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Find the best rugged hard drives You might need the hard drives that last the longest. These tough external file storage solutions are resistant to water, drops, and dust, so they can easily handle spills, dust, and knocks and bumps that don’t happen every day. Many people care more about the information they have than the hardware it is on.
You can replace the hardware, but if you don’t have a backup of the data, it could all be gone in an instant. This is especially important for photographers, video graphers, and people who fly drones, whose gear might be out in the field and exposed to dust, water, and bad weather. These are the kinds of people who need hard drives and SSDs that are built to last.
Best Rugged Hard Drives
LaCie Rugged Mini 1TB External Hard Drive
Specifications
| Item Dimensions | 5.32 x 3.4 x 1.02 inches |
| Item Weight | 5.76 ounces |
| Compatible Devices | Laptop, Desktop |
| Connectivity Technology | USB, Bluetooth |
| Hardware Interface | USB 3.0 |
| Memory Storage Capacity | 1 TB |
The LaCie Rugged Mini might be your best rugged hard drive if you want something small but still very durable. LaCie is a trusted brand of external hard drives, and with this device, its expertise shines as brightly as its bright orange colour scheme. Even though it’s not an SSD, it still has very fast raw transfer speeds and is easy to carry around because it’s small.
It comes with AES 256-bit encryption and software that backs up automatically. Even though it can withstand shocks and drops of up to 1.2 metres when it’s not in use, its small size means it’s not the most durable drive on this list. However, it’s one of the best rugged hard drives you can buy today for everyday use.
Pros
- Not bad speed
- Easily portable
Cons
- Not SSD
Transcend StoreJet 25M3 Hard Drive
Specifications
| Product Dimensions | 10 x 7 x 3 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.1 pounds |
| Hardware Platform | Mac |
| Hard Drive Interface | USB 3.1 |
| Flash Memory Size | 2 TB |
The Transcend StoreJet 25M3 has a silicone shell that can absorb shocks and a hard outer case. It has been drop-tested to US Military standards, just like some of the other hard drives on this list, and it shows. This hard drive is strong and can handle most bumps and drops, which is great if you take your external hard drive with you a lot.
It also has a lot of extra features, like a quick reconnect button that makes sure nothing goes wrong when you unplug it. Also, the StoreJet 25M3 is compatible with USB 3.0, which lets it transfer data at speeds of up to 5GB/s, which is about the same as internal drives. The process goes even faster because there is a “back up” button on the outside of the case.
Pros
- Triple layer protective case
- Large capacity
Cons
- Not the slimmest external hard drive
ADATA SE800 Hard Drive
Specifications
| Product Dimensions | 2.8 x 1.7 x 0.4 inches |
| Item Weight | 1.4 ounces |
| Hardware Platform | PC |
| Hard Drive Interface | USB 3.0 |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 GB |
The ADATA SE800 is not the cheapest external solid-state drive you can buy. The 1TB model shown here has a list price of $259.99, which is 26 cents per gigabyte. The SE800, on the other hand, is almost impossible to break: It’s a tough SSD with an IP68 rating, which means it’s been tested to be dustproof and waterproof up to five feet deep for up to 30 minutes.
It’s also very fast and very slim and small at the same time. Even better, ADATA includes all the bells and whistles that any reviewer of a new storage device hopes to see. For example, it comes with two USB cables so you don’t have to use adapters for USB-C and USB-A.
Pros
- Small, light, and fast.
- Highly durable.
- Reasonable cost per gigabyte.
- USB-C and USB-A cables included.
Cons
- The provided cables are on the short side.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro 4TB Solid State Drive
Specifications
| Product Dimensions | 1.44 x 3.52 x 5.71 inches |
| Item Weight | 3.53 ounces |
| Hardware Platform | PC, Mac |
| Hard Drive Interface | USB-C |
| Flash Memory Size | 4 TB |
Most people don’t need or want the speed and durability of LaCie’s Rugged SSD Pro external solid-state drive, so they won’t pay for it. But if you’re a videographer, filmmaker, or other professional in the field, and if your laptop has Thunderbolt-3 so you can get the most out of the device.
