- The best way to get the most out of your hard drive is to keep it disconnected from your computer when you don’t need to use it. This practice will make the device useful for years to come. If it ever does become sluggish, then you know it’s time to switch to a new one.
- Seagate Wireless Plus. Seagate shows off at CES 2013 the all-new Wireless device that replaces its Satellite to be an ideal Wi-Fi storage expander/digital media server for mobile devices.
BestUSB-C Hard Drives for MaciMore2019
The current line of MacBook Pro only has Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, but that's OK, because USB-C is fast, future-proof, and will likely replace standard USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, power, and more. A USB-C hard drive is the perfect storage box to locally back up all of your most essential files, including photos, documents, music, movies, and anything else that's important to you. Save your Mac's hard drive and pick up a USB-C hard drive. Here are a few options to get you started on your search.
Best Wireless Hard Drive for Mac Can Be Fun for Everyone No special software is necessary, and there's no setup in any way, just start WiFi Disk and type the address shown into your internet browser. Since you may know that routers driver software has to be upgraded periodically in order to work at their very best.
Fan favorite: G-Technology G-Drive 1TB
Mick's FavoriteThe G-Drive by G-Technology is a great USB-C hard drive for most people. It has 1TB of storage and features a quick drive speed of 7200RPM, with transfer rates of up to 136MB/s, thanks to USB 3.1. It comes in silver, as well as Apple-exclusive colors: gold, rose gold, and space gray.
From $71 on AmazonBest for speed: Samsung T5 SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Lory's FavoriteSamsung's T5 SSD is a solid-state drive that provides way faster transfer rates than physical hard drives. Solid-state drives don't have moving parts, so if you happen to drop this one, there's less to break! SSDs are more expensive, but with this one, you get write speeds of up 540MB/s, which is over three times faster than many hard drives. If you like to store TV shows and movies on your hard drive, consider a solid-state drive!
From $90 at AmazonRugged pick: Glyph Blackbox Plus 1TB
The Glyph Blackbox Plus is a rugged, portable hard drive that can keep up with you wherever you go. It's surrounded in rubber to protect from drops and has enough capacity for all your backups and then some. You get write speeds of up to 140MB/s from just 5400RPM, as well as a 3-year warranty in case anything goes wrong. It also features fan-free heat dissipation, so it's nice and quiet.
$120 at AmazonBest for video: Samsung 5X Portable SSD
With read and write speeds of up to 2,800MB/s and 2,300MB/s respectively, this portable drive is perfect for videographers. It's designed for rendering and compiling high res photos and videos with up to 40Gb/s data transfer. It also looks like the Ferrari of external hard drives.
From $489 at AmazonMost stylish: LaCie Porsche Design 2TB
LaCie is widely recommended for Apple users (they even sell LaCie products on Apple's site!) The Porsche Design external hard drive is a great-looking solution to your USB-C needs. The mobile version comes in 2TB, while the desktop version is available with 4TB of storage. If you have older devices you'd like to use as well, this hard drive is also compatible with USB 3.0 ports.
$80 at AmazonUpgrade option: SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD 480GB, 960GB, 1.92TB
SanDisk's Extreme 900 SSD is a powerhouse solid-state drive that offers up to nine times the transfer speeds of external hard drives. It's made of durable aluminum and rubber, and the solid-state core is shock-proof. So, this is far less likely to die on you should you drop it (compared to hard drives).
From $182 at AmazonBest value: G-Technology G-Drive SSD R-Series
With a low price for 1TB, G-Technology's G-Drive SSD is one of the more versatile solid-state drives on the market, and it comes recommended by Apple itself. You'll get transfer rates of up to 560MBps, and it comes with both a USB-C to USB-C and a USB-C to USB-A cable. https://treeboys708.weebly.com/best-keygen-for-mac.html.
$240 at AppleLong-lasting: LaCie Rugged 2TB
The LaCie Rugged of yesteryear got me through my entire post-secondary education, and now that there's a USB-C option, it'll help get you (and maybe even your children!) through school or work with reliability and that fast connection. The body is rubberized to help it stand up to daily wear and tear, and 2TB should be more than enough for all of your files, documents, Final Cut projects, and much more. There's a 2-year warranty on these, which includes data recovery services.
