The LaCie 2TB Mobile SSD drive is an external USB-C drive with more than enough space for all of your digital files. An Apple Store exclusive, its brushed aluminum exterior makes it look like it. The first Samsung external DVD drive that is compatible with Mac as well as PCs. A 'must have' accessory for all NetBook users. The SAMSUNG 8X Tray load External Slim DVD Writer is designed to provide the highest quality DVD functionality in a sleek design that is.
- Best External Hard Drives For Mac
- External Hard Drives For Imac
- Samsung External Disc Drive Se-218 On Mac
- Apple External Drives
For those who chose a MacBook over an ordinary laptop must be short for some storage space, right? Well, upgrading storage space through apple is as costly as purchasing a new laptop. In this case, an external hard drive is less expensive and beneficial for storage requirements.
You can switch your external hard drive from a Mac to a pc which makes data transfer for two different OS easier. Furthermore, external hard disks are less likely to get corrupted and are portable in nature.
Macbooks generally have SSDs which are capable of loading a program quickly but more likely to low on storage.
Furthermore, SSDs are quite costly and upgrading an SSD on a Macbook is definitely costlier than you could even imagine. An external hard drive is best for storing data such as photos, videos, movies, rendered projects and more.
Contents
- 1 10 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2020
- 1.3 3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
- 1.4 4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
- 1.5 5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
- 1.6 6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
- 1.7 7. Adata SD700 External SSD
- 1.8 8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
- 1.9 9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
- 1.10 10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
- 2 What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
- 3 External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Best External Hard Drives For Mac
10 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2020
Although choosing an external hard drive is a complicated process but we have made a list of 10 best external hard drives for Mac that you should consider before your final decision.
1. Samsung Portable SSD T5
Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage device, it can reach up to a speed of 550 MB per second for data transfer which is amazing. You can directly plug it into a USB-C port or USB-A port.
It contains no moving parts therefore chances of getting damaged due to mishandling are less. Even though SSD is costlier than a hard drive, the speed it offers is commendable. You will notice a significant boost in the overall performance while doing stuff that requires you to load large files and programs.
Overall, the SSD is fantastic but only if you can spare a few more bucks than your actual budget. You can get the SSD ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB from Amazon with some additional discounts.
2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive
Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive is the newest generation of external hard disks and is available in capacities from 1 TB to up to 4 TB. It offers cloud storage and 256-AES encryption alongside WD's software for backups.
The data transfer speeds won't disappoint you and the drive offers speed similar to what an SSD provides. If you are looking for a drive with good data transfer rate and maximum storage, consider Western Digital My Passport 4TB as a choice.
3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
If you are looking for a reliable, portable, and affordable hard disk, Seagate backup plus slim is the thing you should have a look at. It supports Windows and Mac both and perfect for storing your essential data right away.
External Hard Drives For Imac
With the Seagate dashboard backup system, you can schedule backups and never lose your important files anymore. Backup automation can be set for daily, monthly, weekly or your desired time-frequency.
Also Check:
Alongside, Seagate also provides a two-month membership for adobe creative cloud photography plan and a one-year subscription to Mylio create to manage your photo library.
- Affordable price
- Metal body
- Supports USB 3.0
- Comes with an automation backup software
- Doesn't support USB 3.0 cables
4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
This Hard disk is probably for creators and organizations that require a lot of storage for various purposes. Faster data transmission rate will let you transfer data in the meantime, all thanks to USB 3.0 support.
It also offers 256 AES encryption for securing your data and makes sure your personal data is secured in the storage device. Even though it meets the requirements of a regular user, the only thing where Western Digital My Book (8 TB) lacks is portability.
Therefore, if you are looking for a hard disk for work purposes and if portability is not an issue, Western Digital My Book (8 TB) is definitely the right choice.
- High storage
- Data encryption
- Compatible with the time machine
- Requires power source to work
- Not portable
5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt offers data transmission at a speed of twice of what USB 3.0 offers. You can enjoy this feature if your device has a thunderbolt port. Another good thing about Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt is its price. It is affordable and portable.
