Best External Storage For Macbook

1. Best External Storage For Macbook Air
2. Best External Storage Drives

The best Mac laptop for most people—and Apple's best laptop in at least half a decade—is the 2020 13. And price—we especially recommend relying on cloud storage or external storage. The best external hard drives tick a number of boxes. They let you easily swap massive amounts of data between machines, offer a plug-and-play way to quickly add a bunch of space to any PC, or give you extra room to store games on a console. A lot of Mac users say this is the best external drive they have ever purchased. For $110, you get a tough 500GB SSD with an exceptional five-year warranty. But at $260 for 2TB of storage.

We all love saving tons of photos, videos, and even movies on our laptops. So the default in-built storage on a MacBook can quickly run out, especially if you've been using it for a while. That's why it's handy to get an external drive too on which you can easily transfer all your big files. This will ensure your computer always has sufficient space. So without further delay, let's go ahead and find out the best external SSDs for Mac.

#1. SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable External SSD

Enjoy seamless transfers with this USB C SSD that gives up to 550MB/s read speeds. This external SSD for Mac is rugged and resistant to both water and dust with an IP55 rating.

Along with being compact and pocket-sized, it's also durable and shock-proof. So your data can stay safe during minor falls or drops. It comes with a 3-year limited warranty. You can choose from varied capacities from 250 GB to 1 TB, according to your needs.

Linux download software free. Pros

• Water and dust resistant
• Shock-proof
• 4 storage capacities available
• Good price

Cons

• Slower read/write speeds

Price: $329.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#2. Samsung X5 Portable SSD 2TB – Thunderbolt 3

Take your storage to the next level with this SSD. Designed with Thunderbolt 3 ports, the X5 is made for busy professionals who want to render high-resolution content quickly. Its thermal management and password protection features ensure safety and security.

Best avi converter software. Further, it offers impressive read/write speeds of 2,800/2,300 MB/s. So you can transfer a 20GB 4K UHD video from your computer to the SSD in as little as 12 seconds, depending on your system configurations. The innovative design is inspired by supercars!

Pros

• Thermal management
• Impressive read/write speeds
• 3 storage capacities available
• Sleek look

Cons

• Expensive

Price: $699.99 for 2TB capacity
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#3. Seagate STJD1000400 1Tb Solid State Drive

This high-speed, portable solid-state drive is perfect for streaming stored videos directly to your Macbook. It's an excellent choice for backing up your data on the go.

Moreover, its a mini USB 3.0 SSD with a lightweight, minimalist design that's convenient to carry every day Finally, you can enjoy long-term peace of mind with the included three-year limited warranty.

Pros

• Lightweight
• Multiple storage capacities available
• Good price

Cons

• No USB C – you'll need a separate adaptor

Price: $144.99 for 1TB capacity
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#4. LaCie Water Resistant Rugged 2TB SSD

For those who want ultimate protection on their external SSD for Mac, this rugged one can withstand the pressures of life! It can survive a 3-meter drop and a two-ton car crash. Moreover, it is IP67-rated dust water-resistant.

You can take advantage of a one-month complimentary membership to Adobe creative cloud apps when you get this drive. Further, it comes with a 5-year limited protection plan so you can have long-term peace of mind about it's functionality.

Pros

• Drop protection
• Multiple storage capacities available
• 5-year protection plan for data recovery

Cons

• Slightly pricey

Price: $451.99 for 2TB capacity
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#5. Crucial 1TB X8 Portable SSD

Incredible performance with read speeds of up to 1050 MB/s makes this one of the best SSDs for Mac. It has a durable design featuring an aluminum core. It offers drop protection for up to 7. 5 feet, and can also withstand extreme temperature. It's shock and vibration proof so you can carry it around in your bag with ease.

Finally, you can rest assured about quality because this SSD is backed by Micron, one of the well-known storage tech manufacturers in the world. It also includes a 3-year limited warranty.

Pros

• Withstands extreme temperatures
• High-speed
• Sleek design

Cons

• Only available in 2 capacities

Price: $164.95 for 1TB capacity
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#6. WD 2TB My Passport Go SSD Cobalt

Check out this pocket-sized SSD for Mac and Windows computers. It's convenient to carry and is also capable of surviving drops up to 2 meters. The protective bumper acts as a cushion and absorbs shocks and bumps.

It offers a transfer rate of 400MB/s which is pretty decent. Further, it comes with a 3-year warranty and you can get it in 2 cool color options namely cobalt blue and amber. All in all, it's an excellent everyday choice for your storage needs.

Pros

• Protective bumper
• Good price
• Color options

Cons

• Transfer rate on slower side

Price: $329.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#7. Samsung T5 2TB Portable SSD

For the stylish and modern professional, this is one of the best SSDs for your Mac! With a USB 3.1 interface, the T5 provides transfer speeds of up to 540 MB/s depending on your system. So transfers and backups of large-sized data including 4K videos and high-resolution photos will be much quicker and faster.

