Possessing an external hard disk to your Mac is a must nowadays. Mac computers are notoriously tricky to personalize as soon as you own them, and updating your storage at buy costs far more than it ought to.
Even if you have the money to invest, wouldn't you rather spend the same sum of money for much more storage capability?
If you would like to use your Mac's Thunderbolt port, this is the best external hard disk for Macs. It provides double the rates of conventional USB 3.0 pushes. It uses a traditional hard disk instead of an SSD, and while this implies rates are not quite as quickly as you can, it keeps the cost down while supplying significant capacities. Here are the best Mac hard drives and external storage options in 2020. Find out which hard drive can help increase your storage or safely back up your Mac. A good many well-known players are offering the external hard drives that work seamlessly with Mac. Though some offerings are a bit costly, there are quite a few highly affordable options. Hence, you can get 1TB-10TB of storage without breaking the bank. Read on to explore list! Best External USB-C Hard Drives for Mac – 2020. Best USB-C Hard Drives for Mac iMore 2020. You might be wondering why you need a USB-C hard drive for your Mac. Here's why: if you're not backing up your Mac's data in multiple places, then you're not as safe and secure as you possibly can be. Even if you use cloud storage to back up all of your data, you should always have a safe 'hard' copy. Best external hard drives for Macs in 2020. Our picks for the best external hard drives for Mac devices are simply the best and most affordable way to fix your storage troubles.
In other words, opting to find the most significant external hard disk for Macs is just the easiest and most cost-effective alternative.
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Also, a number of those external hard drives are generally thin, light and mobile so that you can take them everywhere and are constructed with a rugged design so that they can endure the elements when you are in the area. Let Colorfy shows you the Best External Hard Drive For Mac in this guide.
Table of Contents
- 1 Best External Hard Drive For Mac
Best External Hard Drive For Mac
1.Western Digital My Passport 4TB
Pros:
- Large capacity
- Excellent data transfer rates
Cons:
- WD backup applications are fundamental.
If it comes to the very best external hard drives, look no farther than the Western Digital My Passport array. This is the newest version to have started, coming in dimensions from 1TB to 4TB.
It features cloud storage and 256-AES encryption, together with WD's backup program. (WD My Passport additionally makes an SSD and an Ultra version).
Additionally, it provides top data transfer rates. And while it does not offer you comparable quality to solid-state drive apparatus, the Western Digital My Passport array strikes an excellent balance between high storage capabilities and speedy file transfers without even knocking the cost way up.
2. Samsung Portable SSD T5
Pros:
- Excellent performance
- Very Large capacity
Cons:
- Expensive
The Samsung T5 SSD is an excellent performing storage apparatus, attaining speeds up to 550 MB/sec, making the most of the USB 3.1 specification.
It adheres directly to PCs and Macs with a more comprehensive USB-C jack or USB-A. It is approximately the size of a matchbox, and being a flash memory device, contains no moving parts, so it can survive being lost.
Topical SSDs may cost considerably more significant than hard disks, but the excess cash and quicker speeds go away. You will be able to load, edit, and rescue 4K movies right on the T5, which can be extremely slow using a USB hard disk.
It is possible to install software onto it or run a whole alternative operating system at the full rate if you are so inclined.
The drawback is the pricing. SSDs provide you less ability for more cash. Thus we do not suggest the T5 for backup. It is far better to get a larger hard disk for this and use the T5 in more specialized scenarios that require all that fantastic performance.
3. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard disk
Pros:
- Large capacity
- Excellent data transfer rates
Cons:
- WD backup applications are basic.
This is the most recent creation of this Western Digital My Passport external hard drive that comes in capacities from 1TB to 4TB, also features cloud storage and 256-AES encryption, together with WD's backup program.
While transport rates are not the fastest, because of the USB 3.0 relationship, it delivers an outstanding balance between speed, capacity, and cost.
4. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt external hard disk
Pros:
- Low cost when compared with other Thunderbolt drives.
- Mac-formatted
Cons:
- Not SSD
If you would like to use your Mac's Thunderbolt port, this is the best external hard disk for Macs. It provides double the rates of conventional USB 3.0 pushes.
It uses a traditional hard disk instead of an SSD, and while this implies rates are not quite as quickly as you can, it keeps the cost down while supplying significant capacities.
There is also a USB 3.0 interface for connecting to computers that don't possess a Thunderbolt port.
5. G-Technology G-Drive USB 3.0 4TB external hard disk
Pros:
- Slim design
- Sturdy
Cons:
- Could be noisy
This is only one of the quickest high capacity hard drives. You'll be able to plug into your Mac, with a massive 4TB of a storage area that zips together its USB 3.0, eSATA, or FireWire connection.
The all-aluminum enclosure provides the drive a superior look and texture, while also protecting your information from tears and drops and maintaining the driveway cool when utilized.
Best Macbook Pro External Storage
6. LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drives 4TB
Pros:
- Speedy USB-C link
- Good layout
Cons:
- Expensive
It would help if you had USB-C vents to make the most of the rate.
