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Choosing the best external hard drive for Mac is crucial because it allows you to avoid filling your Mac computer with large files that can sluggish its performance. By transferring these files to an external storage solution, you can access them effortlessly anytime, anywhere. However, selecting the right external drive for your Mac requires careful consideration of a few key factors to ensure it meets your specific requirements.
- Capacity. The minimum recommended hard drive storage is 1TB, unless you're looking to save money.
- Durability. This is crucial when purchasing an external drive for Mac, as you want to ensure the safety of your stored data.
- Portability. This refers to how convenient it is to carry the external drive around.
- Read and write speeds. This indicates the time it takes for an external hard drive to access and save a file. Generally, SSDs (Solid State Drives) offer faster speeds.
- Connectivity ports. Ensuring the external hard drive's connector matches your Mac device is important, or you may need to purchase an additional adapter.
- Cost. With varying functions, designs, and capacities, external drive prices also differ significantly. Generally, NAS (Network Attached Storage) is the most expensive, HDD (Hard Disk Drive) is the most budget-friendly, and SSD falls in the middle.
Top 8 Best External Hard Drives for Mac
Now that we know what to look for when buying an external hard drive for Mac, it's time to get to the heart of the matter. Below is a list of the 8 best external hard drives for Mac. Let's delve into the details of these external devices.
1. WD My Passport
Western Digital My Passport drive is among the best external hard drives for Mac users. Known for its affordable external storage solutions, it boasts a 3-year warranty and arrives pre-formatted in Apple's HFS+ file system. Although it has relatively modest speed, it is more than adequate for performing Time Machine backups.
A table is provided here to assist you in learning more about it.
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Top 2. Seagate Backup Plus
Seagate Backup Plus is an ideal external hard drive tailored for Mac users, renowned for its slender and elegant design. It comes equipped with backup software, enabling the secure storage of data from a wide range of your devices. You can benefit from a generous two-year warranty. Furthermore, it is pre-formatted in the HFS+ file system, ensuring seamless compatibility with your MacBook or MacBook Pro.
This table provides you with additional information about the Seagate Backup Plus.
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Top 3. LaCie Mobile Drive (2022)
The 2022 iteration of LaCie's Mobile Drive boasts a sleek design. Though it carries a higher price tag, it is straightforward to set up and operate. Additionally, it includes a convenient backup utility. If you're seeking an external hard drive that seamlessly complements your other Apple devices, this one would be your top choice.
Would you like to know more about LaCie's Mobile Drive 2022? Here's a detailed table for your reference: | Feature | Specification | |--------------------|---------------------------------------------| | Capacity | Available in various sizes, e.g., 1TB, 2TB, 4TB | | Interface | USB-C, USB 3.0 compatible | | Transfer Speed | Up to 100MB/s (may vary depending on drive size) | | Compatibility | Works with Mac, Windows, and Android devices | | Security | Option for hardware encryption | | Design | Modern, portable, and sleek | | Software | Includes LaCie Setup Assistant and Backup Software | | Compatibility | Time Machine compatible for Mac | | Warranty | Typically a 2-year limited warranty | | Additional Features| Shock-resistant, drop-tested | | Power | Bus-powered, no external power adapter needed | | Operating Systems | macOS (10.13 or later), Windows 10/8.1/7 | Please note that actual specifications might vary slightly depending on the model and specific updates. Always refer to LaCie's official website for the most up-to-date information.
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Top 4: Kingston XS2000 Portable Solid State Drive
Kingston is a well-known brand for thumb drives. The Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD is diminutive in size yet boasts rapid speed and exceptional durability. Being an SSD rather than an HDD, it enables high-speed data transfer.
Learn more about the Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD in the table below.
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Top 5: Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD
The Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD ranks among the fastest and most secure external hard drives available. It delivers outstanding performance and user-friendly attributes. Its compact design, akin to a credit card, coupled with fingerprint recognition technology, makes the Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD a highly adaptable external solid-state drive for Mac users. Furthermore, it comes with a generous three-year warranty.
Find more information about the Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD in this table.
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Top 6. Crucial X8 Portable SSD Crucial X8 Portable SSD is a high-performance external solid-state drive that offers exceptional speed and reliability for data storage on the go. With its sleek and durable design, this SSD delivers fast read and write speeds, making it ideal for professionals and enthusiasts who require quick access to large files. The X8 features shock resistance and temperature control, ensuring your data remains safe in various environments. Its compact size and USB-C connectivity make it compatible with a wide range of devices, providing seamless file transfers and enhanced productivity.
