Buying an external hard drive or SSD for your Mac is not all that different from buying one for your Windows PC. Most laptops with either operating system now come with at least one oval-shaped USB-C port, and it's the one you'll want to use for connecting your external drive. The main difference is that many drives made specifically for Macs use the upgraded Thunderbolt data transfer protocol, which promises super-fast data transfers for photographers and video editors who need to store mountains of footage and access it very quickly. As a result, they are typically external SSDs, or even multidrive RAID arrays, which means they also tend to be expensive.
So what's a Mac user to do who just wants to back up his or her files using Time Machine, or stash a large video collection? Spoiler: A Thunderbolt drive isn't your only option; far from it. In fact, in many cases it makes sense to choose an inexpensive non-Thunderbolt drive that isn't targeted toward Mac use. Read on as we solve this and all of your other Mac external-storage quandaries. We'll start with a breakdown of our favorite external drives for Macs, followed by a guide to how to shop for the best one for you.
Buying Guide: The Best External Hard Drives and SSDs for Mac in 2022 in the UAE and Saudi Arabia
Buying an external hard drive or SSD for your Mac is not all that different from buying one for your Windows PC. Most laptops with either operating system now come with at least one oval-shaped USB-C port, and it's the one you'll want to use for connecting your external drive. The main difference is that many drives made specifically for Macs use the upgraded Thunderbolt data transfer protocol, which promises super-fast data transfers for photographers and video editors who need to store mountains of footage and access it very quickly. As a result, they are typically external SSDs, or even multidrive RAID arrays, which means they also tend to be expensive.
So what's a Mac user to do who just wants to back up his or her files using Time Machine, or stash a large video collection? Spoiler: A Thunderbolt drive isn't your only option; far from it. In fact, in many cases it makes sense to choose an inexpensive non-Thunderbolt drive that isn't targeted toward Mac use. Read on as we solve this and all of your other Mac external-storage quandaries. We'll start with a breakdown of our favorite external drives for Macs, followed by a guide to how to shop for the best one for you.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Field-leading speed | - High price per gigabyte |
| + Also works with USBC 3.1 Gen1 and Gen 2 ports | - Cable is a bit short |
| + Extreme ruggedness against dust, water, drops, crush pressure | |
| + 5-year warranty |
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
Why We Picked It
Most people don't need, and won't want to pay for, the extreme speed and durability of LaCie's Rugged SSD Pro external solid-state drive. But if you're a videographer, filmmaker, or other professional who works in the field—and if you have a Thunderbolt-3 equipped laptop, so you can take full advantage of the device's performance—you may consider it a bargain even at the $419.99 list price for the 1TB version tested here, or $739.99 for the 2TB version. Our new Editors' Choice among high-end, rugged external SSDs, the LaCie is housed in a silicone-wrapped, crush-resistant aluminum case that's small and light enough to fit in a shirt pocket, rugged enough to meet the IP67 spec for dust and water resistance, and rated to survive a 3-meter (10-foot-plus) fall. It's also designed to fit in an overnight express envelope and survive the trip, so you can ship it to the office or studio when data connections are slow or nonexistent.
Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Highly portable | - Requires uncommon USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port for peak speeds |
| + Semi-ruggedized, with durability features | - Lacks SSD management software and hardware-based encryption |
| + Good scores in our performance benchmarks | - Sequential write speeds a bit below its rating |
| + Capable of high speeds with the proper hardware | |
| + Available in capacities up to 2TB |
Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD
Why We Picked It
The Kingston XS2000 Portable SSD ($99.99 for 500GB, $159.99 for 1TB as tested, $284.99 for 2TB) is one of the smallest external solid-state drives we have reviewed, but within its diminutive frame is a fast, durable, and powerful SSD that can take advantage of the latest USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 technology. The drive targets creative pros who need spacious storage for high-resolution files while on location, but it's a good choice for anyone who needs to save large files while traveling. The XS2000 earns an Editors' Choice award among premium general-purpose SSDs.
LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Flat, easily mailable chassis | - No tab over TypeC connector to protect it from dust and water |
| + Can set to RAID 0 for higher speed and capacity, or to RAID 1 for drive mirroring | - High price per gigabyte |
| + Bundled cables for USBA and TypeC on PC side |
LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle
Why We Picked It
Designed with professionals in mind—from filmmakers to photographers to musicians—the $529.99 LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle is aimed at anyone who works in the field and produces large amounts of data they can't afford to lose. And it does that job well enough to be our new Editors' Choice for rugged external hard drives. The crush-resistant gray brushed-aluminum case actually houses two physical drives, with RAID settings allowing either an 8TB capacity and fast performance, or a safer 4TB with a copy of each file on each drive. The unit also meets the IP54 spec for dust and water resistance, and it is rated to survive a 4-foot fall. As a final touch, it fits easily in a gear bag or in a padded overnight express envelope to let pros send files to the office or studio when data connections are slow or non-existent.
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Built-in fingerprint reader and LED status indicator | - Relatively expensive |
| + Compact size | - Requires software for fingerprint unlocking on a PC or Mac |
| + Fast performance | |
| + Available in capacities up to 2TB | |
| 3-year warranty |
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch
Why We Picked It
Once an afterthought, the security of your sensitive data is now one of the foremost computing considerations in a world rife with targeted advertising and ransomware. So Samsung's new Portable SSD T7 Touch adds a fingerprint reader, an innovative solution to securing the vast trove of data that many of us carry around on our external drives. The T7 Touch (starts at $130 for 500GB; $230 for 1TB as tested) is the first drive we've tested to offer fingerprint security, and it comes with markedly improved performance in a sturdy, diminutive, go-anywhere design. It's our new Editors' Choice for best external solid-state drive.
SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + High (IP67) rating for water and dust resistance | - A bit pricey for a USB 3.2 Gen2 SSD |
| + Crush and drop resistant | - Must be reformatted to work with a Windows PC |
| + Mac Time Machine backup compatible | |
| + Includes both Mac and Windows software for 256-bit AES encryption | |
| + Fast folder transfers | |
| + 5-year warranty |
SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD
Why We Picked It
Western Digital's new SanDisk Professional line, of which the SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD ($149.99 for 500GB; $359.99 for 2TB as tested) is one of the first products, is touted as offering premium storage solutions for content creators and professionals. The G-Drive SSD fits that bill. It costs a little more than similar external solid-state drives but it has a compact, attractive design, plus solid speed and capacity. And it's crushproof, drop-proof, and impervious to sand, dust, and water (except for long and deep immersion). Geared to Mac users, it's preformatted in HFS+, requiring a reformat before use with Windows' NTFS or exFAT. The G-Drive SSD earns an Editors' Choice award for Mac users seeking a rugged, rapid external solid-state drive.
WD My Passport (5TB)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + 5TB is peak portable single-drive capacity | - At list price, the 5TB version has a higher cost per gigabyte than the 4TB version |
| + Small and light | |
| + AES-256 hardware encryption with password | |
| + Ships with apps for backup/restore reformatting and checking drive health, and more. |
WD My Passport (5TB)
Why We Picked It
One of the differences between a generic external hard drive and a top contender like the WD My Passport ($149.99 for the 5TB model tested here) is the manufacturer's added effort to make a simple plastic box look attractive. Slightly rounded edges and ripples over part of the surface give the My Passport drive the look and tactile-friendly feel of a consumer gadget. The ripples also help keep the drive from slipping out of your hand easily. Add a choice of colors, a size that can fit in a shirt pocket, a range of capacities from 1TB to 5TB (5TB is the top capacity you can get at the moment for a single-drive portable hard drive), and easy-to-find discounts from list price, and the WD My Passport is a clear standout and our new Editors' Choice among high-capacity portable hard drives.
CalDigit AV Pro 2
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Relatively low cost per gigabyte | - Included Thunderbolt 3 cable is short |
| + 7,200RPM | - No DisplayPort or Thunderbolt 3 pass-through via USBC |
| + Drive is easily removable from its enclosure | |
| + Thunderbolt 3 support |
CalDigit AV Pro 2
Why We Picked It
With a minimum of 3TB of storage, the cavernous CalDigit AV Pro 2 ($249) is enough to satisfy the storage needs of pretty much anyone. On a budget? This external hard drive costs 8 cents per gigabyte for the 3TB model we tested—pretty low, although certainly not the lowest we've seen. Just bought a new Thunderbolt 3-equipped laptop? The AV Pro 2 supports it. Want a clutter-free desk? You'll appreciate the built-in USB hub. In fact, there are really only two categories of users for whom the AV Pro 2 isn't a good fit: power users with tons of games or 4K video footage who need more than a few terabytes of space, and those who don't mind paying extra for the much greater speeds of a solid-state drive (SSD).
