Best external hard drive for gaming 2024 - give your storage a boost

best external hard drive
(Image credit: Western Digital)

The best external hard drives for gaming don't need to be traditional HDDs. There are so many portable SSDs out there these days, and if you're stuck for internal storage space on whatever platform you play on, a lot of these will be able to load games without transferring thanks to solid USB-C speeds. Of course, cheap and cheerful is always going to be an option, and HDD will always tick that box. No matter what you're in the market for, we've got a list of convenient drives listed below. 

The best external hard drive for you will come down to your usage and intentions for it. For example, if you intend to store games for a PS4, an external SSD could give your aging console a new lease of life with potentially faster load times. You won't get the performance of the best SSDs for gaming since those are internal options, but external SSD will be better than the console's HDD nonetheless. If all you need to do is keep files and media secure, then a larger-capacity HDD will do you just fine. Some external hard drives are even running NVMe format for even faster sequential performance via the likes of USB-C and USB 3.2, so transfer speeds aren't all doom and gloom like they have been.

This is very much a general overview of the best external hard drives in all shapes and sizes, so if you're after something a little more specific to your chosen gaming platform, our guides on the best Xbox Series X external hard drives and best PS5 external hard drives are sure to point you in the right direction.

The best external hard drives for gaming 2024

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1. WD_Black P40

The best external hard drive for gaming

Specifications

Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Storage type: SSD
Sequential read: 2,000 MB/s
Sequential write: 2,000 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Smaller design
+
Slick speeds
+
Nice RGB lighting
+
Sturdy build

Reasons to avoid

-
Pricey
-
No 4TB model

The WD_Black P40 SSD is the latest in WD's gaming-focused external hard drives, and it's one of the best performers you'll find. It takes the specs and design of the P50 and carries both over to a compact build that makes use of some beautiful RGB lighting. 

Disappointingly, the P40 is one of the pricier options up and down this list, particularly because it's a newer release from WD. For your money, you get the drive which comes with WD's Windows dashboard, a USB-C cable and USB-A adapter, a quick install guide, and a 5-year warranty I'd be surprised if you need to use. WD's solid build with forged aluminium means it's a sturdy piece of kit.

Read and write speeds were great in testing. The 2000MB/s speed you see on the box is as good as you'll get in an external hard drive, but in reality, it translates to some great load times and transfer speeds on PS5 and PC. I had a load of game capture footage stored on my PS5 I had been meaning to move across to my computer for video editing, and even though it was about 30 clips spanning a total of 22GB, the P40 swallowed it up from the PS5 in about a minute. The same was true of games once I formatted it for some extra storage. I transferred three games that added up to 18GB, and it transferred in just shy of a minute.

2. WD_Black P50 Game Drive

The best value external SSD

Specifications

Capacity: up to 4TB
Storage type: SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Excellent speeds
+
Great design
+
Robust build
+
Purpose-built for gaming

Reasons to avoid

-
Higher capacities are expensive

In your search for the best external hard drive, you'll need to consider a top SSD. And Western Digital's Black P50 drive is probably the best external hard drive we've tested in a while in terms of value for money. Now that the P40 is out and about, the P50 will likely get cheaper, while sharing a lot of the same benefits and specs. 

As a proper external, portable, SSD package, it offers everything: a robust and cool design, and exquisite file transfer speeds that are often only seen in the best gaming PCs. That makes it a real contender in the console arenas too, scoring highly in our best PS4 SSD list.

Yes, this SSD does err on the side of a gaming drive, and it features in many of our console external hard drive guides, but its performance cannot be denied. The stated speeds of 'up to 2000MB/s' were on the money in our testing, but what this translates to in real-life scenarios is that games are loaded incredibly quickly, and files and media are retrieved and stored in an instant (you know what I mean), and all this is done incredibly consistently.

