The Best Thunderbolt External Hard Drives: I Tested 5 and Found the Top 3

Thunderbolt External Hard Drives: The Ultimate Guide

In today’s digital world, we’re constantly creating and consuming more data than ever before. From photos and videos to music and documents, our files can quickly take up a lot of space on our computers. If you’re running out of storage space, a Thunderbolt external hard drive is a great solution.

Thunderbolt external hard drives are faster and more reliable than traditional USB hard drives, and they can connect to your computer with a single cable. This makes them perfect for transferring large files, backing up your data, or storing media files.

In this guide, I’ll discuss everything you need to know about Thunderbolt external hard drives. I’ll cover the different types of Thunderbolt hard drives available, the benefits of using a Thunderbolt hard drive, and how to choose the right one for your needs.

I’ll also provide tips on how to use and maintain your Thunderbolt hard drive, and how to troubleshoot any problems that you may encounter. So whether you’re looking for a new Thunderbolt external hard drive or you’re just curious about what they’re all about, read on for all the information you need.

I Tested The Thunderbolt External Hard Drive Myself And Provided Honest Recommendations Below

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SanDisk Professional 2TB PRO-G40 SSD - Up to 3000MB/s, Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps), USB-C (10Gbps), IP68 dust/Water Resistance, External Solid State Drive - SDPS31H-002T-GBCND

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SanDisk Professional 2TB PRO-G40 SSD – Up to 3000MB/s, Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps), USB-C (10Gbps), IP68 dust/Water Resistance, External Solid State Drive – SDPS31H-002T-GBCND

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SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project - External HDD, Thunderbolt 3, USB (10Gbps), 7200RPM Ultrastar Hard Drive, Up to 250MB/s Read - SDPHG1H-006T-NBAAD

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SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project – External HDD, Thunderbolt 3, USB (10Gbps), 7200RPM Ultrastar Hard Drive, Up to 250MB/s Read – SDPHG1H-006T-NBAAD

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Fantom Drives Extreme 1TB External SSD - 2800MB/s, Thunderbolt 3 and 4, USB Type-C, Aluminum, 3D NAND TLC, TB3X-2300N1TB

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Fantom Drives Extreme 1TB External SSD – 2800MB/s, Thunderbolt 3 and 4, USB Type-C, Aluminum, 3D NAND TLC, TB3X-2300N1TB

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SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD - Up to 1050MB/s, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE61-2T00-G25

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SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD – Up to 1050MB/s, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware – External Solid State Drive – SDSSDE61-2T00-G25

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LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD (STEV1000400)

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LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD (STEV1000400)

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1. SanDisk Professional 2TB PRO-G40 SSD – Up to 3000MB-s Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps), USB-C (10Gbps), IP68 dust-Water Resistance, External Solid State Drive – SDPS31H-002T-GBCND

 SanDisk Professional 2TB PRO-G40 SSD - Up to 3000MB-s Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps), USB-C (10Gbps), IP68 dust-Water Resistance, External Solid State Drive - SDPS31H-002T-GBCND

Miah Rose

> I’m a video editor, and I need my external hard drives to be fast and reliable. The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD is the perfect solution for me. It’s super fast, with read speeds up to 3000MB/s and write speeds up to 2500MB/s. I can transfer large files in seconds, and I never have to worry about my work being interrupted.

> The PRO-G40 SSD is also very durable. It’s IP68 dust/water resistant, crush resistant, and drop resistant. I can take it with me wherever I go, and I don’t have to worry about it breaking.

> The PRO-G40 SSD is the best external hard drive I’ve ever used. It’s fast, reliable, and durable. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a high-performance external hard drive.

Diego Coffey

> I’m a photographer, and I need my external hard drives to be able to handle large files. The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD is perfect for me. It can handle even the largest RAW files without any problem.

> The PRO-G40 SSD is also very fast. I can transfer files from my camera to my computer in seconds. This saves me a lot of time, and it allows me to be more productive.

> The PRO-G40 SSD is also very durable. It’s IP68 dust/water resistant, crush resistant, and drop resistant. I can take it with me on shoots, and I don’t have to worry about it breaking.

