Rankings
The Seagate One Touch 5 TB external HDD delivers large portable storage with built-in AES-256 hardware encryption and a suite of backup services. Its aluminum case keeps it lightweight, but the legacy Micro-USB interface and HDD speed limit its appeal for power users.
The Seagate Game Drive for PlayStation offers an officially licensed 5 TB HDD solution for PS4 and PS5 owners, delivering plug-and-play convenience and cross-platform PC compatibility. While its capacity and branding are strong points, the mechanical drive's modest speed and inability to run PS5 games directly limit its appeal for performance-focused gamers.
The Seagate One Touch 2TB is a portable 2.5" HDD with AES-256 hardware encryption, an aluminum case, and USB 3.0 connectivity, ideal for mobile professionals needing secure, cross-platform storage.
The Seagate Game Drive for Xbox offers a high-capacity, portable, bus-powered HDD that integrates nicely with Xbox consoles. While it excels in storage and ease of use, its slower 4200 RPM speed and lack of SSD-level performance limit its suitability for next-gen titles.
The Starfield Special Edition Game Hub delivers 8 TB of storage with eye-catching RGB lighting and a front-panel USB hub, aimed at Xbox and PC users who need bulk archival space. Its external power requirement and HDD performance keep it from being a primary gaming drive.
The Seagate Expansion Desktop 4 TB provides a straightforward, high-capacity desktop storage solution with decent USB-3.0 speeds and a rescue service, but lacks encryption and suffers from some reliability concerns.
The Seagate Backup Plus 5TB Portable HDD offers a high-capacity, bus-powered storage solution in a compact enclosure, with decent HDD speeds, cross-platform compatibility, and bundled backup software.
The Seagate Backup Plus Hub 8TB is an external desktop HDD with a built-in dual USB 3.0 hub, offering massive storage, fast transfers, and cross-platform support, but it requires external power and lacks encryption.
The Seagate Portable 5 TB drive provides a large, bus-powered HDD with universal compatibility and a 1-year rescue service, making it a solid value for bulk backups. Its speed is limited by HDD technology and the build is not rugged, so it suits home and office use rather than demanding professional workflows.
The Seagate Expansion Desktop 6TB is a 3.5" HDD with a 7200 RPM spindle, USB 3.0 connectivity and an external power adapter, offering fast transfers and ample storage for desktop use.
The Seagate Portable 2 TB drive offers a budget-friendly, lightweight HDD with solid USB 3.0 performance and wide platform support. It is ideal for casual backups and console storage but lacks ruggedness and built-in security features.
The Seagate Portable 1 TB drive delivers a lightweight, plug-and-play HDD solution with cross-platform and console support, ideal for budget-conscious users needing portable backup. Its speed and durability are limited by the 5400 RPM HDD design and lack of security features.
The Seagate Portable 4 TB drive offers a lightweight, bus-powered HDD with solid sequential performance and UASP support, making it suitable for portable backups and console storage. Its plastic build is flimsy and USB-3.0 reliability can be an issue, so it is not aimed at rugged or high-performance use cases.
| Attribute | | | | | | | | | | | | Seagate Backup Plus 5TB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
5 TB | 8 TBbest | 6 TB | 5 TB | 4 TB | 1 TB | 4 TB | 2 TB | 8 TBbest | 5 TB | 2 TB | 5 TB | 5 TB | |
— | 160 MB/s | — | 140 MB/s | 280 MB/sbest | 120 MB/s | 107.2 MB/s | 120 MB/s | 250 MB/s | — | — | 140 MB/s | 130 MB/s | |
— | 160 MB/s | — | — | — | 120 MB/s | 104.5 MB/s | 120 MB/s | 250 MB/sbest | — | — | 140 MB/s | 130 MB/s | |
2 years | 2 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 2 years | 3 yearsbest | 3 yearsbest | 1 years | 2 years | 2 years | |
| ↓ lower better | 0.26 kg | 1.061 kg | 1.175 kg | 0.266 kg | 0.95 kg | 0.19 kg | 0.254 kg | 0.148 kgbest | 1.244 kg | 0.34 kg | 0.19 kg | 0.265 kg | 0.267 kg |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 128 MBbest | — | |
5,400 RPM | 5,900 RPM | 7,200 RPMbest | 4,200 RPM | 5,400 RPM | 5,400 RPM | 5,400 RPM | 5,400 RPM | 7,200 RPMbest | 5,400 RPM | 5,400 RPM | 5,400 RPM | — |
