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What’s the best way to be sure your external hard drive won’t suffer an early demise due to rough handling? Keep it in a climate-controlled room, wrapped in bubble wrap, resting on a feather pillow, and plugged safely into a stationary desktop PC.
Excellent! But…wait, you can’t do that? Oh, well. Looks like you’re going to need a hard drive designed to withstand the rigors of the real world.
Now, any ordinary external hard drive has some degree of toughness. But there’s everyday tough, and then there’s rugged. “Rugged” comes in many grades, though. Some rugged drives are built to withstand forces that would kill any bare-naked internal drive: strong impacts, water immersion, even fire. Drives designed for more casual abuse are often marketed as “ruggedized,” but that’s an inexact term. It’s also something of a misnomer, as the actual drive mechanism inside the tough shell is usually a normal, off-the-shelf storage component, just like you’d find in any laptop or desktop. What makes a drive rugged is the casing around it, which allows these drives to withstand shock, dousing, and the like. The level of survivability often depends on how much money you want to spend.
In general, how much torture a given drive can take varies according to the nature of its enclosure. Some will let you drive a car over them. Others might be designed to handle just a short fall off a desk, and not much more.
In this guide, we gather up the most impressive models we’ve reviewed, and then walk you through the features most commonly found in rugged drives. If you’re the type of person who’s suffered a drive failure “in the field” before—whether that’s in your office, or climbing Kilimanjaro—these devices should keep you from suffering that pain again.
ADATA SE800
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Small, light, and fast | – The provided cables are on the short side |
| + Highly durable | |
| + Reasonable cost per gigabyte | |
| + USBC and USBA cables included |
ADATA SE800
The ADATA SE800 external SSD is everything you want in a shirt-pocket solid-state drive: sleek, tough, affordable, and snappy. It will make an excellent addition to your kit.
د.إ 487.00
Why We Picked It
The ADATA SE800 isn’t the cheapest external solid-state drive you can buy—its list price of $259.99 for the 1TB unit seen here comes out to 26 cents per gigabyte. (It’s a more reasonable 19 cents if you buy the gadget from Amazon, but that’s still not rock bottom.) On the other hand, the SE800 is practically indestructible: It’s a rugged SSD with an Ingress Protection rating of IP68, meaning it’s been certified both dustproof and waterproof to a depth of five feet for up to 30 minutes. It’s also very fast and at the same time incredibly sleek and compact (1.4 ounces, measuring 0.4 by 2.8 by 1.7 inches). Even better, ADATA includes the bells and whistles any drive reviewer hopes to see when checking out a new storage device, including dual USB cables so your USB-C and USB-A needs are covered without resorting to easy-to-lose adapters. It’s an easy Editors’ Choice among rugged drives.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Field-leading speed | – High price per gigabyte |
| + Also works with USBC 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 ports | – Cable is a bit short |
| + Extreme ruggedness against dust, water, drops, crush pressure | |
| + 5-year warranty |
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro external drive is designed for professional videographers and others who work in the field with Thunderbolt 3-equipped computers (most often Macs). Small, light, and even mailable, it earns the right to add “extremely” in front of “fast and rugged.”
د.إ 4,599.00
Why We Picked It
Most people don’t need, and won’t want to pay for, the extreme speed and durability of LaCie’s Rugged SSD Pro external solid-state drive. But if you’re a videographer, filmmaker, or other professional who works in the field—and if you have a Thunderbolt-3 equipped laptop, so you can take full advantage of the device’s performance—you may consider it a bargain even at the $419.99 list price for the 1TB version tested here, or $739.99 for the 2TB version. Our new Editors’ Choice among high-end, rugged external SSDs, the LaCie is housed in a silicone-wrapped, crush-resistant aluminum case that’s small and light enough to fit in a shirt pocket, rugged enough to meet the IP67 spec for dust and water resistance, and rated to survive a 3-meter (10-foot-plus) fall. It’s also designed to fit in an overnight express envelope and survive the trip, so you can ship it to the office or studio when data connections are slow or nonexistent.
SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 SSD
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Blistering speeds over a Thunderbolt 3 connection | – High cost per gigabyte |
| + Extremely rugged | – Tricky to reformat for Windows use |
| + Handsome design | – Slower over a USBC connection |
| + Thunderbolt 3 cable included |
SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 SSD
The Mac-centric SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 SSD, an external drive with sizzling speeds over a Thunderbolt 3 connection, is built to withstand anything the elements can throw at it. It doesn’t come cheap, but costs less than the nearest comparable drive we’ve reviewed.
د.إ 1,844.00
Why We Picked It
The SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 external SSD ($299.99 for 1TB, $449.99 for 2TB as tested) has two big things going for it: sizzling speed when used over a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 connection, and extreme ruggedness, including water, dust, drop, and crush protection. Like other SanDisk Professional solid-state drives, the Pro-G40 is geared to Mac users. That said, with a little effort it can be reformatted for use with Windows PCs, and you can get its full speed benefits when paired with any computer with a Thunderbolt 3 interface. It’s our Editors Choice pick among external SSDs for Mac-minded content creators who work in the field.
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Provides protection from rain, dust, and drops | – Relatively short 3 year warranty |
| + AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption | – Not the fastest external SSD for everyday storage tasks |
| + Offers the raw speed of a USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive | |
| + Comes in capacities up to 2TB |
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield
Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 Shield is an external solid-state drive that’s impervious to dust, rain, and tumbles. It’s a durable and secure choice for outdoor workers and travelers, if on the slow side compared to non-rugged SSDs.
د.إ 749.00
Why We Picked It
The latest member of Samsung’s T7 line of external solid-state drives, the Portable SSD T7 Shield (starts at $159.99 for 1TB; $289.99 for 2TB as tested) raises the ante for ruggedness while maintaining the focus on data security seen in its predecessors, the Samsung Portable SSD T7 and Portable SSD T7 Touch. The T7 Shield is more shockproof than the previous T7 drives, and unlike them is rated for dust and water resistance. It’s a good choice for travelers and outdoor workers who want a pocketable drive with good capacity that can stand up to the elements and won’t cause them to lose sleep if it’s lost or stolen.
iStorage DiskAshur M2
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + AES-XTS 256-bit full-disk hardware encryption | – More expensive per gigabyte than standard external SSDs |
| + IP68 ruggedness rating | – Much slower transfer rates than less-security-minded drives |
| + Compatible with Windows, macoS, Linux, Chrome, Android, and more | |
| + Supports an administrator PIN, plus separate user PINs | |
| + No software to install | |
| + Aggressively priced for a security-based SSD |
iStorage DiskAshur M2
The iStorage DiskAshur M2 portable SSD packs a wealth of security features to protect your data—and it’s a proper value, too. It is impervious to the elements, can survive being run over, and costs less than similar security-focused SSDs.
د.إ 2,072.00
Why We Picked It
The DiskAshur M2 from iStorage (starts at $142 for 120GB, $275 for the 1TB version we tested) excels at the primary mission of any security-focused SSD: making sure that no unauthorized person can ever get their hands on your data. It succeeds thanks to hardware encryption, PIN authentication, and what is, in effect, a self-destruct mechanism should anyone breach its housing. This SSD repels the elements, too, impervious to water and dust, and it’s shockproof and crushproof. Like most security-centric external SSDs, the M2 isn’t particularly fast as SSDs go, and you do pay a premium for its protective features, but it’s not as dear as many similarly equipped SSDs we have reviewed. That fact and the feature set tip the scales in favor of the DiskAshur M2 as our latest Editors’ Choice winner for secure external SSDs.
SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Stellar read and write speeds | – Port that enables drive’s full speed barely exists in the wild |
| + 5 year warranty | – 2×2 expansion card will cost extra, and is only an option on desktops |
| + Password-protection with 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption | |
| + Durable |
SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2
Geared to content creators, SanDisk’s Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 offers some of the fastest read and write speeds we’ve seen from an external solid-state drive. But you’ll likely have to buy and install an expansion card on a desktop PC to attain them.
