Choosing the best hard drive brands for photography can be difficult — particularly if you’re a beginner in the world of shooting and editing. There are so many different brands on offer, and it’s important to make an informed decision when buying one. If you’re looking for a solid, high-performing hard drive for your photo and video work, we’ve got the top brand names here in one handy list.
The options for best hard drive for photography on this list are affordable, reliable, and can store tons of photos and videos with ease—all while keeping your data safe from power surges, physical damage or theft with security features.
When you are out on the road and start shooting, there’s no time to wait for your files to transfer. That’s why it’s important that you invest in a solid external hard drive. Whether you are using it by yourself or as part of a team, there are many factors that go into picking the right one. This guide will break down which brands are good for your camera and let you know why you should consider them. Here are the best hard drive brands for photography that money can buy.
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Best External Hard Drive For Photo Storage
If you’re looking for the best external hard drive for photo storage, Seagate offers an expansive range of options. You can store, edit and share your pictures with Seagate drive options that can offer even more space than you need — and transfer data quickly. A corresponding photo app makes saving to these devices simple.
This external hard drive is a great storage device for all of your photos. It’s portable, so you can take it with you wherever you go. It features a built-in cable for saving data and transferring files. The sleek design makes this hard drive a wonderful addition to any home or office desk.
Seagate Backup Ultra Touch HDD
The Seagate Backup Ultra Touch is the first portable terabyte drive with a touch screen, allowing users to quickly locate their files and perform backups at home or on-the-go. It comes preloaded with 2GB of mobile memory, making it easy to back up photos and movies from your favorite social media sites.
With the Seagate Backup Ultra Touch HDD, you can easily store and access your digital files. The USB 3.0 interface allows for fast data transfer, so it’s ready when you need it. Its sleek design fits into any space and the automatic backup software lets you safeguard all your digital content without wasting time. This stylish Ultra Touch HDD has a capacity of 1/2TB and is available in 2 colors: black or white.
The Ultra Touch HDD is one of the best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $89.99, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating of this product is 77% from 1,743 reviews, which is good for this industry.
Best Internal Hard Drive For Photographers
Get the internal hard drive that’s optimized for photographers and videographers, with fast read/write speeds, plenty of capacity and a trusted brand you can trust. With the right internal hard drive, you’ll be able to store your media more efficiently and quickly. Meticulously designed by professional engineers with your needs in mind, this reliable hard drive has everything you need so you can focus on what matters, your content.
Photographers need storage systems that are fast, reliable and durable. The best hard drives for photographers combine large storage capacity with a fast read speed and high data transfer rates to preserve every frame of your epic adventures. We believe Seagate is one of the best hard drive brands for photography. Finding the best hard drive for photographers should be possible with this list of options.
Seagate BarraCuda 2TB Internal Hard Drive HDD
Seagate BarraCuda Internal Hard Drive HDD provides users with the storage capacity of up to 2TB. Powered by a SATA interface, this Seagate 2TB BarraCuda offers a blazing fast data transfer speeds of up to 6Gb/s and features a rotational speed of 7200RPM with surely meet all your demands.
The Seagate BarraCuda 2TB internal hard drive provides ample storage for your PC, allowing you to store your files and applications for easy access. The high-performance hard disk drive (HDD) gives you the power and speed needed to do more with less time and effort. This internal hard drive features Seagate AcuTrac technology, which optimizes seek speeds for excellent levels of performance. It’s built to be durable, with a 3.5-inch form factor.
The Seagate BarraCuda is one of the best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $49.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 83% from 91,091 reviews, which is excellent for industry standards.
Best External Hard Drive For Photos Mac
If you’re a Mac user and you have loads of photos on your computer, you may want to consider investing in a hard drive for storing them. Usually, Mac computers do come with enough storage space for storing many files and folders. That said, there is no reason for you not to get one of these external hard drives for photos. There are some excellent options available on the market at affordable prices.
As you already know external hard drives are the easiest way to expand your PC’s storage. They’re also the fastest methods for backing up your files, especially if you want to move them to another PC or take them on the go. The best external hard drives for personal use offer a wide range of capacities, speeds, and features at prices that won’t break the bank. The G-Technology ArmorATD All-Terrain drive is one of the best hard drive brands for photography, especially for the Mac.