Furthermore, the impressive performance comes in a compact package that's easy to carry with you. Perhaps the best part is the classy color options such as blue, gold, and red.

Pros

• Good speed
• Value for money
• Color options

Cons

• Looks a bit delicate and may not have drop protection

Price: $319.85 for 2TB capacity
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#8. Sabrent Rocket Nano 512GB USB 3.2 SSD

For ultimate portability, check out this ultra-slim SSD. It's sleek and durable – an ideal travel companion whether for work or leisure. Easily transfer your media with the smooth plug-and-play technology.

It provides speeds of up to 1000MB/s, depending on your system configurations. Further, you can get it in 3 convenient storage capacities of 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2TB. You can also choose either black or silver color options.

Pros

• Slim and compact
• Good price
• Color options

Cons

• No drop protection

Price: $299.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#9. G-Technology 2TB G-DRIVE mobile SSD

Carry your data worry-free on this shock and vibration resistant SSD for Mac. The durable design comes with iP67 dust and water resistance.

The USB C connectivity offers transfer rates of up to 560MB/s. Further, you can buy with confidence given the industry-leading 5-year limited manufacturer's warranty.

Pros

• Dust and water-resistant
• Shock-proof
• 5-year warranty

Cons

• Bulky

Price: $329.95 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#10. Seagate Barracuda Fast 500GB SSD

With reliable performance and a speed of up to 540MB/s, you can enjoy smooth data transfer on this external SSD for Mac. It features a minimalist design and green LED accent light.

It's a perfect solution for carrying media on the go or even for external Xbox or PlayStation storage. It offers seamless installation and loading. Moreover, you get a limited product protection plan too.

Pros

• Minimalist design
• LED light indicator
• Reliable performance

Cons Adobe photoshop cc 2018 software, free download.

Best External Storage For Macbook Air

• No drop protection

Price: $109.99 for 500 GB capacity
Check out on Amazon

Summing Up

Well, as you can see, there's a wide variety of external SSDs for Mac. Most come with warranties so are a valuable accessory to get. Let us know in the comments below which one you prefer and why.

I have been writing about tech for over 10 years now. I am passionate about helping people solve their tech problems with easy and practical solutions. At iGeeksBlog, I write and edit how-to guides and accessory reviews for all things Apple. My work has previously appeared in Live IT and Woman's Era magazines. When not working, I love reading and traveling.

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Mac External Hard Drive Reviews

These days everyone is purchasing external hard drives for their computers, because you never know what's going to happen. Should you lose your computer, or if something happens to its hard drive, then you have completely lost the data on your computer. That means that owning and using an external drive is a smart way to store your information in a separate location, so that you're prepared in case the unexpected should happen.

Also, people have more data than ever, when you consider all the photos, videos, music, and so much more that folks keep on their computers. Even MacBooks aren't designed to store all this information, and that's why an external hard drive will help you to clear some space on your computer. Lets take a look at the top rated Mac external hard drives so that you can be well on your way to finding the right drive for you and your unique requirements.

1. Western Digital

Best Overall Mac External Hard Drive

You get a whopping USB 3.0 connectivity, and the drive is formatted for MAC OS X, so reformatting will be required for Windows. With a 3 year limited warranty, you can be sure that this drive is going to stand the test of time, and should anything go wrong, it's easy to simply return it for a refund.

The chances are there's not going to be any reason to return this drive because it's solidly constructed and made from only the best materials. Perfect for all your backup and storage needs, you're going to see that this drive outperforms the rest, and that's why it's one of the top rated models on the market.

– Darius Spieth

2. Toshiba

Best Overall Mac External Hard Drive – Runner Up

The drive accommodates large digital files with a spacious storage capacity that customers swear by. Also, the body of this drive is compact, and smudge-resistant so that you don't have to deal with unsightly fingerprints. All in all, this is a top rated external drive for Mac because it offers ample storage space in the perfect sized device.

It's easy to carry on the go, and you can be confident when you're using it that you're getting a safe and effective means of saving your important data, so that you can retrieve it whenever you need it most.

– Darius Spieth

3. Seagate

Best Budget Mac External Hard Drive

You can only redeem one offer with your OneDrive account, but you're going to see that this is really all the storage that you're going to need. The program allows you to create customized backup plans that include the signature Seagate dashboard software. You can also backup your mobile device photos and videos anytime using the Lyve App which works automatically.

You experience the fastest file transfer with powerful USB 3.0 connectivity. Also, the USB powered backup drive needs no power supply to operate. All in all, what you're getting here is a tremendous backup drive that is going to give you all the storage that you so desperately need.

– Darius Spieth

We highlighted the top rated external hard drives on the market, and these are popular because they have an ample amount of storage, are affordable, and constructed from the highest quality materials. These top rated models also have the latest technology that makes them easy to use and reach lightening-fast speeds.

Best External Storage Drives

If you're not yet convinced that one of these drives is right for you, then you can take a look at this buyer's guide to find some other options that are out there for you. Each drive is so different, so it's important to know what options are available to you so that you can make an informed decision.