د.إ 397.00
Why We Picked It
Compact, rugged, and blazingly fast, the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 ($299.99 for 1TB, $499.99 for 2TB as tested) stands at the apex of SanDisk’s Extreme line of solid-state drives. Built for video editors, photographers, animators, and other creatives aiming to take advantage of the very latest USB 3.2 standard to move ginormous volumes of files in a hurry, the Extreme Pro V2 turned in some of the fastest transfer speeds we’ve seen from an external SSD. However, since native support for the top version of USB (the 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2×2) is harder to find than a Sony PlayStation 5 on a store shelf, you’ll probably have to spring for an expansion card if you don’t want to settle for the mortal speeds that a “mere” USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface will afford you.
OWC Envoy Pro EX With USB-C
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Sleek design | – Pricey on a cost per GB basis |
| + Aesthetic especially complements Mac laptops | – Only a USBC to C cable in the box |
| + Durable chassis design | |
| + 3 year warranty | |
| + Strong speed results |
OWC Envoy Pro EX With USB-C
If you’re shopping for a fast, Mac-matching external SSD that will look just as good in the boardroom as it will on the side of a mountain, the Envoy Pro EX With USB-C is the drive for you.
د.إ 238.00
Why We Picked It
The OWC Envoy Pro EX With USB-C ($259 for the 1TB version tested; USB 3.0 Type-A models cost a bit less) is a durable external SSD that doesn’t compromise on style, offering up a variety of storage options in a discreet, minimalist package. While other durable drives might opt for big rubber casings to keep their data safe, OWC’s approach is one of strength built from the inside out. The guts are encased in an anodized aluminum shell that’s IP67-rated as both shockproof and waterproof (the latter up to a depth of one meter). The drive doesn’t need any special cap or seal to keep the USB-C port safe from dust and, while it’s a bit more expensive than our Editors’ Choice, the ADATA SE800, it falls within a close enough range to merit a second look.
ADATA HD710M Pro External Hard Drive
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Durable in drop tests | – Camouflage exterior may not be for everyone |
| + Good dollar-per-GB ratio | – Plastic housing only |
| + Trim enclosure | |
| + Lightweight for a ruggedized unit | |
| + Cable storage around the edges |
ADATA HD710M Pro External Hard Drive
Love or hate its camouflage look, the ADATA HD710M Pro external rugged hard drive provides on-par performance and fine durability at a competitive price.
د.إ 268.00
Why We Picked It
In the world of rugged external storage, you’ll see a lot of potential reasons why someone might need a drive that can survive extreme exposure. Construction sites, film sets, wildlife photography, or, in the case of ADATA’s HD710M Pro External Hard Drive, military environs—or at least, situations encountered by hunters and weekend warriors. Though it’s never explicitly stated that this hard drive was made for battlefield applications, its camouflage exterior and rough-and-ready design point to a drive made for the soldier, or at least the soldier at heart. And it’s not just window dressing. The HD710M Pro ($119.99 for the 2TB version tested here) offers up a solid set of ruggedization features that will cater to any customer, whether they truly need the stealth look, or are simply sticking it in a bag for the next wargaming session or paintball match.
LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Flast, easily maliable chassis | – No tab over Type-C connector to protect it from dust and water |
| + Can set to RAID 0 for a higher speed and capacity, or to RAID 1 for drive mirroring | – High price per GB, due largely to ruggedization and RAID design |
| + Bundled cables for a USB A and Type-C on PC side |
LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle
LaCie’s two-drive Rugged RAID Shuttle offers the choice of high capacity and fast performance (in striped mode), or of half the capacity with all data mirrored on the second disk. It’s ideal for anyone who works in the field and produces oodles of data.
