External hard drives allow you to store more data than your computer’s hard drive can hold. They also can make it easier to share files between multiple computers.
This makes them useful for people who take a lot of photographs or videos. They are also useful for people who download large collections of movies or songs.
500GB external hard drives are good options for people that wish to transfer small amounts of files throughout their home computers, or between home and work. Whilst they’re not going to store years worth of videos and pictures, even the very best 500GB external hard drive is extremely affordable.
What Are The Best 500GB External HDDs in 2021?
| Product | Interface | Our Rating |
|---|---|---|
| Freecom Mobile Drive MG | USB 3.0 | 4.8 |
| The Bipra S2 | USB 2.0 | 4.6 |
| Seagate Expansion Portable External Hard Drive | USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 | 4.7 |
| WD Elements 500 GB External Hard Drive | USB 3.0 | 4.7 |
| The HDE SuperSpeed 3.0 SATA 2.5" | USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 | 4.4 |
| The Maxone 2.5" 500 GB Hard Drive | USB 3.0 | 4.5 |
| The Toshiba Canvio Connect II | USB 3.0 | 4.5 |
| The Drevo P1 | USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 | 4.5 |
1. Freecom Mobile Drive MG
This external hard drive is designed with Macintosh in mind. It has a magnesium exterior. Here are some important attributes of the product:
Easy To Transport: There are two reasons why the device is exceptionally easy to transport. The fact that the product’s exterior is made of magnesium makes it lighter than most external hard drives on the market. In addition, it has a thin design.
Formatted HDD for Mac: This makes the device immediately compatible with Mac HFS+.
Runs Quietly: The drive doesn’t use a fan.
Environmentally Friendly: The magnesium that is used to make the product comes from seawater, minerals, and brines. As a result of magnesium’s origins, the world’s magnesium reserves are practically unlimited.
2. The Bipra S2
The Bipra S2 is a quality product, and it is well regarded by customers. In fact, it has reviews of 4 out of 5 stars on Amazon. Here are some important things to know about this 500 gigabyte external hard drive.
No External Power Necessary: This allows you to use the product virtually anywhere.
USB 2.0 Compatible: This device uses exclusively USB 2.0 ports.
NTFS Format: This file format is compatible with a wide range of both Windows and Macintosh operating systems. It also is compatible with all Linux versions from Linux 2.2 and above. However, it is possible to reformat the data if necessary.
Easy To Transport: The product is only 2.5 inches in diameter. It also is quite lightweight.
3. Seagate Expansion Portable External Hard Drive
Seagate is a reputable manufacturer of data storage devices, and they have been in the industry for decades. This device is as an exceptionally high quality product. Here are some of its most important features:
Rapid File Transfers: This product uses super speed USB technology.
Dual USB Compatibility: It can be used with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0.
Easily Powered: This device is powered through the USB port. Therefore, there is no need for a battery.
Drag and Drop File Sharing: It’s possible to do drag and drop file sharing right away if you have a Windows operating system, but you will need to reformat first if you use Macintosh.
Exceptionally Good Reviews: The product has a rating of 4.7 stars on Amazon, and 20 people have reviewed it.
4. WD Elements 500 GB External Hard Drive
This product is one of the more popular 500 gigabyte external hard drives on the market. WD (Western Digital) is a well-known manufacturer of hard drives, and the company has been in business for nearly 50 years. Here are some important attributes of this western digital 500 gb external harddrive.
Free Trials: The cloud backup software for this hard drive makes it possible to conveniently back up all of your data, and a free trial of this software is offered with every purchase. In addition, the product comes with a free trial of WD SmartWare Pro Auto.
Warranty: This product comes with a 1 year limited warranty.
Fast Transfer Of Data: This product transfers data using fast USB 3.0 technology.
Reformatting: It is necessary to reformat if you’ll be using the product with a Macintosh operating system.
5. The HDE SuperSpeed 3.0 SATA 2.5″
This product is known for being exceptionally easy to transport. It also is durable, and many customers have had great experiences with it. Here are some of its most important features of this 500 gb hard drive.
Fast USB Interface: This device comes with a super speed 3.0 USB interface.
Lightweight: It’s designed with an exceptionally thin aluminum casing.
Quiet: There is no need for a fan in the device. This is because there are openings in the casing that allow for air circulation.
Backwards Compatible USB: While this device uses a 3.0 USB interface, it is also compatible with 2.0 USB cables.
6. The Maxone 2.5″ 500 GB Hard Drive
This is a popular product with reviews of 3.5 stars on Amazon. Here are some of the key features of this hard drive:
Small Size: It’s exceptionally compact with a diameter of only 2.5″.
Easy To Power: It doesn’t require a battery. It’s powered by the electricity from your computer.
Compatibility: It’s compatible with a wide range of devices. It’s compatible with both Macintosh and Windows.
Fast Hard Drive: The hard drive also runs quickly at a speed of 5,400 revolutions per minute.
7. The Toshiba Canvio Connect II
The device is made by Toshiba, and this company is a reputable manufacturer of hard drives. Here are some of the most important features of this 500GB portable hard drive.
Cloud Based Data Back Up: Not only is the cloud based data backup option easy to access and use, but it is designed with security in mind. In fact, the cloud uses password protected data encryption. It’s also possible to schedule the cloud back ups to occur on a regular basis.
Warranty: It comes with a 2 year limited warranty from the manufacturer
Sleek Appearance: This product has a thin, sleek black exterior. The small size makes it possible to fit the drive in your pocket.
USB: This device is USB 3.0 powered.
Compatible With A Wide Range Of Computers: You can use this device with either Macintosh or Windows operating systems, and there is no need for reformatting.
Multiple Color Options: You can purchase the device in black, blue, white gold, or red.
8. The Drevo P1
Drevo is a well regarded manufacturer of hard drives, and one of their most popular products is the Drevo P1. Here are some key features of this 500 gigabyte hard drive.
Transportability: The sleek design of the device makes it easy to carry with you.
Well Cooled: The aluminum used to encase the drive can effectively dissipate heat.
Fast Transfer Of Data: This device uses USB 3.0 technology to ensure rapid transfer of data.
Dual Compatibility: It’s compatible with both USB 3.0 and 2.0.
No External Power Supply Needed: This allows the device to be used as soon as its plugged in.
Warranty: Drevo offers a 1 year warranty on the product.
Two Color Options: The product is available in silver and dark grey.
How to Use a 500GB External Hard Drive
The external hard drive connects to your computer’s USB ports. Several types of wires connect an external hard drive to a computer. Fire wire is one of the most commonly used wires.
Once the hard drive is attached, you can access it from your computer. The operating system of your computer determines how it can be accessed.
If you are using Windows, the external hard drive will show up when you click the start menu, and you can copy files from your computer on to it.
Files can be opened using Finder and copied to the external hard drive on Mac.
We have a wide range of buying guides for all types of external HDDs such as 8TB HDDS, External Hard Drives for PS4, HDDs for music production and many many more.