Paragon Driver for macOS (10.10 and above) This driver provides write access for Seagate external drives in Mac OS without having to reformat. Acronis is a name well known in the Windows world, but less so to Mac users. True Image is its personal backup solution and it supports backing up your data to a local disk, Acronis' own cloud. Seagate Toolkit for macOS. This software allows the user to sync files. Firmware Downloads. Backup Plus for Mac desktop drive 3TB STDU3000101 2-year limited warranty. 2 years: Backup Plus for Mac desktop drive 2TB STDU2000100 2TB 2048.0: 2 years: 179.4mm. The Overview of Seagate Backup Software. Sometimes, it is difficult settling for backup software that would do a nice job. We have therefore compiled some top-notch Seagate Backup software. They are high ranking applications on the market. Let's now do a quick review of the 5 best Seagate backup software. Acronis True Image 2018.

• Best Backup Software For Mac

Summary :

Are you looking for Seagate backup software to back up your important files for data protection? This post will walk you through 3 backup tools – Seagate Dashboard, Seagate Toolkit, and a third-party backup software, MiniTool ShadowMaker. Read this post to learn some details.

Data loss is a fairly common phenomenon, which might be caused by some reasons including hard drive failure, power outage, system crash, virus, mistaken operation, etc. To avoid data loss, you might choose to create a backup for your important files.

If you are using a Seagate hard drive, a Seagate backup software is required for file backup. Well then, which one should be used for you to back up your disk data? You come to the right place; some useful tools will be listed in this post.

Seagate Backup Plus Software: Seagate Dashboard

When you search for “Seagate backup software” in Google, you will find one search result – Seagate Dashboard. This backup program is preloaded on every Seagate Backup Plus drive.

With Seagate Dashboard, you can easily back up PC data and restore your data. In earlier versions, it also enables you to back up mobile content to your storage device and the cloud, save and share your social media. The following figure shows you these features:

How to Use Seagate Dashboard to Back up Your PC Files

This Seagate backup software is compatible with Windows and Mac. To use it, you need to connect your Seagate Backup Plus to your computer, and find this program on the disk. Then, click the file (.exe for PC, .dmg for Mac) to install Seagate Dashboard.

After running this Seagate Backup Plus software in your PC, you will find it offers you the Protect option (only for Windows). When you open it at the first time or you haven’t created a backup of data, two options will be given: Protect Now and New Backup Plan.

Once you click the first option, this Seagate backup software will automatically begin backing up all of you non-system files at once and continuously save changes whenever you make them.

The second option allows you to schedule your own custom backup, for example, set up a continuous backup, regular scheduled backups (monthly, weekly, daily or hourly) or take a one-time snapshot of all your files and folders.

All in all, if you have a need to back up all your data to your Seagate Backup Plus drive, please click Protect Now. Depending on the amount of data that required backing up, this could take quite a while. To automatically back up specific sets of files or folders, take full advantage of the second option.

Seagate Dashboard Not Working

Seagate Dashboard is useful to back up your PC files, however, some users are complaining this free Seagate software is not working. Here is a list of errors or messages that you might encounter:

1. Unknown Error
2. Missing ATL100.dll or Dbghelp.dll.
3. Initial Job Pending
4. Dashboard freezes after starting your first backup.
5. Backup appears to hang at a certain percentage
6. Connect a Seagate Dashboard enhanced to activate features.
7. Error 1920. Service Seagate Dashboard/Mobile Backup Service failed to start.

If you are also bothered by the issue of Seagate Dashboard not working, you can go to this its official website to get solutions. But troubleshooting is troublesome, so you can choose another backup tool, MiniTool ShadowMaker, to back up your files on a regular basis. We will show it below.

Seagate Toolkit

In addition, Seagate has another own backup software and it is Toolkit. It is designed to back up your files, keep your data synced and manage security for Seagate & LaCie self-encrypting drives. Similarly, it can be used on PCs and Macs provided that computer meets the requirements:

1. Windows® 7 Service Pack 1 or higher; 1 GB RAM
2. macOS® 10.10 or higher; the Sync Plus activity requires macOS® 10.11 or higher

To use Seagate Toolkit, you need to open your Seagate Backup Plus drive, download and install this Seagate backup plus software. Then, you can use it to automatically back up non-system files and folders including personal files, documents, music, pictures, video, etc. For more information about this backup software, you can read the official introduce on Seagate Toolkit.

