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Verdict: The 5TB Backup Plus Portable is the capacity-first pick for large, mostly sequential backups and media archives; the 2TB Backup Plus Slim is much easier to carry. Both are mechanical, 5400-RPM external hard drives—not SSDs—and the specific units tested in 2019 used shingled magnetic recording (SMR). That can be perfectly workable for periodic backups, but sustained or frequently rewritten data may expose substantial slowdowns. The review’s measurements and prices are historical, not a current 2026 buying test.
What AnandTech reviewed—and when
AnandTech published its review on June 18, 2019. It examined two bus-powered portable drives: the 5TB Backup Plus Portable, containing a Seagate ST5000LM000 drive, and the 2TB Backup Plus Slim, containing an ST2000LM007. Both internal mechanisms were identified as 5400-RPM SMR notebook hard drives connected through a USB enclosure. These findings apply to the tested units, not automatically to every later Backup Plus product or production revision. Read AnandTech’s original review.
| Reviewed model | Internal drive | Capacity | Dimensions and weight in review | Best reason to choose it |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Backup Plus Portable | ST5000LM000, 5400 RPM, SMR | 5TB | 115.3 × 80 × 20.9 mm; 265 g | More capacity for large backups and media |
| Backup Plus Slim | ST2000LM007, 5400 RPM, SMR | 2TB | 114.8 × 78 × 11.7 mm; 126 g | Less bulk and weight for travel |
Both use a USB 3.0 Micro-B connector and draw power over USB; the reviewed packages included a USB-A-to-Micro-B cable. They are USB 2.0-compatible, though that older connection limits transfer speed. A USB-C-only laptop needs a compatible adapter or cable. The review samples arrived formatted as exFAT, a practical choice for moving files between Windows and macOS. Some Mac backup workflows or other specialized uses may call for reformatting, which erases existing data.
These dimensions and weights describe AnandTech’s samples. Seagate’s later documentation lists variations for some product-family SKUs, so check the exact model and revision if size or warranty matters. Its support page lists STDR5000100 through STDR5000103 variants and a two-year limited warranty for those listed 5TB SKUs; warranty coverage should be checked by serial number and region. Seagate Backup Plus support and downloads.
#1 Best Overall
- Want an easy, on the go USB drive for storage: Seagate Backup Plus Portable hard drive offers 5TB
- The perfect complimentary laptop hard drive featuring a minimalist metal enclosure
- Simply plug this external hard drive for Mac and Windows into a computer via the included USB 3.0 cable to back up files with a single click or schedule automatic daily, weekly, or monthly backups; Reformatting may be required for use with Time Machine
- Take advantage of a complimentary 2 month membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan for access to awesome photo and video editing apps
- Enjoy long term peace of mind with the included 2 year limited warranty
SMR in plain language
On a conventional hard drive, tracks are laid down with space between them. SMR writes tracks so they partially overlap, like shingles on a roof. That lets the manufacturer fit more data on a platter, helping explain how the 5TB model could offer high capacity in a portable 2.5-inch drive and how the Slim could stay unusually thin for a mechanical disk.
The trade-off appears when data must be rewritten. Changing one track can require the drive to read and reorganize neighboring data before writing it again. Firmware and cache can absorb short bursts, so an ordinary copy may feel fine. Long, fragmented, or repeated writes can outlast that buffer and trigger extra housekeeping, making transfers slow or uneven. SMR is not automatically defective or always slow: whether it matters depends on what the drive is asked to do.
Performance: suitable for copies, not constant rewriting
These are 5400-RPM mechanical drives. For a large video file or a periodic photo backup, sequential transfers are the relevant case and can be respectable for a portable HDD. AnandTech’s historical tests and the review’s reported copy results should not be mistaken for guaranteed speeds; one secondary discussion cites a result near 150 MB/s for a sequential-copy context. That is a result from a particular test, not a universal rating or a promise for a nearly full drive, a different revision, or a different workload.
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Rank #2
- Easily store and access 5TB of content on the go with the Seagate portable drive, a USB external hard Drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Small-file transfers and random writes are less favorable than large sequential copies. Sustained writes can slow after cache is used or when the drive has to do more SMR housekeeping. Actual performance also varies with free space, file size, fragmentation, queue depth, temperature, USB bridge behavior, and the exact drive revision. Neither model offers SSD-like latency or responsiveness.
- Usually a reasonable fit: initial photo or video copies, periodic laptop backups that leave the drive idle between jobs, read-heavy media libraries, and cold or near-cold archives.
- More likely to frustrate: backup repositories that constantly rewrite data, large incremental jobs with many changed blocks, download or torrent scratch space, virtual-machine images, databases, and file-system-heavy workloads.