G-Technology ArmorATD All-Terrain Drive
The G-Technology ArmorATD All-Terrain Drive is a portable and ruggedly built drive with massive capacity, and enough speed to keep up with the most demanding video editors and photographers. The system’s rugged enclosure protects against the harshest environments where you need your data most.
The G-RAID with Armor is the ultimate solution for professional content creators and videographers looking to take their project files on location. This all-terrain drive is built to stand up against intense operation, with a rugged design, dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, and super-fast performance with RAID storage configurations.
The G-Technology ArmorATD is one of the best external hard drives for photos on your Mac. They costs $199.00, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this product is 78% from 2,011 reviews, which is good for industry standards.
Best External Hard Drive For iPhone Photos
If you’re looking for an external hard drive to back up your iPhone photos and videos, and have a lot of significant moments on your phone that you can’t afford to lose, this is a great option. iPhoto is a great way to organize and manage your photos, but it can’t handle large volumes of images. If you’re looking for an external drive that offers compact design, huge capacity, fast transfer speeds and more you need to check out the LaCie Rugged Raid Pro.
If choosing the best external hard drive for iPhone photos matter to you, be sure to look for the best option possible. We are certain that the LaCie Rugged Raid Pro will surpass your needs, so check it out below for specification, price and anything that will make your decision easier as you search for the best hard drive for photos.
LaCie Rugged Raid Pro
The new LaCie Rugged Raid Pro external storage device is a perfect fit for the professional. It is designed to be used in various environments and conditions, including light rain or wet climates. With an IP54 rating, the LaCie Rugged Raid Pro drive is ready for any environment. The drive is water resistant, dust proof and protected from drops of up to 2 meters. It’s also equipped with a ventilated screw cap to allow you to access your data while preventing moisture and dust from entering the drive, a great plug and play option.
Rugged Raid Pro is a high-performance, multi-drive backup solution built to protect and encrypt your data. It’s compact and portable with a low-profile design that fits in your backpack or briefcase. The integrated cables accommodate every user on every platform, making it easy to work where you want, at home or on the road. This item is one of the best hard drive brands for photography.
The LaCie Rugged Raid Pro is one of the best external hard drive for iPhone photos. It costs $99.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this device is 84% from 15,168 reviews which is excellent for this industry.
Additional List of Best Hard Drive Brands For Photography
There are many more hard drive brands that made the cut despite not falling under a particular category. We will now share the list below, so you can decide if what you find there is more suitable for your needs. Below is an additional list of the best hard drive brands for photography.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB is the ideal storage device for photographers, videographers, audio and video professionals, gamers and others who demand a high-performance drive that’s designed to go anywhere. With rugged dependability and up to 2TB of capacity, this SSD lets you move on the go while keeping your files safe—allowing you to focus on what matters most.
Get ultra-fast speeds and capacity with the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It features USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C connectivity and a PCIe interface to deliver transfer speeds of up to 1,050Mb/s. With the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD, you can manage, edit and transfer large files in seconds.
The SanDisk Extreme is another item that makes the list of best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $129.99, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this product is 86% from 24,452 reviews, which is excellent for industry standards.
Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD
The Samsung T7 Portable SSD, with up to 2TB of storage capacity, allows you to do more wherever you go. The compact, lightweight design allows for easy transport in a purse or bag, and the included USB-C cable can be plugged into your systems for on-the-go backup. The durable metal exterior provides protection from drops, dust and other daily wear-and-tear.
The T7 is a portable SSD that fits in the palm of your hand. It offers transfer speeds up to 1,050 Mb/s and includes data encryption, password protection, and USB Power Delivery charging. It is a portable, high performance external storage media with capacities up to 1TB. With an aluminum finish and USB-C or Thunderbolt 3 interface, and is IP65 water resistant rating and dust-proof.
The Samsung T7 is another one of the best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $129.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating is 87% from 18,178 reviews, which is excellent for industry standards.
WD My Passport
WD My Passport external hard drives come in a variety of capacities that can help you store and protect your photos, videos, music and files. With automatic backup software for Windows and Mac computers, password protection with hardware encryption to help keep files safe from unauthorized access and an energy efficient design, these portable hard drives provide peace of mind for the evolving needs of your digital life.