Conclusion: Seagate Dashboard and Toolkit

After learning so much information on these two pieces of backup software from Seagate, you can clearly know both of them can only be used to back up non-system files (don’t support Windows operating system backup).

Besides, the operations are not easy-to-use enough; even many backup issues appear (especially Seagate Dashboard). Moreover, you can only use them to back up your data to a Seagate Backup Plus drive.

What if you want to back up Windows or disk data to a hard drive, not limited to Seagate Backup Plus drive? In the following section, you can know the solution: use MiniTool ShadowMaker, a third-party backup software for PC backup.

Seagate Backup Software: MiniTool ShadowMaker

As a free backup software designed by MiniTool, it is worth recommending. It can be a powerful alternative and supplement to Seagate Dashboard and Seagate Toolkit since it offers you more and flexible backup choices to back up your Seagate external hard drive, including:

1. Back up files automatically based on your needs via 2 methods – create an image for files and sync files.
2. Back up the entire disk and selected partition for backup.
3. Clone your disk to another one.
4. Back up your PC to an external hard drive, USB drive, NAS, etc. and back up hard drives from Seagate, WD, Toshiba, ADATA, Samsung and more.
5. Back up Windows operating system including Windows 10/8/7/, etc. so that you can restore your computer to an earlier date in case of system breakdown.

Simply put, MiniTool ShadowMaker can be the best Seagate backup software. With these powerful features, you can back up and restore your PC in a breeze. So, take this program for a try by clicking the download button below.

How to Back up Files Automatically

As mentioned above, Seagate Toolkit and Seagate Dashboard support automatic file backup. Additionally, you can use MiniTool ShadowMaker to achieve your aim. So, how can you back up files automatically? Here is the guide.

Step 1: Decide a Backup Mode

1. Open MiniTool ShadowMaker.
2. Keep using the trial edition.
3. Click the Connect button to continue. To create a remote backup, an IP is required.

Step 2: Choose Backup Source

1. Under the Backup page, click Source to choose the backup type - Folder and Files.
2. Then, choose the files you want to back up. After that, click OK.

Step 3: Choose a Destination to Store the Backup File

1. MiniTool ShadowMaker allows you to back up your PC to an external hard drive (not limited to Seagate Backup Plus drive), USB flash drive, NAS and more.
2. Choose one based on your needs.

Step 4: Configure Automatic File Backup Setting

1. To back up files automatically, click Schedule in the Backup
2. After turning this feature on, specify a time point so that this Seagate backup software can back up your important files regularly.

Step 5: Run Backup

Best Backup Software For Mac

1. Go back to the following interface.
2. Click Back up Now to start the backup at once.

How to Back up Windows 10/8/7

In addition to file backup, you may want to back up your Windows operating system since system might crash commonly because of virus, mistaken operation, disk failure, power outage, etc. To ensure the PC can run as usual, a system image is useful to revert your system to a previous state.

But as mentioned above, the built-in Seagate backup software doesn’t support system backup. Here, MiniTool ShadowMaker is a supplement.

Step 1: Run this free backup software to start a local backup.

Step 2: By default, MiniTool ShadowMaker backs up system required partitions. Here, you won’t need to choose the backup source. Then, decide a destination to save the system image.

Step 3: After that, begin a system backup immediately by hitting Back up Now.

How to Back up Hard Drive via Disk Cloning

Other than the above features, MiniTool ShadowMaker gives you a powerful feature to back up your entire hard drive – Clone Disk. This can help you to transfer all the content of the source disk to another hard drive for disk backup.

Step 1: Launch MiniTool ShadowMaker.

Step 2: Enter the Tools page, click Clone Disk to go on disk cloning.

Step 3: Select the disk you need to clone and decide the disk you want to clone to.

Step 4: Then, this Seagate hard drive backup software will start performing the cloning operation. Depending on the amount of the source disk, this will take a while. For backup, you need to shut down the PC and remove the target disk after completing cloning.

Which One Should Be Used for PC Backup

Now, three pieces of Seagate backup software are introduced in this post. Well then, which one should be used for PC backup?

Seagate Dashboard and Toolkit are designed to back up your important files to Seagate Backup Plus drive. If you prepare another hard disk from other brands, these two tools don’t support. Besides, both of them require you to register before backup. In short, the built-in Seagate backup plus software is not flexible and powerful.

