External drives are storage devices that conveniently add a large amount of data to a computer. Some are portable and bus-powered, others are not.
Here, you’ll find the external drive that fits a particular situation to the extreme, namely, the ultimate storage space, the best security, or both.
Dong’s note: I first published this post on June 24, 2021, and last updated it on November 22, 2025.
Best external drives with odds and ends of 2025: The top-five list
This list includes both desktop drives—those that require a separate power adapter—and portable bus-powered options. All of them are special because they are “different” from traditional portable SSDs.
The list is sorted in the recommended order, with the highest-rated being at the top—the numbers are the hardware’s ranking.
1. SanDisk Desk Drive: Representing desktop external SSDs
The SanDisk Desk is a rare find because it’s an external SSD-based drive designed specifically for a desktop. It requires an external power adapter to work and, therefore, is less portable. To make up for that, the compact puck-size storage device has top performance for its specs and has up to 8TB of storage space.
Pros
Fast USB 3.2 Gen 2 performance
Compact and beautiful design
Lots of storage space, completely silent.
Cons
Power adapter required; no USB 3.2 Gen 2×2; no redundancy
A bit pricey; runs a bit warm
2. Samsung Portable SSD X5: Representing external bootable SSDs
Despite being released years ago and featuring Thunderbolt 3, the X5 is still one of the fastest portable SSDs. Additionally, other than being a traditional external drive, it can be used as the boot drive for any computer in case you need to run a system outside of the physical box.
Similar alternatives:
Pros
Solid, pretty, rugged design
Compatible with Windows and Mac right out of the box
Useful and effective security feature
Cons
Only works with Thunderbolt 3
Only one Thunderbolt 3 port
The 3-year warranty is a bit short.
3. iStorage datAshur PRO2: The storage vault thumb drive
This tiny thumb drive is the most secure of its kind. It’s a storage device to which you can entrust your most confidential information. It’s a storage vault that fits inside your pocket.
Similar alternative:
Pros
Top-notch security against data breaches
Rugged, weatherproof, compact design
Cons
No safeguard against deliberate data deletion
4. iStorage diskAshur M2: Super-secure and rugged with a bit of Oddity
The diskAshur M2 is another ultra-secure drive from iStorage that has two other members on this list.
The M2 is an ultra-compact portable SSD that has an integrated keypad. The drive was excellent in my testing, except it uses a Micro-B SuperSpeed USB port instead of USB-C.
Alternatives:
Pros
Strong hardware encryption, integrated security keypad
Fast USB 3.2 Gen 1 performance
Cons
Micro-B Superspeed port instead of USB-C
PIN management can be overwhelming
Software patch needed for each Windows computer
5. SanDisk Professional G-Drive: Representing massive storage at relatively low cost
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive, especially the latest 26TB version, is by far the largest external drive in terms of storage space. With the physical size slightly larger than a standard 3.5-inch internal hard drive, it can deliver more than three times the storage space of any external SSD, with even higher capacity on the horizon.
Pros
Tons of storage space with excellent performance for an HDD-based device
USB-C port with included cables
Cons
Takes a long time to boot up or wake up
Reformat required for Windows users; a bit pricey
Best External Drives: The final thoughts
While the list above is in the rating order, the drives are so different that the ranking can be irrelevant. That said, pick the one that best fits your needs, and any of them will work out well.
Last but not least, most, if not all, of them are single-drive storage, meaning there’s no safeguard against hardware failure, such as RAID. For that reason, you shouldn’t use any of them to store the only copy of your important data, but only its backup.