Choose a directly connected drive if straightforward local recovery is your priority, but keep another copy separate from the computer for files you cannot replace. Cloud storage can provide that separation if you can manage the account and its recovery settings; a NAS suits a shared home archive, provided you also arrange an independent off-site copy.
If you want to restore documents and photos without relying on an internet connection, a directly connected drive gives you a local backup destination. Microsoft Support describes external-drive backups for Windows File History, while Apple Support describes compatible external storage for Time Machine.
If losing both a computer and a drive at home would put important files at risk, keep a copy elsewhere as well. The National Cyber Security Centre advises storing backups in a separate safe location.
If files are spread across computers and mobile devices, consider whether a cloud account or managed network storage fits the devices you use. Check which files each device actually backs up: access to a shared folder does not, by itself, mean every device is protected.
Choose when: You want a directly connected destination for backups and local restores.
Trade-off: A drive kept with the computer can be affected by the same loss; an SSD's stated transfer speed also depends on the port and cable.
Choose when: You can keep one drive available for local recovery and store another copy separately.
Trade-off: You must rotate the drives and check that backups remain usable.
Choose when: An off-site copy and access across devices matter to you.
Trade-off: Restoring files depends on account access, the available allowance and your connection.
Choose when: Several home devices need a shared storage destination and you are willing to manage it.
Trade-off: A NAS at home still needs a separate off-site backup, even if it has drive redundancy.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Local recovery | Check available computer ports, capacity for the selected folders and compatibility with your backup software. | If I need documents back without waiting for a download, I want a local copy I can reach directly. Around 23% of consumers put local recovery first. |
| Loss at home | Check where a second copy will be kept and how you will access a rotated drive or cloud account. | If an incident affects both my computer and its nearby drive, I need files stored somewhere else. For around 29% of consumers, that separation is the primary concern. |
| Several devices | Check device compatibility, what uses the cloud allowance and whether the intended NAS supports each backup application. | With files across the household's devices, I need to know which ones are actually covered. Around 18% of consumers chiefly need a workable multi-device approach. |
| Large-file backups | Compare capacity with the files being protected, then check the computer port and cable against any stated SSD speed conditions. | If large photo or video collections change regularly, transfer time affects whether I can keep backups current. It is the leading concern for around 18% of consumers. |
| Shared home archive | Check NAS drive requirements, device backup compatibility and the plan for a separate off-site copy. | If I manage one archive for several computers, I can take on setup and maintenance to keep it organised. Around 12% of consumers primarily want that managed destination. |
Cloud storage can keep a copy away from home, but access to it depends on the account and its recovery settings. A separate local copy also gives you a route to files when cloud access is unavailable.
Keep a local copy of important files, set up account recovery and check that the files you intend to protect are included.
Restoring a large collection without a local copy may take time.
A drive beside the computer can be affected by the same physical incident. Separate storage matters when you need protection from losing the home copy.
Disconnect and store a backup copy separately when practical, and arrange an off-site copy for files you cannot replace.
Samsung says the T7 Shield's stated maximum transfer speeds require a compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 host, cable and UASP mode; the figure does not describe every computer setup.
Check your computer's port specification and cable before deciding whether that speed claim is relevant to you.
Synology describes a redundancy option for its two-bay DS224+, but drives within a NAS at home remain at the same location.
Plan a separate external, cloud or second-location copy for important files rather than relying on NAS drive redundancy alone.
A NAS also takes time to configure and maintain, including its separate backup routine.
Its portable external drives are relevant when you want a USB-connected local backup destination.
The T7 Shield portable SSD range is relevant to buyers who regularly transfer large files.
Its NAS products are relevant to households prepared to manage shared network storage.
Windows File History and OneDrive are relevant when choosing local and cloud routes for a Windows household.
Time Machine and iCloud+ are relevant to households using Macs and other Apple devices.
These choices cover directly connected drives for local backups and one NAS for a managed home archive. Choose capacity and device compatibility for the files you intend to protect, then arrange a separate copy where protection from a loss at home matters.
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Consider this directly connected SSD if you back up large files frequently. It has a USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2 connection; Samsung says the T7 Shield's stated maximum speeds depend on a compatible host, cable and UASP mode. Check whether 1 TB covers your selected files, and keep another copy separately.
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This USB-connected drive is a local destination for personal-file backups. Check that 2 TB allows room for the files you select and their future growth; if you use a Mac, confirm the setup and formatting required for your backup software. A second, separately stored copy is still needed for protection from a loss affecting the computer and drive together.
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This Mac-oriented portable hard drive offers a 5 TB local backup destination. Confirm its formatting and compatibility with your intended Mac backup setup before storing files on it, and decide where a separate copy will be kept.
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This USB-connected drive provides a 4 TB local destination for a file archive. Confirm that its capacity suits the folders and backup history you intend to keep; for a Mac or another operating system, check formatting and backup-software compatibility before use. Keep an independent copy elsewhere for files you cannot replace.
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Consider this network-attached storage device if you are prepared to manage a shared home archive. Check which drives are required or included and whether the DS925+ supports the backup applications and protocols your Windows PCs or Macs need. Storage kept at home also needs a separate off-site backup plan.
Size the drive around the folders you will actually protect, allowing room for growth and any earlier versions your backup software retains. Review photos, videos, documents and folders outside its default selection rather than using the computer's advertised internal capacity as your only measure.
It may be possible, but check the intended backup software and file-system setup before using the drive for both. Microsoft Support says File History can back up to an external drive or network location; Apple Support lists compatible directly connected storage and supported NAS devices for Time Machine. Protect any files already on the drive before changing its format.
No, not if you need protection from an incident that affects both the computer and its nearby drive. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping important-data backups in a separate safe location; retain an additional copy away from the computer for files you cannot replace.
Confirm that the files you need are covered, that the storage allowance is sufficient and that you can recover access to the account. Google One Help says Google storage is shared across Drive, Gmail and Photos, while Microsoft Support says Microsoft 365 Basic's 100 GB is shared across Outlook and OneDrive. Apple requires an alternative recovery method for Advanced Data Protection for iCloud.