
Extra storage capacity on your laptop or PC is always useful. Data storage is not only dangerous for students and professionals but for everyone. A huge amount of storage space isn’t sufficient to keep up with all of your digital stuff, even on a laptop or desktop.
At this point, an external hard drive, or “external HDD,” comes in handy. Connecting an external hard drive to your laptop or PC can increase storage space. You’re able to save files and data on an external hard drive because it’s portable, as an alternative to your computer’s hard drive. This article shares the best portable and lightweight external hard drives for backups on your PC.
Finest external hard drives in 2022:
Seagate Backup Plus 5TB External Hard Drive
The Seagate Backup Plus is the primary choice for the best portable lightweight external hard drives for your PC. It is proposed as a portable storage device having five terabytes of capacity for the price of four. It is 7.62cm by 11.43cm by 1.9cm and weighs little more than 200 grams (about half a pound).

SPECS :
- 1TB, 2TB, and 5TB capacity
- USB 3.0 interface
- Size: 7.62 x 11.43 x 1.9cm
- Weight: 0.58 lbs (265g)
WHY TO BUY IT? :
- Cheap and portable
- Available in a variety of colors
- Extensive compatibility
WHY TO AVOID IT? :
- It does not support Thunderbolt
There are no built-in encryption/security measures
WD Elements 12TB external hard drive
The product is previously NTFS-formatted. That makes it compatible with Windows computers. This is cooperative because a full format on a 12TB drive could take all day. Mac users may simply connect and reformat the drive to make it work.

SPECS :
- 3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB, 10TB, 12TB, 14TB, and 18TB capacity
- USB 3.0 interface
- Size 4.80 x 13.49 x 16.58cm
- 1.92lbs in weight (0.87kg)
WHY TO BUY? :
- A vertical configuration saves desk space
- Has a large capacity
- Excellent airflow
WHY TO AVOID? :
- Not transportable
- Requires an external power adaptor
- Dangerous with children nearby
SanDisk G-Drive Professional 18TB external hard drive
The G-Drive Pro incorporates an influential 7200 RPM grade Ultrastar HDD proficient of up to 195 MB/s within its appealing aluminum casing. It is one of the best portable and lightweight external hard drives for your PC backups.

SPECS :
- 1TB, 2TB, and 5TB capacity
- USB 3.0 interface
- Size: 7.62 x 11.43 x 1.9cm
- Weight: 0.58 lbs (265g)
WHY TO BUY? :
- Pocket friendly and mobile
- Available in a wide variety of colors
- Wide range of compatibility
WHY TO AVOID? :
- Unavailability of Thunderbolt support
- No built-in encryption or security measures
Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q 4TB USB / Thunderbolt external SSD
This hard drive comes with a tough aluminum casing and exceptional cooling capacity. Though, it has a few limitations. It’s available with up to 16TB of flash memory. It has only one USB-C port that transitions between TB3 and USB 3.2 modes.

SPECS :
- 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 8TB, and 16TB capacity
- USB Type-C, USB 3.2 interfaces
- Size: 4.49 x 10.49 x 1.40cm 4.55lbs in weight (129g)
WHY TO BUY? :
- Extremely fast
- Portable and light
- Enables Thunderbolt and USB 3.2
- Accessible in QLC and TLC configurations
WHY TO AVOID? :
- Higher storage capacities are on a pricier side