For portable backup: WD My Passport (reliable, compact, up to 5TB) or Seagate Backup Plus (includes backup software). For desktop backup with maximum capacity: WD My Book or Seagate Expansion Desktop (up to 24TB). For fast backup: Samsung T7 portable SSD (1,050 MB/s). For best $/TB value, desktop HDDs significantly beat portable drives and SSDs. Choose based on whether portability or capacity is your priority.

Choose external SSD if: you need speed (5-10x faster), durability (no moving parts), compact size, or will use it for active work like video editing. Choose external HDD if: budget is the priority (3-5x cheaper per TB), you need maximum capacity (up to 24TB), or it's primarily for backup/archive. Best of both worlds: use SSD for active projects and working files, HDD for backup and long-term storage.

PS5: External USB drives can store PS5 games (not play them) and play PS4 games directly. PS5 games must be on internal or M.2 SSD. Xbox Series X/S: External USB drives can store games, but only Xbox One/360 games play from USB — Series X/S optimized games need internal or the Expansion Card. PS4/Xbox One: Any USB 3.0 external drive works fully. Gaming drives like WD Black P10 and Seagate Game Drive are good choices.

Top portable SSDs include: Samsung T7 (1,050 MB/s, reliable, compact), Samsung T7 Shield (adds IP65 water/dust resistance), SanDisk Extreme Pro (2,000 MB/s with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2), Crucial X8 (1,050 MB/s, good value), and WD My Passport SSD (reliable, NVMe speeds). For content creators needing maximum speed, the SanDisk Extreme Pro or Samsung T9 offer 2,000 MB/s. For most users, the Samsung T7 offers the best balance.

"Shucking" means removing the internal drive from an external enclosure to use it as an internal drive. Popular with WD Elements and My Book drives, which often contain WD Red or enterprise drives at lower prices than buying internal drives directly. Benefits: 20-40% savings on $/TB. Downsides: may void warranty, requires careful disassembly, some drives have 3.3V pin issues (easy fix with tape). Popular among r/DataHoarder for bulk NAS storage.

External HDDs typically last 3-5 years with regular use. External SSDs can last 5-10+ years due to no moving parts. Factors affecting lifespan: physical handling (drops damage HDDs), usage frequency, storage conditions, and power quality. To maximize life: safely eject before unplugging, avoid drops and vibration (especially for HDDs), store in moderate temperatures, and don't leave running 24/7 unless designed for it. Always maintain backups — external drives are often moved around and face more physical risk.

For HDDs: doesn't matter much. USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) is faster than any HDD can actually transfer. USB-C is just a connector shape. For SSDs: it can matter. USB 3.0 (5 Gbps) limits SSDs to ~500 MB/s. USB 3.1 Gen 2 (10 Gbps, often USB-C) allows ~1,000 MB/s. USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps) allows ~2,000 MB/s. Check actual USB version, not just connector type. Most portable SSDs include both USB-C and USB-A cables for compatibility.

Any external drive works with Mac — just reformat to APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). For Time Machine backup: WD My Passport for Mac or Seagate Backup Plus come pre-formatted. For cross-platform use (Mac + Windows): format as exFAT. For speed with modern Macs: USB-C SSDs like Samsung T7 or SanDisk Extreme. For maximum compatibility: Thunderbolt drives work great but cost more. Most users do fine with any USB 3.0+ drive reformatted to their preferred filesystem.