An external hard drive is useful in storing important personal and official files. It may be used for backing up or storing documents when your Mac’s storage space is not enough. An external hard drive simply expands Mac’s storage capacity without having to open the machine to fit it and without the need to carry the extra weight wherever you take your Mac.
Whether you need an external drive to store more data or back up what you already have on the Mac, you need to get the best. A good drive should have some qualities that make it stand out from the rest. What are these qualities? What is the best external hard drive for Mac 2024?
In this article, we will answer all your questions about buying an external hard drive for your Mac this New Year. Read on and find out more!
Things to consider
1. NAS drives
A network attached storage (NAS) Driver Is one to which a Mac can connect to via a network without the need to use cables and other physical connections. These drives can be used solely or as more than one drive that mirrors the data stored in each. This means that the data is safer. NAS drives can be used by all users connected to a network to store data and access it.
2. Works with Time Machine?
The best external hard drive needs to support time machine. This is the default backup software that runs on Macs. A hard drive that supports this software makes it easy for you to backup all your files in it. It is always good to have this backup because you never know when your Mac will crash or experience any other issue. With a backup, you will have a way to get all the information back. A good drive will backup the entire system including the operating system.
3. Speed
This is the speed at which the hard drive can rotate to be read from r wrote on by different programs. This is very important as it will determine how responsive the drive is to the actions that you do. In terms of speed, hard drives are generally available as two types. There is the traditional HDD and the new SSD. The latter is lighter and faster than HDDs. However, SSDs cost more than HDDs.
4. 1 or 2 Bay?
This refers to the number of hard drives there is in the external storage device. While some have only one hard drive, others have two or more. More bays mean more storage space and the option to use RAID performance. However, more bays come at an additional cost.
5. RAID performance
Redundant Array of Independent Disks (RAID) refers to a data storage virtualization technology in which multiple hard drives are used as logical units that increase performance. When you buy an external drive that has two or more hard disks you can use RAID to improve performance. You can even mirror the contents of one disk in the other and as such you will have two copies of the data. This makes it safer as you can get access to the data if something happens to the computer and the other disk.
Best External Hard Drive for Mac 2024
1. LaCie Rugged RAID, Thunderbolt Portable Drive
This portable hard drive is sturdy and has great performance. It is resistant to shock, water and dust. It is perfect for use on the go. The two internal hard drives with a total of 4GB storage have performances of up to 240MB/s. It supports RAID; choose RAID 0 for fast performance or RAID 1 for duplicated data.
LaCie Rugged RAID
With the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports, you can easily connect to your Mac and also add other peripheral devices. Any computer will recognize this device. Use it to expand your storage and/or backup your data as you wish.
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2. Seagate Backup 4TB Portable Hard Drive
This is a portable Mac external hard drive that has a capacity of 4TB and fast data speeds of up to 220MB/s. Backup anything you want and manage it with the Seagate dashboard software. You can backup data from Windows PCs and Macs thanks to this hard drive’s support for the plug-and-play NTFS driver.
The USB 3.0 port provides connectivity with quick file transfers. There is no need for power supply as the USB connection is enough.
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3. BUFFALO LinkStation 520 NAS 4 TB
This NAS device will act as the digital hub of your home or office. It has 4TB storage space that can be used for backups. It comes RAID 1 configured to ensure all data remains safe. The data stored here can be accessed from anywhere thanks to private cloud connectivity.
BUFFALO LinkStation 520 NAS
The user-friendly interface makes it easy to manage files. The built-in bit torrent client makes it easy to download files. The two premium grade HDDs in place are durable and have lower operating costs.
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4. WD 4TB My Cloud Home Personal
This hard drive has 4GB space that can be used to store files, photos, and videos from your phone or computer. Easily connect the hard drive to your router and you will be able to view files stored in the hard disk on the go on your phone or computer. Photos and videos on your phone will be backed up automatically. As for backing up, use the Time Machine to backup and sync all your Mac devices.
This can be done wirelessly whereas backups from external hard drives and flash drives can be done via the USB port available. There are many apps that connect devices to this hard drive making it the best hard drive for Mac that provides easy control.
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5. Seagate 8TB Desktop External Hard Drive
Seagate Expansion External Hard Drive
Expand the hard drive of your Mac with this the 8GB on this external hard drive. Transfer data fast via the USB 3.0 supported. The installation process is as simple as connecting the power adapter and USB cable and you can start working. As a Mac user, you will need to reformat it. Do this easily by following the application guide provided.
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6. WD My Passport 3TB Portable External
If you have been looking for the best portable hard drive for Mac, this is it. It has great looks and works perfectly. The 3TB will store massive amounts of data while the sleek design and light weight make it ideal to be carried wherever you go. It is designed specifically for use with the Mac and is compatible with Time Machine.
Backup all the files on your Mac or iPhone. You can then open the files by simply dragging and dropping them from the Finder. Keep everything secure with the 256-bit AES hardware encryption and WD security software included in this hard drive. The WD build this hard drive sturdy and long lasting. It is shock-resistant.
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Bottom Line
The best external hard drive for Mac 2023 has lots of storage capacity among other qualities. Whether you will choose a portable one or prefer a NAS, it is up to you. If you are a person who is always on the move the prior will be suitable for you whereas people who are mainly at home or office would be better off with the more equipped but less portable drives. Ensure to have a picture of what you are looking for before you decide to buy. Try the above external hard drives and you will be pleased. Just be sure to pick the one that is right for you.
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