Best External Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface

If you own a Surface PC, you may run low on storage space for your various files, such as documents, music, and videos. In this case, it is recommended that an external hard drive be purchased. They are often inexpensive and offer a large amount of storage capacity.

Different types of external hard drives are available depending on your specific needs. This article will cover the key factors to consider when selecting an external hard drive, such as speed, capacity, portability, and price. Keep reading to discover which external hard drive would be the most suitable for your Surface PC.

How Many Types of External Hard Drive?

To help you pick up the right external hard drive, we categorized it into three different types:

  • Portable SSD – The Solid State Drive (SSD) stores information in microchips like a large memory stick, while the traditional hard drive stores data on a storage platter accessed with a mechanical arm. The SSD has no moving parts so that the information can be read much faster than the traditional hard drive.
  • Portable Hard Drive – A portable external hard drive uses a traditional 2.5″ hard disk frequently used in a laptop computer. This is a perfect external hard drive for most users in terms of affordability, portability, capacity, and speed. It is also available in comprehensive capacity options starting from 500 GB up to 4 TB.
  • External Desktop Hard Drive – An external desktop hard drive uses a traditional 3.5″ hard disk frequently used in desktop computers. The main benefit of this type of storage is the inexpensive and large capacity of up to 10 TB on a single disk. However, it requires a dedicated power supply, so it’s not ideal for portability.

Table of contents

  1. Featured Recommendations
  2. Best Portable SSD for Microsoft Surface
  3. Best Portable Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface
  4. Best External Desktop Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface
  5. Outdated and Out of Stock Recommedations
Best External Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface
1. Best Portable SSD for Microsoft Surface
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 | 1TB
1. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 | 1TB
By SanDisk
$109.99
$129.99 15% OFF
- Samsung T7 Portable SSD | 1TB, Red
2. - Samsung T7 Portable SSD | 1TB, Red
By SAMSUNG
$104.99
$139.99 25% OFF
2. Best Portable Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface
- WD My Passport | 2TB
3. - WD My Passport | 2TB
By Western Digital
$88.99
- Toshiba Canvio Basics | 2TB
4. - Toshiba Canvio Basics | 2TB
By Toshiba
$104.88
3. Best External Desktop Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface
- Seagate Backup Plus Hub | 8 TB
5. - Seagate Backup Plus Hub | 8 TB
By Seagate
$264.83
- WD My Book Desktop External HDD | 8 TB
6. - WD My Book Desktop External HDD | 8 TB
By Western Digital
$179.99
$199.99 10% OFF

1 Best Portable SSD for Microsoft Surface

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 | 1TB

Rugged Portable Storage with 1GB/s Read/Write & IP55 Rating

A super-fast portable SSD is handy when you want to offload your current project or document to make extra space on your Surface. This new SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD version supports high-speed transfers up to 1050 MB/s read speed and 1000 MB/s write speed, so you can directly work on your project without transferring back and forth to your Surface. It's also great for housing your active Steam gaming library; with that fast speed, your game will be loaded up in a snap.

With its rugged design and IP55 rating, this portable SSD can withstand dust, rain, splashes, and spills. Using the latest NVMe SSD, it's compact, portable, and easily fits in the palm or any pocket. It is compatible with Windows and Mac computers and has a 3-year warranty.

  • Available Storages
    2TB 1TB 500GB
  • Performance
    • Read Speed: Up to 1050 MB/s
    • Write Speed: Up to 1000 MB/s
    • Storage Type: NVMe SSD
    • Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2 up to 10 Gb/s
  • Product Features
    • Rugged Design - It is certified to stand up to 2-meter drops.
    • Compact. It's super portable and easy to fit in any pocket.
    • Shock-resistant & vibration-resistant - It is built to survive extreme environments and temperatures.
    • IP55 Rating - for water and dust-resistant.
    • Built-in Hardware Encryption - It supports 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection.
    • 3-year limited manufacturer warranty
  • In the box
    • SanDisk Extreme Portable USB-C Cable USB-C to USB-A Adapter User Guide
Price: $109.99 Was: $129.99
Amazon

- Samsung T7 Portable SSD | 1TB, Red

Ultra Portable and High-Speed 1050 MB/s from Samsung

The latest T7 Portable SSD from Samsung now two times faster than before with a read speed up to 1050 MB/s and 1000 MB/s write speed. When compared to the traditional external hard drives it's 9.5 times faster. Despite its slim and aluminum unibody, it's strong and has a shock-resistant bracket to secure your data even with drops from 6ft.

It supports Windows, Mac, and Android with the embedded app on the drive and on Google Play. The app lets you secure the drive with a password and managing drive firmware updates. Whether your Surface has only USB-A or USB-C port, this portable SSD comes with both types of USB-A and USB-C cables in the box.

Note To get the maximum speed of 1050 MB/s of the drive, your Surface needs to have USB-C or USB-A ports with USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps). For Surface devices with USB 3.1 Gen 1 (aka. 3.0), the maximum speed will be capped at 625 MB/s (5Gbps).

