Toshiba 4TB Canvio Ready – 2.5 inch Portable External Hard Drive with SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 1, Compatible with Microsoft Windows 7, 8 and 10, Black (HDTP340EK3CA)

Recently had one of my externals die, and I was running low on storage to begin with, so I took a plunge and decided to buy two of these to compensate for the former and fix the latter. One of them periodically disconnects, and managed to do so once in such a way while trying to format it that windows instead decided to format one of my other drives, instantly nuking 4TB of programs and files. The other, the moment I began to transfer files on to it, 11 hours after getting it, immediately developed the click of death. I've never encountered either of these problems on another external before, especially not the day they arrived. Strongly do not recommend.

I must say I'm very pleased with this excellent little unit. It's small, USB powered, fast, stores a huge amount of data and is made by Toshiba (a make I trust).I got it for storing and consolidating sound samples for music making from various flash drives I have dotted around the house. Although flash drives are generally reliable (especially the SanDisk ones I normally use -- please see my separate reviews) I still like to have back ups so it was time to back up everything and have it all handily in one place, and this Toshiba Canvio Partner 4TB Portable 2.5" External HDD is perfect for the job. I absolutely couldn't be happier with my purchase.Speed-wise it's great for what I need it for. It's fast; very fast, and is the fastest drive I own (with file transfer speeds often reaching 130 MB/s [about 1.30 minutes to copy about 10 GB of data]). However, different files, quantities and sizes tend to copy at different speeds, which seems to be how Windows operates, rather than the device itself. Some of my files whizz onto the drive while others take a little longer, but the time factor isn't an issue with me as I just leave the copying process running while I do other things on my computer. This doesn't affect the copying so I'm happy to leave it running for as long as it needs. Maybe alternative models will transfer a little faster and maybe they won't, but as far as I'm concerned the speed of this one is more than adequate. To put a figure on it to give an idea of averages, a folder full of sound samples can copy between 70 MB/s to 110 MB/s, but a good folder of more even files can copy at a steady 110 MB/s to 120 MB/s. Please note the word 'copy' in the above as this is the function I use the drive for, and as such I haven't tried moving files (which may transfer faster).I invariably copy from USB 3.0 devices and as this is USB 3.2 the process is quick, but even on slower drives and SD cards it still isn't much of a bother. As above, I just set it up and leave it, as what's an extra bit of time here and there?Once the bulk of the copying is done all I need to do is back up newer files as I create or acquire them, which is a breeze. The smaller size (10.9 x 1.95 x 7.8 cm -- probably little more than an average laptop touchpad) and USB connection are great because now I can keep the drive in a little cupboard next to where I work so can quickly and without fuss hook it up to the computer whenever I need it, and then disconnect it and put it away just as quickly. Not having to plug it into the mains like my old external hard drives is definitely a plus.Copying couldn't be easier either as it works straight out of the box (bar formatting it to NTFS, which is seconds with the Windows Quick Format command) and is drag and drop. Straight out of the box means there's no drivers to install (certainly not on Windows 10 as I use). As such, it's a case of plug it in and then within seconds it's ready to use (and you can't get quicker than that!).The only downside (which isn't really a downside, but merely common sense when using a mechanical drive) is that it probably shouldn't be moved while copying. Saying that, I have had to move mine a couple of times, but have done so with utmost care and it seems to be okay.Regarding storage, it's plentiful to say the least. I have thousands of samples of varying lengths and qualities (of which a total I couldn't possible guess at, but it has to be well over 100,000, and probably considerably more -- probably a good few 100,000) but they've all gone onto the drive, as well as plenty of associated files, software back ups and all the music I've created. And according to the drive, I haven't even reached 2TB, so with 4TB capacity there's more than enough left over for any amount of adding to. 2TB is massive storage, and 4TB doubles it, so it'll take some filling unless one really crams it with massive files.I can't comment on reliability as I've only recently bought the drive, but Toshiba is usually fairly reliable and seems to have a good name for itself. I'm sure it'll last. Saying that, the drive is used on a near daily basis and works perfectly every time.Please be aware that no matter what capacity a drive is, when plugged into Windows the operating system invariably shows it as having less capacity than advertised, which seems to be just how Windows measures capacity compared to the manufacturer. It isn't indicative of a faulty drive or false advertising, and seems to be the same with any drive plugged into Windows.Please note too that no software comes with the drive, and that the instructions are in .pdf format on the drive itself.Also, as with most connected storage devices, it's highly recommended that instead of just plugging them out when finished, Windows' Safely Remove Hardware and Eject Media feature is used instead to save data being corrupted if the drive is still being written too. This can normally be found in the taskbar beside the notification area. There may be a small delay until Windows indicates it's safe to remove the drive, but its usually not too long. This drive follows that convention too.So, an all round excellent purchase which I'm delighted with, and at a good price too. There's simply nothing negative I can say about this drive, and can safely say from my own experiences with it that it's entirely positive. As such, due to its many advantages I highly recommend it.UPDATE (Mar 2024) -- Still going strongI ordered this back in Dec 2022 and have used it nearly every day since for backing-up my ever-increasing collection of samples, installation files and music projects, sometimes three, four or more times a day, and it's still going as strong as ever. Also, it still copies much faster than any of my flash drives. Considering I'm constantly taking it out of the cupboard next to me and putting it away again, and having it balanced upon the arm of my chair while copying, it's proven to be remarkably reliable, and I've still got plenty of space left on it. It's been very much a worthwhile purchase.