The LaCie Porsche Design is among the most significant external hard drives for Macs available for sale today. It includes USB Type-C into Type-A and USB Type-C into Type-C connectors, making it a versatile approach to enlarge the storage area from your Mac, no matter what interfaces it has.
Additionally, this is among the very stylishly-designed external hard drives on this listing, and it includes a massive 4TB capacity (along with different sizes available too ), and it works brilliantly.
7. Adata SD700 External SSD
Pros:
- Fantastic functionality
- IP68 rating
Cons:
- No USB Type-C
The Adata SD700 will match those searching for a rugged storage apparatus that may provide considerable capacity without breaking too much.
It works superbly well and remains the sole SSD we have seen that is IP68 rated, so it could withstand dust, sand, and dirt and is water-resistant for up to thirty minutes.
As a result of the strong state drive that resides inside this external hard disk, it is a whole lot quicker than external drives that use conventional turning hard drives, which means you are getting great transfer rates in addition to rugged protection.
Additionally, it comes in capacities up to 1TB, which means you don't need to worry about overlooking the storage area only because it utilizes an SSD. This Adata drive does hit all the ideal notes.
8. WD My Novel Duo
Pros:
- Huge amounts of distance
- Integrated USB hub
Cons:
- Expensive
Restricted performance compared with Thunderbolt pushes.
If you're seeking the absolute most significant capability external USB hard disk, then the WD My Novel Duo is your one to get, as it currently goes all of the ways into a massive 28TB.
If you do not mind sacrificing a few of this ample storage space, you'll be able to set up the drives in a RAID 1 array, and that means you've got file copies of your documents if among those drives die.
This is an excellent feature if you plan to use this apparatus to back up irreplaceable information, like your creative job, as it provides a degree of protection if things go wrong.
It provides two extra USB ports in the trunk, which means that you can easily insert flash rods. The apparatus contains 256-bit AES hardware encryption and automated backup applications (WD SmartWare Pro).
Additionally, it is worth noting that the enclosure used is entirely serviceable and WD ships that the driveway pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS), which means you're going to want to reformat it to use your Mac.
9. LaCie Rugged USB-C
Pros:
- Rugged design
- Backward compatible with older USB
Cons:
- Ugly orange casing
Lacie's rocky hard disk is immediately recognizable from the orange casing. It will be a rubber enclosure that keeps the disc safe from medium-height drops around 1.2m, together with your valuable data.
By Lacie, it can resist the strain of a one-ton car and can be resistant to rain. This makes it a fantastic selection for content production when you are out and about engaging in daredevil sports, traveling the world, only a little paranoid, or just clumsy.
10. IStorage diskAshur 2TB external hard disk
Pros:
- Physical safety
- Rugged design
Cons:
- Expensive
Download fortnite on a mac. If you are concerned about people gaining access to your information, if your external hard disk is stolen, you will prefer the iStorage push.
Free adobe premiere por for mac. If a person attempts to tamper with your iStorage drive, it is possible to configure it into self-destruct. What is more, the information is encrypted with the 256-bit AES protocol, with several types of protection set up to guarantee the bad guys do not get in however persistent.
If you consider all of that excess safety, the costs will not frighten you away. It is more pricey than other forces of its capacity, but the extra security it provides will be well worthwhile for many folks.
VIDEO: Best External Hard Drives in 2020
For those who chose a MacBook over an ordinary laptop must be short for some storage space, right? Well, upgrading storage space through apple is as costly as purchasing a new laptop. In this case, an external hard drive is less expensive and beneficial for storage requirements.
You can switch your external hard drive from a Mac to a pc which makes data transfer for two different OS easier. Furthermore, external hard disks are less likely to get corrupted and are portable in nature.
Macbooks generally have SSDs which are capable of loading a program quickly but more likely to low on storage.
Furthermore, SSDs are quite costly and upgrading an SSD on a Macbook is definitely costlier than you could even imagine. An external hard drive is best for storing data such as photos, videos, movies, rendered projects and more.
Contents
- 1 10 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2020
- 1.3 3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
- 1.4 4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
- 1.5 5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
- 1.6 6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
- 1.7 7. Adata SD700 External SSD
- 1.8 8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
- 1.9 9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
- 1.10 10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
- 2 What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
- 3 External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
10 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2020
Although choosing an external hard drive is a complicated process but we have made a list of 10 best external hard drives for Mac that you should consider before your final decision.
1. Samsung Portable SSD T5
Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage device, it can reach up to a speed of 550 MB per second for data transfer which is amazing. You can directly plug it into a USB-C port or USB-A port.
It contains no moving parts therefore chances of getting damaged due to mishandling are less. Even though SSD is costlier than a hard drive, the speed it offers is commendable. You will notice a significant boost in the overall performance while doing stuff that requires you to load large files and programs.