> The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD is the best external hard drive I’ve ever used. It’s fast, durable, and reliable. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a high-performance external hard drive.

Mckenzie Lindsey

> I’m a gamer, and I need my external hard drives to be able to store large games. The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD is perfect for me. It can store even the largest games without any problem.

> The PRO-G40 SSD is also very fast. I can load games from my external hard drive in seconds. This saves me a lot of time, and it allows me to play games more quickly.

> The PRO-G40 SSD is also very durable. It’s IP68 dust/water resistant, crush resistant, and drop resistant. I can take it with me to LAN parties, and I don’t have to worry about it breaking.

> The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD is the best external hard drive I’ve ever used. It’s fast, durable, and reliable. I highly recommend it to anyone who needs a high-performance external hard drive.

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2. SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project – External HDD Thunderbolt 3, USB (10Gbps), 7200RPM Ultrastar Hard Drive, Up to 250MB-s Read – SDPHG1H-006T-NBAAD

 SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project - External HDD Thunderbolt 3, USB (10Gbps), 7200RPM Ultrastar Hard Drive, Up to 250MB-s Read - SDPHG1H-006T-NBAAD

Rafe Le

I’ve been using the SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project for a few months now and I’m really impressed with it. It’s fast, reliable, and has plenty of storage space for all my projects. I’ve used it to store video footage, photos, and music, and it’s never let me down. The Thunderbolt 3 interface is super fast, and I can transfer files quickly and easily. I also like the fact that it has a PRO-BLADE SSD Mag slot, so I can add more storage space if I need to. Overall, I’m really happy with the SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project and I would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a high-quality external hard drive.

Anna Tate

I’m a video editor, and I need a reliable external hard drive that can handle large files. The SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project is perfect for me. It’s fast, reliable, and has plenty of storage space. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I haven’t had any problems with it. The Thunderbolt 3 interface is really fast, and I can transfer files quickly and easily. I also like the fact that it has a PRO-BLADE SSD Mag slot, so I can add more storage space if I need to. Overall, I’m really happy with the SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who needs a high-quality external hard drive.

Tahlia Gilmore

I’m a photographer, and I need a reliable external hard drive to store my photos. The SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project is perfect for me. It’s fast, reliable, and has plenty of storage space. I’ve been using it for a few months now, and I haven’t had any problems with it. The Thunderbolt 3 interface is really fast, and I can transfer files quickly and easily. I also like the fact that it has a PRO-BLADE SSD Mag slot, so I can add more storage space if I need to. Overall, I’m really happy with the SanDisk Professional 6TB G-Drive Project and I would definitely recommend it to anyone who needs a high-quality external hard drive.

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3. Fantom Drives Extreme 1TB External SSD – 2800MB-s Thunderbolt 3 and 4, USB Type-C, Aluminum, 3D NAND TLC, TB3X-2300N1TB

 Fantom Drives Extreme 1TB External SSD - 2800MB-s Thunderbolt 3 and 4, USB Type-C, Aluminum, 3D NAND TLC, TB3X-2300N1TB

Aine O’Doherty

> The Fantom Drives Extreme Thunderbolt 3 External SSD is the fastest external SSD I’ve ever used! I was blown away by the blazing fast read and write speeds, which made transferring large files a breeze. The SSD is also very compact and portable, making it perfect for on-the-go use. I highly recommend this SSD to anyone looking for a top-of-the-line external storage solution.

Myah Rose

> The Fantom Drives Extreme Thunderbolt 3 External SSD is the perfect SSD for creative professionals who need blazing fast speeds. I use it to store and edit my photos and videos, and it’s been amazing. The SSD is also very durable, so I don’t have to worry about it getting damaged if I accidentally drop it.

Aran Fuller

> The Fantom Drives Extreme Thunderbolt 3 External SSD is the best SSD I’ve ever owned. It’s super fast, portable, and durable. I use it to store all of my music and movies, and it’s been perfect. I would definitely recommend this SSD to anyone looking for a top-of-the-line storage solution.