$120 at AmazonDurable and reliable: CalDigit Tuff 2TB
CalDigit's Tuff hard drives are rugged, colorful 2TB drives that offer USB-C connectivity and there's even a USB-C to USB-A cable for backward compatibility. With an IP57 rating, these drives are water-resistant in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. They're dust-resistant, so you can take yours with you anywhere knowing that your data is safe from the elements.
From $120 at AmazonCompact pick: SanDisk Extreme SSD
You may know SanDisk for its SD cards, but its hard drives are excellent as well. This solid-state drive is smaller than the average smartphone and has a hole in it so that you can clip it to a bag. It's shock-resistant and ruggedly designed, so it's perfect for life on the move.
From $72 at AmazonBudget pick: WD My Passport
Western Digital makes some of the best hard drives around, and its 4TB USB-C hard drive fits right in with all its other excellent drives. This one can be found for under $120 and comes in six colors. This hard drive, however, is not inherently a USB-C drive — it's 'USB-C ready,' so it'll connect to your USB-C ports no problem, though it does not have a USB-C port itself.
From $60 at AmazonWaterproof-ish: G-Tech All-Terrain Drive
For the extreme outdoorsmen and women, this rugged hard drive does more than protect your external hard drive from scratches and breaks. It's watertight, so you can drop it into a pool of water up to one-foot for 30 seconds without anything seeping in. The tethered Thunderbolt cable means you don't have to bring any extra cables, too.
From $153 at AmazonOur personal favorites
External hard drives are must-have peripherals for anyone with a computer. They give you additional storage space, which can fill up fast on laptops, and are essential to backing up your data safely and securely. Every one of the drives on this list is easy to set up and start using right away. All you have to do is plug one into your Mac.
Lory's go-to external hard drive is Samsung T5 SSD because SSDs are much more reliable, and this one, in particular, has super-fast data transfer speeds. The G-Drive is Mick's favorite portable hard drive because it's affordable and reliable.
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If you're looking for the best external hard drives available today then you've come to the right place. We've rounded up the best on the market in our curated guide, making it easy for you to find the right external hard drive for you.
And, you don’t need us to tell you that space is an issue. We all know that regardless of which desktop or laptop you choose, they never have enough room. So connect an external hard drive now and free yourself from manufacturer-imposed storage limitations.
How to choose the best external drive for you
The good news is choosing an external hard drive needn’t be a arduous task – it’s mainly a question of capacity, which boils down to how much room you need for your stuff – now and in the future.
After capacity, the next thing to consider is if you want a portable drive, powered from a USB socket or a fixed desktop drive that will need a power socket. Portable drives are ultra convenient but you pay a premium for this, where as the desktop drives are cheaper and often offer more space. The third option available to you is an SSD drive, which are becoming increasingly popular as they become more affordable.
Solid-state drives are ultra-fast - lots quicker than conventional drives – but you pay extra for that speed, capacities don’t go as high a standard hard drives and you need to get them fitted inside your computer.
Which to go for? All in our round-up will give you the room you need, but if we had to pick a favourite, at the moment we are love the Samsung 860 EVO for speed and space.
The 10 best external drives you can buy today
1. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Portable: No:
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
We're also big fans of the Seagate Backup Plus models (see below) but these are the higher capacity, non-portable versions: you still get the speed and reliability that Seagate's known for, but you have to find an extra power socket to plug into as well.
That extra power means more capacity and faster speeds of course, so it's not all bad: transfer rates go up to 160 MB/s on Windows or Mac and you can get up to 8TB of capacity here. The optional two-port USB hub on the front is handy for charging gadgets too.
2. WD My Passport SSD 512GB
Specifications
Drive: SSD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
+Super speeds+Old and new connections+Hardware encryption
Reasons to avoid
This is the first portable SSD Western Digital has put out, combining the high speeds of solid-state disks with the convenience of not needing an extra power socket to get it up and running. The drive's transfer rate speeds top out at 515 MB/s, according to WD.
With an eye-catching design and USB 3.1 support, the drives use Type-C connectors but can be used with older USB ports with a separate cable. 256-bit AES hardware encryption is included and the Windows/Mac drives are shockproof too, just in case you drop them.
