Search
  • Videos
  • Windows 10
  • 5G
  • Best VPNs
  • Cloud
  • Security
  • AI
  • more
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
  • Newsletters
  • All Writers
    • Preferences
    • Community
    • Newsletters
    • Log Out
  • Menu
    • Videos
    • Windows 10
    • 5G
    • Best VPNs
    • Cloud
    • Security
    • AI
    • TR Premium
    • Working from Home
    • Innovation
    • Best Web Hosting
    • ZDNet Recommends
    • Tonya Hall Show
    • Executive Guides
    • ZDNet Academy
    • See All Topics
    • White Papers
    • Downloads
    • Reviews
    • Galleries
    • Videos
    • TechRepublic Forums
      • Preferences
      • Community
      • Newsletters
      • Log Out
  • us
    • Asia
    • Australia
    • Europe
    • India
    • United Kingdom
    • United States
    • ZDNet around the globe:
    • ZDNet France
    • ZDNet Germany
    • ZDNet Korea
    • ZDNet Japan

High-performance storage for PC and Mac (August 2016)

8 of 16 NEXT PREV
  • Introduction

    Introduction

    Got a lot of data that you need to carry with you or keep close to hand? Read on!

    Whether you have a few gigabytes to store, or many terabytes to wrangle, this selection of professional storage devices for PC and Mac systems has you covered.

    Here are devices ranging from tiny "James Bond" style USB flash drives no bigger than a fingernail, to huge 48TB desktop monster drives.

    See also:

    • Samsung Galaxy Note 7: Tech specs
    • Transform Google Chrome into the ultimate browsing tool
    • Here's how to quickly and simply update all your Apple devices
    • Acronis Backup 12 offers 'world's easiest and fastest backup'
    • Seagate unveils world's largest consumer hard drive
    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Samsung Portable SSD T3

    Samsung Portable SSD T3

    Weighing in at 51 grams and roughly the size of a business card, the Samsung Portable SSD T3 features shock-resistant exterior metal body, internal support frame and optional AES 256-bit hardware encryption.

    Samsung's V-NAND technology also means that this drive is capable of data transfer rates of 450MB/sec.

    Price: From $105 for 250GB.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • OWC ThunderBay 4 mini

    OWC ThunderBay 4 mini

    The OWC ThunderBay 4 mini is a high-performance RAID-ready storage device that fits in the palm of your hand.

    It features dual Thunderbolt 2 ports let you connect any display that your computer can support, including 4K displays, and you can also daisy-chain up to six ThunderBays to a single Thunderbolt port.

    Storage options from 500GB to 8TB available, in both HDD and SSD.

    Price: From $580.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • SanDisk Extreme 900 portable SSD

    SanDisk Extreme 900 portable SSD

    The SanDisk Extreme 900 portable SSD delivers up to 9x faster speeds than a portable hard drive, with read and write speeds up to up to 850 MB/s.

    The drive comes in capacities from 480GB to 1.92TB.

    Price: From $279.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • G-Technology G-Drive mobile USB-C

    G-Technology G-Drive mobile USB-C

    The G-Technology G-Drive mobile USB-C is a fast portable drive featuring a USB Type-C port geared towards users looking for speed, a sleek design and Time Machine compatibility.

    Inside its thin, beveled aluminum case is a high-performance 7200 RPM hard drive with versatile USB Type-C connectivity for up to 1TB of video and photo files. Since the drive features USB-C connectivity, it is easy to set up and bus-powered, so there's no need to carry an external AC power supply.

    Price: $115.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • 4TB Samsung 850 EVO

    4TB Samsung 850 EVO

    This drive will set you back a whopping $1,499. The 4TB Samsung 850 EVO sounds like a lot, but it works out at less than $0.38 per GB, which is actually pretty reasonable for a high-end SSD. That said, compared to the 500GB version of the 850 EVO, you are paying a premium of about $0.05 per GB.

    According to the spec sheet, this drive is capable of read and write speeds of 540MB/s and 520MB/s, respectively, making it the perfect choice for anyone who has to juggle a lot of data.

    Price: $1,499.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • OWC Mercury Elite Pro Qx2

    OWC Mercury Elite Pro Qx2

    The OWC Mercury Elite Pro Qx2 is engineered to excel for applications such as backup, audio/video, photography, data management and more.