- Also Check: 10 Best Cooling Pads For MacBook Pro Reviewed
However, it is a hard drive, not a solid-state, therefore, the data transmission will definitely be high but the overall performance of your pc will remain unchanged. Lastly, if you don't have a thunderbolt port in your pc, you can use the traditional USB 3.0 port.
- USB 3.0 port
- Affordable
- Formatted for Mac
- Not a Solid State drive
6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
With the new products, Apple is on its way to completely shift to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports but there are still some people who are using old hardware and for them, G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB) is going to work like a charm.
The body of the HDD is made up of metal which makes it durable and strong against accidents such as dropping off the drive on the floor or whatnot. It runs at a speed of 7200 RPM and can transfer data at a rate of 195 MB/s which is efficient for transferring music, videos and software.
- Metallic body for durability
- High data transmission rate
- USB 3.0
- Should be reformatted for Windows OS
7. Adata SD700 External SSD
Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.
You can expect faster transfer rates and better booting speed if you are planning to install an OS on the SSD. Don't worry about the storage space as it is available in 1 TB capacity also. The maximum read and write speed is up to 440 MB/S, all thanks to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.
- Lightweight and portable
- Shock resistant
- Supports Android, Mac, and Windows
- 3 years of Warranty
- Mac users must format it to FAT32 to use this product
8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk can be distinguished easily because of its unique rubber casing that makes sure your hard drive doesn't get damaged when it drops from up to 1.3 m height. It can withstand rain, dust and can even survive 1-ton pressure. This is certainly the best choice for content creators.
Alongside hard disk, you will also get access to a one-month subscription to Adobe creative cloud all apps plan. The company also provides 3 years of warranty for the device and will also help you to restore the data if lost.
Also Check:
In terms of speed, Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk is not very fast as it provides only 120 MB/s which is comparatively lesser than the HDDs mentioned in this listicle. However, there are various variants available for this hard disk on Amazon.
- Durability
- Affordable
- Resistant to water
- Lesser data transmission speed
9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
Samsung never disappoints with its amazing hardware capabilities. With Samsung X5, you can transfer data at a rate of 2,300 MB/s which is the fastest speed an SSD can provide you. The build quality is super amazing as it is made up of metal, making it stronger than storage disks that are made up of plastic bodies.
The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.
- High data transmission rate
- Supports thunderbolt 3
- Shock-resistant up to 2 meters
- Heats up really quick
- Comparatively expensive than the other disks
10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.
It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.
- Secure for handling user data
- Protects from water and dust
- Low-speed data transfer
What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:
1. Storage
One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.
For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.
Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.
2. Transfer speed
After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.
So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.
3. Compatibility
The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility. Photoshop free mac mojave.
Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.
4. Security
If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider encryption feature, backup feature is something that you must and should consider.
Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.
External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.
But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.
However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.
1. Storage Capacity
HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities like from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.
SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costing of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. Hence, if your main goal is to store huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.
2. Speed
Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.
Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on an average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.
However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.
3. Reliability & Durability
There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.
But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.
Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.
3. Cost
Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.
In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.
Wrapping it up:
So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.
Related posts:
Summary :
Samsung is one of the best hard drive manufacturers around the world. In this post, MiniTool Partition Wizard introduces some Samsung external SSDs with high performance. Besides, you can also learn about how to use them here.
Quick Navigation :
About External SSD
The SSD (solid-state drive) is a type of storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently, typically using flash memory.
Compared with HDDs, SSDs lack the physical spinning disks and movable read-write heads, which makes them smaller in size and more resistant to physical shock than HDDs. And thanks to the fast data transfer speed, SSDs are quite popular among PC users.
According to the usage, SSDs can be divided to internal SSD and external SSD. The former one is usually installed in a device like PC while the external SSD is the portable SSD which can be connected to the device wirelessly or through a USB connection.
