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Best 1TB Portable external hard drive

bluedoggiant

bluedoggiant

macrumors 68030
Original poster
Jul 13, 2007
2,658
102
MD & ATL,GA
Hi all, I'm in the market for a 1TB (maybe 1.5TB) external hard drive that is small, along the size of the WD My passport for example. I want to know what the best drive available is. Price isn't so much of an issue but if possible I'd like to know the best with thunderbolt and the best without thunderbolt because I understand thunderbolt capability jacks up the price unnecessarily, and I'm not sure if it's worth it.

I am familar with the G-Drive's, WD's, Lacie's, Toshiba, and Seagate's. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.
 
bluedoggiant said:
Hi all, I'm in the market for a 1TB (maybe 1.5TB) external hard drive that is small, along the size of the WD My passport for example. I want to know what the best drive available is. Price isn't so much of an issue but if possible I'd like to know the best with thunderbolt and the best without thunderbolt because I understand thunderbolt capability jacks up the price unnecessarily, and I'm not sure if it's worth it.

I am familar with the G-Drive's, WD's, Lacie's, Toshiba, and Seagate's. Let me know what you guys think. Thanks.
Click to expand...

The Touro Pro has the fastest 2.5" 1TB drive available (apart from an SSD). It has a HGST 7200rpm 1TB HDD in it. There are not other 2.5" 7200rpm HDDs around in 1TB or larger. Make sure it is the Pro as the normal Touro is 5400rpm.
 
I got a 1.5TB Toshiba Canvio off craigslist for $40. I'm very happy with it, and the transfer speed is pretty good (at least more than good enough for my uses). I'd say as long as you get something that's USB 3.0 (and you have a 3.0 port), you'll be complacent with the speed.
 
opinio said:
The Touro Pro has the fastest 2.5" 1TB drive available (apart from an SSD). It has a HGST 7200rpm 1TB HDD in it. There are not other 2.5" 7200rpm HDDs around in 1TB or larger. Make sure it is the Pro as the normal Touro is 5400rpm.
Click to expand...

Are you talking about this drive?

http://www.touropro.com/product/touro-mobile-pro/

http://www.amazon.com/HGST-Mobile-Portable-External-0S03559/dp/B009GE6JI8/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

You believe this drive is far superior than the WD MyPassport?
 
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
bluedoggiant said:
Are you talking about this drive?

http://www.touropro.com/product/touro-mobile-pro/
Click to expand...

Yes.

Unless WD is making a proprietary 1TB drive in 7200rpm, then it is superior. 7200 versus 5400. I have never seen a WD 1TB in 7200 (I'm referring to 2.5" drives in this post). Although it is worth pointing out that HGST is owned by WD anyway.

Just because it is USB3.0 does not mean it will be fast. You need a fast drive on the USB 3.0 enclosure. Clearly SSDs are fastest, but not everyone can afford a 1TB SSD.

I notice OWC even sells the empty enclosures for this drive because they extract the drive and sell it separately because it is so good (for its size).

EDIT: Yes it is the drive in the Amazon link. See the reviews. There are a few complaints about the software included. I cannot comment on that as I always format the drive anyway. It seems the drive is excellent but the software is questionable. Your choice.
 
Last edited:
opinio said:
Yes.

Unless WD is making a proprietary 1TB drive in 7200rpm, then it is superior. 7200 versus 5400. I have never seen a WD 1TB in 7200 (I'm referring to 2.5" drives in this post). Although it is worth pointing out that HGST is owned by WD anyway.

Just because it is USB3.0 does not mean it will be fast. You need a fast drive on the USB 3.0 enclosure. Clearly SSDs are fastest, but not everyone can afford a 1TB SSD.

I notice OWC even sells the empty enclosures for this drive because they extract the drive and sell it separately because it is so good (for its size).

EDIT: Yes it is the drive in the Amazon link. See the reviews. There are a few complaints about the software included. I cannot comment on that as I always format the drive anyway. It seems the drive is excellent but the software is questionable. Your choice.
Click to expand...

