- Best Portable Usb-c External Drives For Macbook
- Best Portable Usb-C External Drives For Mac
- Best Usb 3.1 External Drives
Even though Mac computers are capable of reading hard drives that are formatted for Windows, if you intend on using your external HDD as a bootable disk or want to use it to backup files with your Mac’s Time Machine, you must format it to be entirely Mac.
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Drive speed is measured in revolutions per minute (rpm), based on how fast the drive can spin. Most portable hard drives run at 5400 rpm. This reduced power draw helps preserve the battery life of the Mac you plug the drive into. Desktop external hard drives. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. FixThePhoto editors’ choice. Capacity: 250 GB – 2 TB Interface. Best Portable USB-C External Storage Drives for Mac – Super fast drives with Type-C interface Samuel J Tan Gadgets, Hardware, Learning 0 Now that the dust has settled, both new generation MacBook 12 and new MacBook Pro with Touch Bar are out, we have Apple to thank for that Thunderbolt 3 with USB-C interface.
Best Portable External Hard Drive
This one is my personal favorite: Samsung T5 SSD. The device is so small that it can fit in your shirt pocket. It’s a little bigger than a matchbox.
I love, love, love this little thing.
It comes with two cables: USB and USB-C which is super helpful if you have old and new Macs. So you can use USB cable with old MacBook, copy data on it and then plug in to a new MacBook with TouchBar and copy again.
And T5 is crazy fast. I was able to run Virtual Box image directly from Samsung T5. I never thought it would be possible because I tried to run VMs from external drives before and they were super slow, even unusable.
With T5, however, I didn’t even know that I am running VM on external hard drive. Partially, it was due to fast SSD inside and partially due to USB-C connector. According to the manufacturer the transfer speed is up to 540MB/s.
Don’t forget to buy the hard travel case when buying T5 to keep the cables together.
Pros: Speed, portability, USB and USB-C support
Cons: Size limited to 2TB
Best Thunderbolt USB-C External Hard Drive
I’ve been using LaCie external hard drives for years and they always have been super reliable and crazy fast compared to other models.
You can always recognize them by their orange cover. While I am not particular a fan of their color option, I loved that the device has a rugged surface. This extremely durable cover provides an excellent protection against dust, shock and water. Which make it a best choice for someone who travels a lot or even someone who carries the laptop and its accessories to school or work daily.
When it comes to performance LaCie external hard drive provides an ok data transfer speed up to 130MB/s thru the Thunderbolt cable. If you need a faster drive go with USB-C SSD option. It will give you up to 510MB/s transfer speed.
Additionally, each LaCie drive comes with complimentary 3 year recovery service. Thankfully I never needed one, but it’s nice to have such a piece of mind option.
Pros: Reliability, durability, multiple size options up to 5TB
Cons: Color, speed
Best USB External Hard Drive (Preformed for Mac)
If you have an older MacBook then consider WD 3TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive which only supports USB-3 ports.
Western Digital is a known player on the market of hard drives and My Passport is their flagship product. I used My Passports before and I never had any issues with them.
What’s good about this particular product is it intended specifically for Macs, not for PCs. If with other external hard drives you need to format them first before the use, this one is already preformatted as HFS+ device (macOS format). So I just get it out from the box, connect to Mac and start using.
While it’s a little bigger than Samsung T5 it’s still small enough to be considered as portable external hard drive.
Pros: Preformatted for macOS, portable
Cons: Outdated, only supports USB
Budget option
If you need a reliable external hard drive under $100 consider Toshiba Canvio Basics 4TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0.
This is not the fastest drive, but it’s reliable and cheap. You can buy a 4TB drive for less than $100 and in my opinion it’s a good deal.
I use this device for my archives. If I have files that I am not going to use for a while then instead of deleting them I shove them to my Toshiba drive. You never know when you will need that old VM and it’s nice to not waste prime drive space either.
Note, however this comes with USB cable, so if you have a new laptop with USB-C ports you will need to buy an adapter as well.
Pros: Super cheap and super reliable
Cons: Only supports USB
Is your Mac running low on storage? These best USB-C hard drives can boost the storage of your computer and help you take control of your files with aplomb.
I’ve picked out the Mac external hard disks based on three pivotal qualities: First and foremost, Security, High Efficiency and Speed. So, they are fully equipped to let you manage your data proficiently and keep it safe. Moreover, I’ve also ensured they are strong enough to endure occasional bumps.
Are The USB-C Hard Disks Cost-Effective?
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!
Quick access:
1. Samsung T5
Should you wish to get the best in the business, you would be hard pressed to find a better USB-C hard drive than Samsung T5. What stands out T5 is the beastly performance.
The read-write speeds of up to 540 MB/s make it a top-notch pick. Advanced AES 256-bit hardware encryption ensures your data has the maximum shield to remain secure.
With the solid metal design, it’s readied to endure wear and tear. Lastly, T5 is backed by a three-year warranty and comes in four storage variants such as 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB (starting price: $79.99.)
USP: Read-write speeds of up to 540 MB/s
Check out on Amazon
2. My Passport Ultra from Western Digital
If you want to have a more affordable yet exceptionally functional Mac hard drive, Western Digital’s My Passport Ultra would be a fine option.
WD is made of high-grade metal and sports matte finish. The pretty light and compact design make it pocket-friendly. You can use its software to connect with cloud services and social media to import your photos or files.