- Poor fit: NAS or RAID use, including rebuilds, or any job that depends on sustained unpredictable writes. A portable SMR HDD is not a good substitute for a drive selected for that workload.
Repeatedly filling, deleting, and refilling a nearly full drive can also be a demanding pattern. If you use backup software that updates large existing images rather than mainly adding new files, test the actual job and allow for slow periods. For active editing, frequent rewrites, or applications where low latency matters, compare a portable SSD instead.
Portability versus capacity
The two drives solve different problems rather than offering the same experience at different capacities. The 5TB Portable is roughly 9 mm thicker and about twice as heavy as the reviewed Slim. It makes more sense in a desk bag or as a home photo and video archive. The 2TB Slim is easier to slip into a laptop sleeve and carry daily, if 2TB is enough.
Rank #3
- Easily store and access 4TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive.Specific uses: Personal
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
Neither is a ruggedized drive. A mechanical disk can be damaged by impact, especially while operating; keep it still during transfers and avoid treating either model like a shock-resistant SSD. The Slim label refers to the enclosure’s profile, not SSD speed.
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Seagate’s manual documents connection to USB-A USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 ports. USB-C-only computers need an adapter or replacement cable with the right Micro-B connector. See the Backup Plus Portable manual.
exFAT is convenient when the same drive must be shared between Windows and Mac computers. Before changing the format, copy off any files you want to keep. Reformatting destroys the current contents, and a format suited to one operating system’s backup tool may be less convenient for sharing with another.
Rank #4
- Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
- Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
- To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
- This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
- The available storage capacity may vary.
The 2019 retail packages included an 18-inch cable, quick-start and warranty materials, and promotional software or services, including period-specific Creative Cloud and Mylio benefits. Those offers were time-limited; do not assume they are available with a drive bought now. Seagate’s support site provides product-specific downloads and points users to tools such as Toolkit and SeaTools, along with other software and legacy downloads where applicable. Availability depends on the drive, operating system, and support-page selection.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Buying one in 2026
Treat these as legacy products whose exact availability, price, warranty, bundled extras, and internals can vary by region, seller, and revision. The review’s listed prices—$95 for 5TB and $70 for 2TB—were historical 2019 figures, not current guidance. Before buying, check the exact model number, whether the unit is new, refurbished, or used, the serial-number warranty, the return policy, and the seller’s description of the included cable and format. Do not assume that every later Backup Plus drive uses the same mechanism as the tested samples; confirm the exact model if recording technology matters.
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Best Value
- Slim durable design to help take your important files with you
- Back up smarter with included device management software[2] with defense against ransomware
- Help secure your important files with password protection and hardware encryption
- 3-year limited warranty
A decimal 5TB advertised capacity will appear as less than 5TB in many operating systems because they report capacity differently and because formatting uses some space. Usable capacity also depends on formatting and the exact system; do not plan on a precise usable figure without checking the unit.
A drive is not a backup strategy
One external drive is only one copy of your files. It can fail, be stolen, suffer accidental deletion, or be damaged by fire, water, or malware affecting connected storage. For important data, keep a working copy, a separate local backup, and another copy off-site or in a cloud backup service. Disconnect or store one backup separately when it is not being updated, and periodically open files or perform a restore test so you know the copy works. Safely eject the drive before unplugging it.
If the drive disappears or makes unusual noises
- Try a known-good cable and another USB port, then test the drive on another computer.
- Check Windows Disk Management or macOS Disk Utility to see whether the system detects it. Do not initialize or format a disk containing data you need.
- If the drive is detected, Seagate SeaTools may help run diagnostics. Use the product-specific support page to find current downloads and guidance.
- If it clicks, repeatedly disconnects, beeps, or becomes unusually hot, stop repeatedly powering it on. Repeated attempts can worsen damage.
- If the data is irreplaceable, do not run repair tools, reformat, or open the enclosure before weighing professional recovery. A recovery vendor describes possible failures in these drive families, but such case reports are not reliability statistics. Recovery can be expensive and is not guaranteed.
Seagate’s support page provides product help and diagnostics. If a drive is not detected and its contents matter, prioritize preserving the data over making the disk usable again.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are the 5TB Backup Plus Portable and 2TB Backup Plus Slim SSDs?
No. The reviewed units contain 5400-RPM mechanical hard drives. The Slim is thinner, but it does not have SSD performance.
Do all Seagate Backup Plus drives use SMR?
The AnandTech review identified SMR in its ST5000LM000 and ST2000LM007 test units. Do not assume the same mechanism in every later product or revision; verify the exact model.
Can I use either drive with a USB-C laptop?
Yes, if you use a compatible USB-C adapter or cable for the drive’s USB 3.0 Micro-B connector.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
