Shop for external hard drives

• CNET Editor rating:
  Not yet rated
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0.5 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The Seagate FreeAgent Xtreme offers three interface options, a useful software bundle, and a lengthy warranty for a fair price. We like this direct-attach external drive. Read review

Specs: 500 GB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB / eSATA-300, External, 3.5", 7200 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.4 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 1 review

The Bottom Line: The QNAP TS-109 Pro II is a single-volume NAS drive that offers a lot more than just network storage. It's a little pricier than its peers, but its many features--including PC-free downloads--are well organized and easy to use. Read review

Specs: QNAP TS-109 II - NAS server, PC, Mac, Unix, 7 pin external Serial ATA, 4 pin USB Type A, RJ-45, Standard, Gigabit Ethernet, Flash

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 15 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus is a good choice for the average home user who wants a fast and simple-to-use external hard drive for backup and storage. Mac users will want to find a different restore utility to use with it. Read review

Specs: 750 GB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB, 3.5", 16 MB, 7200 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 13 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Seagate FreeAgent Pro operates as both a hard drive and a portable PC environment, but even if you're not interested in the Ceedo program, the FreeAgent Pro offers fast speeds and good value. Read review

Specs: 160 GB, Hi-Speed USB, 2.5", 5400 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  Not yet rated
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

Specs: 1 TB, Hi-Speed USB, 3.5", 7200 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.0 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Seagate FreeAgent Pro external hard drive is an elegant workaround for users who are intimidated by NAS drives. The bundled software is simple to use and makes copying your data to various location a cinch. We really like this external hard drive. Read review

Specs: 500 GB, Hi-Speed USB / eSATA-300, 3.5", 7200 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0.5 stars out of 9 reviews

The Bottom Line: With the Iomega StorCenter Wireless NAS drive, you get storage, backup, and so much more, all at a reasonable price, though we don't quite see the need for wireless capability. This NAS drive should please both SOHO users and home users who want a drive that works and plays. Read review

Specs: Iomega StorCenter Wireless Network Storage 1TB - NAS server, 1 TB, PC, Mac, RJ-45, 4 pin USB Type A, Standard, Ethernet, IEEE 802.11g, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.0 stars out of 12 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus is a good choice for the average home user who wants a fast and simple-to-use external hard drive for backup and storage. Mac users will want to find a different restore utility to use with it. Read review

Specs: 250 GB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB, 3.5", 16 MB, 7200 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: The Iomega eGo Helium is a cost-effective solution for MacBook Air users who need additional data storage and don't want to sacrifice form for function. Read review

Specs: 320 GB, Hi-Speed USB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: HP's Media Vault is a storage drive that offers an easy way to back up files from your networked PCs, along with the ability to stream your digital media files to other networked devices in your home. We really like this drive. Read review

Specs: HP Media Vault MV2020 - Network drive, 500 GB, PC, RJ-45, 4 pin USB Type A, Standard, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.0 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 34 reviews

The Bottom Line: Western Digital's Passport Portable External Hard Drive lets you take a lot of data on the road for a low price. Read review

Specs: 160 GB, Hi-Speed USB, 2.5", 2 MB, 12 ms, 5400 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.5 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 137 reviews

The Bottom Line: More than just a networked hard drive enclosure, the SC101 provides some very useful features at a low price, making it a compelling choice for shared storage. Read review

Specs: NETGEAR SC101 Storage Central - NAS server, PC, RJ-45, Standard, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.7 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 3 reviews

The Bottom Line: The LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini - Home Edition is a solid mediacentric network-attached storage drive with an easy-to-use Web interface, but don't expect glitch-free access outside your home network. Read review

Specs: LaCie Ethernet Disk Mini - Home Edition - NAS server, 500 GB, PC, Mac, 4 pin USB Type A, RJ-45, Standard, Ethernet, Fast Ethernet, Gigabit Ethernet

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good

  Overall score: 6.3 (3.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 4 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Toshiba USB 2.0 Portable Hard Drive is an attractive, lightweight drive with a decent price point for a drive of this capacity. Its size makes it great for travel, but the write speeds aren't up to par with other drives we've seen. We can't recommend it due to its lack of performance. Read review

Specs: 320 GB, Hi-Speed USB, 2.5"

• CNET Editor rating:
  4.0 stars Excellent

  Overall score: 8.1 (4.0 stars)
• Average user rating: 0 stars No reviews, write one!

The Bottom Line: Whether you use a Mac or a PC, the 320GB Western Digital My Passport Studio is the perfect compact external drive with a low cost per GB, a compact design, decent performance, and a surprisingly lengthy warranty. Read review

Specs: 250 GB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.8 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 1.5 stars out of 13 reviews

The Bottom Line: The Maxtor OneTouch 4 Plus is a good choice for the average home user who wants a fast and simple-to-use external hard drive for backup and storage. Mac users will want to find a different restore utility to use with it. Read review

Specs: 500 GB, IEEE 1394 (FireWire) / Hi-Speed USB, 3.5", 16 MB, 7200 rpm

• CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good

  Overall score: 7.3 (3.5 stars)
• Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 8 reviews

The Bottom Line: As far as basic external hard drives go, the SimpleTech SimpleDrive is compelling for its low price and generous online storage bundle. We like it. Read review

Specs: 500 GB, Hi-Speed USB, External, 3.5", 8 MB, 7200 rpm