There are times we all need to store a large amount of data outside of our computer. Maybe it is to easily transport it with you or maybe you are using as one of your backup sources. In these situations, an external hard drive is a great solution. I’ll explore one today and include links to purchase it from Amazon. These links do earn me a tiny commission and that is the only thing I can receive from this write-up.

As the years have passed, we all accumulate more data. Sure, that can be because we have a lot more photos and videos that take up more space. That means we need larger external drives to hold all the data. For many of you, the WD 8TB Elements Desktop External Hard Drive is a great balance between size and price. For those who need more storage space, there are also 12 TB, 16 TB and 20 TB versions.

These drives are designed to be used with Windows 10 or 11, though they can be reformatted to work on a Mac. You can connect with either USB 2.0 or 3.0, though the highest transfer speeds come from USB 3.0. It really is as simple to use as plugging in the AC adapter and connecting a USB cable to your computer. From a size standpoint, it is just over 2 pounds so easy enough to take with you. One note of caution is that it uses a mechanical hard drive that could be damaged if the drive bounces around too much. So it must be transported with care.