In terms of what the drive looks like and how it feels, the P50 has a military metal style and is a rectangular drive featuring sleek molded metal, and it'll easily fit in the palm of your hand. Its USB-C port can be used on your devices as either a USB-A or USB-C connection meaning you can hook it up to multiple different devices of its life span, and benefit from the same speeds. One small criticism is that it does get a bit warm in use but that's sort of fair enough as a small compromise for the performance - just be aware of it when you place it or leave it in one position for a while.

3. WD My Passport Portable Hard Drive

The best value external hard drive

Specifications

Capacity: up to 5TB
Storage Type: HDD

Reasons to buy

+
Masses of storage
+
Really great price
+
Great transfer speeds for an HDD

Reasons to avoid

-
Standard HDD speeds 

The My Passport drive from Western Digital has gone through several iterations over the years, and we'd bet it'll go through several more as time goes by. Even in a world moving slowly but surely toward SSDs, there's still more than an important place for an HDD and there's a reason why this one tops our best external hard drive list (not to mention our guide to the best PS4 external hard drive). And that's because the My Passport combines capacity, price, value, build-quality, and performance in one excellent package.

Looking at it in more detail, the My Passport drive works via a simple USB connection that helps keep the size down. It is a small and robust unit (about the size of a mobile phone) and the aesthetic isn't bad either - it's a chic half-ribbed, half matte and smooth metal finish. It'll also look at home in almost any setup.

Our favourite in terms of specific capacity remains the 4TB version. The reason for this is is largely two-fold: first, a 4TB HDD will provide easily enough space for lots of games, data, files, photos, videos and music; and, secondly, we've seen the biggest savings on the 4TB. This very much fits the established theme of 'bigger drive = better value'. 

It won't win the prize for speedy file transfer, but it earns its place at the top of this list nonetheless. The My Passport is an all-round great external hard drive - especially if you're not fussed about an SSD or want to shave some dollar signs off the price tag while waiting for the seemingly inevitable wave of PS5 SSD deals. 

4. Crucial X10 Pro

The best portable SSD

Specifications

Capacity: up to 4TB
Storage type: SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Tiny size
+
Great speeds
+
Splash, dust, and drop resistant

Reasons to avoid

-
Fairly pricey even for 1TB

Crucial by Micron is no stranger to anyone that knows the digital storage market. In this portable SSD, the Crucial X10 Pro, the brand gives you either 1TB, 2TB, or 4TB of space in a tiny drive you can fit in your pocket. While I was a bit too scared to test its durability properly, it's marketed as being resistant to splashes, dust, and drops. For those reasons, we award it with the best external hard drive for portability.

Its speeds aren't too shabby either. Used with the PS5, I managed to move a hefty 439.5GB from the console to the X10 Pro in 34 mins. While that might seem like a small eternity with today's Gen 5 SSD speeds, just imagine the time it'd take to download that much raw data. Transferring 46GB worth of 2018's God of War from the hard drive to console storage, meanwhile, took only 5 minutes and 16 seconds. The speeds on the box here are 2,100MB/s read, and 2,000MB/s write, so it wouldn't shy away from the absolute best options on the top of this list. 

The only problem is, this is meant for professionals, not necessarily gamers. That means it's arguably missing some gaming flare in its design, but I think for such a powerful drive in as small a package as it is, we can't make too many demands. On that "meant-for-professionals" note, it is fairly pricey. Regardless, this is definitely one of the best external hard drives on the market if you want a portable solution for gaming, work, or content creation.

5. Seagate Portable Drive

The best simple backup drive

Specifications

Capacity: Up to 5TB
Format: HDD

Reasons to buy

+
Reasonably priced
+
Solid performance for an HDD
+
USB 3.0

Reasons to avoid

-
Just an HDD
-
No USB-C
-
Not the sturdiest

The Seagate Portable Drive isn't going to knock your socks off. If you want to play games off an external drive, or you want to transfer games back and forth in record time, this probably isn't what you should go for. On the other hand, if you need a simple HDD for backing up files, storing older games you don't want to have to download, or just a basic hard drive for storing documents and media, it's hard to argue with what Seagate has here. 