External SSDs usually come with the capacities of 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB. They are portable and easy to be upgraded to larger one, which makes them popular among users. Western Digital, Seagate and Samsung are the biggest external SSDs manufacturers around the world.
Macbooks generally have SSDs which are capable of loading a program quickly but more likely to low on storage.
Furthermore, SSDs are quite costly and upgrading an SSD on a Macbook is definitely costlier than you could even imagine. An external hard drive is best for storing data such as photos, videos, movies, rendered projects and more.
Contents
- 1 10 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2020
- 1.3 3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
- 1.4 4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
- 1.5 5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
- 1.6 6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
- 1.7 7. Adata SD700 External SSD
- 1.8 8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
- 1.9 9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
- 1.10 10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
- 2 What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
- 3 External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Best External Hard Drives For Mac
10 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2020
Although choosing an external hard drive is a complicated process but we have made a list of 10 best external hard drives for Mac that you should consider before your final decision.
1. Samsung Portable SSD T5
Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage device, it can reach up to a speed of 550 MB per second for data transfer which is amazing. You can directly plug it into a USB-C port or USB-A port.
It contains no moving parts therefore chances of getting damaged due to mishandling are less. Even though SSD is costlier than a hard drive, the speed it offers is commendable. You will notice a significant boost in the overall performance while doing stuff that requires you to load large files and programs.
Overall, the SSD is fantastic but only if you can spare a few more bucks than your actual budget. You can get the SSD ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB from Amazon with some additional discounts.
2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive
Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive is the newest generation of external hard disks and is available in capacities from 1 TB to up to 4 TB. It offers cloud storage and 256-AES encryption alongside WD's software for backups.
The data transfer speeds won't disappoint you and the drive offers speed similar to what an SSD provides. If you are looking for a drive with good data transfer rate and maximum storage, consider Western Digital My Passport 4TB as a choice.
3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
If you are looking for a reliable, portable, and affordable hard disk, Seagate backup plus slim is the thing you should have a look at. It supports Windows and Mac both and perfect for storing your essential data right away.
External Hard Drives For Imac
With the Seagate dashboard backup system, you can schedule backups and never lose your important files anymore. Backup automation can be set for daily, monthly, weekly or your desired time-frequency.
Also Check:
Alongside, Seagate also provides a two-month membership for adobe creative cloud photography plan and a one-year subscription to Mylio create to manage your photo library.
- Affordable price
- Metal body
- Supports USB 3.0
- Comes with an automation backup software
- Doesn't support USB 3.0 cables
4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
This Hard disk is probably for creators and organizations that require a lot of storage for various purposes. Faster data transmission rate will let you transfer data in the meantime, all thanks to USB 3.0 support.
It also offers 256 AES encryption for securing your data and makes sure your personal data is secured in the storage device. Even though it meets the requirements of a regular user, the only thing where Western Digital My Book (8 TB) lacks is portability.
Therefore, if you are looking for a hard disk for work purposes and if portability is not an issue, Western Digital My Book (8 TB) is definitely the right choice.
- High storage
- Data encryption
- Compatible with the time machine
- Requires power source to work
- Not portable
5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt offers data transmission at a speed of twice of what USB 3.0 offers. You can enjoy this feature if your device has a thunderbolt port. Another good thing about Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt is its price. It is affordable and portable.
- Also Check: 10 Best Cooling Pads For MacBook Pro Reviewed
However, it is a hard drive, not a solid-state, therefore, the data transmission will definitely be high but the overall performance of your pc will remain unchanged. Lastly, if you don't have a thunderbolt port in your pc, you can use the traditional USB 3.0 port.
- USB 3.0 port
- Affordable
- Formatted for Mac
- Not a Solid State drive
6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
With the new products, Apple is on its way to completely shift to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports but there are still some people who are using old hardware and for them, G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB) is going to work like a charm.
The body of the HDD is made up of metal which makes it durable and strong against accidents such as dropping off the drive on the floor or whatnot. It runs at a speed of 7200 RPM and can transfer data at a rate of 195 MB/s which is efficient for transferring music, videos and software.
