If you want something that's fast, energy efficient, lightweight, durable, and don't mind the hefty prices, the Samsung 470's outstanding performance will make it worth the investment.

The LaCie 2big USB 3.0 is an overall excellent external hard drive.

Even with the slightly low USB 3.0 performance, the GoFlex Ultra still makes an excellent portable external hard drive for people who need to expand their computer's storage.

Even with the slightly low USB 3.0 performance, the GoFlex Ultra still makes an excellent portable external hard drive for people who need to expand their computer's storage.

In the latest version of its eGo Portable Mac Edition, Iomega adds dual FireWire 800 ports, USB 2.0, and a durable Drop Guard Xtreme band that shields the drive from the impact of falls (up to seven feet). Also, Iomega made the drive even more affordable than its previous version was. With its included array of data protection software, the Iomega Ego BlackBelt Mac Edition hard drive is sure to meet your storage needs.

For those who need to ensure that their data will survive disasters, the ioSafe SoloPro is one of a few, if not the only, worthwhile options on the market. General users, however, won't find much appeal in it.

For those who need to ensure that their data will survive disasters, the ioSafe SoloPro is one of a few, if not the only, worthwhile options on the market. General users, however, won't find much appeal in it.

The Radical Skin is one of three unique Iomega portable hard drives designed in collaboration with action sports apparel brand Skin Industries. Along with Knock Out and Red Hot, the $120 Radical Skin boasts an impressive 51-inch drop protecting rating and a generous 3-year warranty, but it only comes in 500GB with no other capacities available. Not everyone will appreciate the design, but we recommend the Iomega Radical Skin for those that need a rugged portable hard drive.

The 1TB Verbatim Acclaim portable hard drive may appear boring compared with flashier drives, but its sleek size, rapid transfer speeds, and generous seven-year warranty more than make up for its lack of fashion sense. The Acclaim's executive look will likely attract corporate professionals, but we highly recommend its versatility to anyone in need of a storage upgrade.

The Seagate FreeAgent GoFlex Desk is the largest single-volume external hard drive on the market and has arguably the best combination of design, performance, and storage capacity.