Mac External Hard Drive Comparison

Mac External Hard Drive Buying Guide

When it comes to finding the right external hard drive for your Mac, you have a lot of options out there. When looking for the right solution, you need to consider how much data you have to store, and whether you have multiple computers that are connected to your home network. You also need to take into account backup speed, the sensitivity of our data, how good you are with computers, and the physical size of the drive. This is going to effect the portability.

How Much Storage Do You Need?

It's possible to spend up to $200 on a 2 terabyte drive, or even $300 for a 4TB model, but having all that space may not be necessary for you. You basically want to get the largest drive that you can afford, because this will allow you to store all your data for years to come. Keep in mind that your storage is going to accumulate, but it's about knowing how much data you really have on a consistent basis.

You for sure want to get a drive that has at least the same amount of storage as your computer's hard drive. The physical size of the drive is another consideration, especially if you want it to be portable. Should you need to take your backup with you, then you want to make sure that it's small enough to carry.

How Fast Should it Be?

The speed of the external hard drive is another consideration that you need to take into account. Some people think that online storage options are a good idea but the problem is that they're really too slow. Sometimes after your first backup it can take almost days to complete the next one, and that's why an external hard drive offers you a faster solution. This makes it quick and easy to store music, videos, and images in a flash. Keep in mind that installation of the drive is going to require a little bit of technical know-how. Once you learn the ropes, you're going to see that an external hard drive is a great alternative to all other forms of storage.

How Many Computers Do You Have?

This is something you definitely need to consider when buying an external hard drive. If you have many computers running on the same network then consider purchasing a network drive that can cover all these devices at once, and helps you to share data that you save. It's going to take a little more time to figure out the installation, but in the long run it's the easiest solution. Also, if your computer is placed near a router then connecting it with an Ethernet cable is a smart choice that is going to give you faster speeds. When you have a wired connection it makes it up to 50 times faster than your usual wireless connection.

Are You Good With Computers?

This is going to help determine which drive you purchase. It's fairly easy to set up a backup, but when you're not tech savvy it's important to choose the simplest option. When it comes to going with the handiest choice, and these are thumb drives and optical discs, it's going to require you to use multiple discs and devices to get the backup done. A good alternative if you know you're not adept at technology is an external hard drive that runs without software or a drive that does backup at the push of a button.

Supplementing your Software

You can find inexpensive drives that do not require software but they're a bit short when it comes to features and flexibility. You can even get software that is bundled with other drives, and these have their limitations as well. Often these are not able to back up onto CDs and DVDs. Third-party backup software is going to be quite inexpensive, and sometimes this option is well worth it. Some operating systems come with their own backup software such as Max OS X 10.5, and these will automatically back up everything that you have and they let you restore anything from a single file onto the entire drive.

It's possible to restore the most recent version of a file that you have modified, and Time Machine in particular makes it easy to do this. The interface of this is quite simple to use, but it does take a little effort to learn the basics of the backup process. Windows 8 also comes with a backup program that has a feature called ‘File History' that will backup copies of files similar to the way that Mac OS X does it.

Add More Protection

Should your backup and computer live in the same area then your data can be prone to fire, burglary, flood and other problems. If you want your content to be as safe as possible then consider a supplementary backup that is in a different location. This means that your content will always be safe should something happen to your computer.

Types of Backup

There are a number of different backup options, including internal, external, online services, network drives, and thumb devices. You get the fastest backup with an internal drive, but installation of this can be quite complicated. This kind of backup is also susceptible to malware that may infect the primary drive. Optical discs are quite easy to use, but you're going to need a lot of them, and the discs themselves are prone to wear and tear.

Thumb drives are another good option and they offer higher capacities than optical drives. Keep in mind that it is easy to lose these and they don't have the same capacity as hard drives. With all the types of backup that you should consider, an external hard drive seems to be the most appealing.

Conclusion

If you're someone that owns a lot of data then having an external hard drive is a must to ensure that all that data is safe and secure. Most computers just don't have the storage capacity that people need, and that is why an outside source helps to take the load off your computer while also keeping this data safe in a remote location. There are a lot of external drives out there to choose from, and when you're looking for a model that is specifically designed for the Mac then you're going to see that the options almost seem endless. We highlighted the top rated external drives on the market, and these are praised by customers because they deliver solid performance, durability, and are made from the highest quality materials. You can be confident when you purchase one of these models that you're getting a product that will safely store all your material and will be able to handle ample volume.

The buyer's guide took it a step further by highlighting the various features that are available to you. When it comes to finding the right drive for you, it's really about knowing yourself and what you're looking for. If you're someone who is not very tech savvy, then it's smart to go with a simpler option that isn't going to require as much installation and upkeep. If you're very good with technology, then you can select one of the more complicated options that is probably going to work faster and more efficiently. No matter what device you choose, you're going to love the benefit that you get from owning an external hard drive, and the peace of mind that it gives you.

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