Finding the best thunderbolt drive suitable for your needs isnt easy. With hundreds of choices can distract you. Knowing whats bad and whats good can be something of a minefield. In this article, weve done the hard work for you.
Best thunderbolt drive
1. SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable External SSD - Up to 550MB/s - USB-C, USB 3.1 - SDSSDE60-1T00-G25
Feature
High-speed transfers with up to 550MB/s read speeds let you move hi-res photos and videos fast (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on drive capacity, host device, OS and application.)Ruggedized, water- and dust-resistant (IP55-rated) (IEC 60529 IP55: Tested to withstand water flow (30 kPa) at 3 min.; limited dust contact does not interfere with operation. Must be clean and dry before use.)
Shock-resistant solid state core for greater durability (Shock-resistant (up to 1500G) and vibration-resistant (5g RMS, 10-2000 HZ), Non-Operating Temperature(from -20C to 70C), operating temperature (from 0C to 45C))
Compact and pocket-sized
For PC and Mac users
Built by SanDisk, a technology leader and pioneer of the modern day SSD, to deliver superior performance
3-year limited manufacturer warranty
Description
The ruggedized SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD delivers high-speed transfers with up to 550MB/s read speeds.** This makes it perfect for saving and editing hi-res photos and videos. With an IP55 rating, it also stands up to rain, splashes, spills and dust.(1) | *1GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes; 1TB=1,000,000,000,000 bytes. Actual user storage less. | **Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on drive capacity, host device, OS and application. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes. | (1) IEC 60529 IP55: Tested to withstand water flow (30 kPa) at 3 min.; limited dust contact does not interfere with operation. Must be clean and dry before use. | (2) Up to 2M (6.5) on a concrete floor | (4) Shock-resistant (up to 1500G) and vibration-resistant (5g RMS, 10-2000 HZ), Non-Operating Temperature (from -20 degrees Celsius to +70 degrees Celsius), Operating Temperature (from 0 degrees Celsius to +45 degrees Celsius) | (5) Password protection uses 128-bit AES encryption and is supported by Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7 and macOS High Sierra, Sierra or Mac OS X El Capitan
2. LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB-C 4TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD USB 3.0 compatible, Drop Shock Dust Water Resistant, Mac and PC Computer Desktop Workstation Laptop, 1 Mo Adobe CC (STFS4000800)
Feature
Thunderbolt speeds up to 510MB/s with SSD (HDD up to 130MB/s)Backed by a best-in-class 3-year limited warranty that includes Rescue Data Recovery Services
Included USB 3.0 adapter works with PC or Mac
Bus powered for mobile workflows
Drop, crush, and rain resistant for all-terrain use
Includes 1-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan. Must redeem by January 31, 2020.
Description
Legendary Rugged toughness meets USB-C compatibility, blazing-fast Thunderbolt speeds, and optional SSD performance for up to 510MB/s (up to 130MB/s with HDD). USB-C compatibility and blazing-fast Thunderbolt speeds. Also featuring a tethered cable and IP54-rated resistance to the elements, this Rugged drive means you dont have to compromise between durability, mobility, and speed.3. Seagate Desktop 8TB External Hard Drive HDD USB 3.0 for PC, Laptop And Mac, 1-Year Rescue Service (STGY8000400), Black
Feature
Leverage simple drag-and-drop usabilityExpand your computer's capacity with an easy-to-access desktop solution
Take advantage of instant plug-and-play PC compatibility
Transfer files Fast with USB 3.0 that is backward compatible with USB 2.0
Description