- Metallic body for durability
- High data transmission rate
- USB 3.0
- Should be reformatted for Windows OS
7. Adata SD700 External SSD
Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.
You can expect faster transfer rates and better booting speed if you are planning to install an OS on the SSD. Don't worry about the storage space as it is available in 1 TB capacity also. The maximum read and write speed is up to 440 MB/S, all thanks to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.
- Lightweight and portable
- Shock resistant
- Supports Android, Mac, and Windows
- 3 years of Warranty
- Mac users must format it to FAT32 to use this product
8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk can be distinguished easily because of its unique rubber casing that makes sure your hard drive doesn't get damaged when it drops from up to 1.3 m height. It can withstand rain, dust and can even survive 1-ton pressure. This is certainly the best choice for content creators.
Alongside hard disk, you will also get access to a one-month subscription to Adobe creative cloud all apps plan. The company also provides 3 years of warranty for the device and will also help you to restore the data if lost.
Also Check:
In terms of speed, Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk is not very fast as it provides only 120 MB/s which is comparatively lesser than the HDDs mentioned in this listicle. However, there are various variants available for this hard disk on Amazon.
- Durability
- Affordable
- Resistant to water
- Lesser data transmission speed
9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
Samsung never disappoints with its amazing hardware capabilities. With Samsung X5, you can transfer data at a rate of 2,300 MB/s which is the fastest speed an SSD can provide you. The build quality is super amazing as it is made up of metal, making it stronger than storage disks that are made up of plastic bodies.
The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.
- High data transmission rate
- Supports thunderbolt 3
- Shock-resistant up to 2 meters
- Heats up really quick
- Comparatively expensive than the other disks
10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.
It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.
- Secure for handling user data
- Protects from water and dust
- Low-speed data transfer
What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:
1. Storage
One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.
For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.
Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.
2. Transfer speed
After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.
So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.
3. Compatibility
The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility. Photoshop free mac mojave.
Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.
4. Security
If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider encryption feature, backup feature is something that you must and should consider.
Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.
External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?
Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.
But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.
However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.
1. Storage Capacity
HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities like from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.
SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costing of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. Hence, if your main goal is to store huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.
2. Speed
Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.
Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on an average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.
However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.
3. Reliability & Durability
There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.
But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.
Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.
3. Cost
Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.
In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.
Wrapping it up:
So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.
Related posts:
Summary :
Samsung is one of the best hard drive manufacturers around the world. In this post, MiniTool Partition Wizard introduces some Samsung external SSDs with high performance. Besides, you can also learn about how to use them here.
Quick Navigation :
About External SSD
The SSD (solid-state drive) is a type of storage device that uses integrated circuit assemblies as memory to store data persistently, typically using flash memory.
Compared with HDDs, SSDs lack the physical spinning disks and movable read-write heads, which makes them smaller in size and more resistant to physical shock than HDDs. And thanks to the fast data transfer speed, SSDs are quite popular among PC users.
According to the usage, SSDs can be divided to internal SSD and external SSD. The former one is usually installed in a device like PC while the external SSD is the portable SSD which can be connected to the device wirelessly or through a USB connection.
External SSDs usually come with the capacities of 250GB, 500GB, 1TB and 2TB. They are portable and easy to be upgraded to larger one, which makes them popular among users. Western Digital, Seagate and Samsung are the biggest external SSDs manufacturers around the world.
In the following contents, you can learn about some Samsung external SSDs. If you are looking for an external SSD, you can take them into consideration.
Recommended Samsung External SSDs
To choose the right external SSD for yourself, you need to pay attention to the storage capacity, read/write speed, portability, durability, security and extra features. Here are some recommended Samsung external SSDs and some of the basic information is listed with them. If you want to know more about the drives, please contact with the vendor before buying one.