I am not buying the drive for the software and I do plan to format it, but by formatting it am I not able to have the 3GB of online storage? In case I may need it, it'd be nice.
 
opinio said:
Unless WD is making a proprietary 1TB drive in 7200rpm, then it is superior. 7200 versus 5400.
Click to expand...
What's the value of this rpm figure, if the drive as a whole doesn't even achieve 90MB/s writing speed? I mean, I don't care, if my WD spins 7200 or 5400 revs in a sec, but it's R&W throughput exceeds 100MB/s in both directions in real life.
 
The WD passport range are fine if you just want off-Mac storage and you're not too concerned about speed, they use green drives, so if you want to work in real time, then they may not be fast enough for you...they are cheap though, and reliable.
 
priitv8 said:
What's the value of this rpm figure, if the drive as a whole doesn't even achieve 90MB/s writing speed? I mean, I don't care, if my WD spins 7200 or 5400 revs in a sec, but it's R&W throughput exceeds 100MB/s in both directions in real life.
Click to expand...

What's the value? Speed?

See the following tests in Black Magic.

-HGST 7200 1TB 2.5" reads and writes at about 130MB/s in Black Magic.

-HGST 5400 1TB 2.5" (Apple 2012 Mac mini OEM drive) 105MB/s read 105MB/s write

-WD 1TB My Passport USB3.0 reads and writes at around 75MB/s.

-WD Scorpio Blue 2.5" 1TB 5400rpm 110MB/s read 110MB/s write

-WD WD3200BMVS 2.5" 320GB 5400rpm 59MB/s read 60MB/s write

-Toshiba 2.5" 160GB 5400rpm 45MB/s read 35MB/s write

-Toshiba 2.5" 120GB 5400rpm 45MB/s read 33MB/s write

WD Passport drive are not fast. They have never been fast. USB3.0 or not. The Scorpio blue is good for 5400. The Black is also good but only comes in capacity to 750GB.
 
opinio said:
What's the value? Speed?
See the following tests in Black Magic.
-HGST 7200 1TB 2.5" reads and writes at about 130MB/s in Black Magic.
-WD 1TB My Passport USB3.0 reads and writes at around 75MB/s.
Click to expand...
OK, I see. One more reason not to take reviews and benchmarks on Internet for granted.
And I was referring to My Passport Ultra, that in my own test with Black Magic scores also over 100MB/s. Sure, nowhere near 130MB/s (which according to c|net, Touro doesn't do either). Go figure.
 
priitv8 said:
OK, I see. One more reason not to take reviews and benchmarks on Internet for granted.
And I was referring to My Passport Ultra, that in my own test with Black Magic scores also over 100MB/s. Sure, nowhere near 130MB/s (which according to c|net, Touro doesn't do either). Go figure.
Click to expand...

Cnet is very likely running different tests than using Black Magic. For uniformity I am using Black Magic across all the drives so that you can compare. Also the review is on a 750GB drive not the 1TB. The 750GB is an old model. Its not even available anymore from the manufacturer.

I am assuming the drive inside is the HGST 750GB. HGSTs 750rpm drive is SATAII and cache is only 16MB. The 1TB I am recommending is SATAIII and the cache is 32MB. Double the difference. SATAIII is not just about SATA speed. The data retrieval (and writing) from the platter is more efficient too.

The drive you showed me is not the drive, nor enclosure I am recommending. It is slower in the review because it is a slower drive. I am not sure why you think your WD Ultra is as fast as the HGST 1TB 7200? I understand you wish it was, but it simply isn't.
 
Don't Go Thunderbolt, Too Much $$$

Don't get a Thunderbolt drive. Yes it's fast, but just as fast as it'll copy your stuff it'll drain your wallet. If you absolutely insist on a Thunderbolt drive, try this one

Otherwise I would go with this drive. I actually just bought this exact same one yesterday and I love it. It has the ability to be connected via USB 3.0, FireWire 400, or FireWire 800. The drive comes with a cable for USB 3.0, a FireWire 800 to FireWire 800 cable, and a FireWire 800 to FireWire 400 cable. The drive itself has two FireWire 800 ports and a USB 3.0 port. It is bus powered which I really love and is a huge improvement over my old Western Digital MyBook.

Really, don't go Thunderbolt. The second drive is cheaper, more efficient, and the same amount of storage.
 
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