Simple, convenient, and PC compatible, the Seagate desktop drive is perfect for additional easy-to-access desktop storage. Setup for PC is simple and straightforward; simply connect and keep it attached to your desktop computer for convenient, easy-to-access additional capacity. It is automatically recognized by the Windows operating system, so there is no software to install and nothing to configure. Just connect and take advantage of the fast data transfer speeds with the USB 3.0 interface by connecting to a SuperSpeed USB 3.0 port.4. G-Technology 4TB G-DRIVE with Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C Desktop External Hard Drive, Silver - 0G05363-1
Feature
Dual Thunderbolt 3 ports and a single USB-C port with support for USB 3.1 Gen 1Daisy chaining for up to 5 additional devices
High-speed data transfers
Solid, all-aluminum case makes for durability and stylish looks
5. LaCie Rugged Secure 2TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD USB-C USB 3.0 Drop Shock Dust Rain Resistant Computer Desktop Workstation Laptop Hardware Encryption, 1 Month Adobe CC (STFR2000403)
Feature
Protect what matters with Rugged Secures AES-256 government-grade hardware encrypted password protectionShuttle large-scale projects with 2TB of capacity, and directly ingest files with fast speeds of up to 130MB/s
Trek near or far with a portable hard drive that provides drop, crush, and rain resistance as well as Thunderbolt 3, USB-C, and USB 3.0 compatibility
Take advantage of a one-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan for access to awesome photo and video editing apps
6. SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD 2TB - Up to 1050MB/s - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive, Gray (MU-PC2T0T/AM)
Feature
Transfer In A Flash: Transfers Files Nearly 9.5X Faster Than External Hard Disk Drive (Hdd). Reads Up To 1,050 Mb/S / Writes Up To 1,000 Mb/S On Usb 3.2 Gen 2 Supported DevicesSamsung Recommends Users To Download The Latest Firmware Update Via The Included Portable Ssd Software 1.0 To Ensure Optimal Performance
Read And Write Speeds May Vary On Non-Usb 3.2 Gen 2 Supported Devices
Samsung Recommends The Usage Of The Included Usb Type-C To C And Usb Type-C To A Cables. Non-Original Cables May Cause Performance Degradation Due To The Varying Internal Resistance And Maximum Allowable Currency
7. LaCie d2 Professional 10TB External Hard Drive Desktop HDD USB-C USB 3.0 7200 RPM Enterprise Class Drives, 5 Year Warranty and Recovery Service (STHA10000800)
Feature
The LaCie d2 Professional is the go to external desktop hard drive for creatives using SSD based laptops or all in one computers with limited storage capacityEasily edit and archive projects with 10TB of massive capacity and speeds of upto 240MB/s
Seamlessly connect to USB C and Thunderbolt 3 computers and enjoy reduced noise and vibration thanks to an aluminum form factor
Equipped with BarraCuda Pro enterprise class drive for ultimate reliability and performance
8. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1 TB Portable Hard Drive (HD-PA1.0TU3)
Feature
Perfect for creative professionals and multimedia enthusiastsTime Machine compatibility
Includes high performance USB 3.0 port
Interface speeds up to 10 Gbps
Thunderbolt 2 interface with cable included
Comes formatted in HFS+ for use with Macs
Can be formatted to NTFS for use with PCs
TAA compliant - Made in Japan
9. BlackBox Plus 4TB (USB-C, Thunderbolt 3) BBPL4000
Feature
Rugged, Mobile Hard Drive Designed For Creative Professionals Featuring the latest USB-C technology! Optimized passive cooling, integrated health monitoring, and its tough outer shell is built to take a beating.All Aluminum Chassis, Tough Rugged Rubber Bumper, Fanless Heat Dissipation. Interface: USB-C (3.1), Compatible with USB 3.0/2.0 & Compatible with Thunderbolt 3!
3 Years Hardware coverage, 2 Years Level 1 Data Recovery, 1 Year Advance Replacement
Mac OSX 10.4 and above. Windows XP and above. Formatted for Mac. Compatible with Windows.
Included in the Box: Blackbox Plus external mobile hard drive, rugged rubber outer-shell, USB-C to USB-C (3.1) cable, USBC to USB 3.0/2.0 cable
10. CalDigit Tuff Nano - Compact Rugged IP67 USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 10Gb/s External NVME SSD, Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 Mac and PC, Up to 1055MB/s (512GB, Tomato Red)
