Best External Hard Drives (2026): SSD to Store Data, Video, and More
The article discusses the best external hard drives for various uses, including backups, video editing, and gaming. It highlights the Western Digital Elements Desktop Hard Drive as a reliable and affordable option for backups. The article also notes that prices for external hard drives have increased significantly due to the AI race and surging memory costs, but spinning drives remain a more affordable option.
- ▪The Western Digital Elements Desktop Hard Drive is a reliable and affordable option for backups, with prices starting at $376 for an 8-TB model.
- ▪The drive uses USB-C with support for USB 3 and is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux.
- ▪The article recommends using spinning drives for backups, as they are more affordable and sufficient for incremental backups, which do not require high speeds.
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Scott GilbertsonGearJul 12, 2026 5:33 AMThe Best External Hard DrivesNeed an ultrafast drive to back up data or edit video, or a rugged option to save your photos in the field? We’ve got a solution for every situation.Courtesy of Western DigitalCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyCommentLoaderSave StorySave this storyIf you’re running out of storage space on your laptop or you need to back up your data or store that backlog of videos you’re going to edit one day (I am, I swear), an external hard drive can solve your problem.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at WIRED.
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