Djing is one of the most creative and enthusiastic profession. As a DJ, you don’t even know, how much challenging your next day is going to be. Some of my friends have adopted this profession from a couple years, and even some of them working as full-time. Honestly, I was really amazed, when the first time I saw a DJ in action.
If you’re in a hurry, check out our top choice SAMSUNG T5 View at Amazon.
How can they control so many instruments at the same time? Really, I am very impressed by their amazing art.
Best External Hard Drive for Djing in 2025
Well, we are talking about the best external hard drive for djing. The reason behind writing this post is related to one of my DJ friends. One day his laptop’s storage drive ran out. And it is obvious because he has the massive music collection. But the problem arose when he purchased a hard drive from the local store, and that was not working as expected during the music play.
When we met again, he told me the problem. This is the most common issue, with the DJs, they always suffer from the storage shortage.
Before writing this post, I asked with my all DJ friends about their requirement, that which type of hard drive they want?
Before purchasing any hard drive for DJing, there are some important things that should be considered.
If you read this whole article, you will definitely find the perfect hard drive for your Djing need or will be aware of the things that are most important before choosing them.
If you are in hurry, you can check the best external hard drive that our most DJ friends using right now. Some of them Using this HDD, while others are using this SSD. You can check our both recommendation before choosing.
So, without wasting time let’s get started.
But before we start, we have to know do we really need an external hard drive as a DJ?
I will definitely say yes. Because there are lots of advantages of the external hard drives for DJs.
- Extra storage: Definitely this is the first reason because you are reading this post. You can store your massive work collection or can make some free storage in your laptop.
- Data safety: Do you know, why the laptops/ desktops’ internal hard drives have less life? Very simple, they always work when you run your computer, and their life continuously spends. That’s why the external hard drive is very useful to store your important data longer, just you have to put them in a safe place.
- Cheaper solution: It is not always true, if you are upgrading to SSD then it will become more expensive. I am talking about in the same technology replacement. Means, if you purchase an external hard drive, that will cost you less than the internal upgrades.
- Easy data transfer: You can easily transfer your big files between different devices.
There are even many advantages of the external hard drives, but I only listed some important here.
Now let’s dive into the critical points, that are most important before choosing the best external hard drive for djing.
Definitely, it is the most important specification to consider, when buying an external hard drive. It’s not good buying a high-speed device with encryption, remote access if it is not capable to store the information you need. There are numerous options available in the market to choose from, you can pick any size according to your requirements.
But according to me, at least 2 or 4TB hard drive are recommended for a DJ, because they store a lot of music, however, it is not the ultimate solution, you may need more storage in the future. But if you will purchase another separately in future, that will split your data into two places to ensure more safety.
There is no universal rule for hard drive storage selection if you have just started out or you don’t have much data then you can go for a 1TB hard drive.
Transfer speed is another major factor that can change the whole story. A slow hard drive can ruin your whole performance, and definitely, you will not want that.
Probably as a DJ, you work with one of this software.
- Rekordbox: The Pioneer’s free music management software allows you to prepare your library and export to USB hard drive, play directly from your laptop. It is one of the most popular software ever for djing.
- Serato DJ: It is also another popular djing software when I asked from my DJ friends.
- Traktor Pro: This is the very popular software for EDM and hip-hop DJs, but it is paid.
You might be using another software, it doesn’t matter all of these softwares requires high transfer speed drives if you directly access the file from your external hard drive. In this case, you may need some high RPM hard drives or you can go with an SSD if your budget allows.
If we talk about the connectors, that also plays the very crucial role in the external hard drive. Earlier the USB 2.0 was commonly used but nowadays the USB 3.0 and Type-C you can easily found in most of the drive. The USB 3.0 offers transfer speed up to 5Gbps while that latest USB 3.1 is capable to 10Gbps. If you are a Mac user then Thunderbolt 3 is recommended that offers the fastest connection up to 40 Gbps.
Well, this depends on your budget. However, if you will choose an SSD, there are many advantages of that.
More reliability: SSDs comes with fewer mechanical parts, so they are more reliable and lightweight. SSDs are capable to endure the more jerk and fall. That’s why they are safer than the ordinary hard drive for longer data safety.