د.إ 1,911.00
Why We Picked It
The ADATA SE800 isn’t the cheapest external solid-state drive you can buy—its list price of $259.99 for the 1TB unit seen here comes out to 26 cents per gigabyte. (It’s a more reasonable 19 cents if you buy the gadget from Amazon, but that’s still not rock bottom.) On the other hand, the SE800 is practically indestructible: It’s a rugged SSD with an Ingress Protection rating of IP68, meaning it’s been certified both dustproof and waterproof to a depth of five feet for up to 30 minutes. It’s also very fast and at the same time incredibly sleek and compact (1.4 ounces, measuring 0.4 by 2.8 by 1.7 inches). Even better, ADATA includes the bells and whistles any drive reviewer hopes to see when checking out a new storage device, including dual USB cables so your USB-C and USB-A needs are covered without resorting to easy-to-lose adapters. It’s an easy Editors’ Choice among rugged drives.
SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
| Pro | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Rugged enough to protect from the elements, with rubberized sheath and port cover | – Lacks software suite and hardware-based encryption |
| + Attractive design | – Requires reformatting for use with Windows |
| + Ideal for use with macOS | |
| + Both USBC and USBA cables bundled | |
| + Competitive pricing |
SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD is an attractive, cost-effective portable hard drive, best for Mac users, that provides some protection from the elements but lacks a software suite and hardware-based encryption.
د.إ 699.00
Why We Picked It
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD (starts at $89.99 for 1TB; $109.99 for 2TB as tested) is a cost-effective, semi-rugged external hard drive available in capacities up to 5TB. As a spinning (5,400rpm) platter drive, its speed is typical of its class, meaning well short of the performance of solid-state drives. This makes the ArmorATD less-than-ideal for users needing to back up many large files in a hurry, but it should work well for travelers or mobile workers who need lots of capacity for the spend, versus what their money would buy in an external SSD.
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Buying a rugged drive involves a lot of the same decision points you’d face with an ordinary external drive. Let’s break them down.
INTERFACE TYPE. The industry has settled on two main interfaces in external portable drives these days: USB 3 of various flavors (very common) and Thunderbolt (much less common). Which one is best for your needs depends on the ports on the computer or computers you are using. Also, these interfaces, in their latest iterations, actually overlap in terms of physical connectivity. We’ll explain that in a moment.
You might be asking: Thunderbolt? Thunderbolt is no longer a specialized connector meant mainly for Mac users, though Mac usage still dominates. The latest iteration, Thunderbolt 3, makes the interface much more mainstream, and a new version, Thunderbolt 4, is emerging of late (though not yet really a factor in external drives). The version of Thunderbolt common from 2013 to a few years ago, Thunderbolt 2, offered four times the theoretical bandwidth of USB 3.0 (20Gbps for Thunderbolt, versus 5Gbps for USB 3.0). But adoption was limited, and on top of that, no single hard drive-based external drive can even begin to approach the limits of either interface. Platter-based hard drives just aren’t fast enough for it to matter much which interface you use.
If you have a older Mac with an original Thunderbolt or Thunderbolt 2 port and want a Thunderbolt drive to use with it, go ahead and pull the trigger. A few makers of rugged drives, such as LaCie, still offer rugged drives with the legacy Thunderbolt interfaces, but know that those older interfaces are a dead end for future computers. Just make sure the drive and system use matching and compatible versions of Thunderbolt, and don’t assume it’ll be any faster than what USB 3.0 offers.
That said, both of these interfaces are evolving, which leads us to…
USB 3 AND THUNDERBOLT 3 (IT’S A TANGLE). Newer and faster versions of both USB and Thunderbolt have been rolling out in some external drives over the last couple of years. They offer twice the potential bandwidth of previous implementations. But you’ll need ports to match them on your computer, and again, the real-world speed ramifications aren’t as big a deal as they might sound.
