It’s only so natural not to overthink choosing an external hard drive. After all, most people don’t really have a use for one beyond having an extra copy of all their crucial data or keeping up with storage demands of modern games. Any external hard drive from tried-and-true brands like Samsung can serve that purpose well as long as it packs enough storage space within a design that feels right to you.
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It’s an entirely different story when you need an external hard drive for your video editing toolkit. Many external hard drive specs suddenly come into play even if you just want to save your precious Xbox in-game moments for cool edits down the road. Depending on what your unique video editing needs dictate, factors like read and write speeds, portability, and robustness become forces to reckon with.
Before we dive into these subtleties, there’s one decision we can make already that instantly helps us zoom in on the best external hard drives for video editing. In a broad sense, external hard drives fall within two categories based on the storage technology at play. Navigating the great many amazing options on the market, one inevitably arrives at choosing between HDDs and SSDs.
By and large, despite their higher cost and limited write cycle capacity, solid state drives (SSDs) make for a superior choice for video editing. Compared with hard disk drives (HDDs), they naturally excel at some of the most essential parameters that can make a video editing project feel like bliss. In general, SSDs are becoming increasingly faster, and their external siblings boast greater portability and more robust designs.
For these reasons, the exclusive focus of our list is on SSDs in the realm of external hard drives. With that said, there’s a sea of them out there, with some models being as eye-catching as this Seagate x Genshin Impact external SSD. It’s all too easy to drown in this sea of nuanced waves of specs and designs. Based on what video editing means to you, some models can make for a better companion than others.
Let’s see if there’s a solid ally you’ve been missing out on among the best external SSDs for video editing.
6 No Place Like Home: SanDisk Desk Drive External SSD
Most video editing pros and enthusiasts alike prefer to wrestle with their heavyweight video libraries from the comfort of home. Within its neat design intended specifically for desk use, this compact external hard drive packs an impressive storage capacity of up to 8 TB and read speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s. This is plenty to make up to 480 hours of 1080p Full HD video with a frame rate of 30 fps feel right at home and stay close at hand.
The Model’s Key Features
- Storage Capacity Options: 4 TB, 8 TB
- Speeds: Up to 1,000 MB/s (Read)
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB-A Compatible Via an Adapter)
- Dimensions: 3.9 Inches (Length) x 3.9 Inches (Width) x 1.6 Inches (Thickness)
- Weight: 9.45 Ounces
- Color Theme Options: Black
Buy at the SanDisk StoreBuy on Amazon
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5 Wherever You Go: Samsung T7 External Hard Drive
Too many delicious video editing projects call for getting things done on the go. Despite its minimalist build, Samsung’s T7 external SSD packs a decent 4 TB storage capacity with read speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s.
As a result, this portable external SSD can serve as a video editing powerhouse in a pocket, saving 4K Ultra HD videos with a frame rate of 60 fps in real time. The model also features a shock-resistant design that protects against falls from heights of up to 6 feet.
The Main Features of This Model
- Storage Capacity Options: 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
- Speeds: Up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s (Read and Write)
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB-A Backward Compatible)
- Dimensions: 3.3 Inches (Length) x 2.2 Inches (Width) x 0.3 Inches (Thickness)
- Weight: 2.5 Ounces
- Color Theme Options: Blue, Gray
Buy at the Samsung StoreBuy on Amazon
4 Always With You: Western Digital My Passport External SSD
Video editing has become a catch-all phrase that hosts a sea of needs and tastes. No doubt, being thoughtful about free space on SSDs is always a good idea. It’s still great, however, to have several storage capacities to choose from, and that’s what this portable external hard drive makes pretty easy to do.
The model’s polished design is resistant to shock and drops from heights of up to 6.5 feet and comes in a few tasteful color themes. With its solid read and write speeds and smooth connectivity, it provides enough functionality to empower your video toolkit in style.
