Best 4TB External Hard Drives

The Toshiba Canvio Basics 2022 2.5" HDTB540EK3CA 4 TB external hard drive offers a discreet, stylish design with a matte finish and standard features. The HDD is suitable for anyone looking for an inexpensive and reliable device for storing a family video archive, conducting off-site presentations of their startups and company products, or wanting to create a library of their favorite movies. The compact 2.5” case has good ergonomics due to its rounded corners, so it does not cause discomfort when holding in your hands or carrying in your pocket.

Toshiba Canvio Basics HDTB540EK3CA requires a USB 3.2 Gen1 connector for efficient operation. No additional power is needed, which is convenient for mobile use. Backward compatibility with the USB 2.0 standard is implemented, but the performance in this case will be limited. The equipment does not require additional settings and is fully compatible with Windows OS. The NTFS file system is installed by default, which does not limit the user when copying large files (over 4 GB). It is worth noting that the company's own controller is resistant to loads and does not overheat. Among the disadvantages, one can note the increased noise level.

WD My Passport is a series of compact external hard drives with a capacity of 1, 2, 4 or 5 terabytes with a USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface. There are three case colors to choose from: scarlet red, sky blue and elegant black. The USB port is soldered directly into the internal 2.5-inch HDD, which allowed us to minimize the size of the drive as much as possible.

The sequential read and write speed is the same - 150 MB/s, which is the limit of the 2.5" HDD. It connects to desktop PCs via a USB Type-A cable, while laptops may require an adapter to Type-C. And for Apple MacBook, you need to install the NTFS for macOS driver, which can be done through the proprietary WD application.

It is also suggested to set up automatic backup of important files from a PC to an external drive. And then encrypt the contents of the drive using the ultra-reliable AES-256 algorithm. It will be possible to access the files only after entering the password. If the recording speed is more important to you than the volume, take a closer look at the external SSD - SanDisk Extreme Portable V2.

The Silicon Power Armor A60 2.5" SP040TBPHDA60S3K 4 TB external hard drive belongs to the category of reliable gadgets for active users. The internal design provides a stabilizing suspension that neutralizes vibrations and reduces the impact force when falling. The manufacturer declares compliance with the military standard MIL-STD 810G. The external case offers a stylish design and IPX4 protection. The HDD is not afraid of moisture, dust and splashes of water, so it can be used at home and outdoors. A rubberized bumper along the perimeter provides additional safety and secure hold with wet hands, and a special groove with fasteners is designed for convenient transportation of the complete cable. Rubber dampers are provided on the back side.

Silicon Power Armor A60 4 TB is suitable for all areas of activity, and especially for fans of extreme recreation and tourism, professional photographers, engineers, architects, DJs and system administrators. The 2.5” form factor speaks of compactness, although the weight of 280 g is not the smallest for such a capacity. You can get the maximum speed when connecting to the USB 3.2 Gen1 port, but compatibility with USB 2.0 is standard, although it limits the capabilities due to the lack of power connector. The manufacturer also offers free SP Widget software, which allows you to optimize the operation of an external HDD, create backup copies of data.

The Seagate One Touch with Password STKZ4000400 4 TB external hard drive demonstrates high data reliability at the software level. The manufacturer offers proprietary utilities for recovery, backup and access restriction, which are installed from a hidden partition. The latter is protected from deletion by standard OS tools. The user can use the HDD as a dynamic mirror copy of the computer's main drive, temporary or permanent storage of personal files. After connecting, you can set password protection and specify reset information. It is worth considering that if you lose the key, it will be impossible to access the files. As a bonus, the company offers good compatibility (for some countries, a free 6-month subscription is possible) with specialized software for photographers Mylio Photos subscription.

According to CrystalDiskInfo, the Seagate One Touch STKZ4000400 transfers data at a speed of up to 150 MB/s and maintains good performance when working with large files. Moreover, you can record from cameras and process video directly in the HDD memory. The connection is made using a single USB 3.2 Gen1 cable and does not require additional external power. The plastic case with a pleasant metal finish is quite durable, but will not protect against cracks when dropped. The rectangular shape with sharp corners is not the most practical for carrying in a pocket or bag. The manufacturer offers different colors: black, silver, light blue, pink, red and space gray.

The Transcend StoreJet 25M3 2.5" TS4TSJ25M3S 4 TB external hard drive provides multi-level data protection thanks to competent technical and software approaches. Structurally, the case consists of three layers. The outer rubber shell effectively softens impacts when falling. The intermediate metal suspension stabilizes the HDD and dampens vibrations during operation, reducing the risk of damage to the magnetic plates. The internal components are packed in a reinforced plastic case. The manufacturer conducts comprehensive testing for resistance to falls, operation in extreme temperatures and vibrations, so the model complies with the MIL-STD-810G standard. This approach allows you to confidently use the external hard drive to back up the most important information - databases, video projects, as well as storing family media files.

Transcend TS4TSJ25M3S 4 TB offers good data exchange speed via USB 3.2 Gen1 protocol. The controller confidently handles files of any size and supports popular file systems for Windows, Android and MacOS. A nice gift is the free proprietary RecoveRx software, which allows you to efficiently recover lost or deleted documents, photos, videos thanks to deep scanning algorithms. You can get even more functions using Transcend Elite software: disk encryption, scheduled backup of selected partitions or folders, creating duplicates of files located in Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, OneDrive cloud services, complete device blocking. It is worth noting the presence of the One Touch Backup quick backup function, which is activated by pressing a button on the external drive, which will definitely please system administrators.