By contrast, MiniTool ShadowMaker not only backs up files automatically but also backs up Windows OS, partition and disk. Incremental & differential backup are supported, meanwhile, disk space management can be enabled. Above all, multiple backup methods are offered – image, sync, and clone.

In a nutshell, it is an excellent alternative and supplement to Seagate Dashboard and Seagate Toolkit. To protect your PC well, we strongly recommend using the third-party Seagate backup software – MiniTool ShadowMaker. Also, you can share it with your friends on Twitter.

Bottom Line

Now, we have shown you three pieces of Seagate backup software to back up your hard drive, just choose one to start a backup for PC protection. Should you have any question, please inform us by leaving a comment or sending an email to [email protected]. Of course, any suggestion is also appreciated.

Seagate Backup Software FAQ

1. To update the driver of your Seagate external hard drive, go to Device Manager.
2. Right-click the disk from Disk drives to choose Properties.
3. Under the Driver tab, click Update Driver.
4. Browse your computer for the downloaded driver software and complete the driver update by following the on-screen wizards.

Why Trust Us?

My name is Adrian Try, and I’ve been using external drives since before USB existed. I’ve been diligently backing up my computers for decades and have tried a wide variety of backup strategies, software, and media. I currently use Time Machine to back up my 1 TB internal iMac drive to a 2 TB HP SimpleSave 3.5-inch external USB drive.

But that’s not my only external drive. I use a Seagate Expansion Drive on my Mac Mini media computer to hold a large iTunes library and have several Western Digital My Passport portable drives in my desk drawer. All of these drives have been working flawlessly for many years. I’m currently considering upgrading my iMac’s backup drive to a larger-capacity portable drive to free up a powerpoint in my office.

I’ve also helped a number of businesses and companies set up backup systems. I remember some years ago going shopping for an external drive with Daniel, a client who is an accountant. When he saw the LaCie Porsche Design desktop drive he couldn’t believe his eyes. It was gorgeous, and as far as I know, he’s still using it today. If you’re like Daniel, we’ve included a number of attractive drives in our roundup.

Every Mac User Needs a Backup Drive

Who needs an external hard drive? You do.

Every Mac user should own a good external hard drive or two. They’re an essential part of a good backup strategy, and they’re handy for storing files you don’t have room for on your internal drive. After all, my current MacBook’s SSD has far less capacity than the spinning hard drive I was using a decade ago.

You don’t have one? Well, before you go shopping, let us help you narrow down your choices.

How We Tested

Positive Consumer Reviews

I find consumer reviews helpful, so use them to add to my own experience using external drives. They’re from real users about their good and bad experiences with drives they bought with their own money and use every day. We’ve only considered hard drives with a consumer rating of four stars and above that were reviewed by hundreds of users or more.

Capacity

How large a drive do you need? For backup purposes, you need one large enough to hold all of the files on your internal drive, plus different versions of the files you have changed. You may also want some additional room to store files that you don’t need (or don’t fit) on your internal drive.

For most users, a good starting point would be 2 TB, though I believe a minimum of 4TB will give you a better experience with room to grow in the future. In this review, we cover capacities of 2-8 TB. Some users, for example, videographers, could do with even more storage.

Speed

Most hard drives today spin at 5400 rpm, which is fine for backup purposes. You normally perform a full backup or clone backup when you’re away from your computer, possibly overnight, so a bit of extra speed won’t make a difference. And after your initial backup, Time Machine can easily keep up with those files you change during the day.

Faster drives are available but cost more. We’ve included one 7200 rpm drive in our review—the Fantom Drives G-Force 3 Professional. It’s 33% faster, but costs 100% more than the Seagate Backup Plus Hub for Mac.

For applications where high speed is crucial, you may prefer to choose an external Solid State Drive (SSD). Read our review of the best SSD for Mac here.

Apple Compatible

You need a drive that’s compatible with Apple’s HFS+ and ATFS file systems and USB 3.0/3.1, Thunderbolt and USB-C ports. We’ve chosen drives specifically designed for Apple devices, or that explicitly state that they work with Macs. Most external hard drives use a USB 3.0/3.1 port. These should work with any Mac, though you may have to purchase a cable or adaptor if your Mac has Thunderbolt or USB-C ports. If you prefer a drive to work specifically with your computer, some products we list provide options for each type of port.