This Model’s Key Features
- Storage Capacity Options: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
- Speeds: Up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s (Read and Write)
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB-A Compatible Via an Adapter)
- Dimensions: 3.94 Inches (Length) x 2.17 Inches (Width) x 0.35 Inches (Thickness)
- Weight: 1.6 Ounces
- Color Theme Options: Midnight Blue, Space Gray, Rose Gold, Silver, Red
Buy at the SanDisk StoreBuy on Amazon
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3 Erring on the Rugged Side: SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD
It’s no secret that some of the most delightful fruits of video editing demand their fair share of work in the field. Accidents happen, though, otherwise taking precautions like backing up your Steam Deck wouldn’t cross a lot of people’s minds. Likewise, it’s all too easy to mishandle the external hard drive in the heat of the moment, and it never hurts to rely on a device that is built to withstand occasional bumps and drops.
In addition to its impressive range of storage capacities as well as decent read and write speeds, this external SSD is fit for the duty of demanding on-the-go video editing projects. Within its resilient silicon shell, the IP65-certified build withstands drops from heights of up to 9.8 feet and resists dust and the elements.
This Model’s Main Features
- Storage Capacity Options: 500 GB, 1TB, 2 TB, 4 TB, 8 TB
- Speeds: Up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s (Read and Write)
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB-A Compatible via an Adapter)
- Dimensions: 3.97 Inches (Length) x 2.07 Inches (Width) x 0.38 Inches (Thickness)
- Weight: 1.4 Ounces
- Color Theme Options: Black
Buy at the SanDisk StoreBuy on Amazon
2 Something Robust: LaCie Rugged Mini External Hard Drive
In this day and age, the line between video editing on the fly and extreme adventure is quite often blurry. That’s when the external hard drive of choice could use all the extra durability there is to survive accidental impact. This IP54-certified model features a dedicated robust design intended for use in a vast range of terrains and weather conditions.
With that said, its built-in capacity to handle exposure to dust, shock, and the elements is not even the main highlight of this external SSD. Owing to its USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface, this model boasts top-tier read and write speeds that ensure a seamless transfer of video data.
The Model Comes With These Key Features
- Storage Capacity Options: 500GB, 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
- Speeds: Up to 2,000 MB/s and 1,850 MB/s (Read and Write)
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB-A Backward Compatible)
- Dimensions: 4.15 Inches (Length) x 2.63 Inches (Width) x 0.68 Inches (Thickness)
- Weight: 4 Ounces
- Color Theme Options: Orange
1 Best of All Worlds: Samsung T9 External Hard Drive
Ending on a high note, this model deserves the spotlight in our list. At its steadily meteoric read and write speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s, this external SSD supports seamless recording of 4K Ultra HD videos with the frame rate of 60 fps. More so, with the help of its cutting-edge thermal solution, the device can stay well within its safe temperature range regardless of the intensity of your video editing project.
Within its elegant and portable design, the top-of-the-range performance of Samsung’s T9 external SSD can be explored across multiple storage capacities. At the same time, in case your video editing ambitions make this exploration somewhat wild, the model’s rubberized build is rugged enough to withstand accidental drops from heights of up to 9.8 feet.
The Main Features of This Model
- Storage Capacity Options: 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB
- Speeds: Up to 2,000 MB/s and 1,950 MB/s (Read and Write)
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
- Connectivity: USB-C (USB-A Backward Compatible)
- Dimensions: 3.5 Inches (Length) x 2.4 Inches (Width) x 0.6 Inches (Thickness)
- Weight: 4.3 Ounces
- Color Theme Options: Black
Buy at the Samsung StoreBuy on Amazon
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FAQ
Q: What storage capacity is the best choice for video editing?
A video editing enthusiast could do well with just a 1 TB external hard drive for occasional projects and fun. Video professionals, on the other hand, could definitely use a bigger storage capacity of 2 TB and above.
Q: What is the most important feature in an external hard drive for editing?
Read and write speeds are among the most important things to consider. They can make or break the flow with which videos are recorded straight onto the drive, and they dictate how smooth data transfer goes each time.
Q: Is a rugged design necessary?
Solid state drives (SSDs) aren’t as sensitive to impact as hard disk drives (HDDs) – within reason. If your video editing projects involve a lot of active work in the field, it never hurts to have the extra layer of protection that rugged external hard drives offer.