularly move large photo or video batches and want 4 TB of local storage. The product name specifies USB 3.2 Gen 2x2; check that your computer has a suitable connection, and confirm the drive format for your backup method.
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This portable SSD suits a household that makes repeated transfers and wants to carry its local copy. Its name specifies USB 3.2 Gen 2; Samsung says T7 speeds depend on the host and cable, so check the computer connection and intended backup format.
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This portable HDD is an option when a 5 TB local archive matters more than frequent fast transfers. Measure the files and backup versions you plan to keep, then check the drive’s connection and format against your computer.
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Consider this portable HDD for a 4 TB local copy that you can put away between backups. The product name specifies USB 3.0; confirm the supplied connection and the drive’s format, particularly if a Mac will handle backups.
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This desktop HDD fits a backup arrangement centred on one home workstation, provided 10 TB suits the measured archive and planned backup versions. Plan its location and check its connection, power requirements and format before setting it up.
Choose a portable HDD when your priority is space for an archive and transfers are occasional; consider an SSD when you frequently move large batches or carry the drive. Which? identifies HDDs with long-term file backup and SSDs with faster transfers. Check your actual library size and computer connection before deciding.
For ordinary transfers, a shared format such as ExFAT may be suitable, but that is not the same as setting up a Time Machine backup. Apple says Time Machine cannot back up to a Windows-formatted disk and prefers APFS or APFS Encrypted. Decide the drive’s role first, and copy off any existing files before reformatting it.
Google Takeout lets you create a download archive. Download it to a computer, check that you can access its contents, then copy it to the external drive. Check the export’s date and contents if photos changed while the archive was being prepared.
Microsoft says File History can make regular backups to a selected external drive or network location. Check that the folder containing your photos is included in the folders being backed up, rather than assuming every photo source is covered.
One local drive does not protect against an incident that affects both it and the computer. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping important-data backups in a separate safe location; consider another cloud or off-site copy, disconnect the local drive when practical, and check that you can restore files from it.