For starters, you're not going to find many external hard drives that come cheaper than this. You're talking 1TB under $50 / £50, and capacities of up to 5TB should you really need more space. While there's no USB-C out of the box, the Seagate Portable Drive is compatible with USB 3.0, so it's not all doom and gloom in terms of read and write speeds. Using USB 3.0, I've done hours of video editing off of this drive and never once encountered any stuttering or freezing, so it's reliable enough for a traditional spinning disc drive. 

The reasons you should avoid this drive are if you need anything more than what HDD can provide. If you want the speediest offering in a portable drive, opt for something more expensive. Similarly, the plastic casing doesn't feel very sturdy, so if you want to avoid damage and some extremely tricky repairs, maybe opt for something else. 

Samsung T7 Shield

(Image credit: Future)

6. Samsung T7 Shield

The best Samsung external hard drive

Specifications

Capacity: 1TB
Storage type: SSD
Sequential Read: Up to 1,050 MB/s
Sequential Write: Up to 1,000 MB/s

Reasons to buy

+
Fast sequential performance 
+
Small form factor 
+
Tactile, rugged design 

Reasons to avoid

-
Cable isn't the longest around

The Samsung T7 Shield has now been supplanted by the new Samsung T9, which is definitely the fastest external from Samsung. That said, it's pricey, so until we notice the price start to come down a bit, we'll still recommend you the T7 since it's even better value.

The T7 Sheild is still up there with the highest-speed external SSDs on the shelves today, and it has more of an emphasis on durability. The brand claims that the T7 boasts double the performance of the T5, and our testing proves that's very much the case. While the 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write don't exactly rival NVMe counterparts, as far as external drives go, the Samsung T7 Shield is certainly up there in terms of sequential performance. At $159.99 / £134.79 for a 1TB model or $289.99 / £250.99 for 2TB, it's far from the cheapest PS5 external hard drives around, but those speeds, and tank-like shell, may justify the added cost for you. 

We found that the claimed figures were largely lived up to with game transfers, as Demon's Souls (53.73 GB) made the leap from the PS5's internal storage to the Samsung T7 Shield in 4 minutes 30 seconds. That's roughly in keeping with the maximum sequential performance, and solid figures from an external drive plugged in via USB 3.2 on the back of the console. There's also an included USB C to USB C cable in the box, too. 

Another main selling point of this drive, much like others in the line-up, is the rugged nature of its outer casing. Samsung has stated that the T7 Shield is able to withstand all manner of harsh conditions, with drop tests being done four times from three meters in the air onto solid concrete with no signs of physical damage to the casings or internals. 

7. Seagate Expansion HDD

The best external hard drive for big storage

Specifications

Capacity: up to 16TB
Storage Type: HDD

Reasons to buy

+
Great price
+
Unbelievable amount of storage
+
Respectable transfer speeds 

Reasons to avoid

-
It could be too large for some

A big attraction to some of the best external hard drives is the sheer capacity of the storage you can get. And if you never want to worry about storing your media, files, games, and pretty much whatever else, then something like this Seagate Expansion drive is for you. It gets a nod here on this list because the value it represents is incredible - it is very nicely priced, and also often sees discounts through deals and promotions, meaning it's some of the best-value storage money can buy. 

Using the drive is as easy as plugging the power cable in, attaching the USB, and getting started. It is a chunky boy and will need a bit of desk or setup space (due to needing access to mains power, for example), but it keeps a nice finish and aesthetic nonetheless. 

The Seagate Expansion drive is available in a variety of capacities, but the middle range, like the 6TB size, sits in a very attractive place of bang-for-buck value. A great value contender for best external hard drive, and one that features on our best Xbox One external hard drive list.