256-bit AES hardware encryption ensures your data has the needed safeguard. It lets you create a strong password to enable hardware encryption. Additionally, My Passport Ultra comes in four storage variants like 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 4TB (starting price: $59.99.)
USP: 256-bit AES hardware encryption
Check out on Amazon
3. G-Technology R-Series
The highlight of G-Technology SSD R-Series hard drive for Mac is the blazing fast transfer rates up to 560MB/s. That means you will be able to manage your files efficiently.
Aside from the rapid transfer speed, the external hard drive sports a rugged design that can help it survive up to three feet drops. IP67 water-resistance further boosts its longevity. Even better, G-Technology provides a reliable five-year warranty on R-Series.
USP: Rapid transfer rate plus IP67 water-resistance
Check out on Amazon
4. Silicon Power
At $99.91, Silicon Power Armor A85M (4TB) seems to be a steal. The HFS+ format and Time Machine support makes it fully capable of handling your files. With a ton of storage in the offing, you will have desired luxury to manage your large files.
Talking about design, A85M features impressive unibody. Due mainly to the strong aluminum casing, it’s shockproof (military-grade certified). That’s not all, this USB-C hard drive is IP68 waterproof and backed by a three-year warranty.
USP: Impressive unibody (Military-grade certified)
Check out on Amazon
5. SanDisk
SanDisk knows how to produce the finest SSD. And this one sits right at the top along with the likes of T5 and even R-Series. The prime reason why I rate it so highly is the wicked speed (up to 550MB/s).
Courtesy the lightning fast speed, you will have complete control over to heavy videos, photos, and files. Moving beyond the rapid transfer rate, the hard drive has received IP55 that does seem to be the downside. But in most cases, it should be sufficient to survive the low impact.
Moreover, SanDisk SSD comes in four capacities: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB with price starting at $83.74.
USP: Fast and secure
Check out on Amazon
6. LaCie Porsche Design
LaCie Porsche Design promises to be a smart pick. There are three qualities that I would like to highlight. First and foremost, the hard drive is one of the most affordable options with the 2TB variant is priced at just $89.99. Plus, it’s available in up to 8 storage capacities like 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, and 8TB.
The second, 5 GB/s speed is more than good enough to take control of large files. Regarding design, the aluminum enclosure looks adorable and can also withstand shock. Besides, you will choose your SSD in three nice-looking colors such as silver, gold, and rose gold.
USP: Competitive price/multiple storage capacities
Check out on Amazon
7. Seagate Fast SSD
Seagate’s “Fast SSD” may have been placed at the 10th position but don’t go by the ranking as it’s one of the finest USB-C hard drives for Mac.
Starting from the storage capacity, Fast SSD comes in four models such as 250GB, 500GB, 1B, and 2TB. So, you have multiple options to pick from. As for price, it’s reasonable (starting price $79.99).
As far as performance is concerned, the 540MB/s transfer speed puts it in the elite league. Thus, you would be able to take control of high-resolution videos and photos immaculately. Plus, the folder syncing feature makes it a bit easier to handle files.
USP: Folder syncing feature
Check out on Amazon
8. G-Technology G-DRIVE
This offering from G-Technology G-DRIVE knows how to live up to the high demand. It comes with 1TB storage capacity to let you manage your videos, photos, and tons of files with ease. With good read and write speed, it can handle your data efficiently.
Design-wise, it features a small and sturdy profile. Courtesy durable aluminum, G-DRIVE can withstand regular bumps.
Thanks to the smooth, the hard drive can easily slip into your pocket. Lastly, G-Technology provides a limited three-year warranty.
USP: Highly efficient
Check out on Amazon
9. LaCie Rugged
This is the third USB-C hard drive from LaCie in this roundup. Looking at the profile, I don’t think many of you would question its inclusion.
The highlight of this external hard drive is the rugged design that can fight out bumps effortlessly. But that doesn’t mean it looks bulky or less pocket-friendly.
It comes in only 4TB storage capacity that should be abundant for your truckload of data. 5Gb/s interface means you won’t have to encounter lagging while transfer files. Besides, the $159.94 price tag seems to be reasonable against what you get in return.
USP: Impact-resistant design/5Gb/s interface
Check out on Amazon
10. Glyph BlackBox Plus
“Glyph BlackBox Plus” appears to be a fully-equipped USB-C hard drive for Mac. The thing that instantly catches attention in it is the exceptionally rugged casing due mainly to the solid aluminum chassis with the rubber bumper.
Best Portable Usb-c External Drives For Macbook
Thus, the hard drive will be able to fight out shock a bit more conveniently. Aside from durability, BlackBox Plus offers 1TB storage. Besides, the manufacturer provides three years of hardware coverage and a reliable two years of level one data recovery.
USP: Optimized passive cooling
Check out on Amazon
That’s pretty much it! This sums up our roundup of the most efficient hard drives for macOS device.
Your top bet?
I guess your boatload of data has finally got a safe haven. Which one is it? Share the qualities that you have found appreciable in it. And yes, tell us about the one should have been included in the above list.
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Best Portable Usb-C External Drives For Mac
Jignesh Padhiyar is the co-founder of iGeeksBlog.com who has a keen eye for news, rumors and all the unusual stuff that happens around Apple products. During his tight schedule, Jignesh finds some moments of respite to share side-splitting contents on social media.
Best Usb 3.1 External Drives
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