    It comes preconfigured, plug and play ready in RAID-5 mode (high performance w/redundancy), you can easily change among its RAID 0, 1, 5, 10, span, and independent modes for the best combination of speed, capacity, and redundancy to meet any need you have.

    Storage options from 4TB to 32TB.

    Price: From $499.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • 10TB Seagate Barracude Pro

    10TB Seagate Barracude Pro

    The new Barracuda Pro is the first consumer desktop drive to hit the 10TB mark. The data is crammed onto seven platters, and it has a rotational speed of 7,200rpm, giving it a sustained transfer rate of 220MBps. Impressive for a hard drive, but it's nothing to write home about when it comes to the performance offered by SSDs.

    The drive is also energy-efficient, consuming just 6.8W during seek operations and 4.5W at idle.

    The drive comes with a five-year warranty.

    Price: $534.99.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • G-Tech G-SPEED Studio XL

    G-Tech G-SPEED Studio XL

    The G-Tech G-SPEED Studio XL with two ev Series Bay Adapters* is a flexible, 8-Bay Thunderbolt 2 solution that delivers colossal capacity and fast transfer rates for demanding video workflows.

    The integrated Bay Adapters accommodate all ev Series drives, enabling cross-functionality with the Evolution Series for enhanced workflow and productivity.

    Capacities range from 18TB to a whopping 48TB!

    Price: $2,800 for 18TB, to $5,000 for 48TB.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0

    SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0

    Store up to 128GB is something not much bigger than your fingernail.

    Not only are these drives great when you want to pack the maximum amount of storage into the smallest space possible, but they are also work great as additional storage for tablets, smart TVs and car stereos where low-profile is paramount.

    I have a few of these, and other than the fact that they are easy to misplace/lose, there's not much wrong with them.

    Price: 128GB for $35.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • OWC Drive Dock

    OWC Drive Dock

    The OWC Drive Dock is the ultimate, high-performance bare drive access tool. For creative workflows, backup, or other tasks requiring constant access to multiple drives.

    Two drive bays accommodate both 2.5" and 3.5" drives and can access a drive in each simultaneously. Each bay features its own independent power switch and LED activity monitor. Dual Thunderbolt 2 ports deliver extreme-speed data transfers, and support daisy-chain expansion with up to five additional Thunderbolt devices. Drive Dock also includes a USB 3.0 port for versatile compatibility and the auto-switching internal power supply is compatible with any dual prong cable.

    Price: $245.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • OWC Envoy Pro mini

    OWC Envoy Pro mini

    The OWC Envoy Pro mini is an ultra-portable, SuperSpeed bus-powered external SSD storage solution built around OWC's Aura Pro SSD, which is a fast SSD capable of transfer rates of up to 500MB/s.

    Elegant, light, and strong, the Envoy Pro mini offers full-sized desktop-class SSD performance in the ultimate go-anywhere storage companion.

    Price: From $98 for 120GB.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • OWC Envoy Pro EX

    OWC Envoy Pro EX

    Small, thin, light, beautifully designed, and packed with super-fast storage, the OWC Envoy Pro EX external flash drive is ideal for any professional looking to augment the internal storage.

    And despite being an external drive, the OWC Envoy Pro EX is fast enough to keep up with the most demanding of tasks.

    Price: Starting at $165 for 240GB.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • VisionTek 240GB USB 3.0 Pocket SSD

    VisionTek 240GB USB 3.0 Pocket SSD

    The VisionTek USB Pocket SSD looks like any other high-capacity flash drive with a USB 3.0 connector, but on the inside it is a full-blown Solid State Drive (SSD) featuring a high-performance SandForce controller.

    Yes, this is a pocketable SSD.

    This means you'll experience up to 455MB/s reads and up to 440MB/s writes, which is as quick as some internal SSDs currently available.

    All this technology is housed in a tough aircraft-grade aluminum enclosure.

    Highly recommended!

    Price: $174.99.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • Kingston DataTraveler microDuo

    Kingston DataTraveler microDuo

    A tiny drive that even James Bond would be impressed by! The Kingston DataTraveler microDuo not only connects to Windows/Mac/Linux PCs, but also works with Android 4.0+ devices that feature USB OTG support, allowing you to access the storage, which in turn allows you to expand the storage on your smartphone or tablet.

