Rank #5 in Best 1TB External Hard Drive 2026: 10 Ranked, and the 625 MB/s Myth
Toshiba Canvio Partner 1TB Portable External Hard Drive
Price and rating as shown on Amazon when we collected them. Both change.
The Toshiba Canvio Partner 1TB is a 2.5-inch portable hard drive at £69.99, rated 4.5 out of 5 from 12,649 ratings, and it takes fifth place in this guide. It is a mechanical disk spinning at 5400 RPM in a black plastic enclosure, USB 3.2, and the listing states Mac and Windows compatibility plus Sony PlayStation 4 under compatible consoles.
Its listing is the one that keeps the units straight and still contradicts itself two rows later. The read speed is given as 5 Gigabits Per Second; the media speed is given as ≥ 40 GB/s, which works out at 320 Gigabits per second — 64 times the figure quoted just above it. Everything on this page comes from the Amazon listing, not from any testing we have carried out.
How those 12,649 ratings break down
An average hides its own shape. This is the spread behind the 4.5 stars.
Specification
Exactly as published on the Amazon listing, field for field.
| Price | £69.99 |
|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5 out of 5, from 12,649 ratings |
| Capacity | 1 TB |
| Drive type | Mechanical hard disk, 2.5-inch, 5400 RPM |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Read speed (as listed) | 5 Gigabits Per Second |
| Media speed (as listed) | ≥ 40 GB/s |
| Cache memory installed size (as listed) | 1 |
What buyers actually say
Quoted from customer reviews on Amazon
Verified purchase“I needed a realible external storage devise after a failure of two ,yes two, SeaGate external drive...up to now all fine.I managed to transfer 300 gb of files after paying an hefty £720 To have the files retived from the SeaGates.Time will tell if Toshiba Canvio Partner keep it up with espetation”
Verified purchase“It's been months now and this thing zips nicely. No complaints. I got a case for it to keep it from knocking (have lost previous drives to falling just a few feet and being rendered useless) It's size is good, easy to use and transfers fast.”
What it is up against
The rivals it was ranked against in Best 1TB External Hard Drive 2026: 10 Ranked, and the 625 MB/s Myth.
Questions people ask
Is the Toshiba Canvio Partner 1TB a solid-state drive?
No. The listing describes it as a mechanical hard disk with a rotational speed of 5400 RPM in a 2.5-inch form factor.
Does the Toshiba Canvio Partner read at 5 Gigabits per second?
That is what the read speed and data transfer rate rows say, but 5 Gigabits per second is the USB 3.2 connection's own ceiling of 625 MB/s, not a figure for the disk inside.
What does the 'Media Speed: ≥ 40 GB/s' figure mean?
Nothing we can verify. 40 GB/s is 320 Gigabits per second, 64 times the 5 Gigabits Per Second the same listing gives as read speed, and eight times the 40 Gbps claimed by other listings in this guide.
Do I need to install software to use the Toshiba Canvio Partner?
No. The listing states you simply plug it into a USB port and start using it, with no software or drivers needed.
Is the Toshiba Canvio Partner compatible with Mac, Windows and consoles?
The listing states Mac and Windows compatibility, and names Sony PlayStation 4 under compatible video game console models.
Does the Toshiba Canvio Partner protect against drops?
The listing states it features shock sensors to protect your data against accidental drops or bumps.
Comments
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