Best Seagate External Hard Drives

Updated March 2019
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BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.
Bottom Line
Pros
Cons
Best of the Best
Seagate
Expansion Desktop
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Bottom Line

The best way to have a large amount of storage for a desktop without breaking the bank.

Pros

The design of the hard drive is narrow enough to fit on most desktop work spaces. Will work automatically with PC and Mac computers. Compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports.

Cons

Hard drive requires an included power supply and cannot be powered from USB alone.

Best Bang for the Buck
Seagate
Backup Plus
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Bottom Line

The best budget Seagate external hard drive with a decent amount of storage.

Pros

Comes with a storage range of 1-5 terabytes of data. Integrated backup software is easy to use and customize for the specific computer. PS4 compatible with the right update.

Cons

Getting the hard drive to work with a MacBook may require reformatting the drive.

Seagate
Expansion
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Bottom Line

A good, modern option from Seagate for extra storage and fast data transfer speeds out of the box.

Pros

The exterior of the hard drive can resist common dents and scratches when carrying the device in a pocket. Does not require any additional software or power supply to work correctly.

Cons

The hard drive can stop working unexpectedly or may require formatting. Best used for temporary storage.

Seagate
Backup Plus Desktop
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Bottom Line

One of the best external hard drives from Seagate for large files and graphic/video work.

Pros

High-speed USB 3.0 ports on the front of the hard drive make it easy to plug in cameras, audio recorders, and other media devices for data transfer. Large amount of storage for the price.

Cons

The size of the hard drive is too large to carry around as a mobile storage solution for laptops.

Seagate
Game Drive for Xbox
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Bottom Line

A unique storage solution from Seagate for the Xbox gaming platform to extend the storage capacity.

Pros

Plugs directly into the Xbox 360 and Xbox One gaming consoles without the need for additional upgrades or a power cable. Can store programs, saved game files, and downloaded applications.

Cons

The hard drive is loud when transferring data to and from the Xbox console. May require initial formatting.

How we decided

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

18 Models Considered
7 Hours Researched
1 Experts Interviewed
299 Consumers Consulted
Zero products received from manufacturers.

We purchase every product we review with our own funds — we never accept anything from product manufacturers.

Why trust BestReviews?
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers.
BestReviews spends thousands of hours researching, analyzing, and testing products to recommend the best picks for most consumers. We buy all products with our own funds, and we never accept free products from manufacturers.

Seagate sells a variety of external hard drives for both Mac and PC systems that can help with your desktop or travel storage and backup needs. When buying a unit, consider what you are using it for. If it is for travel or tight desktop spaces, go for a lighter, more compact drive. If you need more storage space, consider larger drives capable of holding more or larger files. Is it rugged and USB-powered, both of which are prized for travel drives? Research any backup or other software that ships with it. Some of these drives have additional USB ports, so you can easily transfer files from cameras and other devices, while others are designed with gaming storage in mind.

The team that worked on this review
  • Austin
    Austin
    Writer
  • Enid
    Enid
    Editor
  • Melinda
    Melinda
    Web Producer
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Seagate

Backup Plus

Seagate

Backup Plus

The best budget Seagate external hard drive with a decent amount of storage.
$0
×

Seagate

Expansion

Seagate

Expansion

A good, modern option from Seagate for extra storage and fast data transfer speeds out of the box.
$64
×

Seagate

Backup Plus Desktop

Seagate

Backup Plus Desktop

One of the best external hard drives from Seagate for large files and graphic/video work.
$149
×

Seagate

Expansion Desktop

Seagate

Expansion Desktop

The best way to have a large amount of storage for a desktop without breaking the bank.
$139
×

Seagate

Game Drive for Xbox

Seagate

Game Drive for Xbox

A unique storage solution from Seagate for the Xbox gaming platform to extend the storage capacity.
$79

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