What is the Best External 2TB Hard Drive to Buy?
Nowadays, people require more hard drive space for their laptops because of how huge the file sizes are now compared to before. Of course, it’s also nice to be able to carry your important files wherever you go so that you can basically bring your computer with you in a tiny external hard drive. While external hard drives come in different storage sizes, most people often go for a 2 terabyte or TB storage capability because it already is good enough for their needs. So, what is the best external 2TB hard drive to buy today?
The best 2TB external hard drive on the market today is arguably the Seagate Backup Plus Slim because it comes in a compact and light build while also delivering you above-average speeds that are already enough for the usual user. It also is quite affordable, which makes it accessible to most consumers.
There are actually a lot of different considerations to look at if you want to buy a 2TB external hard drive. However, we really loved what the Seagate Backup Plus Slim gives us when compared to other 2TB options on the market. So, let’s get to know more about this external hard drive and why we regard it as the best in the market today.
What is the best external 2TB hard drive to buy?
The best external 2TB hard drive you can buy today is the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. There are different reasons why we considered it our favorite and we also used all sorts of different parameters when we declared it as the winner among all of the different 2TB hard drives on the market today.
Design and Size
When it comes to its design, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim really isn’t an eye-catcher. It actually made it a point to stick with a minimalist design that we actually like because of how it stays discreet yet still pretty much stylish. Others might prefer a more eye-catching design when it comes to their external hard drives but the Backup Plus Slim is already pleasing enough aesthetics-wise especially if you prefer a more subtle and minimalist approach when it comes to your gadgets.
While the Seagate Backup Plus Slim opted to go for a plastic case with a brush metal layer that actually feels cold to the touch. Other than the Seagate logo, the only other thing on the case is the status light. It truly did its part when it comes to the minimalist aspect of this external hard drive.
The Seagate Backup Plus Slim actually lives up to its name when it comes to its size. While most 2TB external hard drives are understandably thicker, the Backup Plus Slim comes with dimensions of 4.52 x 3.07 x 0.46 inches and weighs only 4.60 ounces. It certainly is lighter and thinner than most other 2TB options on the market. This makes it ideal for those who prefer to carry their external hard drives in their pockets or in their purses.
Performance
In terms of its performance, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim is a middle-of-the-pack external hard drive that carries speeds that are more than enough considering that it’s a conventional 5,400 RPM hard drive with a 128MB cache.
Seagate markets it as having speeds of up to 120 MB/s when transferring files. In that sense, it shouldn’t even be above-average in terms of performance given the fact that there are alternatives that can easily go up to 130 MB/s. However, when we tested its speeds, we were actually surprised at how it performed a lot better than marketed.
In terms of its write speeds, it scored at about 137 MB/s. But when we tried transferring a fairly large 10GB file, it actually had a maximum transfer speed of 128 MB/s. This meant that it truly did better than advertised, which is impressive given that companies would much rather market their products to be better than they actually are.
And what is even more impressive about the Backup Plus Slim was that, despite its slim frame, it barely made any noise and stayed cool to the touch. While it probably won’t stay cool if you use it for long periods of time, the fact that it didn’t feel hot or even make a lot of noise while we were using it for testing and transferring is more than enough to make us fall in love with it in comparison to the other 2TB options on the market.
Other Features
If there was anything lacking about the Seagate Backup Plus Slim, it is that it doesn’t come with the more advanced features, security, and software that the more expensive 2TB external hard drive choices have. Still, it does come with a few additions that make it worth our consideration especially when you consider that it is more affordable than the other options on the market.
The Seagate Backup Plus Slim comes with a free Mylio Create photo management software that is great for artists and other creative users. So, for those who are in the photography or design business, using the Backup Plus Slim should be of great help to you especially when you are always on the go with your photography jobs and you want something that is slim and has the right software that would help you get the job done.
Meanwhile, this external hard drive also comes with a free two-month subscription to Adobe Creative Cloud. Again, this is good news for the creative people who are always on the go because of the demands of their job.
Aside from all that, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim comes with a two-year warranty that is sure to be a plus to those who want to be sure that their needs are taken care of well by the company behind this external hard drive.
Overall
Overall, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim doesn’t really stand out a lot when it comes to one feature or another. Except for the fact that it is a lot slimmer than most other options on the market when it comes to the 2TB range, this external hard drive does fairly well in all of its selling points. It looks stylish in a minimalist way even though it might not stand out and has the speed and performance that will surprise most people. Still, the one selling point that we truly love about the Backup Plus Slim is how compact and light it is in comparison to its competition.
Speaking of its competition, you might want to go for the Western Digital and Toshiba counterparts at the 2TB range if you want a good alternative to the Seagate Backup Plus Slim. The WD Elements is a best-selling product but isn’t as compact as the Backup Plus Slim even if it might perform slightly better. Of course, the Toshiba Canvio Slim can also be an excellent choice but it is more expensive than our favorite from Seagate.
Should you choose a 2TB external HDD or SSD?
Today, the solid-state drive or the SSD is widely regarded as the future of the storage world precisely because it is smaller and much faster than an HDD. On top of that, SSDs have no moving parts that do the writing. That means that they rely more on flash memory when they do the writing.
So, does that necessarily mean that SSDs are better choices for you compared to HDDs? Well, not exactly. There are different parameters to look at when you are looking for the right portable drive to carry with you especially when you really want something that matches your needs and lifestyle.
For one, SSDs are better for laptop users who are always on the go. Most mid to high-end laptops today now rely on SSDs for their internal storage because they are smaller and require less power. And, of course, due to the fact that SSDs don’t have moving parts, they are much more durable than an HDD. Add the fact that laptop users are always on the go and they may encounter rough conditions during their travels, the SSD is a better choice for them.
Meanwhile, for those who might not always find themselves on the go especially when they are usually cooped up at home or in the office, an HDD might already be a good choice for you. The reason is that HDDs are much more affordable and have an indefinite lifespan because of how the cells on an SSD will eventually deteriorate the more you use them. So, if you are looking for a cheap and convenient way to store your files, HDDs are more than enough.
Still, because SSDs are the future and they are a lot faster (with transfer speeds of at least 500 MB/s), you may still want to consider them especially if money is not an issue for you and if you prefer transfer speeds above any other factor. But if you are looking for something that’s readily convenient and affordable, a 2TB HDD today would still be worth your consideration.
