Choose an external hard disk drive (HDD) if your main task is keeping a large local archive and transfers are occasional; consider a solid-state drive (SSD) if you regularly move large photo or video folders and value quicker transfers. Neither drive is a complete backup plan on its own: check its capacity, connection and compatibility with your backup routine, then keep another independent copy in a separate location or cloud service.
If your household photo, document and video collection keeps growing, drive capacity and a backup routine you can repeat may matter more than transfer speed. Which? discusses HDDs for longer-term file backup, while Seagate describes scheduled backups for its One Touch HDD range.
If you regularly copy large folders or carry files between computers, an SSD may suit your need for faster transfers and portability. Check the computer port and cable before relying on a quoted speed.
If losing both your computer and nearby drive would put important files at risk, plan another copy in a separate location. The National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy of important data stored somewhere safe and separate.
For household files, decide whether archive capacity, repeated transfers or a separate recoverable copy is your primary need. Then check that the drive and backup routine work with your computer.
| Concern | What to check | Who this matters to |
|---|---|---|
| Capacity and routine | Size the folders you intend to protect and allow for backup history. For Time Machine, Apple recommends a disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity. | If my photo and document library keeps growing, I need room for repeat backups more than quicker occasional copies; around 44% of consumers would put capacity and an easy routine first. |
| Transfers and portability | Check the computer port, supplied cable and USB mode needed for the speed you want; confirm formatting needs if moving between devices. | When I move large folders regularly, waiting for each copy matters to me, and I may carry the drive between computers. Around 33% of consumers would prioritise transfers and portability. |
| A separate copy | Decide where another copy will live, how it will be updated and whether you can restore a file from it. Check account and exit terms if using cloud storage. | I do not want one incident affecting my computer and local drive to leave me without my files; roughly 23% of consumers would make an independent copy their primary concern. |
The computer and a nearby drive may both be affected by the same loss or damage. The National Cyber Security Centre advises keeping important backup data in a separate safe location.
Keep your local drive, add an independent copy elsewhere and periodically check that you can restore a sample file.
Samsung says the quoted maximum speeds for its T7 Shield require a compatible USB 3.2 Gen 2 host and cable, with UASP enabled. That figure alone does not establish what your computer will achieve.
Identify your computer port, the drive connector and the supplied cable before choosing a drive for frequent transfers.
Apple recommends a Time Machine disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity; older backups are deleted as the disk fills. Apple also advises using the backup disk only for Time Machine.
Check your Mac’s storage capacity and consider the backup history you want before choosing a disk or planning to share it with ordinary file storage.
GOV.UK advises consumers to pay attention to service changes, account inactivity and the time available to move data when leaving a cloud service.
Review the provider’s account and exit terms, keep access details current and retain a separate copy of files you cannot afford to lose.
Its One Touch portable HDD range is relevant to a capacity-led local archive and a scheduled backup routine.
The cited T7 Shield portable SSD is relevant to frequent transfers where the computer supports its USB connection.
The X9 portable SSD line is relevant to people considering a compact drive for transfers and compatible backup tools.
These choices cover portable SSDs for local backup and frequent file transfers, plus a portable HDD for a capacity-led home archive. Choose capacity for your files and backup history, and plan a separate copy whichever drive you use.
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Consider this portable SSD if you want a local copy you can carry and regularly transfer between compatible devices.
1TB capacity; USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Check whether its capacity suits your backup history and whether your computer and cable support the connection you intend to use.
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Consider this SSD for a portable local backup if you regularly move large file folders.
2 TB capacity; USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Compare that capacity with your files and intended backup history, and check your computer’s USB capability.
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Consider this variant for portable transfers when 1 TB accommodates the files and backup history you intend to keep.
1 TB capacity; USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2. Confirm the required space and your computer’s connection before choosing between T7 capacities.
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Consider this HDD for a capacity-led local archive when copying speed is less important than space for household files.
5TB capacity. Check that the drive’s format and your chosen backup routine work with your computer, particularly if you intend to use it with a Mac.
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Consider this portable SSD if you want a 2TB local copy that you can take between compatible devices.
Check its connector, supplied cable and compatibility with your operating system and backup tool before relying on it for your routine.
Keep another independent copy if losing the computer and drive together would be unacceptable. The National Cyber Security Centre describes a backup as a copy stored in a separate safe location; periodically check that you can restore a file from your chosen copies.
Apple recommends a backup disk with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity for Time Machine. That guidance is specific to this Mac backup workflow, so also consider the files and backup history you need to retain.
Yes. Microsoft says File History can make regular backups to an external drive or network location; check that the libraries containing your photos and documents are included.
Check the particular drive’s connector and supplied cable before buying. Seagate says a Micro-B-to-USB-C cable is not included with its cited One Touch HDD setup, while Samsung says host and cable capability affects the quoted maximum speed of its T7 Shield SSD.
Check how you will retain account access and retrieve your files if you change services. GOV.UK advises consumers to review renewal and service-change notices, inactivity rules and the time allowed to transfer data when leaving a cloud provider.