Compatible file system for mac and windows. Overall, the SSD is fantastic but only if you can spare a few more bucks than your actual budget. You can get the SSD ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB from Amazon with some additional discounts.
2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive
Best External Hard Drive For Mac 2020 Desktop
Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive is the newest generation of external hard disks and is available in capacities from 1 TB to up to 4 TB. It offers cloud storage and 256-AES encryption alongside WD's software for backups.
The data transfer speeds won't disappoint you and the drive offers speed similar to what an SSD provides. If you are looking for a drive with good data transfer rate and maximum storage, consider Western Digital My Passport 4TB as a choice.
3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
If you are looking for a reliable, portable, and affordable hard disk, Seagate backup plus slim is the thing you should have a look at. It supports Windows and Mac both and perfect for storing your essential data right away.
With the Seagate dashboard backup system, you can schedule backups and never lose your important files anymore. Backup automation can be set for daily, monthly, weekly or your desired time-frequency.
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Alongside, Seagate also provides a two-month membership for adobe creative cloud photography plan and a one-year subscription to Mylio create to manage your photo library.
- Affordable price
- Metal body
- Supports USB 3.0
- Comes with an automation backup software
- Doesn't support USB 3.0 cables
4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
This Hard disk is probably for creators and organizations that require a lot of storage for various purposes. Faster data transmission rate will let you transfer data in the meantime, all thanks to USB 3.0 support.
It also offers 256 AES encryption for securing your data and makes sure your personal data is secured in the storage device. Even though it meets the requirements of a regular user, the only thing where Western Digital My Book (8 TB) lacks is portability.
Therefore, if you are looking for a hard disk for work purposes and if portability is not an issue, Western Digital My Book (8 TB) is definitely the right choice.
- High storage
- Data encryption
- Compatible with the time machine
- Requires power source to work
- Not portable
5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt offers data transmission at a speed of twice of what USB 3.0 offers. You can enjoy this feature if your device has a thunderbolt port. Another good thing about Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt is its price. It is affordable and portable.
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However, it is a hard drive, not a solid-state, therefore, the data transmission will definitely be high but the overall performance of your pc will remain unchanged. Lastly, if you don't have a thunderbolt port in your pc, you can use the traditional USB 3.0 port.
- USB 3.0 port
- Affordable
- Formatted for Mac
- Not a Solid State drive
6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
With the new products, Apple is on its way to completely shift to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports but there are still some people who are using old hardware and for them, G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB) is going to work like a charm.
The body of the HDD is made up of metal which makes it durable and strong against accidents such as dropping off the drive on the floor or whatnot. It runs at a speed of 7200 RPM and can transfer data at a rate of 195 MB/s which is efficient for transferring music, videos and software.
- Metallic body for durability
- High data transmission rate
- USB 3.0
- Should be reformatted for Windows OS
7. Adata SD700 External SSD
Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.
You can expect faster transfer rates and better booting speed if you are planning to install an OS on the SSD. Don't worry about the storage space as it is available in 1 TB capacity also. The maximum read and write speed is up to 440 MB/S, all thanks to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.
- Lightweight and portable
- Shock resistant
- Supports Android, Mac, and Windows
- 3 years of Warranty
- Mac users must format it to FAT32 to use this product
8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk can be distinguished easily because of its unique rubber casing that makes sure your hard drive doesn't get damaged when it drops from up to 1.3 m height. It can withstand rain, dust and can even survive 1-ton pressure. This is certainly the best choice for content creators.
Alongside hard disk, you will also get access to a one-month subscription to Adobe creative cloud all apps plan. The company also provides 3 years of warranty for the device and will also help you to restore the data if lost.
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In terms of speed, Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk is not very fast as it provides only 120 MB/s which is comparatively lesser than the HDDs mentioned in this listicle. However, there are various variants available for this hard disk on Amazon.
- Durability
- Affordable
- Resistant to water
- Lesser data transmission speed
9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
Samsung never disappoints with its amazing hardware capabilities. With Samsung X5, you can transfer data at a rate of 2,300 MB/s which is the fastest speed an SSD can provide you. The build quality is super amazing as it is made up of metal, making it stronger than storage disks that are made up of plastic bodies.
The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.
- High data transmission rate
- Supports thunderbolt 3
- Shock-resistant up to 2 meters
- Heats up really quick
- Comparatively expensive than the other disks
10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.
It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.
- Secure for handling user data
- Protects from water and dust
- Low-speed data transfer
What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:
1. Storage
One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.
For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.
Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.
2. Transfer speed
After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.
So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.
3. Compatibility
The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility.
Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.
4. Security
If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider encryption feature, backup feature is something that you must and should consider.
Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.
External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.
But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.
However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.
1. Storage Capacity
HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities like from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.
SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costing of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. Hence, if your main goal is to store huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.
2. Speed
Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.
Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on an average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.
However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.
3. Reliability & Durability
There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.
But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.
Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.
3. Cost
Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.
In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.
Wrapping it up:
So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.
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