The Best External Hard Drive For Mac of 2023
Matt Hanson Mar 22, 2023 7:17 PM
Apple devices like the MacBook Air or more pro versions will need to own an external hard drive to meet their storage needs.
This is because most of these devices do not have the ability or opportunity to upgrade the internal storage drive.
To help users choose the best external hard drive for mac, in this article we will analyze and synthesize the most useful features required of a model.
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As mentioned, upgrading the storage drive in a mac device is very difficult and not simple at all. Accordingly, the fastest and cheapest way is to choose to buy an external drive to provide more space.
So what factors to consider when choosing to buy? What features are required in an external hard drive model for mac? How much should be paid?
Without making you wait any longer, here are our top analyses and recommendations. Do not rush to skip it if you are also curious about the above questions.
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Memory
It can be said that anyone who chooses to buy an external hard drive for mac will be interested in this parameter.
1 terabyte is the smallest size of a hard drive. With this size, you can completely store more than 10 thousand music albums. However, when there is a need for greater storage, you will need to upgrade to the next models.
Notably, the upgrade also doesn't cost too much. Because the higher the capacity, the lower the cost of 1MB.
As such, upgrading to 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, and more is not a bad idea.
Mobile or fixed
Portability will allow you to use the external hard drive for mac more flexibly and conveniently. That means you won't need to use a power source, just use a cable to plug them into your mac.
In general, these models use small 2.5-inch disks and do not take up any storage space.
In case you want more capacity, consider the fixed element of a desktop computer.
Because this device uses hard drives with up to 18TB of storage capacity and has a drive size of 3.5 inches. Of course, you will need to connect to a power source for it to work.
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Durability and impact resistance
The truth is that any drop or impact can cause an external hard drive to fail and stop working. Therefore, durability and impact resistance is other top important factors to consider.
Many models currently on the market have designs that come with rubber coatings and toughened covers. Others offer good water resistance.
All of the above features go a long way in creating a solid and durable external hard drive.
More Extras
If you're experiencing connectivity limitations on your current setup or USB is no longer available, choose to purchase a drive that can insert memory cards or other peripherals.
This useful extra feature is really essential so as not to interrupt your connection.
Wireless NAS Options
Many studies have shown that the NAS wireless option offers many convenient benefits over wired. Because not every hard drive can be plugged directly into the user's device.
On the other hand, this option is still guaranteed to allow you to perform file transfers and memory backups.
Simply put, when connected to wifi or a data network, you can completely share their data with other devices in the house such as TVs, laptops, etc.
Reading speed is
not just storage capacity. Reading speed is also an extremely important factor.
We appreciate designs that read fast. Because this means accessing the user's stored data will become much faster and more efficient.
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Storage Type
There are two main options for external storage: HDD and SSD.
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SSDs: They are really fast and have a compact design. This is essential in design industries or jobs that require content creation. However, its price is still relatively expensive.
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HDD: If you need more space to store important files and content while ensuring maximum cost savings, HDD seems to be a good choice.
In general, HDD is still the standard choice and is quite popular today.
Hard disk
Disk interface has a great influence on the performance of the external hard drive. There are many different options, so you can completely choose according to your preferences and needs.
One thing to keep in mind is that you need to make sure the speed of the hard drive is compatible to use the full capacity of the hard disk interface.
Do I need a special external hard drive for my Mac?
After researching and learning the types of external hard drives, I've found that any model will work with a PC or Mac.
There's no need to choose a special design, as you can completely reformat it any way you want. As long as there are connectors like USB.
How do I transfer everything from my Mac to an external hard drive?
To transfer archived files and folders from Mac to an external hard drive, simply navigate to the folder location on the external drive, then drag and drop the desired folders and files.
Do any external hard drives work with Mac?
Some external hard drives work with Macs like USB drives, memory cards, and devices like iPods.
Why can I not transfer files from Mac to an external hard drive?
The main cause is that this format is not compatible with the macOS system or they have been set to read-only permissions.
For example, you won't be able to transfer files between a computer and an NTFS device because they don't have write permissions, but can only be read on this device.
What size external hard drive do I need to back up my MacBook pro?
The general rule of thumb for choosing hard drive space is between 1.5 and 3 times the size of the mac device.
For example, a 1TB drive will work fine and is suitable if your mac has 512GB of memory.
Can't copy files to an external HDD?
If you cannot copy files or folders outside the HDD, take the following remedies:
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First, select “Start” and navigate to “Device Manager”.
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Then right-click on the external hard drive to copy and select “Properties”.
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Finally, select “Better performance” and select “OK” in the Policy tab to complete the process.
Personal data is certainly important to any user. Accordingly, the best external hard drive for Mac would be a great choice.
Above are all of our buying guides, hope they really help in your choice.
If you have any curiosity, don't forget to contact us. We are always ready and proud to be able to bring valuable information to our customers.
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