8. Silicon Power Bolt B75 Pro

An underrated SSD, that's light and sturdy

Specifications

Capacity: up to 2TB
Storage Type: SSD

Reasons to buy

+
Solid, shock-proof design
+
Light and easily transportable
+
SSD performance

Reasons to avoid

-
Paying a premium on the build

Away from the mega-big boys of the best external hard drive market, manufacturers and brands like Silicon Power quietly go about their business of making equally dependable, robust, competitively priced, and quality hard drives. And SP's Bolt B75 Pro SSD drive is exactly that.

This is an Incredibly light, but incredibly robust unit, which means it's easily transportable yet you can have great confidence in it if you're prone to mishaps, or just want that extra protection. It's military-grade shockproof, aluminium case will look after the important stuff inside easily and the casing definitely exudes the rugged quality that was intended. The unit as a whole doesn't feel solid but that comes from its lightness - some folks may prefer a more hefty unit.

The SSD's performance is very solid, but nothing too spectacular. As a result, if you're after something that offers good value, want to upgrade from an existing HDD to SSD to ensure you get that better and faster performance without number chasing too much, and you want something robust then this is a great contender.

Best external hard drive: FAQs

Which brand of external hard drive is best?

The biggest names in storage will be safe bets when looking for the best external hard drives. WD, or Western Digital has great SSD and HDD options that are some of our top picks. Seagate is also super reliable, and has plenty of value HDD options, especially in larger quantities. Elsewhere, Samsung and SanDisk have great external SSD options to choose from, as you'll see from our list.

Which SSD external hard drive is the best?

In our eyes, the best external hard drive going is the WD Black P40. Whether you need to use it for game storage or files and media, it is insanely fast for an external drive and has a nice compact design that feels sturdy too. not that lighting really matters, but it has a beautiful RGB strip that gives the P40 a lovely look too. WD Black P50 is also a safe bet, and might even be available for cheaper than the newer P40.

Is it better to have an external HDD or SSD?

We'd always advocate for SSD over HDD. Especially at the moment, SSD is a lot more affordable, and has been since the start of 2022. Prices are projected to continue falling, or at least stay at a reasonable level in the first half of 2023. Some forecasters even think this could spark the final days of HDD in the storage market, particularly if external SSDs stay at competitive price points.

Which is the fastest external hard drive?

The best external hard drive for pure speed is going to be an external SSD, and most likely one that's been designed for gaming. In our hands-on experience, the WD_Black P40 and P50 are insanely quick external drives which are bound to be exactly what you need for cutting down load times in your favorite games, accessing media quickly, or even for video editing. 

Which external hard drive lasts longest?

When you're looking for futureproofing, we'd recommend SSDs. For starters, the market is moving in their direction anyway. Additionally, you'll get better performance and more safeguarding. HDDs have a lot of moving parts thanks to their architecture, and they're both very easy to damage, and extortionately expensive to recover when you do. SSDs, as long as they're kept cool, will be very reliable for years to come, and something like the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is a good example of that. On the other hand, if futureproofing to you means larger capacities, something like the Seagate Expansion HDD that goes up to 16TB might be what you're looking for.


Looking for gaming storage on your Switch? Be sure to check in with the best Nintendo Switch SD cards.

Duncan Robertson
Hardware Editor

Ever since playing Journey at the age of 15, I’ve been desperate to cover video games for a living. After graduating from Edinburgh Napier University with a degree in Journalism, I contributed to the Scottish Games Network and completed an Editorial Internship over at Expert Reviews. Besides that, I’ve been managing my own YouTube channel and Podcast for the last 7 years. It’s been a long road, but all that experience somehow landed me a dream job covering gaming hardware. I’m a self-confessing PlayStation fanboy, but my experience covering the larger business and developer side of the whole industry has given me a strong knowledge of all platforms. When I’m not testing out every peripheral I can get my hands on, I’m probably either playing tennis or dissecting game design for an upcoming video essay. Now, I better stop myself here before I get talking about my favourite games like HUNT: Showdown, Dishonored, and Towerfall Ascension.
Location: UK Remote

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