Essentials

Best computer backup drives in 2022 (plus deals)

By Kaylyn McKenna

June 23, 2022 / 12:19 PM EDT / Essentials

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If something bad happens to your computer, are you prepared? Backing up your data is important -- and using a backup drive can be key to protecting against the loss of family photos, important work documents and other files. Here's a look at top-rated computer backup drives for 2022 that you can buy today. Several of these drives, including ones by Samsung and Seagate, are on sale right now.

Top products in this article

Seagate Expansion external hard drive (10 TB), $190 (reduced from $220)

$190 at Amazon

Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD (2 TB), $240 (reduced from $290)

$240 at Samsung

Toshiba Canvio Basics portable external hard drive (2 TB), $58

$58 at Amazon

When it comes to backup drives, everyday users typically have two options: a hard disk drive (HDD); and, a solid-state drive (SSD). A hard disk drive is the traditional storage option. It features a spinning disk with a moving head that's used to read and write data. An HDD tends to offer more storage space than the similarly priced SSD.

A solid-state drive doesn't have any moving parts. Instead, data is stored on flash memory with two microchips. An SSD offers faster reading and writing speeds. It also tends to be more durable.

After consulting user reviews, we've compiled a rundown of the best computer backup drives you can shop today. Our list is broken down into two categories: the best HDD options; and, the best SSD options. Keep reading to find the one that's right for your backup storage needs.

Best HDD computer backup drives in 2022

Take a look at the following HDD computer backup drives to find the right option for your data storage needs.

Western Digital My Book desktop external hard drive (18 TB)

The Western Digital My Book is an 18 TB external hard drive with USB 2.0 compatibility. It works with Windows and MacOS, and includes software for device management and password-protected backup. It offers security via 256-bit AES hardware encryption -- the encryption type used by many leading cybersecurity tools.

Western Digital My Book HDD desktop external hard drive (18 TB), $180 (reduced from $200)

$180 at Amazon

Toshiba Canvio Basics portable HDD external hard drive (2 TB)

Toshiba's Canvio Basics is a great budget option that provides a good amount of storage space. It doesn't require any software installation, so it's also a great option for beginners. The Canvio Basics hard drive works with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 cables, and with either Mac or Windows computers, but, please note, you will have to reformat to make it compatible with a Mac device.

Toshiba Canvio Basics portable HDD external hard drive (2 TB), $58

$58 at Amazon

Seagate Expansion external hard drive HDD (10 TB)

The Seagate Expansion drive offers 10 TB of storage for a reasonable price. The backup drive is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers, with no software installation or setup required. It is compatible with USB 3.0 cables.

Seagate Expansion external hard drive HDD (10 TB), $190 (reduced from $220)

$190 at Amazon

G-Technology ArmorATD all-terrain HDD portable external hard drive (2 TB)

The G-Technology portable external hard drive is water and dust resistant, with triple-layer shock resistance for added durability. The hard drive is USB-C ready, and comes with a USB-C to USB-A adapter for USB 3.0 compatibility. It is compatible with both Windows and Mac computers.

G-Technology ArmorATD all-terrain HDD portable external hard drive (2 TB), $99 (reduced from $120)

$99 at Amazon

LaCie Rugged Mini HDD external hard drive (4 TB)

The LaCie Rugged Mini is an external hard drive that's designed to offer water resistance and shock protection. The manufacturer says it can come away from a drop of up to 4 feet without sustaining damage. It uses USB 3.0. The hard drive has built-in password protection, and boasts a maximum speed of 130 MB per second.

Note: The drive requires reformatting to be compatible with Mac computers.

LaCie Rugged Mini HDD external hard drive (4 TB), $150 (reduced from $160)

$150 at Amazon

Best SSD computer backup drives in 2022

These are the best SSD backup drive options we found.

Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD (2 TB)

The Samsung T7 Shield is an ultra-fast SSD with a read speed of 1,000 MB per second, and a write speed of 1,050 MB per second. The drive offers dust and water resistance, plus Samsung states that the device can endure a drop of 9.8 feet. It comes in 1 TB and 2 TB storage options.

The T7 Shield is currently on sale during the Discover Samsung Summer sales event, now through June 26, 2022.

Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD (2 TB), $240 (reduced from $290)

$240 at Samsung

SanDisk Extreme portable SSD (1 TB)

The portable SanDisk Extreme is a lightweight, but durable SSD backup drive. It boasts drop protection along with water and dust resistance. It offers password protection with 256‐bit AES hardware encryption. The SSD has a 1,050 MB read speed, and a 1,000 MB write speed. It is compatible with USB-C cables, and can be used to back up smartphones or computers.

SanDisk Extreme portable SSD (1 TB), $130 (reduced from $250)

$130 at Amazon