As photographers, we value the product of our hard work from photo shoots and photo outings: our images. Unfortunately, many photographers do not have a good backup system in place as a safeguard from losses such as a crashed hard drive, corrupted files, a stolen hard drive, or even just deleting your images by accident. It’s really not a matter of if something will happen to your images, it’s a matter of when. Will you be prepared? That’s where an external hard drive comes in.
You can prevent a catastrophe from ever happening to your images if you implement a good backup system into your regular photography workflow. Here, learn the importance of backing up and why backing up to both an external hard drive and a cloud solution is good practice.
What is an External Hard Drive?
An external hard drive is a piece of gear that can be connected to your computer and storage any necessary data that you do not need/want on your computer. It performs the same task as an internal HDD or SSD — although, it is external from your computer. It is simply another method to back up your work in case something were to happen to your desktop computer or laptop.
Why You Need an External Hard Drive
As photographers, we work hard to capture our images. You may have shot thousands of images during a once-in-a-lifetime trip abroad, or you may regularly shoot portraits, headshots or fashion for clients. It’s important to backup your images to prevent an unexpected loss of your work.
Your computers are not indestructible and eventually, you may find yourself in a dilemma where the hard drive crashes, you drop the entire laptop overboard a boat, or something unexpectedly ends up corrupting your files. It happens.
But backing up your work will give you peace of mind that your images will be safe from accidental loss.
A reality of the digital world is that our work as creatives is susceptible to being lost, corrupted, or otherwise damaged. Laptops and computers don’t last forever, and everything we have saved runs the risk of being lost for good.
External hard drives are a place to back up your work. Somewhere to keep additional copies of important photos, videos, musical projects, or any files we’d like to keep safe. It’s always a good idea to keep at least two copies of projects and files on hand — especially if it’s work for clients.
An external hard drive is a principal component of any digital workstation, both as overflow storage for applications, and most importantly, for backing up our work.
Hard Drive or SSD: What’s the Difference?
External hard drives fall into two categories: Hard disk drives (HDD) and solid state drives (SSD).
HDDs are mechanical devices that read and write data similar to how a turntable plays a vinyl record. Internally, they consist of motor-driven platters and a moving read/write head, which commits and retrieves data from the drive. Since HDDs are mechanical, their speed is measured by rotations per minute — 5400 and 7200 RPM being the most common.
SSDs are newer, non-mechanical devices that use flash memory. There are no moving parts in an SSD, but instead a series of electronics such as memory chips and transistors; the latter is responsible for capturing a charge and storing data to the drive. Solid state drives are lightning-quick.
Comparing performance and general characteristics, HDDs are slower than SSDs. They’re also cheaper, so you can purchase more storage for a lot less money. SSDs are virtually shock-resistant compared to a fragile HDD, though since the parts are mechanical, hard disk drives actually tend to have a longer lifespan when kept safely.
Overall, a traditional hard disk drive is an excellent way to store and backup excess data. They’re inexpensive in terms of gigabytes per dollar, and they’ll run for quite some time barring any accidental damage. On the other hand, a solid state drive is fast enough to run operating systems or applications from, in addition to being a super fast storage/backup solution.
Desktop or Portable Hard Drive: Which One is Best for You?
It partially depends on your intended use, but consider the following differences between desktop and portable external hard drives.
Desktop drives are best suited for long-term use. Above anything, these are reliable and long lasting, and can contain more terabytes worth of storage compared to a portable hard drive. They excel in professional settings where they can live as a peripheral in the entire computer setup because they require their own dedicated power source. It’s also worth noting that HDDs are the most common desktop drives, namely because of their longevity, affordability, and tried-and-true mechanics.
Portable external hard drives are smaller and lighter than desktop drives. They come in both HDD and SSD varieties, and receive bus power from a laptop or computer. The smaller form factor is a major plus, especially for small-scale projects or anyone who works on the go. Portable hard drives can generally withstand some shock without corruption, since they’re made to be tossed in a backpack and taken anywhere. Compared to desktop drives, portability comes with a lot of convenience.
How to Choose an External Hard Drive
There are several key features to look for when buying a hard drive. If you’ve made it past the desktop vs portable hard drive decision, then it’s smooth sailing from here! You’ll likely have answers to many of the questions that arise when searching for the right hard drive, but here are some important elements to keep in mind.
