There aren’t really any other hard drives that offer a similar software package, so it certainly sticks out as a positive. This is perfect for the Lightroom junkies and photography professionals who want to edit and manipulate photos on the go. However, one of the main factors that give the Backup Plus a head up over the competition is the free two-month subscription to Adobe’s Creative Cloud Photography package. While we experienced nothing of the sort, it’s still something to be mindful of. We would be remiss if we didn’t point out numerous user reviews that mention the Backup Plus has failed on them, citing a fragile design. This is below the three-year standard set by other hard drives, which is a shame. If it breaks, you will receive a refurbished product, and it’s only covered for two years. Seagate quotes 120 MB/s as the maximum read/write speed for the Backup Plus, which is a fairly standard speed on this type of architecture.Īll in all, there’s nothing special to give the Backup Plus an edge over the competition. The Backup Plus does support USB 3.0 though, which is obviously great to see. This would greatly improve connectivity capabilities, especially when you consider that one of the Back Plus’ shining features is its seamless Mac connectivity, and that most MacBook Pro’s now have a USB-C port.

This is pretty much standard as far as hard drives go, but it’s a shame you don’t get a micro-B to USB-C cable too. There is only one port on the Backup Plus, a micro-B connector, and you get a micro-B to USB-A cable in the box to use it with. You’re going to have to be careful with the Backup Plus, especially if you put it to use as a backup. If you do end up dropping it, the hard drive is not shock resistant, and it will accumulate dust or suffer water damage if you let it.

The front of the hard drive is made out of a glossy material that could easily slip through your fingers if you’re not careful. Strangely, it doesn’t seem like Seagate designed the Backup Plus with durability in mind. It’s won’t weigh down a backpack, but you’re not going to be able to carry it around in your pocket.

Seagate backup plus cloud