3. Lacie Fuel
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
The Lacie Fuel is all about its wireless capabilities and mobile support: you can take this away on camping trips and have it stream files to iPads, iPhones, Android devices or whatever else you're taking along with you, thanks to its 10 hours of portable battery life.
Lacie says the Wi-Fi hotspot range is 150 feet or 45 metres and if you want to go the old-fashioned route then the drive supports USB 3.0 as well (Type-B). Up to five devices can access the drive at one time, if required, including Windows and Mac computers.
Wifi Backup Hard Drive
4. Seagate Backup Plus 4TB
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
+Plenty of choice+Standard models not as fast as some
Reasons to avoid
You can pick up Seagate's portable drives in a host of capacities, colours, and dimensions, so head to the Seagate site for a comprehensive breakdown, but across the board you're looking at USB 3.0 speeds, Windows and Mac support, and 120 MB/s or higher transfers.
There are some differences: opt for the chunkier, 4TB 'Fast' model and you get 220 MB/s transfer rates in return for a little extra bulk on the drive itself. If you just want simple, affordable, reliable backups (software is included), then these are great portable options.
5. WD My Book
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Portable: No:
Reasons to buy
Reasons to avoid
If you're happy to leave your drive powered up on the desktop and don't need it to be portable, the My Book series from Western Digital has a well-respected history. The latest models go all the way up to 8TB, which should be more than enough room for your data.
You get all the usual WD goodies, including compatibility with Windows and Mac machines, speedy and reliable transfers, USB 3.0 support, and strong 256-bit AES encryption, so they're one of the best options for a standard external desktop drive.
6. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC
Best External Hard Drive For Mac
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
Today's best Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC deals
The main party trick of this compact, portable, stylish drive from Buffalo is the NFC (Near Field Communication) technology built in, which means you can unlock the contents of the drive with the swipe of the supplied smart card, with no passwords required.
On top of that encryption and protection, you also get USB 3.0 connectivity (with integrated cable), shock protection, resistance from water and dust and capacities up to 2TB in size, so if you're looking for a portable drive with a little bit extra, this could be it.
7. SanDisk Extreme 510
Specifications
Drive: SSD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
The SanDisk Extreme 510 is an unusual-looking portable option if you want the speed of a solid-state drive and don't mind paying for the privilege - note that although the label on the front says SanDisk, the company is in fact now owned and run by Western Digital.
That strange casing makes the drive resistant to drops, shocks, vibrations and extreme temperatures, and the manufacturer is promising up to four times faster transfer speeds than a comparable HDD drive. Integrated data encryption is provided as standard too.
8. Samsung 860 EVO
Specifications
Drive: SSD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
Samsung has always been ahead of the game with SSDs and now they are back with the 860 EVO – which improves on the original drive and bumps storage up to a colossal 4TB. This huge capacity means if your pockets are deep enough mechanical drives are no longer needed.
For this drive Samsung has switched to using V-NAND 3-bit MLC technology for storage, which is very reliable and as a result the 860 EVO comes with a 5-year warranty, which is a great longevity. Add sequential read speeds of up to 550 MBS per second and sequential write speeds of up to 520 MBS per second and you’ve got a fast, reliable and reasonably priced option. We approve.
9. WD My Book Duo
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Hard Drive For Macbook
Portable: No:
Reasons to buy
+Massive choice+Two drive bays +Mirroring capability
Reasons to avoid
The third WD drive in our rundown is for those who really need a lot of capacity and are happy to pay for it - as the name suggests, the My Book Duo has two drive bays, so you can slot in two hard disks for a total capacity of anywhere between 4TB and a huge 16TB.
Even with the two bays, the drive isn't difficult to configure, and with the standard WD backup software supplied you can be up and running in minutes. If you prefer, you can have the two drives mirror each other, so you've always got two copies of your data.
10. Lacie Rugged
Specifications
Drive: HDD:
Portable: Yes:
Reasons to buy
If you're looking for an external hard drive to cope with the stresses and strains of modern-day life then you can't do much better than the bright, padded Rugged model from Lacie, shock and drop resistant to a height of 1.2 metres when not running.
It's also pressure-resistant, and comes with automatic backup software and encryption to keep your data as safe as possible. A variety of connection options are included, from USB 3.0 Type-C to Thunderbolt and Firewire, and it's Mac and Windows compatible as well.
- Want something networked instead?Here are our favourite NAS drives