Storage Capacity
For most buyers, storage capacity — and the cost of that storage — is the single most important factor in purchasing an external hard drive. It all comes down to how much data you have to back up, and how much space you’d like to expand. Keep in mind that SSDs usually tap out around 4TB and can be quite expensive, while HDDs can have larger capacities for less money.
Read/Write Speed
Next is read/write speed, or how quickly your drive can retrieve data and store new data. The ability to pull large files from your computer and drop them onto a hard drive in seconds is very appealing. The average HDD transfer speed is somewhere between 80 and 160 MB/s for a 7200 RPM drive. That increases to around 300 MB/s to several thousand MB/s with an SSD. Solid state drives offer the highest speeds, which could sway your decision. Particularly if you’re going from an HDD to SSD, you’ll likely notice a marked difference in speed.
Security Features
Sometimes we store sensitive information on our external hard drive. To keep that data secure, drives may come with their own built-in security software, such as password protection and even fingerprint security. Keep an eye on advanced security features if you anticipate needing them, such as software encryption and hardware encryption.
Compatibility with Your System
Most hard drives come preformatted for a specific operating system. The good news is you can reformat a drive to work on your system through either Disk Utility (Mac) or Disk Management (Windows). However, if you want to avoid the legwork and minimize potential issues, it’s best to find a drive explicitly compatible with your computer.
Gaming Compatibility
Games have gotten much larger over the years, and it’s common to purchase a hard drive to complement your system’s internal storage. Many hard drive manufacturers produce console- or gaming-specific hard drives to perform well under those conditions. Look for that branding if you’re shopping for a drive to expand your console’s storage.
A quick note for Playstation 5 users: Currently, PS5 games will only run on internal storage. You can move PS5 games from internal to external storage, but will need to transfer them back to play. PS4 games can be played off of external storage connected to a PS5 console.
Best External Hard Drives
SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE
SanDisk’s G-DRIVE series is a reputable tool for professionals and creatives requiring the highest performance and storage capacities from their hard drives. Made for the desktop, this 4TB USB-C drive comes in a sleek aluminum chassis that is both elegant and durable. Its 7200 RPM disk delivers excellent read/write speeds of 260 MB/s for fast backup and access to all of your most important data, including videos, photos, music and more.
Key Features:
- 4TB storage capacity
- Desktop hard drive with USB-C connectivity and power pass-through for compatible laptops
- 7200 RPM with 260 MB/s read/write speeds
- Formatted for Mac; Time Machine ready
- 5Gb/s transfer speed
WD My Book 6TB USB 3.0 External Desktop Hard Drive
My Book by WD is one of the most well known external storage solutions, providing incredible storage capacity at some of the best prices in the industry. It’s compact, it’s powerful, and it’s a quick and easy way to store and back up a massive 6TB of information for minimal investment. Out of the box, it’s ready to go for both Windows and Mac computers, featuring WD Backup software for Windows and Time Machine sync for Mac.
Key Features:
- High-capacity desktop hard drive (6TB)
- Built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption
- WD Security software for personal password protection
- 2-year limited warranty
- Time-tested My Book reliability
Seagate 8TB 3.5″ Expansion Desktop USB 3.0 External Hard Drive
Seagate is another trusted name in external hard drives. With a whopping 8TB of storage, this desktop expansion drive is hard to beat in terms of cost and roominess. It’s a general purpose device perfect for expanding Mac/PC capacity, and many users have had success using it as a drive for Xbox. Whether you’re on Mac or PC, just plug it in and you’re ready to go.
Key Features:
- High-capacity desktop hard drive (8TB)
- Automatically recognized by Windows or Mac operating systems
- Includes Rescue Data Recovery Services
- USB 3.0 connectivity
- 18W power adapter
LaCie 8TB d2 Professional USB 3.1 Type-C External Hard Drive
LaCie defines the d2 line of hard drives as the essential addition to SSD-based laptops and all-in-one computers with limited storage capacity. An excellent backup device for professionals, this 7200 RPM desktop drive offers 240 MB/s read/write speeds as well as USB-C connectivity for modern machines. The elegant aluminum body is specially designed to efficiently dissipate heat for long lasting performance.