This 2 TB option has USB 3.0 Type-C Interface (USB 3.1 Gen 1 features with 256-Bit AES Hardware Encryption . It has a 2.5″ device with transfer speeds of 1,050 Mb/s which is among the best in the industry. WD My Passport is a reliable and affordable portable storage option for your photos, documents, music and videos.
This item is another great choice for the best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $94.95, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating is 78% from 239 reviews which is very good despite the low review count.
Samsung T5 Portable SSD
The Samsung Portable SSD T5 features fast transfer speeds up to 540 Mb/s and capacities up to 2TB to enjoy your movies, music, documents and more wherever you go. The lightweight, rugged portable design allows you to carry your data anywhere with style. This 1TB option is ideal for photographers, videographers and graphic designers who require a reliable external storage solution to back up their work on the go.
Whether you’re bringing your portable drive from home to the office or from work to a meeting, the Samsung Portable SSD T5 is easy to take with you. The lightweight, compact design makes it ideal for transporting – no external power supply required. The T5’s durable aluminum build is built to withstand an everyday beating and can easily be taken anywhere in your bag or pocket.
The Samsung T5 is another contender for the best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $199.00, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 89% from 12,325 reviews, which is excellent for industry standards.
iStorage diskAshur2
The iStorage diskAshur2 is an ideal external hard drive for storing and backing up your data. This drive features a compact and easy to use design, while allowing you to protect your files as securely as possible. It has been built with a durable aluminum casing that can withstand damage, while its advanced security measures make it impossible to view the data stored on this storage device.
This 2 TB option comes in four colors with USB 3.0 and AES-XTS 256-bit hardware encryption. For security it has a 7-15 digit PIN to unlock the hard drive for use or to access to your personal data. It has transfer speeds of 160 Mb/s which is slower than others on this list, but will still get the job done.
The iStorage diskAshur2 is another option for the best hard drive brands for photography. It costs $219.00, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating is 74% from 173 reviews, which is good for this industry.
Seagate Backup Plus Hub External Hard Drive
The Seagate Backup Plus Hub external hard drive is the easiest way to protect and share your entire digital life. With both a built-in USB hub and an SD card slot, you can connect peripherals and memory cards simultaneously. Easily store, access, and share your videos clips, photos, music and other documents on their PC or tablet from anywhere in the world.
With its USB 3.0 interface this drive offers fast transfer speeds so you can quickly share videos and other files with anyone you want. It’s easy to use with its automatically backup software, the one-click cable setup, the included mobile device backup app and it works well with Seagate Dashboard companion software. This makes backing up your system on a regular basis simple and easy.
This Seagate hard drive costs $344.00, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this device is 73% from 366 reviews, which is decent for this industry. Whether you are storing your photos, videos and music or backing up your computer, the Seagate Backup Plus Hub is ready to help with fast performance.
Transcend StoreJet M3
The StoreJet M3 was designed for users looking for a portable drive that can accommodate all their file backups and media collections. With built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption and storage capacity up to 2TB, the wide range of capacities make the StoreJet M3 ideal for use at home, in the office or on the go. With a sleek design and matte black finish, it’s built to stand out. And it comes with a shock-absorbing rubber bumper for extra protection.
It is a sturdy, portable drive that’s ideal for keeping your most important files safe from harm. It has high speed USB 3.0, with support for USB 2.0 connections, so you can use it with virtually any computer or laptop. The device has transfer speeds of 5Gb/s which is common for most hard drives.
The Transcend StoreJet M3 is another choice for the best hard drive brands for photography. Amazon’s five-star rating for this product is 76% from 26,166 reviews which is very good for this industry.
WD My Passport SSD (NVMe)
WD My Passport SSD (NVMe) combines the speed of the latest NVMe interface with external, portable storage to bring you high-capacity, lightweight performance in a sleek and modern design. And when connected to your PC or Mac computer via USB-C or USB 3.2 Gen 2, WD My Passport SSD’s performance is up to six times faster than comparable hard drives. offers a vast improvement in speed, durability and versatility over traditional hard drives.