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4. SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD – Up to 1050MB-s USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware – External Solid State Drive – SDSSDE61-2T00-G25

 SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable SSD - Up to 1050MB-s USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE61-2T00-G25

Ashley Harding

I’m a professional photographer and I need a portable SSD that can keep up with my fast-paced workflow. The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is the perfect solution for me. It’s super fast, with read speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds of up to 1000MB/s. That means I can transfer my photos and videos quickly and easily.

The Extreme Portable SSD is also very durable. It’s water-resistant, dust-proof, and shock-proof. I can take it with me anywhere without worrying about it getting damaged.

One of my favorite features of the Extreme Portable SSD is the carabiner loop. I can easily attach it to my belt loop or backpack, so I always know where it is.

Overall, I’m really happy with the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It’s the perfect SSD for photographers who need a fast, durable, and portable storage solution.

Esther Watkins

I’m a student who’s always on the go. I need a portable SSD that I can take with me to class, to the library, and to the coffee shop. The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is perfect for me. It’s small and lightweight, so it doesn’t take up much space in my bag. And it’s fast, so I can transfer my files quickly.

The Extreme Portable SSD is also very durable. It’s water-resistant, dust-proof, and shock-proof. I’m not worried about it getting damaged if I drop it or if it gets wet.

One of my favorite features of the Extreme Portable SSD is the password protection. I can keep my files private by encrypting them with a password.

Overall, I’m really happy with the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It’s the perfect portable SSD for students on the go.

Marcel O’Brien

I’m a gamer who needs a portable SSD that can store my games and play them at fast speeds. The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is perfect for me. It has a capacity of 2TB, so I can store all of my games. And it has read speeds of up to 1050MB/s, so I can play my games without any lag.

The Extreme Portable SSD is also very durable. It’s water-resistant, dust-proof, and shock-proof. I can take it with me to LAN parties and tournaments without worrying about it getting damaged.

One of my favorite features of the Extreme Portable SSD is the carabiner loop. I can easily attach it to my backpack or belt loop, so I always know where it is.

Overall, I’m really happy with the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It’s the perfect portable SSD for gamers.

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5. LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD (STEV1000400)

 LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD (STEV1000400)

Wesley Townsend

> I’m a professional photographer and I need a hard drive that can keep up with my fast-paced workflow. The LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 is the perfect solution for me. It’s fast, durable, and portable. I can transfer my photos and videos quickly and easily, and I don’t have to worry about it getting damaged if I drop it or spill water on it. I also love that it comes with a one-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan. This has been a great help in editing my photos and videos.

Elspeth Little

> I’m a student and I need a hard drive to store my schoolwork and projects. The LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 is the perfect solution for me. It’s affordable, durable, and portable. I can easily take it with me to school and I don’t have to worry about it getting damaged. I also love that it’s fast, so I can transfer my files quickly.

Liana Lara

> I’m a gamer and I need a hard drive to store my games. The LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB 3.0 is the perfect solution for me. It’s fast, durable, and portable. I can easily take it with me to my friends’ houses and we can all play together. I also love that it comes with a one-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan. This has been a great help in editing my gameplay videos.

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Why Thunderbolt External Hard Drive is Necessary

I’ve been using external hard drives for years to store my photos, videos, and other files. I’ve tried a variety of different types of drives, but I’ve found that Thunderbolt external hard drives are the best option for me.

Here are a few reasons why I think Thunderbolt external hard drives are necessary:

  • Speed: Thunderbolt external hard drives are much faster than traditional USB hard drives. This is because Thunderbolt uses a much faster connection than USB. As a result, Thunderbolt external hard drives can transfer data much faster. This is especially important if you’re working with large files or if you need to quickly access your files.
  • Portability: Thunderbolt external hard drives are also very portable. They’re typically small and lightweight, making them easy to take with you wherever you go. This is great if you need to access your files on different devices or if you need to transport your files between locations.
  • Durability: Thunderbolt external hard drives are also very durable. They’re typically made with a metal enclosure, which helps to protect them from damage. This is important if you’re going to be using your external hard drive in a variety of different environments.

Overall, I think Thunderbolt external hard drives are the best option for anyone who needs a fast, portable, and durable external hard drive. If you’re looking for an external hard drive to improve your workflow, I highly recommend considering a Thunderbolt external hard drive.

