7 best external hard drive for mac

External hard drives for Mac are storage devices designed to provide additional storage space and data backup options for Macintosh computers. They are relevant to the categories you mentioned, including External Hard Drives, Data Storage, Computers Accessories, and Electronics.Here's what you need to know about them:

  1. Compatibility: External hard drives for Mac are formatted to work seamlessly with macOS, making them plug-and-play devices. They typically use the HFS+ or APFS file system, which is native to macOS.

  2. Capacity: These external drives come in various storage capacities, ranging from a few hundred gigabytes (GB) to several terabytes (TB). Users can choose the capacity that best suits their storage needs.

  3. Connectivity: They often feature various connection options, including USB-A, USB-C, Thunderbolt, and FireWire. The choice of connectivity depends on the Mac model and the desired transfer speed.

  4. Speed: For tasks like data backups, media editing, and running applications directly from the drive, it's essential to consider the drive's speed. Solid-state drives (SSDs) are faster than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) and are often preferred for speed-critical tasks.

  5. Portability: Many external hard drives are compact and lightweight, making them easy to carry in a laptop bag or backpack. Some are designed for rugged use, with shockproof and water-resistant features.

  6. Backup Solutions: Some external hard drives for Mac come with built-in backup software or support for Apple's Time Machine. This enables users to set up automatic backups for their Macs, ensuring data safety.

  7. Security: Some models offer hardware encryption or password protection to secure the data stored on the drive.

  8. Design: External hard drives come in various designs and materials to match the aesthetic preferences of Mac users. Some even mimic the aluminum finish of MacBooks.

  9. Price: The price of external hard drives varies depending on capacity, speed, and features. SSDs are generally more expensive than HDDs but offer faster performance.

  10. Brand Variety: Many well-known brands produce external hard drives for Mac, including Western Digital (WD), Seagate, LaCie, and Samsung, among others. It's essential to choose a reputable brand for reliability.

  11. Additional Features: Some external drives offer additional features like wireless connectivity, which allows you to access your data over Wi-Fi or through a mobile app.

External hard drives for Mac are versatile accessories that can help users expand their storage, back up important data, and transport files conveniently. When choosing one, it's crucial to consider your storage needs, data transfer speed requirements, and preferred connectivity options to find the right fit for your Mac.

Below you can find our editor's choice of the best external hard drive for mac on the market
  

Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PS4, & Xbox - 1-Year Rescue Service (STGX2000400)

Seagate

Based on 96 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Easily store and access 2TB of content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a great laptop hard drive. Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this compact external hard drive makes backup a snap. Just drag and drop To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition—no software required—and enjoy plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable.

  • Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
  • Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
  • To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
  • This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
  • Enjoy long-term peace of mind with the included one-year limited warranty and 1 year rescue data recovery services

Product features

Always Spacious. Always Easy.

Back up yesterday’s memories and today’s documents, even on the go. Seagate Portable makes it possible thanks to the plug-and-play simplicity of USB 3.0 and drag-and-drop functionality.

What's Included

Seagate Portable, 18-inch (45.72cm) USB 3.0 cable, Quick start guide

G-Technology 10TB G-DRIVE USB-C (USB 3.1 Gen 1) Desktop External Hard Drive - 0G05678-1

G-Technology

Based on 647 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The G-DRIVE USB-C external drive delivers reliable, high-capacity storage in a compact, stylish package. Encased in an all-aluminum enclosure and featuring a versatile USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface that meets the needs of the creative enthusiast, this drive is perfect for easy access to stored HD videos, photos and music while charging your MacBook. The G-DRIVE USB-C external drive is plug and play on Mac and can be easily reformatted for Windows.

  • USB-C connector and USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface for universal data transfers
  • USB Power Delivery to charge your compatible laptop while you access and back up files
  • Sleek, all-aluminum enclosure for durability
  • Apple Time Machine ready for easy file backup
  • Plug and play on Mac; easily reformatted for Windows
  • 3-year limited manufacturer's warranty

User questions & answers

Question: The picture shows an on/off switch. The answer below says there is not one. I believe two models are being confused. Is this model accurately shown
Answer: No. And you will notice immediately because the translation is quite iffy.
Question: can it be stacked up
Answer: Yes ! I was able to download all my photos, videos and screenshot in a few easy step. This device is also very fast.
Question: I don't have usb-c. i have the old usb 3.0 will this work with that
Answer: Mine didn’t transfer either.
Question: Do i need to plug it in or will it run off usb-c
Answer: Not sure this will be of help, however, both Dual Magic Flash and LUV Share apps are required for the phone to recognize the device being connected.