Crucial X8
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Small and sturdy | - No activity light |
| + Stylish all-metal chassis with rubberized ends | - No backup utility |
| + Attractive cost per gigabyte | - USBA dongle less elegant than a dedicated cable |
| + Solid performance | |
| + Include a USBC cable and USBC to USBA adapter | |
| + Compatible with a wide range of devices | |
| + 3-year warranty |
Crucial X8
Why We Picked It
There's a lot to like about the 1TB Crucial X8 external solid-state drive, and for the money ($164.95), almost nothing to dislike. (Crucial also offers a 500GB model for $119.95.) The anodized aluminum gizmo's sleek black case is set off by rubberized ends to add shock protection to an already rough-and-tumble unit—the drive can withstand a drop of 7.5 feet onto a carpeted floor and handle 1,500 Gs (which you can't). The USB bus-powered NVMe drive can theoretically read data at a speed of 1,050Mbps; we didn't quite reach that mark in our benchmark tests, but the X8 proved impressively fast. At 16.5 cents per gigabyte of storage, it's also easy on your wallet. If you're shopping for shirt-pocket-sized storage, check it out.
LaCie 2big RAID (8TB)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Can use RAID 0 for higher speed and capacity, RAID 1 for drive mirroring, or JBOD (RAID off) | - High price per gigabyte |
| + 5-year warranty with five years of Data Rescue recovery | - Need to download ultilies to manage the drive |
| + Drives are hot-swappable | - Kensington lock slot secures only the case, leaving the drives easily removable |
LaCie 2big RAID (8TB)
Why We Picked It
Aimed squarely at professionals like videographers, photographers, and musicians who produce mountains of data daily, the LaCie 2big RAID external hard drive earns kudos for design excellence in both looks and features. The handsome gray and black case houses two spinning-platter drives—4TB each in the 8TB version ($469) we tested. You can configure the 2big so your computer sees it as two separate 4TB drives, as a single 8TB drive with faster performance, or as a 4TB drive that's automatically mirrored or backed up to the second. In a particularly nice touch (that you may never need but will appreciate if you do), you can hot-swap drives, easily sliding an old one out and a new one in with no tools, without turning the LaCie unit off.
OWC Envoy Pro EX With USB-C
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Sleek design | - Pricey |
| + Aesthetic especially complements Mac laptops | - Only a USB TypeC to C cable in the box |
| + Durable chassis design | |
| + 3-year warranty | |
| + Strong speed results |
OWC Envoy Pro EX With USB-C
Why We Picked It
The OWC Envoy Pro EX With USB-C ($259 for the 1TB version tested; USB 3.0 Type-A models cost a bit less) is a durable external SSD that doesn't compromise on style, offering up a variety of storage options in a discreet, minimalist package. While other durable drives might opt for big rubber casings to keep their data safe, OWC's approach is one of strength built from the inside out. The guts are encased in an anodized aluminum shell that's IP67-rated as both shockproof and waterproof (the latter up to a depth of one meter). The drive doesn't need any special cap or seal to keep the USB-C port safe from dust and, while it's a bit more expensive than our Editors' Choice, the ADATA SE800, it falls within a close enough range to merit a second look.
Samsung Portable SSD X5
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Extremely fast data transfer speeds, thanks to Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe NVMe interfaces | - Expensive |
| + Multiple capacity options | - Heavy |
| + Sleek design | - No USB support |
| - Difficult to connect to Windows PCs |
The Bottom Line:
The sleek, expensive Samsung Portable SSD X5 offers the fastest single-drive external storage money can buy, but it's suited mainly to well-heeled content-creation pros using late-model Macs.
Why We Picked It
If you store all your data in the cloud, it might be hard to fathom an external hard drive doing double duty as a status symbol. That's exactly what the sleek, wildly fast, and eye-wateringly expensive Samsung Portable SSD X5 ($699 for 1TB) is, though. Following in the footsteps of both Samsung's own flagship external drives like the Portable SSD T5 and design-forward works of hard drive art from LaCie and others, the X5 offers copious amounts of solid-state storage at extreme speeds, thanks to its use of the cutting-edge Thunderbolt 3 and PCI Express NVMe interfaces. It would make a killer gift for Mac-bound video editors who shoot in 4K or photographers who work in RAW, but it's overkill for pretty much anyone else.
SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Rugged enough to protect from the elements, with rubberized sheath and port cover | - Lacks software suite and hardware-based encryption |
| + Attractive design | - Requires reformatting for use with Windows |
| + Ideal for sure with macOS | |
| + Both USBC and USBA cables bundled | |
| + Competitive pricing |
SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
Why We Picked It
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD (starts at $89.99 for 1TB; $109.99 for 2TB as tested) is a cost-effective, semi-rugged external hard drive available in capacities up to 5TB. As a spinning (5,400rpm) platter drive, its speed is typical of its class, meaning well short of the performance of solid-state drives. This makes the ArmorATD less-than-ideal for users needing to back up many large files in a hurry, but it should work well for travelers or mobile workers who need lots of capacity for the spend, versus what their money would buy in an external SSD.
LaCie Mobile Drive (2022)
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Sleek design | - Relatively pricey |
| + Available in capacities up to 5TB | - Low PCMark 10 overall test score |
| + LaCie Toolkit software handles backup, restore, and mirroring | |
| + 3-year access to data recovery service | |
| + Compatible with Windows, Macs, and iPads |
LaCie Mobile Drive (2022)
Why We Picked It
The 2022 edition of LaCie's Mobile Drive offers a cool, corrugated new design but is otherwise little changed from its 2019 predecessor. It's a little costly, but it's easy to set up and use, and comes with a handy backup tool.
SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 SSD
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| + Blisering speeds over a Thunderbolt 3 connection | - High cost per GB |
| + Extremely rugged | - Tricky to reformat for Windows use |
| + Handsome design | - Slower over a USBC connection |
| + Thunderbolt 3 cable included |
SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 SSD
Why We Picked It
The SanDisk Professional Pro-G40 external SSD ($299.99 for 1TB, $449.99 for 2TB as tested) has two big things going for it: sizzling speed when used over a Thunderbolt 3 or 4 connection, and extreme ruggedness, including water, dust, drop, and crush protection. Like other SanDisk Professional solid-state drives, the Pro-G40 is geared to Mac users. That said, with a little effort it can be reformatted for use with Windows PCs, and you can get its full speed benefits when paired with any computer with a Thunderbolt 3 interface. It's our Editors Choice pick among external SSDs for Mac-minded content creators who work in the field.
How to Choose the Right Hard Drive
The Right Connections
Buying an external hard drive for your Mac is not all that different from buying one for your Windows PC, except for one very important complication: Newer MacBooks and MacBook Pros only come with Thunderbolt 3 ports, but the arrival of Thunderbolt 3-equipped drives has been a trickle, rather than a flood. Most of the current models are designed for photographers and video editors who need to store mountains of footage and access it very quickly. As a result, they are typically SSDs or RAID arrays, which means they're also very expensive. So what's a Mac user who just wants to back up his or her files using Time Machine to do? Read on as we answer that question, and solve your other Mac external-storage quandaries.
A New File System
Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C are the latest innovations in the external storage market, but before we get to them, we need to address a basic building block of hard drives that has always affected compatibility, and probably always will: the file system.
An external drive's file system is the most important factor that determines whether or not it's readable by Macs, PCs, or both. With the release of the macOS High Sierra operating system, Cupertino ditched its venerable Mac OS Extended file system, commonly abbreviated as HFS+, and switched to an entirely new file format. It's simply called the Apple File System, and it's the first format to be across macOS products as well as the iOS ecosystem of iPads, iPhones, iPods, the Apple TV, and the Apple Watch.
There are many benefits to switching from HFS+ to the Apple File System, including better security thanks to native encryption, but the most important thing to note for external drive shoppers is backward-compatibility. Any drive formatted with HFS+ (which includes most Mac-specific drives on the market today) will work just fine with a Mac that's running macOS High Sierra or later.
Neither Apple File System nor HFS+ works with Windows, however. If you plan to use your external drive with computers that run both operating systems, you should consider a drive formatted with the exFAT file system. You won't get the security and efficiency of Apple File System, but you will get the convenience of being able to transfer files back and forth between Windows and macOS simply by plugging in and unplugging your drive.
Of course, you can easily reformat almost any drive you buy, so you're not limited to buying only those intended for use with Macs. If you really fancy a drive formatted for Windows (which will usually come preformatted in the NTFS format), you can use the Disk Utility in macOS to reformat it after you bring it home from the store. There are rare exceptions to this rule, such as the pro-oriented Akitio Thunder3 PCIe SSD, which uses a lightning-quick Intel SSD inside and relies on firmware that isn't Mac-compatible.