Desktop, Portable or Rugged

Hard drives come in two sizes: 3.5-inch desktop drives that require to be plugged into a power source and 2.5-inch portable drives that run from bus power, and don’t need an additional power cable. Some companies also offer ruggedized portable drives that are less susceptible to damage from shock, dust or water.

If you use a desktop computer, you may prefer to choose a 3.5-inch drive. These are worth considering because larger capacities are available and they may cost less money. You won’t have to carry the drive around, so you won’t mind the larger size, and you’re likely to have a spare powerpoint in your office. We cover four of these in our review:

• WD My Book,
• Seagate Backup Plus Hub for Mac,
• LaCie Porsche Design Desktop Drive,
• Fantom Drives G-Force 3 Professional.

But if you’re a laptop user, or you’re running out of room on your desk, you may prefer a 2.5-inch external drive. These are bus-powered, so you won’t need to carry an extra power cord, and they’re significantly smaller. However, it’s difficult to find drives with more than 4 TB of space available. We cover four of these in our review:

• WD My Passport for Mac,
• Seagate Backup Plus Portable Drive for Mac,
• LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive,
• G-Technology G-Drive Mobile.

If you regularly use your portable drive on the go—especially if you’re outside—you may like to spend a little more on a rugged hard drive. These are tested to be drop-resistant, dust-resistant and water-resistant—often with military-grade tests—offering additional peace of mind that your data will be safe. We cover four of these in our review:

• LaCie Rugged Mini,
• ADATA HD710 Pro,
• Silicon Power Armor A80,
• Transcend StoreJet 25M3.

Features

Some drives offer additional features that you may or may not find useful. These include a hub to plug your peripherals into, cases made of metal rather than plastic, a greater focus on design, and included cloud storage.

Price

Affordability is an important differentiator since the quality and functionality of each drive is similar. Each of these drives has been highly rated by hundreds or thousands of consumers, so value for money was a major consideration when choosing our winners.
Here are the cheapest street prices (at the time of writing) for the 2, 4, 6 and 8 TB options of each drive (if available). The cheapest price for each capacity in each category has been bolded and given a yellow background.

Disclaimer: The pricing information shown in this table is subject to change, and reflects the cheapest street prices I could find at the time of writing.

The Winners

Best Backup Drive for Desktop Mac: Seagate Backup Plus Hub

Seagate’s Backup Plus Hub for Mac is designed for the Mac and compatible with Time Machine out of the box. Four and eight terabyte versions are available, more than enough for most people. Amazon’s price for the 8 TB version makes it a no-brainer—that’s less than most other companies’ 4 TB drives. But there’s more. This drive includes two integrated USB 3.0 ports that will charge your phone or connect your peripherals and USB sticks to your Mac.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 4, 8 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Max data transfer: 160 MB/s,
• Interface: USB 3.0,
• Case: white plastic,
• Features: two integrated USB 3.0 ports, comes with cloud storage.

Seagate drives have a reputation for reliability. The first hard drive I bought was a Seagate, way back in 1989. The Backup Plus Hub is designed for the Mac and is the most affordable 8 TB drive, followed by the WD My Book. The included hub will give you much easier access to USB ports, which is handy when connecting peripherals, copying files to a Flash drive, or just charging your phone.

Some limited free cloud storage is included with the drive. A 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan is included and must be redeemed by a specified deadline.

Finally, a few options. If you’d like to save some money, the 4 TB version of the WD My Book is significantly cheaper, as is the Seagate Expansion, which is also only $89.99 for 4 TB. Neither of these options includes a USB hub.

Best Portable Backup Drive for Mac: Seagate Backup Plus Portable

The Seagate Backup Plus Portable is also a bargain. It’s the most affordable portable drive we cover in either the 2 TB or 4 TB capacities. The drive is mounted in a sturdy metal case, and the 4 TB case is a little thicker than the 2 TB version.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 2, 4 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Max data transfer: 120 MB/s,
• Interface: USB 3.0,
• Case: brushed aluminum.

This portable drive doesn’t include a hub like Seagate’s desktop drive, but it’s slim and housed in an attractive, sturdy metal case. If you prefer the slimmest drive, go for the 2 TB “Slim” option, which is a significant 8.25 mm thinner.