Product features

Stylish, High-Capacity, Reliable Storage

The G-DRIVE USB-C external drive delivers reliable, high-capacity storage in a compact, stylish package. Featuring a versatile USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface that meets the needs of the creative enthusiast, this drive is perfect for easy access to stored HD videos, photos and music while charging your compatible MacBook.

*As used for storage capacity, one terabyte (TB) = one trillion bytes. Total accessible capacity varies depending on operating environment.

USB Power Delivery*

Support for up to 45 watts of USB Power Delivery through the USB-C port allows you to charge your compatible MacBook or MacBook Pro without having to take a separate charger out of your bag. *Requires USB Power Delivery Profile on computer and use of USB-C to USB-C cable.

USB-C to USB-A cable included

To ensure maximum compatibility, we include a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable to make sure this drive works with all USB 3.1, 3.0 and 2.0 computers.

Perfect for Mac and Windows

Ready to go for Mac computers and Apple Time Machine backup right out of the box. Easily refor- mat for Windows with included software.

LaCie LAC9000298 Rugged Mini 2TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD - USB 3.0 USB 2.0 Compatible, Drop Shock Dust Rain Resistant Shuttle Drive, For Mac And PC Computer Desktop Workstation PC Laptop

LaCie

Based on 8 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Travel with a capacity of 2TB in an ultra compact portable hard drive—LaCie Rugged Mini. Seamlessly connect to USB 3. 0 computers, transfer content fast with speeds of up to 130MB/s, and trek confidently with all terrain durability of drop, crush, and rain resistance. This drive even includes a complimentary one month membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan for access to awesome photo and video editing apps, as well as a two year limited for long term peace of mind.

  • Travel with a massive capacity of up to 5TB in an ultra compact portable external hard Drive
  • For those who have a need for Speed, seamlessly connect to USB 3. 0 computers and transfer content Fast with speeds of up to 130MB/s
  • Trek confidently with an external Hard Drive that offers all terrain durability of drop, crush, and water resistance
  • Take advantage of a complimentary 1 month membership to the Adobe creative cloud all apps plan for access to awesome photo and video editing apps
  • Enjoy long term peace of mind with the included 2 year limited

Product features

The Smallest Rugged Around

With capacities of up to 5TB, the LaCie Rugged Mini is a small but mighty USB 3.0 portable hard drive. Perfect for busy creatives, it offers premium protection for photos, footage, and more while delivering Mac and Windows compatibility, fast speeds, and customizable backup.

What's Included

LaCie Rugged Mini hard drive, USB 3.0 cable (2.0 compatible), Quick Install Guide

LaCie Rugged USB-C 4TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD – USB 3.0, Drop Shock Dust Rain Resistant Shuttle Drive, for Mac and PC Computer Desktop Workstation Laptop, 1 Month Adobe CC (STFR4000800)

LaCie

Based on 3 reviews Check latest price

Product description

LaCie Rugged USB C is a powerful, trusted external hard drive for Mac and Windows computers. Quickly and easily connect to the latest laptops and PCs using Rugged’s reversible USB C cable—or the included USB 3.0 adapter for legacy USB 3.0 devices. Enjoy a high speed USB C 5Gb/s interface and confidently tackle any terrain with drop, crush, and rain resistance. Plus—take advantage of a complimentary one month membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan for access to awesome photo and video editing apps! It even includes two year limited warranty protection plan and Rescue Data Recovery services for long term peace of mind.

  • Quickly and easily connect to the latest Windows and Mac computers with Rugged’s reversible USB-C cable, or legacy computers using the included USB 3.0 adapter
  • Enjoy fast USB-C 5Gb/s file transfers, backups, and image browsing
  • Confidently tackle any terrain with drop, crush, and rain resistance
  • Take advantage of a complimentary one-month membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud All Apps Plan for access to awesome photo and video editing apps
  • Enjoy long-term peace of mind with an included two-year limited warranty protection plan and Rescue Data Recovery services

User questions & answers

Question: Will this work with older macbook air models. i have an early 2014 mojave
Answer: Mine did not I also couldn't get sound out of one side unless the cord was rotated in the exact right position I returned mine and went with turtle beach stelth 600 worth the price increase
Question: Can I use a usbc to usb
Answer: Our headsets are covered by a 2-year warranty.
Question: can i have a new macbook pro. can i get either the thunderbolt usb-c or the usb-c
Answer: No
Question: How does usbc differ from the thunderbolt usb-c option? i see thunderbolt usbc is more expensive
Answer: I have had no kink or curl in my cable. These are a great deal with good quality sound. I have used them for telehealth. I like that they have a usb adapter included

Product features

Rugged Mini

Since 2005, LaCie Rugged portable hard drives have thrived where only the toughest survive — the film sets, photo shoots, and music studios of the influential creative pros. Why? Because LaCie Rugged products are the industry’s trusted way to capture and transport data in the field.