The LaCie has a silicone-wrapped, crush-resistant aluminium case that is small and light enough to fit in a shirt pocket. It is also tough enough to meet the IP67 standard for dust and water resistance and is rated to survive a 3-meter drop. So you can send it to the office or studio when data connections are slow or nonexistent.
Pros
- Field-leading speed
- Also works with USB-C 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 ports
- Extreme ruggedness against dust, water, drops, crush pressure
- Five-year warranty
Cons
- High price per gigabyte
- Cable is a bit short
OWC Envoy Pro EX Thunderbolt 3
Specifications
| Product Dimensions | 2.36 x 8.27 x 4.92 inches |
| Item Weight | 12.6 ounces |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 TB |
| Hard Drive Interface | NVMe |
Other World Computing (OWC) makes kits to improve Mac and PC performance, storage solutions, and accessories. The company’s Envoy Pro EX Thunderbolt 3 is a tough external drive that uses the faster bandwidth of Thunderbolt 3 and NVMe technology to provide fast transfer speeds for demanding environments like photography workflows, video editing, and music production.
The drive can reach speeds of up to 2,800MB/s, so it only takes seconds to copy a raw 8K video or a day’s worth of photos. The design is great for portability because it is small and compact. You can put the SSD in your bag and bring it with you wherever you go. This drive is very well made, as it meets MIL-STD810G drop protection standards. It has a bumper that can take the bumps and drops that happen outside.
Pros
- Sleek design
- Aesthetic especially complements Mac laptops
- Durable chassis design
- Three-year warranty
- Strong speed results
Cons
- Pricey on a cost-per-gigabyte basis
- Only a USB Type-C-to-C cable in the box, with no C-to-A dongle
Silicon Power Armor A30 Hard Drive
Specifications
| Product Dimensions | 5.3 x 3.4 x 0.7 inches |
| Item Weight | 7.2 ounces |
| Operating System | Windows 10/8.1/8/7/Vista/XP, Mac OS 10.5.x, Linux 2.6.x |
| Hardware Platform | PC, Mac |
| Flash Memory Size | 1 GB |
| Hard Drive Interface | USB 3.0 |
The Silicon Power Armor A30 is the most durable external hard drive you can buy without spending a lot of money. It has a rubber case that is designed to protect it from drops and bumps for a long time. The drive meets MIL-STD-810G military standards, which means it can survive drops of up to 9.8 feet and harsh conditions like vibration and humidity.
The Armor A30 fits in your pocket and is easy to carry around. With capacities of up to 2TB, it has a lot of storage space and is great for storing large files and backups. The drive has a USB-C connector, but it also comes with USB-C and USB-A cables so you can use it with almost any laptop or desktop.
Pros
- Affordable
- Shock and drop resistance
- Includes USB-A and USB-C cables
- Pocket size
Cons
- No water or dust resistance
FAQs
Can an HDD last 20 years?
It’s possible that all disc drives will break before they turn 10 years old. Or, some of them could last 20 or 30 years. When some of them live for a very long time, it’s hard to figure out what the average is. A few extreme cases can also change the average and make it less useful.
Is SSD lifespan longer than HDD?
A solid-state drive (SSD) will last much longer than a hard disc drive (HDD). HDDs usually last between 3 and 5 years, but SSDs can last 10 years or more. This is because SSDs don’t have any moving parts, while HDDs have discs that spin and can wear out over time.
Is WD or Seagate better?
You can see that Seagate Internal Hard Drive is better in every way than Western Digital Internal Hard Drive. So, whether it’s about price, speed, or storage space, Seagate Internal Hard Drive will do a better job than Western Digital Internal Hard Drive because it’s cheaper and easier to buy.
Do Seagate drives fail?
Overall, failure rates were low, with an average annual failure rate (AFR) of 1.01% across all drives. Most problems were with smaller drives (those with less than 12TB), though.