The best external hard drives and SSDs for Chromebooks can provide a workaround for limited or slow local storage space on your laptop. This is especially important when even some of the best Chromebooks still use slow and limited eMMC drives with a heavy reliance on cloud storage. You don’t always want to offload your data to the cloud, especially if it’s sensitive or particularly important.
Solid-state drives (SSD) have mostly taken over for hard-disk drives (HDD) due to their compact size, superior durability, and modern performance, so we’ve mostly included these faster options. However, HDDs are still popular when it comes to bulk storage on the cheap, and we’ve included a couple of options in this list. Here are the best external hard drives and SSDs for your Chromebook.
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Source: Samsung
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
Best overall
Our favorite external hard drives and SSDs for Chromebooks
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
Best overall
With rugged and fingerprint models also available
Samsung’s T7, also available in T7 Touch and T7 Shield variants, is our top pick for an external SSD. It’s competitively priced, reliable, and can maximize performance on USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2).
- Competitive pricing
- 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities available
- Up to 1,050MB/s read speeds with USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2)
- Rugged and secure models aren’t as affordable
Samsung’s T7 lineup of external SSDs is hard to beat, which is why it’s at the top of our list. The standard T7 comes in three different colors and three capacities (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB), built from a solid chunk of aluminum for plenty of durability. It’s small enough that you can slip it into a pocket when you’re on the move, and it weighs in at about two ounces.
The T7 connects to your Chromebook with USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2), providing read speeds up to 1,050MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000MB/s. You can, of course, use the SSD with slower interfaces (like USB-A), though performance will be capped depending on the type of connection. All drives have 256-bit AES encryption to protect your data.
The standard T7 will suit most people, but Samsung also makes T7 Touch and T7 Shield (released most recently) models. The former adds a fingerprint reader for quick and easy access to encrypted on the drive, while the latter adds IP65 water and dust resistance in the form of a rubberized shell. We still think the normal T7 is the best drive for most people, but it’s nice to have options should you want more security or durability. All drives are priced competitively and have a reputation for being extremely reliable. These are my go-to SSDs, and I’ve yet to experience a failure or issue.
WD My Passport HDD
Best value
Affordable and portable HDD
WD’s My Passport is a hard-disk drive, meaning it won’t match the speeds or reliability of an SSD. However, it makes up for it by offering affordable bulk storage. It has 256-bit AES encryption to protect your data, and it’s available in up to a 5TB capacity.
- Up to 5TB of storage for about $110
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Portable design
- Not as fast as an SSD
- Not as reliable as an SSD
- Not as compact as an SSD
While we’ve focused mainly on SSDs in this guide, there are still some external HDDs out there worth a look. If you’d like to spend as little as possible and still have a portable drive, the WD My Passport can deliver. It measures roughly four inches by three inches, it’s lightweight, and it has a removable host cable. This is a great pick if you’re looking to pair a budget drive with a great budget Chromebook. It’s even available in five different colors.
It’s meant to work with the USB-A 3.2 (Gen 1) standard, which translates to read speed up to about 130MB/s when combined with the hard disk’s potential. It’s not nearly as fast as an SSD, but you can pick up 1TB of storage for about $65. It also comes in 2TB, 4TB, and 5TB capacities, topping out at just $130 for the largest option. In addition, drives come with 256-bit AES encryption and a three-year warranty.
SanDisk Professional PRO-G40
Premium pick
Thunderbolt performance
$180 $300 Save $120
The SanDisk PRO-G40 portable SSD is a rather rugged external SSD with IP68 water and dust protection, three-meter drop protection, and a five-year warranty. It works best with a Thunderbolt 3 connection, but it’s also compatible with regular USB-C. This is a great, if expensive, option for power users.
- Transfer speeds up to 3,000MB/s
- IP68 water and dust protection
- Five-year warranty
- Overkill for most Chromebook users
The selection of external SSDs compatible with Thunderbolt is limited; most rely on standard USB-C to deliver speeds up to about 1,050MB/s. That’s great for most people, but power users might want to take advantage of their Chromebook’s port potential. If you do have a laptop with Thunderbolt, the SanDisk PRO-G40 should be a top choice.
The SSD weighs in at about 121g, yet it has IP68 water and dust resistance, three-meter drop protection, and even enough crush resistance (4,000 pounds!) that you’d have a hard time flattening it out. Its Thunderbolt 3 connection allows it to hit read speeds up to 3,000MB/s and write speeds up to 2,500MB/s, falling back to USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) speeds if your laptop doesn’t have Thunderbolt. Pick it up in 1TB and 2TB capacities, and enjoy a five-year warranty.
Crucial X6 Portable SSD
Best for travel
Slim and affordable
The Crucial X6 isn’t the fastest SSD around, but it is one of the best for traveling. Its slim design and rounded edges make it easy to slip into a pocket, and it can deliver up to 800MB/s transfer speeds with capacities up to 4TB.
- Two-meter drop protection
- Slim and portable design with rounded edges
- Relatively affordable
- No IP rating for dust and water
- Not as fast as some other SSDs
The Crucial X6 portable SSD might be the best pick if you’re always on the road. It’s one of the most compact drives out there, measuring 2.7 inches by 2.5 inches and weighing about 1.4 ounces. Its square design with rounded edges makes it easy to carry in a pants pocket, and it has a removable host cable. It even boasts drop protection up to two meters.