Key Features:
- High-capacity desktop hard drive (8TB)
- 7200 RPM disk with 240 MB/s read/write speeds
- Universal compatibility for Mac and Windows
- Industry-leading 5-year warranty and Rescue Data Recovery Services plan
- 1-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud “All Apps” plan
Crucial X6 2TB USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C Portable External SSD
Thanks to its generous storage capacity and competitive price, the Crucial X6 portable SSD is poised to become a go-to choice for on-the-go professionals. It’s smaller than a standard wallet and weighs less than a set of car keys. Still, it offers blisteringly fast speeds of up to 800 MB/s and the flexibility to incorporate into professional workflows, act as a general backup device, or even connect to your favorite game system.
Key Features:
- 2TB portable SSD
- Up to 800 MB/s read/write speeds (6x faster than a HDD)
- USB-C connectivity
- Compatible with PC, Mac, Xbox, PS4, Android devices, and more
- Weighs just 42 grams
Lexar SL200 2TB USB 3.1 Type-C Portable External SSD
The Lexar SL200 is a slim and sleek portable SSD with all of the features that make these types of drives amongst the most desirable out there. Rapidly access, move, and back up files at speeds of up to 550 MB/s (read) and 400 MB/s (write). It’s exceptionally resilient to both temperature and shock, so you don’t have to baby it as a creator on the move.
Key Features:
- 2TB portable SSD with USB-C to C and USB-C to A cables
- Competitive SSD read/write speeds for quick data transfer
- 256-bit AES encryption for safe and secure information
- Extensively tested for quality assurance by Lexar Quality Labs
- Sleek, durable design
SanDisk Professional G-DRIVE ArmorATD Portable Hard Drive
Gigging creatives rarely have time to settle down. When you’re in a rush from location to location, you have little time to think about where your HDD lands once you drop it in your bag. Luckily, the G-DRIVE ArmorATD portable HDD is practically indestructible. It might not be as fast as a portable SSD, but good luck breaking it before filling all 5TB.
Key Features:
- Rugged 5TB portable HDD with up to 140 MB/s speeds
- Rain, dust, and crush resistant up to 1000 pounds
- Pre-formatted for Mac; Windows compatible after reformatting
- Backed by a 3-year limited warranty
- USB-C to C and USB-C to A cables included
LaCie Rugged USB-C 3.0 5TB External Hard Drive
LaCie Rugged portable drives are known by most pros as the original ultra-sturdy, dependable storage solutions. It’s smaller and lighter than similar styles, while delivering competitive storage capacity and resistance to the elements. For a portable HDD that just won’t quit, the LaCie Rugged is a leading choice.
Key Features:
- Durable 5TB portable HDD with up to 130 MB/s speeds
- Drop, rain, and crush resistant up to one ton
- LaCie Backup Assistant for Mac/PC
- LaCie Setup Assistant to configure the product for your machine
- LaCie Private-Public AES 256-bit encryption
External Hard Drives: Frequently Asked Questions
Is it worth using an external hard drive?
In a single word, “Yes”! It is absolutely worth using an external hard drive. Data is valuable and impermanent. The cost of digital storage has gotten so affordable over the years that it absolutely worth investing in a quality external hard drive to store and backup your files.
How do I set up an external hard drive?
Most hard drives are plug-and-play, though you may need to reformat a drive if it is not compatible with your operating system from factory settings. The easiest way to set up your hard drive for use with your computer is through Disk Utility on Mac or Disk Management on Windows. Some drives also come with their own setup assistant.
How long does an external hard drive last?
The average lifespan of an external hard drive is about five years for HDDs. That’s withholding any accidental damage and assuming the drive has been well taken care of. On the other hand, SSDs have a failure rate determined by the amount of data written over time.
The fact of the matter is there are numerous, and unpredictable, reasons why a drive may fail. There are also equal reasons why it might run much longer than anticipated. Be good to your HDD/SSD, and it will be good to you.
What size hard drive do I need?
Try to estimate how much data you’re backing up and give yourself a bit of room for future expansion. 1TB is a good starting point, and in many cases, ample space for more files as they come. However, if you work on massive projects like videos, or have thousands of RAW photographs, a little more storage can’t hurt.
