I’d trust this 16TB Seagate Expansion drive with my backups and media library

24TB Seagate Expansion External USB 3.0 Desktop Hard Drive
(Image credit: Future)

Seagate has made hard drives for decades, and the Expansion line is about as straightforward as external storage gets: plug it in and drag your files across, no software required. The included Rescue data recovery service is a useful safety net for a drive that’s likely to hold years of files.

If your photos, videos, and backups are scattered across too many small drives, a single 16TB Seagate Expansion lets you consolidate them. Currently, you can pick up the Seagate Expansion Desktop 16TB HDD for $460 (was $550) at Newegg.

• Best for: Professionals who needs a lot of affordable backup or media storage for a desktop PC or Mac.

• Why we like it: We've had good experiences testing out Seagate's line of storage. Here, you get a huge 16TB capacity in one box, simple plug-and-play setup on Windows and Mac, and Rescue data recovery services included.

Recent updates

October 20. I've run a second price check today, and the drive has dropped from $470 to $460. A nice surprise saving there.

Seagate Expansion 16TB
Save $90
Seagate Expansion 16TB: was $549.99 now $459.99 at Newegg

This 16TB desktop external hard drive connects over USB 3.0 and works with Windows 10 or later and macOS 10.12 or later (you may need to reformat it for Time Machine). It includes Seagate’s Rescue data recovery services and a one-year warranty.

Price Context & Historical Value

The $90 savings is a modest discount on a high-capacity drive. External drive prices have risen over the past year, so this is a fair price today but not a bargain by older standards.

Should you buy it?

✅ Buy the Seagate Expansion 16TB if...

You need a single, roomy drive for backups or a media library, you want simple plug-and-play storage for a desktop PC or Mac, or you like having data recovery services included.

❌ Skip the Seagate Expansion 16TB if...

You need something portable, since this desktop drive needs wall power, you want the speed of an SSD or a faster USB-C connection, or a one-year warranty feels too short for a drive holding this much data.

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Bryan M Wolfe

Bryan M. Wolfe is a staff writer at TechRadar, iMore, and wherever Future can use him. Though his passion is Apple-based products, he doesn't have a problem using Windows and Android. Bryan's a single father of a 15-year-old daughter and a puppy, Isabelle. Thanks for reading!

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