From PCMAG · Tony Hoffman · · 1m 40s
Best External Hard Drives for 2026
PCMag tests top external hard drives for 2026, highlighting WD My Passport, WD My Book, and Seagate One Touch as Editors' Choices.
In brief
PCMag tests top external hard drives for 2026, highlighting WD My Passport, WD My Book, and Seagate One Touch as Editors' Choices. PCMag's 2026 best external hard drives include WD My Passport for portability, WD My Book for desktop storage, and Seagate One Touch for bus-powered use. Originally reported by PCMAG.
Why External Hard Drives Matter
External hard drives remain essential despite rising flash storage prices.
PCMag's Testing Approach
PCMag evaluates speed, capacity, cost per gigabyte, software, and encryption.
Best Portable Drive for Most
WD My Passport offers 6TB capacity with USB-C compatibility.
WD My Passport Pros
Includes backup software, 256-bit encryption, and good benchmark results.
WD My Passport Cons
Requires USB adapter and platter drives are slower than SSDs.
Best Desktop Drive for Most
WD My Book provides up to 26TB storage with three-year warranty.
WD My Book Pros
Includes backup software and 256-bit encryption for security.
WD My Book Cons
Requires external power adapter for operation.
Best Bus-Powered Drive
Seagate One Touch offers 8TB with no power adapter needed.
Seagate One Touch Pros
Low cost per gigabyte and two-year data recovery service.
Seagate One Touch Cons
Requires 15W power delivery and slower than SSDs.
Best Rugged Portable Drive
ADATA HD710M Pro offers IP68 waterproofing and durability.
ADATA HD710M Pro Pros
Durable in drop tests and good dollar-per-gigabyte ratio.
ADATA HD710M Pro Cons
Camouflage exterior and plastic housing only.
Best Gaming Drive
WD Black P10 Game Drive provides gamer-friendly storage.
Best Security Drive
iStorage DiskAshur DT2 offers 18TB with hardware encryption.
The key point
PCMag's 2026 best external hard drives include WD My Passport for portability, WD My Book for desktop storage, and Seagate One Touch for bus-powered use.