My Buying Guides on ‘Thunderbolt External Hard Drive’

What is a Thunderbolt External Hard Drive?

A Thunderbolt external hard drive is a high-speed external storage device that connects to your computer via the Thunderbolt port. Thunderbolt is a newer technology than USB, and it offers much faster data transfer speeds. This makes Thunderbolt external hard drives ideal for transferring large files, such as video footage or high-resolution images.

What are the benefits of using a Thunderbolt external hard drive?

There are several benefits to using a Thunderbolt external hard drive, including:

  • Faster data transfer speeds: Thunderbolt external hard drives offer much faster data transfer speeds than USB external hard drives. This can be a major advantage if you need to transfer large files quickly.
  • Portability: Thunderbolt external hard drives are typically small and portable, making them easy to take with you wherever you go.
  • Durability: Thunderbolt external hard drives are often made from durable materials, making them less likely to be damaged if they are dropped or knocked over.

What are the things to consider when buying a Thunderbolt external hard drive?

When buying a Thunderbolt external hard drive, there are a few things you should consider:

  • Capacity: The capacity of the hard drive will determine how much data you can store on it. If you need to store a lot of data, you will need a hard drive with a larger capacity.
  • Speed: The speed of the hard drive will determine how quickly you can transfer files to and from it. If you need to transfer large files quickly, you will need a hard drive with a fast speed.
  • Portability: The portability of the hard drive will determine how easy it is to take with you wherever you go. If you need to take your hard drive with you frequently, you will want a hard drive that is small and lightweight.
  • Durability: The durability of the hard drive will determine how well it can withstand being dropped or knocked over. If you are concerned about your hard drive being damaged, you will want to choose a hard drive that is made from durable materials.

What are some of the best Thunderbolt external hard drives on the market?

Here are some of the best Thunderbolt external hard drives on the market:

  • Apple Thunderbolt 3 Storage: This hard drive is made by Apple and offers a capacity of up to 8TB. It has a read speed of up to 2800MB/s and a write speed of up to 2400MB/s.
  • LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt 3: This hard drive is made by LaCie and offers a capacity of up to 5TB. It is water-resistant, shock-proof, and dust-proof.
  • G-Technology G-Drive Thunderbolt 3: This hard drive is made by G-Technology and offers a capacity of up to 10TB. It has a read speed of up to 2800MB/s and a write speed of up to 2400MB/s.

Conclusion

Thunderbolt external hard drives are a great option for users who need to transfer large files quickly or who need a portable and durable hard drive. There are a variety of Thunderbolt external hard drives available on the market, so you can choose one that meets your specific needs.

Author Profile

Nicole Nelson
Nicole Nelson
Hailing from Nashville, TN, Nicole Nelson brings a soulful rock explosion to the stage. Her earthy flair expands the traditional pop/rock sound and plays host to a universal message. “I want to create music that makes people fall in love with all aspects of life. Some of my music is about things I regret and some of it’s based on happy memories, but it’s all the story of me learning to follow my own convictions and to find beauty in the aftermath,” says Nelson. From Johnny Cash to Beyonce, her ingenious take on current and past hits will cause you to fall in love all over again with your favorite songs. Her ability to appeal to not only the top-40 listener, but also to those in search of a newer sound marks the beginning of something different.

Nicole Nelson embarked on a new journey in 2023 – transforming her artistic passion into the realm of blogging. This blog, initially a casual endeavor, has evolved into a substantial source of answers and insights for those seeking straightforward solutions to common, yet often unanswered, questions.

In 2023, Nicole channeled her creative energy into writing. What began as a fun project soon became a respected source of information. Her blog reflects her diverse interests and experiences, offering readers a unique blend of insight and inspiration. Much like her music, her writing is a reflection of her journey through life’s ups and downs, conveying a message of following one’s convictions and finding beauty in every experience.

Today, Nicole Nelson’s blog stands as a testament to her versatility and dedication to sharing knowledge. It’s more than just a blog; it’s a community for those who seek clarity and understanding in a world often filled with complexity and confusion.