#1. Samsung T5 SSD External Hard Drive
- Storage Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Read/Write Speed: up to 540/515 MB/s (with USB Type-C Gen 2 connector)
- Interface: USB 3.1 Type-C Gen 2, backwards compatible
- Color: Blue, Gold, Red, Black
- Price: start at $114.99 (for 500GB) on Amazon (250GB is not available on Amazon now)
- Warranty: 3-year limited warranty
- Extra features: optional password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption
The superfast read and write speeds enable the Samsung T5 SSD external hard drive to transfer large data quickly, such as 4K videos, high-resolution photos, games, and so on. With the compact and portable design, it can be easily put in the pocket and taken out for work or entertainment.
It can be connected to devices including PCs, Macs, and smartphones through a USB Type-C or Type-A cable. You need to know that this SSD requires Windows 7, Mac OS X 10.9, Android 4.4 and higher versions. It may be unable to run properly on older versions of operating system, and you should check that from the vendor if you're using an old device.
This post introduces various USB types and the corresponding USB speeds to you. In addition, it provides pictures to help you understand them better.
#2. Samsung Portable SSD T7
- Storage Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Read/Write Speed: up to 1050/1000 MB/s
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2, backwards compatible
- Color: Blue, Red, Gray
- Price: start at $79.99 on Amazon
- Extra features: password security and heat control
It weights 58 grams and has the size of a credit card which can fit comfortably in the palm of your hand. Similar to Samsung portable SSD T5, Samsung portable SSD T7 is also compatible with PC, Mac, Android devices and gaming consoles. The major difference between them is that Samsung portable SSD T7 is almost twice as fast as the T5 SSD.
This Samsung portable SSD could be a nice choice if you need to transfer large files like games and videos. And it is recommended for game players and students.
#3. Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch
- Storage Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Read/Write Speed: up to 1050/1000 MB/s
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2, backwards compatible
- Color: Black, Silver
- Price: start at $109.99 on Amazon
- Extra features: LED status indicator, fingerprint and password security
Compared with other Samsung external SSDs, Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch is added with fingerprint security solution, which makes it secure and convenient to access the data on it. And it is designed with software to help you set up the password and fingerprint.
Besides, the LED status indicator lights will turn on and off and rotate during data transfer process, and you can see the status of the SSD easily. This SSD is compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0. For its security and high data transfer speed, it is recommended for gamers and professionals.
#4. Samsung Portable SSD X5
- Storage Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
- Read/Write Speed: up to 2800/2300 MB/s
- Interface: Thunderbolt 3
- Price: start at $389.70 (for 1TB) on Amazon
- Warranty: 3-year limited warranty
- Extra features: optional password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption
Samsung X5 SSD external hard drive should be the fastest Samsung SSD external device you can find on the market. It is weightier and much more expensive than the Samsung SSD external devices above, but it is worthy.
Besides, it is designed with a full metal body, non-slip bottom mat and shock resistant internal components which features Dynamic Thermal Guard technology to help maintain performance and temperature. If you require high performance and can afford the Samsung X5 SSD, it should be the best choice for you.
How to Use a Samsung External SSD on PC
Usually, an external SSD can be used as an extended storage device or backup device. But for a new external SSD, you need to make some preparations before you can use it.
Preparations You Need to Make
Before using a new Samsung external SSD, you have to initialize it to MBR or GPT. It is recommended to use GPT style for your SSD if it is supported by your operating system, as GPT supports more than four primary partitions, and it's better for the newer UEFI-based system.
To initialize your external SSD, you can use Disk Management, a built-in disk manager in Windows. The detailed steps are as follow.
Step 1: Connect your Samsung external SSD to PC with a cable.
Step 2: Press Win + R to invoke Run window.
Step 3: Type diskmgmt.msc in the box and press Enter to access Disk Management.
Step 4: As the disk is brand new, a window requiring you to initialize disk will pop up automatically. You just need to choose a partition style according to your needs and click OK. Here I select GPT.
Once you initialize the disk successfully, you can right-click the Unallocated space and choose New Simple Volume. Then follow the pop-up wizard to create partitions reasonably on the disk for data storage and better management.
