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Photos need capacity, reliability and backups.

This guide is built from Amazon product listings and maker specs, not our own testing, so confirm compatibility, capacity and current price on each product page.

Prices are approximate and were shown on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026; check the current price.

Last updated: November 1, 2026.

Quick Picks

Product Type Best for
WD My Passport 5TB Portable External Hard Drive Portable HDD with backup software photo archives
LaCie Rugged USB-C 4TB Rugged portable HDD photo archives
Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD, USB 3.0 photo archives
Samsung T7 Portable SSD 2TB Portable SSD (up to 1,050MB/s) photo archives
SanDisk 2TB Portable SSD (up to 1000MB/s) Portable SSD photo archives
Toshiba Canvio Basics 4TB Portable Hard Drive Portable HDD, USB 3.0 photo archives

Our Picks

1. WD My Passport 5TB Portable External Hard Drive

A WD My Passport 5TB Portable External Hard Drive (portable hdd with backup software), per the listing. It showed at about $226 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: photo archives. Watch out: Software is optional.

Check on Amazon

2. LaCie Rugged USB-C 4TB

A LaCie Rugged USB-C 4TB (rugged portable hdd), per the listing. It showed at about $210 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: photo archives. Watch out: Check cable and port.

Check on Amazon

3. Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive

A Seagate Portable 5TB External Hard Drive (portable hdd, usb 3.0), per the listing. It showed at about $220 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: photo archives. Watch out: Slow compared with an SSD.

Check on Amazon

4. Samsung T7 Portable SSD 2TB

A Samsung T7 Portable SSD 2TB (portable ssd (up to 1,050mb/s)), per the listing. It showed at about $400 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: photo archives. Watch out: SSD is pricier per TB than HDD.

Check on Amazon

5. SanDisk 2TB Portable SSD (up to 1000MB/s)

A SanDisk 2TB Portable SSD (up to 1000MB/s) (portable ssd), per the listing. It showed at about $320 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: photo archives. Watch out: High price.

Check on Amazon

6. Toshiba Canvio Basics 4TB Portable Hard Drive

A Toshiba Canvio Basics 4TB Portable Hard Drive (portable hdd, usb 3.0), per the listing. It showed at about $214 on Amazon.com on November 1, 2026.

Good for: photo archives. Watch out: Basic features.

Check on Amazon

How to Choose

HDD vs SSD

Hard drives cost less per terabyte; SSDs are faster and tougher.

Capacity

Pick 2TB to 5TB for backups and media.

Format

Windows drives may need reformatting for Mac. Back up before reformatting.

Frequently Asked Questions

How long do hard drives last?

Often several years; replace and back up regularly.

Do I need external power?

Portable drives use USB power; desktop drives need an adapter.

Is one backup enough?

No. Keep another copy.

Bottom Line

Keep two copies of important photos, one off-site.

More Storage Guides