# 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.
- Title: Best External Hard Drives for 2026 · PCMAG | Shortify
- Summary: 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…
- Keywords: wd my passport, wd my book, seagate one touch, external hard drive, usb 3.0, storage, 2026, pcmag, external ssd, data backup, technology, Best
- Source: PCMAG — https://pcmag.com/picks/the-best-external-hard-drives
- Author: Tony Hoffman
- Published: 2026-09-22T18:07:14+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: wd my passport, wd my book, seagate one touch, external hard drive, usb 3.0, storage, 2026, pcmag, external ssd, data backup, technology
## 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.
## Key takeaway

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.