Advertising Disclosure External Storage Comparison - September 2026
7 Best External Storage In the UK
Our rankings are generated through the algorithmic analysis of thousands of customer reviews about products, brands, merchant customer service levels, popularity trends, and more. We use advanced technology, including AI, to help process and organize this information at scale, supporting our analysis with greater speed and consistency. The rankings reflect our opinion and should be a good starting point for shopping.
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| 1 Best Choice  9.6Exceptional | 2  9.4Excellent | 3  9.3Excellent | 4  9.0Excellent | 5 Best Value  8.9Very Good | 6  8.8Very Good | 7  8.6Very Good |
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ModelSeagate 16TB Expansion Desktop Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STKP16000400) | Model SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 2TB - Up to 1050MB/s Read Speeds (Older Model) | Model Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STGX2000400) | Model WD 5TB Elements AE Portable External Hard Drive, SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0, Plug-and-Play, Formatted for Windows, Black | Model SanDisk 1TB Portable SSD, Up to 800MB/s Read Speeds, Monterey | Model Toshiba Canvio Partner 2TB Portable 2.5’’ External Hard Drive, USB 3.2, Mac & Windows compatible. (HDTB520EK3AB) | Model WD 2TB Elements AE Portable External Hard Drive, SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0, Plug-and-Play, Formatted for Windows, Black |
BrandSeagate | Brand SanDisk | Brand Seagate | Brand Western Digital | Brand SanDisk | Brand Toshiba | Brand Western Digital |
Reviews - | Reviews - | Reviews - | Reviews - | Reviews - | Reviews - | Reviews - |
Tech Specs | ||||||
Capacity16TB | Capacity 2TB | Capacity 2TB | Capacity 5TB | Capacity 1TB | Capacity - | Capacity 2TB |
InterfaceUSB 3.0 | Interface USB-C | Interface USB 3.0 | Interface SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 3.0 | Interface - | Interface USB 3.2 (compatible with USB 3.0) | Interface - |
Form FactorDesktop | Form Factor - | Form Factor Portable Drive | Form Factor Portable External Hard Drive | Form Factor - | Form Factor - | Form Factor Portable External Hard Drive |
CompatibilityWindows and Mac (reformatting required for Time Machine) | Compatibility - | Compatibility PC Laptop and Mac | Compatibility - | Compatibility - | Compatibility Mac & Windows | Compatibility - |
Available On | Available On | Available On | Available On | Available On | Available On | Available On |
Our Top 3 Picks
Here are the top 3 recommended products with more information to help you find the right product for you
9.6
1Seagate12% OffSeagate 16TB Expansion Desktop Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STKP16000400)
Why we love it
Simple plug and play setup
Large 16TB storage capacity
Includes data recovery services
Main highlights- Fast file transfers with USB 3.0
- Enjoy peace of mind with the included limited warranty and Rescue Data Recovery Services
- Easy-to-use desktop hard drive—simply plug in the power adapter and USB cable
- Drag-and-drop file saving right out of the box
- Automatic recognition of Windows and Mac computers for simple setup (Reformatting required for use with Time Machine)
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9.4
2SanDisk
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 2TB - Up to 1050MB/s Read Speeds (Older Model)
Why we love it
Fast file transfers and backups
Lightweight and highly portable
Durable water and dust resistant design
Main highlights- Use the handy Carabiner loop to secure it to your belt loop or backpack for extra peace of mind
- Up to three-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance mean this tough drive can take a beating
- Travel worry-free with a 5-year limited warranty and a durable silicone shell that offers a premium feel and added protection to the drive’s exterior
- Help keep private content private with the included password protection featuring 256‐bit AES hardware encryption. Password protection uses 256-bit AES encryption and is supported by Windows 8, Windows 10 and macOS v10.9+
- Get NVMe solid state performance featuring up to 1050MB/s read and up to 1000MB/s write speeds in a portable, high-capacity drive that’s perfect for creating amazing content or capturing incredible footage
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9.3
3Seagate
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard Drive | USB 3.0 (STGX2000400)
Why we love it
Easy drag and drop backup
Automatic recognition for quick setup
Portable lightweight design
Main highlights- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 30 cable
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- Amazon Exclusive
Our ranking system
The topchoice.co.uk Team selects top-of-the-line items from a wide selection and conducts rigorous evaluations on almost all the products available on the internet. We rank each product based on how well it matches our criteria.We can ensure that the product is well-tested with the help of our expertise, experts, and artificial intelligence technology. topchoice.co.uk requires consistent care for the products we review, ensuring that our assessments are always accurate and up to date.
Features
Our team of experts analyzes key attributes, capabilities, significance, and many more depending on the type of product to determine its effectiveness.
Consumer Reviews
We ensure an evaluation of the ratings using references all over the internet for each product. With the help of our AI technology and professional review teams, we give weight to the worth of individual user experiences.
Popularity
Popularity is an important criterion in choosing a product. Several factors contribute to the popularity of the products on our site, including prestige, relevance, reputation, news, and more.
Value for money
topchoice.co.uk compares product attributes to price, examines tech specs, ratings and reviews, and more.When compared to other criteria, does the pricing seem reasonable? In order to provide genuine value for money, our team must answer that question with advanced calculations.
Value for money
topchoice.co.uk compares product attributes to price, examines tech specs, ratings and reviews, and more.When compared to other criteria, does the pricing seem reasonable? In order to provide genuine value for money, our team must answer that question with advanced calculations.