High Speed: Without any doubt, SSDs are much faster than the traditional hard drives, you might not feel any lag during your performance.
Easy to Carry: As we said earlier, the SSDs come with fewer mechanical parts, resulting have the smaller body. You can fit a 2 or 4 TB of storage SSD within your pocket without any problem. Along with small size, they have less weight, resulting they are more convenient to carry.
There is the only downside of the SSD, they are still not budget friendly. You can get a 1TB normal hard drive in the price of a 256 SSD. However, in terms of performance, they will definitely satisfy you.
It doesn’t affect much to the home or office users, but for DJ it is a very crucial part of the external hard drive.
As a DJ you probably know, how many challenges your device faced every day, so it becomes necessary to pick an external reliable hard drive. In facts, the SSDs are more durable than the HDDs, and they are more portable too. If you are comfortable with some expensive hard drives then it is recommended to choose the SSD. However, in HDDs, you can also find some rugged and durable options, during review you can choose according to your budget and requirements.
There are many other features are available like encryption, NFC security, and remote transfer. I don’t recommend these fancy features for a DJ, they are not too important at all for djing profession.
You should think about the storage upgrade and high-speed drive instead of these extra features, that will be more beneficial for you.
QUICK OVERVIEW
Table of Best External Hard Drive for Djing
| Silicon Power Armor A60 |
| View at Amazon |
| Transcend StoreJet |
| View at Amazon |
| LaCie Rugged Mini |
| View at Amazon |
| G-Technology G-DRIVE |
| View at Amazon |
| VectoTech Rapid |
| View at Amazon |
| Samsung T5 |
| View at Amazon |
Best External Hard Drive for Djing in 2025 – Reviews
1. Silicon Power Armor A60 (Durable, and Waterproof)
Silicon Power is one of the best external hard drives for djing that comes at a reasonable price. The best thing about this drive is, it comes with Military grade shockproof and IPX4 water resistance rating, so it can withstand in any environmental condition. Moreover, the outer surface made by a high-quality rugged rubber, that makes this drive anti-slip and anti-scratch. When we talk about the weight, it comes with 11.2 oz, that is surprisingly low when considering the construction and durability.
As you can see this drive is compatible with Xbox and PS4, because of its high-performance it allows to play high games and transferring big files very easily. The Armor A60 is equipped with USB 3.0 technology which is much faster than USB 2.0. Additionally, the inbuilt cable carry design is very useful, it avoids the cable from missing.
There are 500GB to 4TB variants are available, all of these available with USB 3.0 port, while USB type C is only available with 1TB and 2TB variants.
The Armor A60 is an affordable hard drive for djing that comes with decent durability, lightweight body, high performance, and available in numerous storage capacity to choose from.
2. Transcend StoreJet 25H3 (Rugged and Fast)
The Transcend is a well-known manufacturer for the high-performance memory module, digital storage solutions, and many other multimedia and industrial products. Especially, their storage drives are very popular whether we talk about external hard drives or memory cards.
The Transcend StoreJet 25H3 hard drive is the most durable external hard drive of their product lineup. As compared to the Silicon Armor, it has the slightly high price. But it is a step ahead in terms of durability from the Armor A60 because there is a 3-stage shock protection system is given.
As a storage concern, it is available in 1TB to 4TB variant, but there is no USB Type-C support. However, it comes with USB 3.1 interface that slightly faster than the USB 3.0. Additionally, the Transcend Elite software also included, that can help to protect your file.
As compare the Silicon Armor A60, it has the low weight of 7.68 oz, that is very convenient to carry.
The Transcend StoreJet 25H3 is the best portable hard drive for djing that offers, highest durability, lightweight, and USB 3.1 to ensure high performance.
3. LaCie Rugged Mini (Most Adaptable Hard Drive for a DJ)
Like our previous hard drives, the LaCie Rugged Mini provides the shockproof, water-resistant design and USB 3.0 support. But there is something special that makes it totally different from other – and that is a wide range of connectivity options. In this drive, you can select any version according to your requirement, it is available with USB 3.0, USB Type-C, Thunderbolt USB-C, Thunderbolt RAID, Thunderbolt USB 3.0 or all triple connectivity. If you are a Mac user then this deal has more weight. Moreover, you can choose any storage up to 5TB.