Toshiba Canvio Flex 2TB Portable External Hard Drive USB-C USB 3.0, Silver for PC, Mac, & Tablet - HDTX120XSCAA

Toshiba

Based on 28 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Combining compatibility and portability, the Canvio Flex portable external hard drive is designed to work interchangeably with most major USB devices and operating systems. The Canvio Flex is compatible with both Mac and Windows PC, as well as supported tablet devices with USB-C port . Enjoy the convenience and flexibility for your storage needs with the Canvio Flex - your smart storage companion.

[Note]:

One Terabyte (1TB) means 10{12] = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes using powers of 10. Actual formatted storage capacity may vary. For details, please visit Toshiba's Consumer HDD website.

Compatibility may vary depending on user‘s hardware configuration and operating system. Reformatting may be required for use with Apple Time Machine. Please check compatibility list at Toshiba's Consumer HDD website.

Standard limited warranty terms apply. The warranty brochure is preloaded on the hard drive or can be viewed at Toshiba's Consumer HDD website.

Product specifications, colors, features, and availability are subject to change without notice. Product images may not reflect the actual product.

  • Designed for PC, Mac, and Tablet (check compatibility at Toshiba's Consumer HDD website).
  • Formatted exFAT for cross-device compatibility .
  • USB-C ready, USB 3.0 compatible.
  • Versatile design. Includes USB-C and USB-A cables.
  • 3-year manufacturer's limited warranty .

Product features

Cross-Device Compatibility(2)

Connection where it counts. The Canvio Flex Portable External Hard Drive is formatted for Windows PC, Mac, as well as compatible iPad and Android tablet devices with USB-C port enabling seamless file access right out of the box.

Versatile Storage

Stay ahead of the curve with the Canvio Flex Portable External Hard Drive, connecting directly to any compatible USB-equipped device. With both USB-A and USB-C cables included, you have the flexibility to easily connect to either old or new devices without the need for a USB adapter.

Simple Elegance

Flexible storage meets flexible style with a sleek, satin silver finish and lightweight design that complements your Mac, Windows PC, and compatible tablet devices.

Canvio Flex Portable External Hard Drive

You aren't limited to just one device, and your storage solution shouldn't be, either. Combining compatibility and portability, the Canvio Flex Portable External Hard Drive is the cross-device storage solution built for your adaptable lifestyle. Designed to work interchangeably with most major USB device platforms and operating systems, the Canvio Flex makes transferring your files easier than ever, with up to 4TB of storage capacity to safely store your data.

Cross-Device Compatibility(2)

Formatted and works interchangeably with Windows PC, Mac, as well as compatible iPad and Android tablet devices with USB-C port out of the box (check device compatibility at Toshiba’s Consumer HDD website).

Storage On-The-Go

Up to 4TB of storage capacity in a portable & lightweight design meant for storage on-the-go. The elegant satin silver finish stylishly complements your Mac, PC, and compatible tablet devices.

USB-C and USB-A Cables Included

Versatile compatibility for new and older devices - directly connect to any compatible USB-A and USB-C device.

USB 3.0 & 2.0 Compatible

USB technology allows high speed data transfer with no external AC power cord needed.

WD 6TB My Book Desktop External Hard Drive, USB 3.0 - WDBBGB0060HBK-NESN

Western Digital

Based on 7 reviews Check latest price

Product description

The My Book drive is trusted desktop storage designed to complement your personal style with a massive amount of space to store your photos, videos, music and documents. Equipped with password protection and perfectly paired with WD Backup or Apple Time Machine, My Book desktop storage helps keep your files safe.

  • Auto backup with included WD Backup software and Time Machine compatibility
  • Password protection with hardware encryption
  • Trusted storage built with WD reliability
  • USB 3.0 port; USB 2.0 compatible
  • 3-year manufacturer's limited warranty