I bought this drive after loosing all the data when one of my internal drives got corrupted. I wish I thought of it sooner. It is an essential thing to have for storing important pictures and documents. You can take it with you when travelling, plug it in your laptop and you're good to go. No issues with it at all, easy to set up and fits in your pocket (I do have a case)

I already have a 4TB canvio basics drive from a couploe of years ago, that's been fine. I bought this to back up 1TB RAW photography data. After 1 hour of a two hour copy operation W10 started thowing errors & thereafter would not recognise the drive, constantly trying to reconnect & making the USB connect / disconnect noise. Tried rebooting & the machine wouldn't even start with this drive plugged in. Tried alternative cable & different USB port.Returned

Brilliant piece of kitInexpensive for the storage capacity and importantly the peace of mind that I have my important files and photos backed up / stored safely.It is not until you have a hard drive fail that you realise that this is worth it’s weight in gold.Would recommend

4TB capacity at an excellent price. it's reasonably fast, restoring a 400 GB backup runs at about 140 MB/second which is quite good for a hard drive. Comes with USB 3.0 connector, so if your computer is USB-C add 5 pound for a hard drive to USB-C cable.

Was a little confused if it was solid state or not (it’s not) but has performed brilliantly as a videos drive on my desktop. No issues with speed, makes a comforting little noise when spun up - definitely not intrusive.

Constant disconnections while using the drive makes it impossible for large file storage. Any time you want to transfer something, you roll the dice on the connection to your computer disappearing and the transfer cancelling. Maybe the cable it comes with is just bad quality but wouldn't recommend for anyone who is using this for lots of large files like video editing etc. You'll end up trying to move the same 10gb file over several times until you get lucky.

This 4 TBs Toshiba External Hard Drive has an excellent impact and compatibility to my Toshiba laptop. Extremely easy to transfer my data without formatting and securely done. I am so seriously proud to purchase this product of excellence.

works great

Great asset to backup any data

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J'ai récemment acquis un disque dur externe Toshiba de 1 To et je suis extrêmement satisfait de ses performances. Voici quelques-unes des qualités qui en font un excellent choix pour tout utilisateur :Transfert Rapide des Données : Le disque dur Toshiba offre une vitesse de transfert exceptionnelle grâce à son interface USB 3.0. J'ai pu transférer de gros fichiers en un temps record, ce qui est un véritable gain de temps.Capacité de Stockage : Avec ses 1 To de capacité, ce disque dur offre un espace de stockage suffisant pour une grande quantité de documents, photos, vidéos et autres fichiers. Il est idéal pour les utilisateurs qui ont besoin de transporter de nombreux fichiers sans se soucier de l'espace disponible.Fiabilité et Performance : Le disque fonctionne parfaitement sans aucun souci. Il est très fiable et je n'ai rencontré aucun problème de connexion ou de perte de données, ce qui est crucial pour un périphérique de stockage.Design Compact et Léger : Le design du disque dur Toshiba est compact et léger, ce qui le rend facile à transporter partout où vous allez. Il se glisse facilement dans un sac à dos ou une mallette, parfait pour les déplacements professionnels ou personnels.Compatibilité : Le disque dur est compatible avec une variété de systèmes d'exploitation, y compris Windows et Mac, ce qui le rend polyvalent et pratique pour tous les types d'utilisateurs.Rapport Qualité-Prix : Enfin, le rapport qualité-prix de ce disque dur est excellent. Pour une telle capacité et performance, il est proposé à un prix très compétitif.En résumé, le disque dur Toshiba 1 To est un excellent choix pour ceux qui recherchent une solution de stockage fiable, rapide et portable. Il répond parfaitement à mes attentes et je le recommande vivement à tous les utilisateurs.