Since the switch to SSDs, many Mac laptops have significantly less internal storage than they used to, so portable hard drives are handier than ever. Most MacBook users should find that 2-4 TB is more than enough to back up their computer and also store additional files they don’t need permanently on their computers. For best practice, buy two drives, one for each function.

Unlike a desktop drive, portable drives don’t need an additional power source. And like the desktop version, a 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan is included and must be redeemed by a specified deadline.

Best Rugged Backup Drive for Mac: ADATA HD710 Pro

Of the four rugged external hard drives we cover, only two come in a 4 TB capacity. Of the two, the ADATA HD710 Pro is significantly more affordable. It’s even cheaper than some of the non-ruggedized portable drives we cover. How rugged is it? Extremely. It’s waterproof, dustproof, and shockproof and exceeds military-grade standards. It comes with a three-year warranty.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2, 4, 5 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB 3.2,
• Case: extra-rugged triple-layered construction, various colors,
• Drop resistant: 1.5 meters,
• Water resistant: up to 2 meters for 60 minutes.

If you regularly use an external hard drive in extreme conditions, or if you’re just very clumsy, you’ll appreciate a ruggedized portable drive. The HD710 Pro is extremely rugged. It’s IP68 Waterproof, and has been tested being submerged in two meters of water for 60 minutes. It’s also IP68 military-grade shockproof and IP6X dustproof. And to demonstrate the company’s confidence in its own product, it comes with a three-year warranty.

For durability, the casing has three layers: silicone, a shock-absorbing buffer, and a plastic shell closest to the drive. A number of colors are available.

The Competition

Other Desktop Drives Worth Considering

I’ve owned a number of Western Digital My Books over the years and found them very good. They’re also very affordable and missed out on the win by a whisker. Seagate’s 8 TB drive is significantly cheaper, but if you’re after a 4 or 6 TB drive, a My Book is the way to go.

My Books are available in more capacities than the Seagate Backup Plus, which only comes in 4 and 8 TB models. So if you’re after some other capacity—large, small or in between—WD’s drives may also be a better choice for you. However, they don’t include a USB hub like the Backup Plus does.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 3, 4, 6, 8,10 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB 3.0,
• Case: plastic.

If you’re willing to pay more for a luxurious metal enclosure that will match the good looks of your Mac, LaCie’s Porsche Design desktop drives fit the bill. When my fashion-conscious friend Daniel saw one it was love at first sight, and he had to buy it. The Amazon link below goes to the USB-C version of the drive, but the company also offers a version for USB 3.1 drives.

Since 2003, LaCie has been collaborating with design house Porsche Design to produce external hard drive enclosures that look like works of art. It’s a modern, minimalist design with rounded corners, high-polish beveled edges, and sandblasted finish. Apple approves and sells LaCie drives in their store.

Besides its good looks, LaCie’s desktop drive has a number of other features. First, an adaptor is included in the box, so you can use the USB 3.0 version in a USB-C port and vice-versa without additional cost. Second, like the Seagate drives, it includes a 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan. (This must be redeemed by a specified deadline.) Finally, it will charge your laptop while it’s plugged into the drive.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 4, 6, 8 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB-C, USB 3.0 adaptor included. A USB 3.0 model is available separately.
• Case: aluminum enclosure by Porsche Design.

Finally, the most high-end drive we cover is the Fantom Drives G-Force 3 Professional. It’s the only high-speed 7200 rpm drive included in our review, features a sturdy black brushed-aluminum case that can be stored vertically to save some desk space, and comes in a wide range of capacities from 1-14 TB.

You’ll pay more for the G-Force than our winner, but it’s superior in every way. The high-speed drive is 33% faster than the other drives we review. That’s significant if you regularly save huge files, say video footage. The brushed black (or optional silver) aluminum casing looks good and is sturdier than the plastic cases of most of the competition. And the integrated stand allows you to store the drive vertically, which may save you some desk space.

There are also ten different storage capacities available, from 1 TB all the way up to 14 TB. While 2 or 4 TB will suit most users, if you need additional space the G-Force offers it in spades, but at a price. In summary, if you’re willing to pay for the best external hard drive out there, this is it.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 TB,
• Speed: 7200 rpm,
• Interface: USB 3.0/3.1,
• Case: black aluminum (a silver version is available at a premium).