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 85 mm x 57 mm x 8 mm
    • Weight: 58 grams
    • All metal and unibody design
  • Performance
    • Read Speed: Up to 1050 MB/s
    • Write Speed: Up to 1000 MB/s
    • Storage Type: NVMe SSD
    • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
      Supports transfers speed 10 Gb/s, and compatible with USB 3.0/2.0
  • Product Features
    • Advanced Heat Control
      It uses ePCM tech and Dynamic Thermal Guard to better control heat.
    • Shock-Resistant
      Solid State Storage together with aluminum unibody construction, your data is safe when falls of up to 6ft.
    • Password-Protection
      It comes with embedded software to help set up a password and get the latest firmware updates.
    • 3-year warranty
  • Available Capacity
    2TB 1TB 500GB
  • Available Colors
    Blue Gray Red
  • In the box
    • Samsung T7 Portable SSD USB-C to USB-C cable USB-A to USB-C cable User Guide
Price: $104.99 Was: $139.99
Amazon

2 Best Portable Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface

- WD My Passport | 2TB

For most users this WD My Passport probably the best option for general purpose uses. It offers an overall perfect balance in design, size, speed, and affordability. This model comes in a wide range of colors and capacities, so you can pick up the right one for you. In terms of security, WD featuring 256-bit AES hardware encryption with provided WD Security software. Plus, the WD My Passport offers fast transfer speeds via USB 3.0 connections and also backward compatible with USB 2.0.

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 4.33 x 3.21 x 0.54 inch
    • Weight: 5.92 ounces
    • Available in multiple colors.
  • Speed & Capacity
    • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
    • Capacity: 1/2/3/4 TB
  • Tools & Softwares
    • WD Backup - automatically backup your photos, media, and documents.
    • WD Security  - work together with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
  • Comes with a 3-year warranty
Price: $88.99
Amazon

- Toshiba Canvio Basics | 2TB

The next external hard drive is from Toshiba that features a sleek and beautiful matte finishing that makes it sit well on the table. It is also equipped with a smudge-resistant finish that protects the device in case you drop it to the ground. It provides excellent added storage space to your Surface PC and any other device that is compatible with it. It is a bus-powered device, meaning that it doesn’t require an external power adapter to operate.

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 4.3 x 3.1 x 0.55 inch
    • Weight: 5.28 ounces
    • Only available in Black.
  • Speed & Capacity
    • Using USB 3.0 backward compatible with USB 2.0
    • Capacity: 500 GB, 1/2/3 TB
  • Comes with a one year Toshiba warranty
Price: $104.88
Amazon

3 Best External Desktop Hard Drives for Microsoft Surface

- Seagate Backup Plus Hub | 8 TB

Seagate STEL8000100 Backup Plus Hub 8TB External Desktop Hard Drive Storage

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 4.65 x 7.8 x 1.61 inch
    • Weight: 2.34 lbs
  • Speed & Capacity
    • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
    • Capacity: 3/4/6/8/10TB
  • Integrated USB 3.0 hub
    • 2 x USB 3.0 ports on the front for connecting additional USB devices.
    • Each port is powerful enough for charging your phone or tablet.
  • Tools & Softwares
    • Downloadable Seagate backup – easily backup your photos, media, and documents.
    • Mac Seagate NTFS Driver – allows NTFS can be read/write on Mac computers.
  • Add-on Benefits
    • Includes 2-month complimentary membership to Creative Cloud Photography Plan.
Price: $264.83
Amazon

- WD My Book Desktop External HDD | 8 TB

WD 8TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 - WDBBGB0080HBK-NESN

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 5.5 x 6.7 x 1.9 inch
    • Weight: 3 lbs
  • Speed & Capacity
    • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
    • Single Drive: 3/4/6/8/10 TB
    • Dual Drive: 12/16/20 TB
  • Tools & Softwares
    • WD Backup – automatically backup your photos, media, and documents.
    • WD Security  – work together with built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
    • Apple Time Machine compatibility
    • Downloadable Acronis True Image WD Edition for Windows.
  • Comes with a 3-year warranty
Price: $179.99 Was: $199.99
Amazon

4 Outdated and Out of Stock Recommedations

- Samsung T5 Portable SSD | 500 GB

SAMSUNG T5 Portable SSD 500GB - Up to 540MB/s - USB 3.1 External Solid State Drive, Black (MU-PA500B/AM)

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 2.3 x 3 x 0.4 inch
    • Weight: 1.6 ounces
    • All metal and unibody design
  • Speed & Capacity
    • USB 3.1 Gen 2 compatible with USB 3.0/2.0
    • Read/Write speeds up to 540 MB/s
    • Capacity: 250/500 GB, 1/2 TB
  • Security
    • You have an option to enable password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption.
  • Included Cables
    • USB Type-C to USB Type-C cable
    • USB Type-C to USB Type-A cable
  • Comes with a 3-year warranty
Price: $224.99
Amazon

- SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD - 480 GB

SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable 480GB SSD (SDSSDEXT-480G-G25)

  • Design & Portability
    • Dimension: 2.98 x 2.98 x 0.42 inch
    • Durable design with a convenient metal clip
  • Speed & Capacity
    • USB 3.0 compatible with USB 2.0
    • Read speed up to 430 MB/s
    • Capacity: 120/240/250/480/500 GB, 1 TB
  • Security & Software
    • SanDisk SecureAccess – the software allows you to create a vault with password protection and 128-bit AES encryption.
Price: $139.00
Amazon

Conclusion

Those are the top external hard drives that served a reliable job in a different type of purpose you will come up with. The traditional external hard drive offers a perfect balance of price, speed, capacity, and portability. While the portable SSD offers a much better reading/writing speed for more expensive. Lastly, the desktop external hard drive is recommended for a large repository that can store up to 10 TB per disk.