On the USB front, the latest interface is called USB 3.2 or USB Type-C, and it first made headlines by appearing in the super-thin 2015 version of the Apple MacBook. It’s now common on new Windows PCs, and a staple in all the latest MacBook Air and Pro laptops (in the case of the Macs, paired with support for Thunderbolt 3 on the same ports). USB Type-C is a slim, oval-shaped port with a cable that you can insert in either of two directions. To complicate matters, though, “USB Type-C” technically refers to the shape of the plug, while USB 3.2 is the spec having to do with the speed over that interface. You’ll find that some ordinary “Type-A” USB ports (the rectangular USB ports we are all used to) in recent-model systems also claim support for USB 3.2. Some late-model external drives that support USB 3.2 come with two cables, one with a Type-A connector at the system end and one with a Type-C.
Beyond that, USB 3.2 (the speed specification) comes in two primary (and one rare) flavors as of this writing: “Gen 1” and “Gen 2.” The iteration called “USB 3.2 Gen 2” has a maximum theoretical interface speed of 10Gbps. (Few single external devices can saturate that interface, even most solid-state drives.) “USB 3.2 Gen 1,” on the other hand, is identical in maximum potential speed to USB 3.0. (Confusing, we know.) We won’t complicate matters further with the much rarer, 20Gbps “USB 3.2 Gen 2×2,” which also exists but remains uncommon enough to ignore at the moment. (Only a few high-speed external SSDs use it.)
When you’re dealing with an external platter-based hard drive, it makes little difference which kind you get. To make this matter even more confusing, though, the naming convention for USB 3.2 is relatively new; it was gradually moved to USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 from various flavors of “USB 3.1,” thanks to some (in our opinion) ill-advised branding shenanigans by USB’s governing body. (See our explainer.)
Bottom line, when looking at rugged drives with a USB interface, you just need to be sure your PC or Mac has a physically compatible USB port—that is, can you simply plug it in, and does the drive say it works with PCs, Macs, or both? This physical compatibility is what matters most, as a USB device will dial down to the slower speed of the two elements in play (the host system or the drive).
Muddying matters further, though, is the most common recent version of Thunderbolt, Thunderbolt 3—specifically, in how it is implemented. Thunderbolt 3 uses the same reversible connector as USB Type-C. Also, support for USB 3.2 is baked into Thunderbolt 3. In essence, all Thunderbolt 3 ports are USB Type-C ports, though not all USB Type-C ports support Thunderbolt 3.
As a result, any new drive with a USB Type-C connector should just work, whether you plug it in to a Thunderbolt 3 port or to a “plain old” USB Type-C connector. (The possible wrinkle is plugging a Thunderbolt 3 drive into a USB Type-C port that doesn’t support Thunderbolt 3; you’ll want to check if the drive maker supports that. In our experience, sometimes it works, sometimes not.)
As mentioned earlier, with hard drives, you won’t see a huge speed benefit from USB 3.2 vs. Thunderbolt 3 vs. plain old USB 3.0. Thunderbolt 3 boasts potential bandwidth up to 40Gbps, but again, your typical external hard drive won’t push data anywhere close to that limit. That said, some newer SSDs employing cutting-edge, hopped-up internal components are starting to make better use of USB 3.2 and Thunderbolt 3 bandwidth. Look for “USB 3.2 Gen 2” branding and peak transfer rates from 1,000MBps to 3,500MBps. These external SSDs are based on the same PCI Express/NVMe internal bits that today’s fastest internal SSDs use; older SSDs tended to top out around 550MBps because they were based on older Serial ATA technology. (For more on the nuances of this speed uptick, see our guide to the best external SSDs.)
ROTATIONAL SPEED. If you’re talking about a rugged platter hard drive, as opposed to an SSD, drive rotation speed matters—a little. It’s the rate at which the physical platters inside the drive spin, and it used to be a significant determining factor in overall performance. But these days, many models spin at a modest 5,400rpm or thereabouts, rather than the 7,200rpm that used to be more common with performance-oriented drives.
In a bigger-picture sense, SSDs (which have no moving parts) have largely made the notion of a “fast” hard drive a bit passe. Even the slowest external SSD is faster than a 7,200rpm hard drive, often several times over, depending on what you’re transferring and measuring.