Other Portable Drives Worth Considering

I own a number of WD My Passport drives and love them. But they cost more than the Seagate Backup Plus Portable and have a plastic case rather than a metal one. Western Digital does offer a more expensive model with a metal case—the My Passport Ultra.

The My Passport for Mac is designed for the Mac and is Time Machine ready. A number of colors are available, and the cables match.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2, 3, 4 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB 3.0,
• Case: plastic.

LaCie’s Porsche Design Mobile Drives look as good as their desktop counterparts, and are your best choice if you don’t mind paying more to make your external drive match your MacBook. While it doesn’t offer as much protection as a rugged drive, the case is made of 3 mm thick solid aluminum which certainly helps.

LaCie drives are designed for the Mac. They’re available in space gray, gold and rose gold, and come set up to work well with Time Machine. But they’ll work with Windows too. Like other options, drives with 4 TB and greater are significantly thicker.

Mac os x software update server not responding. Dec 28, 2017  I am unable to update CS6, running on my Mac with OS X 10.13. It gives the following error: 'The update server is not responding. The server might be offline temporarily, or the Internet or firewall settings may be incorrect.' Mar 05, 2013  The Software Update Server (192.168.1.12) is not responding. Check to make sure your network connection is operating normally. If there are no issues with your connection, contact your network administrator for assistance. The internet is working fine in all other areas, this error occurs wired and wireless. Oct 08, 2009  Fix for Software Update See Troubleshooting Automatic Software Update in Mac OS X. Delete the following files: /Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist /Home/Library/Preferences/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.plist /Home/Library/Preferences/ByHost/com.apple.SoftwareUpdate.xxx.plist 'xxx' is a number. Apr 15, 2014  Looks like no one’s replied in a while. To start the conversation again, simply ask a new question.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2, 4, 5 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB-C, USB 3.0 adaptor included,
• Case: aluminum enclosure by Porsche Design.

Like the LaCie Portable and Slim, the G-Technology G-Drive Mobile is mounted in an aluminum case that comes in three Apple colors. It costs about the same but comes in USB 3.0, USB-C and Thunderbolt versions. And like LaCie drives, Apple likes the look of them and sells them in their store.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2, 4 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Transfer speed: 130 MB/s,
• Interface: USB-C (USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt versions available),
• Case: aluminum,
• Colors: silver, space gray, rose gold.

Other Rugged Drives Worth Considering

The LaCie Rugged Mini is designed for all-terrain use. It’s shock-resistant (for drops of up to four feet), and dust and water-resistant. It’s available in USB 3.0, USB-C, and Thunderbolt versions. It’s the most expensive rugged drive we cover in this Mac backup drive review.

The aluminum case is protected by a rubber sleeve for extra protection. The drive inside is from Seagate, and it comes formatted for Windows, so it will have to be reformatted to work with your Mac. A zip-up case is included and features an interior strap to secure your drive in place.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2, 4 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Transfer speed: 130 MB/s (510 MB/s for Thunderbolt),
• Interface: USB 3.0 (USB-C and Thunderbolt versions available),
• Case: aluminum,
• Drop Resistant: 4 feet (1.2m), dust and water resistant.

With “armor” in the name, the Silicon Power Armor A80 is waterproof and military-grade shockproof. It’s not available in a 4 TB capacity, but the 2 TB drive is the least expensive we include in this review.

A layer of shock-resistant gel is placed inside the housing to add an extra bumper for full shock protection. The drive passed the US military MIL-STD-810F transit drop test and functioned perfectly after surviving falls from three meters.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB 3.1,
• Case: shock-resistant silica gel,
• Drop resistant: 3 meters,
• Water resistant: up to 1m for 30 minutes.

Another drive with a maximum capacity of 2TB, the Transcend StoreJet 25M3, is affordable, has excellent anti-shock protection, and is available in two colors.

The drive features a three-stage shock protection system that includes a silicone rubber case, an internal shock-absorbing suspension damper, and a reinforced hard casing. It meets the US military drop-test standards to protect your data.

At a glance:

• Capacity: 1, 2 TB,
• Speed: 5400 rpm,
• Interface: USB 3.1,
• Case: silicone rubber case, internal shock-absorbing suspension damper, reinforced hard casing,
• Drop resistant: US military drop-test standards.