This SSD is meant to work with USB-C 3.2 but will also work with USB-A, and speeds will differ depending on the capacity you pick up. The 500GB models top out at read speeds of about 540MB/s, while the 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models climb up to 800MB/s. It’s a bit slower than other top SSD models, but it’s still way faster than an HDD. These drives are relatively affordable, with the 1TB model costing only about $55.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
Most rugged
Thunderbolt speed and tons of protection
LaCie’s Rugged SSD Pro is a top option for anyone who needs maximum protection for their data. Best part? It can hit read speeds up to 2,800MB/s when connected with Thunderbolt.
- Extremely rugged design
- Transfer speeds up to 2,800MB/s
- Capacities up to 4TB available
- Very expensive
- Not worth it for Chromebooks without Thunderbolt
LaCie’s Rugged SSD Pro combines fast Thunderbolt performance with outstanding durability and protection. It’s one of the best all-around drives out there, but it doesn’t come cheap. If you are willing to shell out, you’ll get transfer speeds up to 2,800MB/s when connected to Thunderbolt, IP67 water and dust resistance, drop protection up to three meters, and even crush resistance rated at up to two tons.
The SSD remains small enough to easily fit in the palm of your hand, and it comes in capacities ranging from 1TB up to 4TB. Be sure that your Chromebook is equipped with Thunderbolt before buying in order to get the most out of this drive.
WD My Book External Hard Drive
Best for mass storage
HDD with up to a 22TB capacity
$112 $180 Save $68
Need a lot of storage on the cheap? Don’t mind slower read and write speeds? Don’t particularly care about mobility? The WD My Book external HDD is available in capacities ranging from 4TB all the way to 22TB.
- Massive capacities available
- Very affordable pricing
- 256-bit AES encryption
- Not portable
- Slow read and write speeds compared to SSD
WD’s My Book is a variation of the My Passport drive, designed to act as desktop external storage (with an AC power requirement) for your Chromebook. You can use it with a great Chromebook docking station or plugged directly into your laptop with USB-A, where you’ll see read and write speeds up to about 180MB/s. No, the HDD won’t match the speed of an SSD, but the point here is capacity and price.
The WD My Book starts at a 4TB capacity for about $110 and climbs all the way to a whopping 22TB of storage for about $500. There are 6TB, 8TB, 12TB, 14TB, 16TB, and 18TB capacities along the way, giving you plenty of options. All drives come with 256-bit AES encryption to protect your data.
Synology BeeDrive
Smart portable storage
Wirelessly backs up photos from your phone
The Synology BeeDrive is a unique portable SSD that grants smart features, such as wireless backup from your phone or laptop over Wi-Fi. There are also built-in tools that can keep your files and folders synced between the drive and your computer. The BeeDrive also works well as a regular external SSD.
- Slim, pocketable design
- Excellent software, wireless transfers
- Fast transfer speeds
- No encryption
- Ineffective drop protection
- Expensive
Synology is typically associated with the best NAS enclosures, but it also offers a portable SSD that stands out in some key ways. In our Synology BeeDrive review, contributing writer Karandeep Singh noted, “Similar to the Google Drive app for desktop, the BeeDrive can back up your computer folders automatically, and Synology has also included a nifty way to wirelessly back up your photos — and even files — from your phone to the drive.”
Unfortunately, the companion app isn’t compatible with ChromeOS, but you can still use it as a regular external drive with simple plug-and-play operation. And, of course, you still get the wireless transfers for your Android phone. The BeeDrive lacks encryption, but it does come with IP55-rated water and dust resistance. It’s available in 1TB and 2TB capacities.
Getting the right external drive for your Chromebook
External drives are a convenient way to add more storage to your Chromebook, and they come in plenty of different sizes with different features to better suit your needs. When you’re buying a new external drive, it’s important to focus on the capacity, transfer speed, durability, connection type, and price.
You’ll find the largest capacities remain in the realm of HDDs (at least anything that’s remotely affordable), though SSDs often come with more than enough storage for the average user. Transfer speeds will differ depending on the interface used, as well as the type of drive. HDDs with spinning platters are painfully slow now that SSDs have hit the market, and that’s even more pronounced when the SSD uses Thunderbolt to hit transfer speeds approaching 3,000MB/s.
Durability is another big factor. HDDs aren’t nearly as reliable as SSDs (which have no moving parts), and you should keep an eye on different certification for things like drop, water, and dust protection. If you frequently travel, a rugged SSD is always a good idea. The connection type is less important, as most of these drives will work with USB-C or USB-A (albeit at a lesser performance level in most cases). Just be sure you aren’t spending big on a Thunderbolt SSD if your Chromebook isn’t equipped with a Thunderbolt port.
And finally, prices will play a big role in your decision. HDDs are the cheapest options, but they’re slow and not as reliable. SSDs are more expensive, but they’ll last longer, they’re more portable, and they’ll provide much faster transfers.
Samsung’s T7 external SSD is the best option for most Chromebooks.
With these factors in mind, the Samsung T7 lineup comes out on top. Pricing is competitive, and you can get 500GB, 1TB, or 2TB capacities (an ideal range for most people). The SSDs have 256-bit AES encryption, and the USB-C connection can manage up to 1,050MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write speeds. The SSDs come in three different colors while remaining compact enough to travel with you everywhere you go.
Samsung has expanded the T7 to include the T7 Touch and T7 Shield models. They’re essentially the same as the standard T7 when it comes to performance, though the Touch adds an external fingerprint reader for quicker access, and the Shield adds a protective coating with further durability certification. Be sure to check out more great Chromebook accessories to complete your setup.
Samsung T7 Portable SSD
Best overall
Samsung’s T7 portable SSD is our top pick when it comes to external storage for your Chromebook. It’s fast, it’s reliable, and it’s competitively priced. Check out the T7 Touch for extra security or the T7 Shield for more ruggedness.
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