If you really need extra performance but can’t dole out the bucks for a portable SSD due to cost or capacity concerns, a few 7,200rpm external rugged hard drives are available (the G-Tech G-Drive eV ATC is one), but they are not often clearly advertised as such. In most cases, we wouldn’t make rotational speed a prime factor in a purchase.
EXTERNAL SSD VS. EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE. SSDs are not only taking over the notebook and personal computer market, but they’re also edging into external storage. It’s easy to imagine a future in which all external drives will be solid-state, because the advantages of SSDs over spinning hard drives make them perfect choices for real-world knocks. Not only do SSDs have no moving parts, making them much more durable, but they also make no noise and produce very little heat.
The only problem with SSDs? They are still expensive compared to hard drives of the same capacity. And compared to portable hard drives, the roomiest of which today can store up to 5 terabytes (5TB) per drive mechanism, external SSDs aren’t as spacious. That’s changing, though, as we’ve seen SSDs creeping into the multi-terabyte range—albeit at a hefty price premium. Check out our explainer for more on hard drives versus SSDs.
Most portable external SSDs aren’t expressly advertised as rugged, though ADATA, LaCie, SanDisk, and a few others do offer such drives, with caps to cover their ports to protect their innards from moisture. But in a general sense, any portable SSD should hold up to drops and being jostled around in a bag better than any traditional portable hard drive. If that’s the extent of the extra protection you’re after, a portable SSD, rugged or not, is enticing, particularly if you don’t need lots of storage space.
REMOVABLE OR FIXED ENCLOSURES. A permanent shell is the most common design among rugged drives, with a sealed chassis around the drive. Materials and design vary, but the exterior for a platter hard drive is typically a hard plastic or rubber, which allows the drive to absorb impact. These enclosures may or may not also provide seals to keep the elements—dust, dirt, and water—out of your drive. (More on that in a moment.) Rugged external SSDs will typically have a metal shell, since shock absorption is less crucial.
A few drives feature enclosures that are removable, adding another layer of protection between the drive and the casing. These are typically sealed with O-rings all the way around, allowing the drive inside extra moisture protection. In other cases, the removable element might just be a rubber or silicone wrapper around an outer metal or plastic casing.
What Exactly Makes a Drive Rugged? Quantifying Drive Protection
A key spec to seek out for rugged outdoor use is compliance with IP67 or IP68. IP stands for “International Protection” as well as “Ingress Protection,” and the IP spec describes a drive’s level of waterproofing and dust/debris resistance. The related specs are governed by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), a nonprofit standards-creation body. We have an in-depth primer on what the various IP levels mean and how to interpret the figures; check out Waterproof? Dust-Resistant? Making Sense of Gadget Ratings, which defines how long a drive can be submerged, and more.
Quantifying the allowable vertical drop resistance is hazier. Most rugged drives, especially SSDs, can handle a fall from your desk and keep on chugging. Standard external platter-based hard drives are less resilient, especially if a drive happens to be running when it took a dive.
Since your basic external hard drive has a hard-plastic shell, when an impact occurs, the chassis transfers the shock energy to the hard drive within, possibly causing the read and write heads to crash into the hard drive platters. That is, for certain, A Very Bad Thing. (Modern drives have acceleration sensors, which detect a fall and rapidly “park” the heads in a safe place before impact, but even that’s not foolproof.) When a drive is encased in a material with more “give,” or with a soft bumper, the enclosure absorbs more of the impact. However, not all enclosures are designed for maximum shock resistance; a rugged drive might have a metal shell, to provide crush protection as well as some safety in case of a drop. As a result, you’re mostly at the mercy of the drive vendor to tell you the rated maximum drop distance for the drive.
So, Which Rugged Drive Should I Buy?
See below for our top picks in rugged drives according to usage case. If you’re looking for a more ordinary external hard drive or a portable SSD, we’ve got best picks for those, as well, at the links.
This story has been produced in partnership with our sister site, Computer Shopper.
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