User questions & answers

Question: How many RPM
Answer: I am 100% certain that the drive inside is 5400 RPM. The 4TB is a ASIN:B013HNYV8I WD Blue WD40EZRZ 5400rpm.See my review: https://www.amazon.com/review/R388G5P0ACHROS
Question: I did not realize this has a a/c power cord. does it require a/c power to work or will the usb power it
Answer: A desktop hard drive requires both 12 volts and 5 volts for power while a USB port only supplies 5 volt power. A laptop hard drive does not require 12V power which is why portable drives based on such drives can be powered by the USB port.
Question: What is the hd speed for this storage device? do they spin at 7500 rpm
Answer: We'll need to clarify "speed" vs. rpm to answer the spirit of your question. First, to answer one of the above commenters,- Having RAID doesn't alter the disk spin rate of each drive, and for the original poster the hard drive rpm speed is not necessarily directly tied to the ultimate "speed" you're thinking of, for general questions of speed you should be looking at the Data Read/Write speeds. This unit does have RAID 0 setup out of the box with two 4TB WD Red 5400 rpm drives. But the fact that it's 5400 rpm isn't because it's "cheapo" as mentioned above, it's a very deliberate decision on behalf of the product manufacturers, for very good reason. Most "NAS Certified" spinning hard drives, as the WD Red series is, are 5400 rpm, this is because NAS devices are generally always left on, so that any PC on the network can access the device when needed. Using 5400 rpm drives in this way saves power consumption for each drive; it also keeps the radiant heat down coming off each and every drive in the NAS unit (this unit only has two hard drives but they can have any number of drives: 2, 4, 5, 8, 12, even more in high end units), so if you keep a unit like this on in your room or office it keeps the temperature of the room cooler; it also extends the life of each of the drives, slower spinning disks are proven to be less likely to run into issues than their faster spinning counterparts, and a longer life is CRITICALLY important given the use case of these drives as RAID enabled backup/storage destinations- If RAID 1 is being used, the higher the drive failure rate, the more often you need to be reacting quickly to replace the failed drive, because the second a drive dies in a RAID array you're up against a clock of unknown time-limit counting down to the loss of your data, because if another drive dies before you replace the first and rebuild the array, you will lose all the data on the NAS (in most cases); If RAID 0 is being used as is setup by default, you lose ALL the data the moment EITHER drive dies. So drive longevity is very important. Beyond all those benefits, there's one very important reason to note regarding why it doesn't really negatively impact speed very noticeably when 5400 rpm drives are used- Drives used in a RAID array work as a team, and generally speaking the more drives in a RAID array the faster the read speed, because reads for each file are distributed across all of the spinning disks, meaning the 2 discs in RAID 0 only need to spin up to retrieve half the file each. 3 Discs? 1/3 the seek time (i'm oversimplifying but that's generally a good way to look at it). Given these massive speed increases while working in parallel, any speed bottlenecks you may run into are just as likely to be due to any number of other interface areas. TL;DR- 5400 rpm is GOOD for NAS devices! Increasing to 7200 rpm provides negligible data access speed increases, and could cause various long-term issues. If you need a drive speed increase nowadays you simply pay-up for SSD drives and live in luxury.
Question: Does somebody know which hdd is inside the new wd my book 8 tb ? maybe a helium hitachi or a red wd
Answer: Previously in the case of the 8TB model WD80EZAZ. As of Jan 2021 (and probably earlier) they use WD80EDAZ, mine was manufactured late Sept. 2020. These new ones don't appear to be helium sealed and run quite a bit hotter. Previously the EZAZ drew 400/500mA while these newer EDAZ draw 700/900mA from the +5/12V rails so that probably accounts for the extra heat.

Product features

Complete Backup

My Book desktop storage comes equipped with WD Backup software and Time Machine compatibility* to help make sure your photos, videos, music and documents don’t get lost. You can set it to run automatically to your schedule. Just pick the time and frequency to back up important files from your system.

*Reformatting required.

WD 5TB My Passport Portable External Hard Drive, Black - WDBPKJ0050BBK-WESN

Western Digital

Based on 26 reviews Check latest price

Product description

Every journey needs a passport. The My Passport drive is trusted, portable storage that gives you the confidence and freedom to drive forward in life. With a new, stylish design that fits in the palm of your hand, there's space to store, organize, and share your photos, videos, music, and documents. Perfectly paired with Western Digital backup software and password protection, the My Passport drive helps keep your digital life's contents safe.

  • Slim design
  • Automatic backup - easy to use
  • Password protection + 256-bit AES hardware encryption
  • WD Discovery software for WD Backup, password protection and drive management
  • SuperSpeed USB port; USB 2.0 compatible

User questions & answers

Question: Does it come with the USB cable
Answer: You can do it. You just need to connect your external speakers with record player!
Question: Just to confirm this works with windows 10 no problem? I have a 4 yr old extern hard drive that doesnt and i am worried this wont
Answer: Yes there is a is power cord and adapter that comes with it. Also you dont need Bluetooth to work the player.
Question: Is this compatible with ps
Answer: Yes, a one year warranty from date of purchase.
Question: How is this model different than the one called wd 2tb black my passport portable external hard drive - usb 3.0 - wdbs4b0020bbk-wesn
Answer: Turn the volume dial. That activates the power. The record will start spinning when the needle arm is above it.

Product features

Backed Up

Make sure everything you create while on your own life journey - photos, videos, music, and documents - doesn’t get lost. The My Passport drive comes equipped with WD Backup software that can be set to run automatically to your schedule.

Locked Down

Keep your digital life's contents secure with My Passport password protection and built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption. Just activate password protection and set your own personalized password using WD Discovery.

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