SSD Versus Spinning Drive
Once you've settled on a file system, you then have to determine which storage medium you want: solid state or spinning disk. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and—unlike the file system—the type you buy is the type you're stuck with for the life of the drive.
A solid-state drive (SSD) offers quick access to your data because it stores your bits in a type of flash memory rather than on spinning platters. SSDs are often smaller and lighter than spinning external drives, as well, which is also thanks to the lack of moving parts. Their small size means they can often fit into a jacket or pants pocket, which makes them a better choice if you're looking for a portable external drive that you'll be carrying with you frequently.
One major downside, however, is that they're more expensive. You could pay more than 30 cents per gigabyte for an SSD, while spinning drives can be had for less than 10 cents per gigabyte—and often much less. External SSDs also have lower capacity limits, with most drives topping out at 2TB. Compare that with external spinning drives, which are easy to find in capacities in excess of 8TB.
For professional videographers who edit lots of 4K footage and gamers or movie buffs who have large libraries of multi-gigabyte titles, an external RAID array is worth considering, since it combines the speed of an SSD with the gargantuan capacities of a spinning drive. An array typically contains as few as two or as many as eight spinning drives, which all work together to speed up throughput, or guard your precious files against corruption via drive redundancy if one of the drives fail. (Or both; it depends on how the array is set up.) The result is that you can get SSD-like speeds, with data throughput of more than 400MBps, and capacities that top out close to 50TB. You'll pay handsomely, of course. The Mac-specific Promise Pegasus3, for one, can cost as much as $5,000.
On the other hand, if you're looking to buy an external drive mainly to back up your files (which you should definitely do) and it will rarely leave your home office, an inexpensive spinning drive will work just fine.
Searching for Thunderbolt 3
So, to recap: Faster, smaller (both physically and in terms of gigabytes) solid-state drives come at a premium, while spinning drives offer a much better value while sacrificing speed. But what happens when you throw yet another variable into the mix: the connection between your drive and your Mac? As you might have guessed, the answer is more tradeoffs.
Almost every Mac laptop sold today comes with USB Type-C ports that support Thunderbolt 3, but other than a headphone jack, they are the only connectivity options available, which means you'll need an adapter to plug in any device that doesn't have a USB Type-C cable. Fortunately, Thunderbolt 3 via USB Type-C supports a blazing maximum potential throughput of 40Gbps, double the speed of the old Thunderbolt 2 standard and many times the 5GBps that USB 3.0 offers. Unfortunately, you won't find many Thunderbolt 3-compatible drives on the market currently. Even some Mac-specific drives are still sold with USB 3.0 connectors. Moreover, the Thunderbolt 3 drives you can buy are constrained by the maximum throughput of the drive itself, rather than the Thunderbolt 3 interface. With the exception of the Samsung Portable SSD X5, all of the external SSDs we've tested recently top out at around 600MBps, for instance.
This means that for now, it's best to include Thunderbolt 3 support in your buying decision only if you're concerned about futureproofing. While it's nice of manufacturers to include a USB Type-C cable for people who own a USB Type-C-only MacBook, you can pick up a converter for a few dollars online if the drive you're eyeing doesn't offer one. Meanwhile, iMacs, Mac Pros, Mac Minis, and the entry-level MacBook Air all still come with USB 3.0 ports, so they won't require adapters.
Other Considerations
Drives intended for PCs sometimes come bundled with software that will automatically back up your files to the drive when it's connected, but such software isn't really a consideration for Mac users, who already have an excellent built-in backup option in the form of Time Machine. The first time you plug in an external drive, Time Machine will ask if you want to use it as a backup drive. While you can customize backup options in System Preferences, such as asking Time Machine to exclude certain folders, there's no action required on your part if you're happy with the default settings. The next time you plug in your drive, Time Machine will automatically set to work creating a backup.
Unless your drive is never going to leave your home or office, you should also consider its physical durability. Rugged, waterproof drives are a good option not just for surfers and BMX riders, as their marketing seems to suggest, but also for people who are carrying their drives to and from school or work, where they might occasionally get spilled on or dropped on the floor. (Check out our favorite rugged drives.)
Finally, you might want to consider how the drive will look when it's plugged into your Mac. Some drives come in a variety of colors. Many others feature copious amounts of aluminum and industrial-chic styling to match the design cues of your MacBook or iMac.
Ready for Our Recommendations?
We've selected a few of our favorite drives for Macs below; for more, check out our main list of best hard drives. You can also read our full list of hard drive reviews, as well as our top SSDs.