    Price: Ranging from $12 for 16GB to $30 for 64GB.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Photo by: Kingston

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

  • NewerTech miniStack MAX

    NewerTech miniStack MAX

    The NewerTech miniStack MAX puts the diverse functionality of a high-capacity hard drive, Blu-ray/CD/DVD optical drive, SD card reader and USB powered hub into a single elegant aluminum finish enclosure.

    Ideal when you want to maximize desk space or reduce on cable clutter.

    Storage options from 0TB (add your own drive) to 6TB.

    Price: From $168.

    Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

    Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

8 of 16 NEXT PREV
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Hardware 2.0 | August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT) | Topic: Storage

  • Introduction
  • Samsung Portable SSD T3
  • OWC ThunderBay 4 mini
  • SanDisk Extreme 900 portable SSD
  • G-Technology G-Drive mobile USB-C
  • 4TB Samsung 850 EVO
  • OWC Mercury Elite Pro Qx2
  • 10TB Seagate Barracude Pro
  • G-Tech G-SPEED Studio XL
  • SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.0
  • OWC Drive Dock
  • OWC Envoy Pro mini
  • OWC Envoy Pro EX
  • VisionTek 240GB USB 3.0 Pocket SSD
  • Kingston DataTraveler microDuo
  • NewerTech miniStack MAX

While cloud storage has appeared just in time to offer free (or at least cheap) and easy access to gigabytes of storage space, many like to keep their data close to hand. Here are some of the best storage devices money can buy that will help you keep your data safe and organized.

Read More Read Less

10TB Seagate Barracude Pro

The new Barracuda Pro is the first consumer desktop drive to hit the 10TB mark. The data is crammed onto seven platters, and it has a rotational speed of 7,200rpm, giving it a sustained transfer rate of 220MBps. Impressive for a hard drive, but it's nothing to write home about when it comes to the performance offered by SSDs.

The drive is also energy-efficient, consuming just 6.8W during seek operations and 4.5W at idle.

The drive comes with a five-year warranty.

Price: $534.99.

Published: August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT)

Caption by: Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

8 of 16 NEXT PREV

Related Topics:

Hardware Reviews Mobility Data Centers Cloud
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes

By Adrian Kingsley-Hughes for Hardware 2.0 | August 4, 2016 -- 17:59 GMT (10:59 PDT) | Topic: Storage

Show Comments
LOG IN TO COMMENT
  • My Profile
  • Log Out
| Community Guidelines

Join Discussion

Add Your Comment
Add Your Comment

Related Galleries

  • 1 of 3
  • OWC Envoy Pro FX external SSD

    High-speed external drive capable of to 2800MB/s, IP67 rated, and drop-tested to MIL-STD810G.

  • OWC U2 Shuttle for 3.5-inch drive bay

    Fit up to four NVMe M.2 SSDs into a swappable, high capacity, flexible, and RAID-ready storage module.

  • Fake microSD card

    Typical of fake microSD cards -- low-quality, low-capacity cards reprogrammed to give the impression they are bigger, and a bit of nasty screen print added on top. ...

  • iStorage datAshur BT hardware encrypted flash drive

    FIPS 140-2 Level 3 compliant storage drive with wireless unlock feature and remote management. IP57 rated for dust and water resistance.

  • Samsung 980 PRO

    The 980 PRO offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 7,000 MB/s and 5,000 MB/s respectively, along with random read and write speeds of up to 1,000K IOP. ...

  • SanDisk 256GB Ultra Dual USB-C/USB-A flash drive

    This flash drive is small, versatile, reliable, tough (it's been rattling on my keys for weeks and it's pretty much like new), and at $35 for 256GB, it's very cheap. ...

  • RAVPower iPhone Flash Drive

    The RAVPower iPhone Flash Drive is an MFi Certified USB 3.0 flash drive that allows you to access the data on the drive and charge your iPhone simultaneously. ...

ZDNet
Connect with us

© 2021 ZDNET, A RED VENTURES COMPANY. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Privacy Policy | Cookie Settings | Advertise | Terms of Use

  • Topics
  • Galleries
  • Videos
  • Sponsored Narratives
  • Do Not Sell My Information
  • About ZDNet
  • Meet The Team
  • All Authors
  • RSS Feeds
  • Site Map
  • Reprint Policy
  • Manage | Log Out
  • Join | Log In
  • Membership
  • Newsletters
  • Site Assistance
  • ZDNet Academy
  • TechRepublic Forums