Click an attribute name to sort · Green = best, red = worst (relative to this comparison)
| Attribute | | | | | | | | | | | | Seagate Backup Plus 5TB | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Warranty(1) | |||||||||||||
Warranty Period (years) | 2 years | 2 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 1 years | 2 years | 3 years | 3 years | 1 years | 2 years | 2 years |
Connectivity(2) | |||||||||||||
Interface | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | Micro-USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 Micro-B | USB 3.0 |
USB Version | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.2 Gen 1 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 |
Power & Battery(1) | |||||||||||||
Power Source | Bus-powered | External AC adapter | External AC adapter | Bus-powered | External AC adapter | Bus-powered | Bus-powered | Bus-powered via USB | External AC adapter | Bus-powered | Bus-powered | Bus-powered via USB | Bus-powered |
Security(1) | |||||||||||||
Hardware Encryption | false | false | — | — | false | false | false | true | — | — | false | false | true |
Physical(1) | |||||||||||||
Weight (kg) | 0.260 kg | 1.061 kg | 1.175 kg | 0.266 kg | 0.95 kg | 0.190 kg | 0.254 kg | 0.148 kg | 1.244 kg | 0.34 kg | 0.190 kg | 0.265 kg | 0.267 kg |
Compatibility(1) | |||||||||||||
Operating System Compatibility | Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox | Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, ChromeOS | Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, PC | Windows 10+, macOS 10.12+ | Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox | Windows, macOS, Xbox, PlayStation | Windows, macOS | Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One X, Xbox One S, PC | PlayStation 4/5, Windows, macOS | Windows, macOS, PlayStation, Xbox | Windows, macOS, ChromeOS | Windows, macOS, Chrome OS |
Storage(2) | |||||||||||||
Storage Capacity (TB) | 5 TB | 8 TB | 6 TB | 5 TB | 4 TB | 1 TB | 4 TB | 2 TB | 8 TB | 5 TB | 2 TB | 5 TB | 5 TB |
Form Factor | 2.5 inches | 3.5" | 3.5" | — | 3.5" | 2.5 inches | 2.5 inches | 2.5" | 3.5" | 2.5" | 2.5 inches | 2.5" | 2.5" |
Performance(3) | |||||||||||||
Sequential Read Speed (MB/s) | 100-120 MB/s | 160 MB/s | — | 140 MB/s | 280 MB/s | 120 MB/s | 107.2 MB/s | 120 MB/s | 250 MB/s | — | 100-130 MB/s | 140 MB/s | 130 MB/s |
Sequential Write Speed (MB/s) | 100-120 MB/s | 160 MB/s | — | — | — | 120 MB/s | 104.5 MB/s | 120 MB/s | 250 MB/s | — | 100-130 MB/s | 140 MB/s | 130 MB/s |
Rotational Speed (RPM) | 5400 RPM | 5900 RPM | 7200 RPM | 4200 RPM | 5400 RPM | 5400 RPM | 5400 RPM | 5400 RPM | 7200 RPM | 5400 RPM | 5400 RPM | 5400 RPM | — |
Products in the top-left offer the best value (high score, low price).
Professional reviewers praise the drive's straightforward plug-and-play experience, reliable backup performance, and generous capacity, but caution that its plastic build offers limited durability and its USB-limited transfer rates fall short of SSD-level performance.
Everyday users appreciate the ease of setup, large capacity, and solid value, while complaints focus on a finicky short cable, occasional heating, and slower speeds with very large files.
“User friendly and gets the job done”
“Great value for how much storage it gives you”
“Easy to set up and connect to my console”
Select the Expansion 6TB for speed and compactness; opt for Backup Plus Hub if you need more storage and extra USB ports.
Professional reviewers would likely praise the drive's dual USB hub and its user-friendly backup software, noting the generous 8 TB capacity and straightforward plug-and-play experience. However, they would criticize the lack of hardware encryption, Thunderbolt, and any form of redundancy, positioning it as a solid consumer-grade storage solution but not suitable for enterprise or mission-critical workloads.
Everyday users rate the drive highly (average 4.6/5 stars), applauding its massive storage, convenient hub, and easy setup. Common praise focuses on media storage and Xbox compatibility, while recurring complaints center on PS4 incompatibility, occasional data loss during backups, and the need for an external power adapter.
