External hard disk drives remain in demand, but their popularity is waning, evident through declining search interest on Google Trends. This decline is attributed to falling prices of solid-state storage, widespread availability of high-speed wireless internet, a shift away from traditional computing, and the prevalence of cloud storage solutions. Nevertheless, some manufacturers, like Toshiba, continue to introduce new products.

For instance, Toshiba has launched the Canvio Flex, a series of portable external hard disk drives in a 2.5-inch form factor, differing from the larger 3.5-inch ones. These drives are offered in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, featuring a sleek silver design. As of the current date, their prices stand at $55.99, $67.99, and $102.99, respectively. The Canvio Flex is categorized as specialized storage due to its extended three-year warranty and inclusion of both a USB-A and a Type-C cable. This versatile connectivity allows it to be used with Windows PCs, Macs, Android phones, tablets, and even modern iPhones.

The model under examination in this review is the 4GB variant. It is a very ordinary model but at the same time with some premoum design elements. The exterior consists of a white plastic casing with a silver front panel featuring the Toshiba logo in white. There’s a status indicator light that activates during data transfers, and it (still) utilizes a micro-B USB connector, which, in my opinion, should have been phased out long ago due to its outdated nature.

The Canvio Flex is a very ordinary model but at the same time with some premoum design elements. (Image credit: Toshiba)

In terms of raw performance, the Canvio Flex exhibited results consistent with its competitors, including older Toshiba Canvio models. I primarily employed BlackMagic for speed testing, and the drive consistently achieved an average read/write speed of approximately 137-142 MBps during my tests. While this performance is more than satisfactory, it still falls short of roughly one-third of the speed exhibited by the slowest external solid-state drives.

For instance, transferring a 10GB file at an average rate of 80MBps is quite impressive and ranks among the fastest we’ve observed for an external hard disk drive. All in all, it’s a commendable performance.

Competition

Western Digital offers the MyPassport, a well-known option that may be available at a slightly lower price on Amazon due to dynamically adjusted prices, making direct comparisons challenging. This drive also includes a 3-year warranty and proprietary backup software. However, it lacks a Type-C cable.

Ultimately, the choice between these options depends on your specific needs, budget, and preferences, including factors like warranty length, data recovery services, and cable compatibility.

Verdic

If you’re looking for a cost-effective, high-capacity portable external hard drive that comes with a lengthy warranty and a Type-C connector (which can be handy for connecting to a smartphone or tablet), the Canvio Flex is a suitable choice. It offers a competitive price point, reasonable build quality, and delivers the expected level of performance.

The only minor concern lies in its use of a Micro-B USB port on the drive itself, which seems unnecessary given the prevalence of USB Type-C connectors. It would have been preferable to see Toshiba adopt a USB Type-C connector, but cost considerations likely played a role in this decision, especially in the budget-friendly segment of the market.