We independently review and compare Toshiba Canvio Basics USB 3.0 hard Drive (4TB) against 33 other portable media storage device products from 10 brands to help you choose the best.

In addition, their hard drives may be designed with desktop use or portability in mind. To find the right Toshiba external hard drive for your needs, continue reading our buying guide.

The Toshiba Canvio Basics external hard drive has a slim, matte black finish and is USB-powered, so you won't need anything but the drive and the included cable to get started.

The 500GB model of Toshiba's USB external hard drive has a sleek look and diminutive size. But the drive's throughput was nothing to write home about, and the embedded NTI Shadow backup software ...

The Toshiba TransMemory USB 3.0 Flash Drive (64GB) is a high-capacity flash drive that offers an affordable price, but performance seekers should look elsewhere.

USB 2.0 portable hard drives are common and ideal for compatibility, but are slow performers. Upgrading your portable hard drive to a USB 3.0 enclosure will increase its performance significantly.