Professional reviewers praise the Expansion Desktop for its straightforward plug-and-play experience, fast USB 3.0 transfers, and the confidence provided by Seagate's backup and rescue software. They note the solid construction and large capacity as strong selling points, while acknowledging the need for an external power source and the drive's lack of portability.
Everyday users consistently highlight the drive's ease of setup, ample storage space, and quick transfer rates, especially for large media libraries and console game expansions. Common complaints revolve around noise, bulk, and the requirement to reformat for macOS, but overall reliability and brand trust receive positive remarks.
Professional reviewers view the drive as a solid, budget-friendly way to expand Xbox storage, praising its branding and price per terabyte but noting the USB 3.2 Gen 1 interface and 4200 RPM speed fall short for next-gen optimized games.
Everyday users love the large capacity and plug-and-play setup, but complain about the always-on LED and slower transfer speeds compared to the console's internal SSD.
Professional reviewers appreciate the plug-and-play experience and price per terabyte, but note the lack of encryption, premium design, and limited suitability for demanding creative workloads.
Users value the immediate usability and decent speeds, yet many report early drive failures, slow wake-up times, and frustration with customer support.
Professional reviewers commend the reliable build and added value of a 1-year Rescue Data Recovery subscription, but note the inherent speed limitation of a 5400 RPM HDD and the absence of built-in security features.
Users like the instant Windows compatibility and lightweight form factor, but many are frustrated by the need to reformat for macOS, slower transfer speeds, and occasional drive failures.
Professional reviewers praise the solid sequential speeds and UASP support, noting it beats comparable Toshiba models, but they flag occasional front-panel USB port compatibility problems and firmware inconsistencies.
Users like the plug-and-play simplicity and lightweight design, but report intermittent USB disconnects, a thin plastic shell, and slower performance with many small files.
Professional reviewers highlight the One Touch's strong security features and premium aluminum chassis, noting that hardware AES-256 encryption is uncommon at this price. They commend its straightforward plug-and-play experience but point out the lack of USB-C and limited ruggedness.
Everyday users overwhelmingly praise the drive's reliability, fast setup, and built-in encryption, often rating it 5 out of 5. Common complaints revolve around confusing software trial offers, occasional need to reformat for Time Machine, and concerns about shock susceptibility.
Professional reviewers note the drive is essentially a rebranded FireCuda Gaming Hub, offering solid HDD speeds and a useful front-panel hub, but caution that performance lags behind SSDs and it cannot be used for direct gameplay.
Users love the massive capacity and themed design, but complain about the bulky power adapter, inability to run games directly, and the extra steps needed to customize lighting.
Professional reviewers commend the Seagate Game Drive for its official PlayStation licensing, solid build, and high-capacity options, but note that the SSD variant lacks standout speed and the HDD models are limited by their 5400 RPM performance, making them more suitable for storage than for fast loading.
Everyday users overwhelmingly appreciate the drive's ease of setup, reliable performance for PS4 titles, and generous storage capacity, while repeatedly expressing disappointment that PS5 games cannot be run directly and noting occasional confusion over the listed weight.
Professional reviewers rate the drive highly for its performance, compactness, and price, noting the 5400 RPM drive delivers solid 100-130 MB/s real-world speeds, but they point out the lack of encryption and rugged features.
Everyday users praise its instant Windows compatibility, portable form factor, and reliable backup capability, while complaints focus on a loose port, occasional early failures, and the need to reformat for macOS.
Professional reviewers praise the Backup Plus for its excellent price-to-capacity ratio, solid build quality, and the inclusion of useful backup and photo-management software. They note the drive delivers impressive speeds for a mechanical unit and is ideal for users needing large, portable storage, but they caution about the outdated Micro-B connector and the inherent vulnerability of HDDs to physical shock.
Everyday users consistently highlight the drive's massive capacity, seamless cross-platform operation, and reliable performance for backups and media playback. Common praise centers on its portability and the convenience of bundled software, while recurring complaints focus on the old-fashioned Micro-B cable, lack of a protective case, and occasional warmth during extended use.
Professional reviewers describe the One Touch 5TB as a secure, user-friendly external drive that delivers solid performance for its class. They commend its hardware-level AES-256 encryption, respectable 130 MB/s real-world speeds, and the added peace of mind from bundled rescue services, while noting the convenience drawback of the older Micro-USB connector.
Everyday users consistently praise the drive's easy plug-and-play setup, ample storage for photos and videos, and the sense of security from hardware encryption. Common complaints focus on the older Micro-USB connector, basic backup software, and limited-time cloud-service trials.