The Crucial X8 Portable SSD is a robust external drive that delivers outstanding performance in a compact form factor at an economical price. Ideal for Desktop Mac or MacBook users, it's the perfect choice if you're seeking a pocket-sized external storage solution.
The table below provides further information about the Crucial X8 Portable SSD.
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Top 7: SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD is an exceptional and well-rounded SSD designed specifically for Mac users. It is built to be crush-resistant, drop-resistant, and water-resistant, ensuring durability and reliability. SanDisk touts this external drive as being "Time Machine ready," making it convenient for seamless backups with Apple's backup software. Furthermore, it offers substantial data security and physical protection for your valuable files.
Find more information about the SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD in this table.
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Top 8: WD Black P10
The WD Black P10 has a gamer-centric design and functions as an affordable and straightforward storage solution for your extensive game library. When you intend to backup your files, it conveniently connects to any Mac, PC, or gaming console via a USB port, making the process effortless.
Find more information about the WD Black P10 in the table below.
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Additional Guide: How to Use an External Drive for Mac Backup
After learning about some of the best external drives for Mac, have you ever found yourself pondering the question, "How do I use an external drive for Mac backup?"
Certainly, you can back up your Mac to external drives using Time Machine. But does Time Machine backup everything? There are limitations to Time Machine for Mac backups, such as not backing up system log files, temporary files, and iCloud content. In this case, I will introduce an alternative method to back up your Mac to an external hard drive without Time Machine, using a third-party backup tool called Todo Backup for Mac.
Todo Backup for Mac is a practical and user-friendly backup tool that enables you to back up your Mac effortlessly in just three steps. It is compatible with all macOS systems, including the most recent macOS Ventura, hence you can utilize it to assist you with a clean installation of macOS Ventura. Furthermore, it offers backup options in full, differential, or incremental modes, as well as the ability to clone a USB drive.
Here are the step-by-step instructions to back up your Mac using this exceptional backup software:
Step 1. Launch and run Todo Backup for Mac. Click the first Backup tab or simply click the + button in the bottom-left corner to create a backup project - name the backup project and click OK.
Step 2. Configure the backup destination where you want to save your Mac files, the automatic backup frequency, and then click OK.
Step 3. Include files and folders in the backup project.
Click File+ to select specific files and folders to add to the backup, then click the blue start button to back up your Mac to another drive or external device.
Translate to English:
< Backup Mac files and data with alternative Time Machine software. >
Final Thoughts
That concludes our discussion of the best external hard drive for Mac. Below, you'll find a list of 8 external hard drives, comprising both HDDs and SSDs. Feel free to select the most suitable external drive for your Mac devices based on your requirements.
It's worth mentioning that if you intend to use an external hard drive for Mac backup, Todo Backup for Mac would be an excellent option. This tool enables you to backup your Mac without Time Machine and create a disk image. Serving as a great complement to Time Machine, it compensates for Time Machine's limitations, thereby helping you to better safeguard your data on your Mac.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Is it worth getting an external hard drive for Mac? Yes, getting an external hard drive for your Mac can be highly beneficial in several ways. Here are a few reasons why: 1. **Additional Storage**: Macs often come with limited storage, especially if you have a newer model with a smaller SSD. An external hard drive provides extra space to store files, photos, videos, and applications that won't fit on your internal drive. 2. **Backup and Data Security**: Using Time Machine or other backup software, you can regularly back up your entire Mac system to the external drive. This ensures data safety in case of hardware failure or other issues. 3. **Portability**: External hard drives are compact and easy to carry, allowing you to take your files with you wherever you go. 4. **Collaboration**: If you work with others, an external drive makes it simple to share large files or projects without relying on cloud services with limited storage. 5. **Archiving**: You can store older files or projects that you don't need daily access to but want to keep for future reference. 6. **Upgrade Option**: In some cases, if your Mac has an older Thunderbolt or USB port, you might even use an external hard drive as a performance boost by upgrading to a faster SSD. Overall, investing in a reliable external hard drive for your Mac is a smart decision to enhance storage, ensure data safety, and improve workflow efficiency.
Purchasing an external hard drive to expand storage for your work documents, personal files, movies, and games is always a sensible choice since upgrading internal storage on a Mac has never been straightforward. Additionally, it's crucial to have an external drive on hand to create backups in case of any unexpected issues.
2. What is the best way to back up my Mac?
To back up your Mac computers, you can utilize Time Machine. After configuring Time Machine, it will initiate the process of creating backups for your Mac. However, Time Machine doesn't backup everything on your Mac. Thus, it is recommended to employ professional backup software, such as Todo Backup for Mac, to ensure comprehensive backup.