If you have the different type of devices, then you might consider LaCie Rugged Mini, that has the great adaptability with different platforms. Moreover, this drive is highly durable and water resistant too.
And, in term of price, there is a slight difference between LaCie Rugged Mini and Transcend StoreJet.
4. G-Technology G-DRIVE(Special For Mac Based DJs)
The G-Technology G-DRIVE is specially designed for Mac users, therefore, it comes with Time Machine-ready for file backup. However, you can also use this drive with the Windows system, just you need to reformat it.
The main highlight of this external hard drive is, it comes with a solid and stylish aluminum case for better durability, and it looks so good with the gray color MacBook. Moreover, this drive provides USB 3.0 connectivity and 7200RPM mechanism for higher speed.
The G-Drive is available up to 10GB of storage. Personally, I don’t recommend a large capacity hard drive, if you purchase two drives instead of one, I think that is the more secure way. Because, if any drives fail then you still have some data in the second drive, while with the big drive you don’t have any chance.
There is another important thing about this drive is, it might need external power to work because it is a high-performance drive. Moreover, due to the aluminum body, this drive has a high weight of 39.04 oz, so think before purchase, if you comfortable with the height weight, then go for it. Otherwise, there are some other options are also available in our list for Mac users.
Overall, G-Technology G-Drive is a great option for those DJs who work on Mac machines, and they need a high performance, durable drive.
5. VectoTech Rapid (Mid-range SSD for DJs)
The VectoTech Rapid is our first entry-level step for djing SSDs. It is one of the most affordable SSD with high performance and customer satisfaction that I find on the internet. If you are not ready for expensive external SSD then you might consider the VectoTech, it is the lightest drive in our list that performs great.
As I said earlier, the SSDs are a lot faster than the normal HDDs, therefore, this drive is capable of provides transfer speed up to 450mb/s. Moreover, you can choose different variants according to your requirement, from 125GB to 4TB.
The best thing about the SSD is they are more reliable, faster, and has the lightweight, compared to the ordinary HDDs. You can carry TBs of storage in your pocket easily.
Many of my DJ friend using it, and most of them find it very convenient with Serato DJ software, or I can say it is the best external hard drive for Serato DJ. Additionally, the price of this drive is very reasonable compared to its rivals, so it is a great opportunity to become familiar with the SSDs.
6. Samsung T5 (Fastest Performance with Portability)
Samsung T5 drive is a premium option, and it is recommended for those serious DJs, who don’t want any problem during the performance. If your budget is higher, then I would definitely recommend Samsung T5 portable, due to its compact design, lightweight body, and best transfer speed.
It is as small, can fit your palm easily, and it is available in 250GB to 2 TB storage capacity. Additionally, you will get AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption that provides high security to your files. The metal unibody with rounded corners make it very professional looking and durable SSD. For connectivity, this drive comes with latest USB 3.0 Type-C connector.
This drive is only available in up to 2TB, but if you are looking for more than that, you might consider VectoTech SSD, its 4TB version comes with reasonable price.
Overall, the Samsung T5 Portable is the best external SSD for DJ that offers highest transfer speed along with durable and compact design.
Wrapping it up
I hope, probably you have gotten your question answered, that what is the best external hard drive for djing? There is no need for going for the expensive hard drives or SSDs until you need them. If you have minimal setup then any listed HDD will work fine, you can choose according to your requirements. But if you are really looking for an ultra-high-performance drive that should not disappoint you, then you definitely need an SSD, to ensure maximum satisfaction.
There is another thing, some people state that any HDD enclosure like this work fine, but I want to tell them, all of my DJ friends have tried already, trust me they don’t work as expected. If you don’t want to ruin your performance (definitely you don’t want that) then you should avoid them. You can purchase any budget drive instead of an HDD enclosure that will be more useful.
Well, thanks for reading, if you have any question regarding these best djing hard drives then simply leave a comment below, I will get back to you soon.