Use the Samsung External SSD as an Extended Storage Device
The most common use of an external SSD is as an additional storage device. You can connect it to your PC and use it to store the data (which you need to take out or which wouldn't be used so frequently), move some of the files and folders from your local disk to the external SSD, or set the external SSD as the default device to download items.
In this way, you can free up the disk space of your local disk, which might be helpful to speed up your PC, especially when your system disk is running out of space.
Now, let's see how to move your files and folders to the Samsung external SSD.
Step 1: Press Win + E to open File Explorer quickly.
Step 2: Navigate to the target files and folders which need to be moved and select them.
Step 3: Switch to Home tab from the tool bar and click Move to.
Step 3: In the pop-up menu, click Choose location. Then select a location on your external SSD and click Move to start transferring data to your Samsung external SSD.
Wait until the process is finished. If there are a large number of files and folders, it might take a long time and you need to be patient.
It could be a waste of time if you need to move large files and folders every time. Fortunately, you can change where new files are saved by default. You just need to follow the steps below.
Step 1: Keep your Samsung external SSD connected to PC, and press Win + I to access Windows Settings. Then click System category.
Step 2: In the left pane, select Storage. In the right pane, scroll down to find Change where new content is saved under More storage settings section and click it.
Step 3: In the following window, you can see 6 types of contents, including apps, documents, music, photos and videos, movies and TV shows, and offline maps. Maquina virtual mac os catalina. You can click each drop-down menu next to the content type and select your external SSD to save the new contents according to your needs.
Step 4: Click Apply for the changed types of contents.
If you don't want to move any files/folders from the local disk, you can enlarge a partition for more free space with the help of a professional partition manager, MiniTool Partition Wizard, as long as there is free space on the disk. It can help you resize your partitions without data loss as long as you have free space on the disk.
If you find that one of your partitions is running out of space, you can take some free space from another partition. You can download and install MiniTool Partition Wizard Free Edition to have a try by clicking the following button.
Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard.
Step 2: When you get the main interface, right-click the partition you want to enlarge and select Extend.
Step 3: Decide a partition to take space from and how much space to take. Then click OK.
Step 4: When you go back to the main interface, click Apply to execute the operation.
Use the Samsung External SSD as a Backup Device
Another way to take advantages of an external SSD is to back up your important data with it. Compared to cloud backup services, an SSD can transfer data with a faster speed and better security, and it might help you save more money. Most cloud services require you to pay for month.
It's not recommended to use Samsung X5 Portable SSD as a backup device as it would be a kind of waste, but Samsung T5 or T7 SSD should be a good choice for backup. Make sure that your external SSD is large enough to store all the data you want to back up.
For the backup tool, you can use MiniTool Partition Wizard, especially you have plenty of files to back up. You can copy a partition or the whole disk to save time with this tool. If you need to back up your system disk, you need to upgrade to the Pro Ultimate Edition. In this way, you can even boot your computer from the backup SSD.
Here are the detailed steps. Mac volume keyboard shortcut.
Step 1: Launch MiniTool Partition Wizard Pro Ultimate to get its main interface.
Step 2: Right-click the disk you want to back up and select Copy from the pop-up menu.
Samsung External Disc Drive Se-218 On Mac
Step 3: In the pop-up window, select your Samsung external SSD as the destination disk to store the backup. Then click Next to continue.
Step 4: Configure the Copy Options and Target Disk Layout. Then click Next.
Apple External Drives
Step 5: Read the pop-up note and click Finish. Then click Apply in the main interface.
Then you just need wait for a while until the backup process is finished.
Bottom Line
Do you prefer hard drives from Samsung? Here are some Samsung external SSDs on the market and you can choose one if you want to take your files out or if you need a backup device. In addition, you can get suggestions about how to use them properly.
You are welcome to post your ideas in the following comment section. For any problems about MiniTool Partition Wizard software, you can contact our team via [email protected].
Samsung External SSD FAQ