Built to survive drops, bumps and spills with your data intact it’s perfect for graphics professionals, photo editors and anyone looking for speed. Read speeds of this device is 1.050 Mb/s which is on par with many of the other best hard drive brands for photography on this list.
This SSD passport costs $129.99, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this product is 79% from 2,306 reviews which is very good for industry standards.
Lexar SL200 Portable SSD
Whether you’re working in the field or traveling, the Lexar SL200 Portable SSD is a perfect way to bring your files with you. With transfer speeds up to 500 megabytes per second and a slim form factor that fits easily into your pocket, computer bag or tablet case, this new portable drive helps keep you connected on the move.
This model is 512 GB, but other sizes are available. Designed to be small enough to fit in your pocket, the SL200 lets you transfer photos and videos in seconds, giving you the freedom to create and share on the go. This compact drive is easy to use but has a lot going for it: high speeds up to 550 MB/s read speed and 400 MB/s write speed as well as shock resistance under extreme load (up to 600 G) for a reliable storage solution that also looks great.
The Lexar SL 200 costs $52.99, with the pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating is 85% from 4,761 reviews, which is excellent for industry standards. Despite falling lower on this list it is still a viable option for the best hard drive brands for photography.
G-Technology G-DRIVE USB-C Hard Drive
The G-Technology G-Drive USB-C hard drive offers fast transfer and quick loading speeds, perfect for photo and video editing on the go. The drive is compatible with most of today’s popular devices, including Windows, Mac and Chrome OS laptops as well as any USB-C enabled smartphone or tablet. The super high performance durable hard drive features USB 3.1 Gen 2 connectivity for high speed data transfers up to 5 Gbps.
This one terabyte model combines Thunderbolt 3 interface and USB 3.1 Gen 2 connection speeds with a solid state drive for seamless video editing, great hi-res photo viewing, and ultimate data transfer. This is designed to be the all-in-one, essential accessory for your desktop. This portable hard drive features a single drive and is compatible with any computer. Because it does not require an external power source, you can use it anywhere at home or on the go.
The G-Drive costs $72.49, with pricing subject to change.Amazon’s five-star rating for this device is 80% from 1,814 reviews, which i9s very good for this industry.
Fantom Drives 4TB External Hard Drive
Affordable and reliable, the Fantom Drives 4TB external hard drive is the perfect way to add extra storage space to your computer. It offers ultra-fast read 1,050 speeds for quick file transfer. Featuring a USB 3.0 interface for fast data transfer speeds of up to 5 Gbps and rugged design with PowerBoost technology that protects your data in the event of a sudden power loss or crash.
This external hard drive is ideal for backup and data storage, whether you are using it with your desktop, laptop or server. With a fast USB 3.0 connection and an advanced 3D2M anti-shock vibration hard drive enclosure, the Fantom 4TB is built to last.
The Fantom costs $109.99, with the price subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this product is 71% from 2,053 re3views which is good for industry standard.
WD My Passport Wireless Pro External HD
WD’s My Passport Wireless Pro External Hard Drive features password protection and remote access, so users can keep their data safe from prying eyes. Storage capacity is up to 3TB, so you can take your music collection or photo library with you wherever you go. The drive also features USB 3.0 for fast file transfers and automatic backup software that ensures your files are stored safely on the drive.
More portable than ever before, the redesigned WD My Passport Wireless Pro offers users a plug-and-play solution for accessing and sharing their content across multiple devices and via the cloud. With built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption, this lightweight and compact drive is designed for easy mobility and has WiFi with 2.4 GHz . The read speed is 130 Mb/s with a 256 MB cache size.
The WD Wireless External HD costs $469.99 from one seller, with pricing subject to change. Amazon’s five-star rating for this item is 56% from 312 reviews, below standard for this industry.
Best Hard Drive Brands For Photography Conclusion
The best hard drive brands for photography are the ones which to have the fastest transfer speed as well as enough storage capacity. Additionally, it is important to have a very durable hard drive that will withstand bumps and knocks without damaging your photos.
When purchasing a hard drive for your photography gear, make sure to always purchase from reputable brands. The compiled list above offer the best hard drives for photography available on consumer marketplaces today.