Best Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine

• Best Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine
• Best Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine Backup
• Best Backup Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine

Are you running short of storage on your Mac and looking for the best hard drive? Mac OS is the powerful operating system in which everything from playing games, watching movies to all types official job is done effortlessly. So it is not strange that you might be short of memory at any time and will be in need of extra storage space. Apple has introduced so many external hard drives for MAC to expand the memory. The options are huge which can make anyone perplexed to decide what to get and what not. We are discussing here the best external hard drives for Mac along with their features and performance.

Seagate Portable 2TB External Hard Drive Portable HDD – USB 3.0 for PC, Mac, PS4, & Xbox (STGX2000400). While a voluminous HDD might not be the best thing for running programs from, it's perfectly suitable for Time Machine backups. But if you want to access your Photo Library or edit raw 4K video.

The best Thunderbolt 3 SSD and hard drives for your MacBook Pro, MacBook Air, Mac mini, or iMac. It works with Time Machine and features plug-and-play setup for your Mac. If there is a need. Samsung Portable SSD T5. Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage. Types of disks you can use with Time Machine on Mac. You can use Time Machine with an AirPort Time Capsule, with a network-attached storage (NAS) device that supports Time Machine over SMB, or with an external storage device connected directly to your Mac (such as a USB or Thunderbolt drive).

Ever since computers have hit the consumer market, they have taken the world by storm. Today they are present in almost every household all over the world. As the years passed and technology grew, computers got better and better. Eventually, new operating systems arose but only two prevailed, namely Windows and iOS. While the majority of the consumers opted for Windows desktop machines, the iOS or Mac users have steadily remained extremely loyal due to the exceptional quality and innovation presented by the latter. For decades, the battle between Windows users and Mac users have raged on and there doesn't seem to be an end to their fight.

A Mac computer is very different from a Windows desktop because it is more surgical in its features and application. It provides features that greatly organizes and enhances the way one can experience working on a computer. Over the years, they have kept on innovating and bringing new features to better streamline a Mac user's experience. Unlike a Windows desktop, however, you can't customize the physical parts of a Mac machine. What you buy is what you end up with.

While in a Windows desktop you can increase storage space by simply adding an additional internal hard drive, you can't do that with a Mac. Hence, if you need extra storage capacity, you need to get an external hard drive. At the beginning, the capacity of most external hard drives ranged from 120 GB to 250 GB but today the basic ones start with 1 TB at least. Mac and Windows also use different file systems so you can't just buy any device. Some external drives can be used on Mac but in others, you have to reformat them accordingly.

See also: Top 10 Tools For MAC

List of the best external hard drives for Mac

We have looked at some of the most affordable yet high value external hard drives in the market today for Mac and have come up with the below list.

One of the Best External Hard Drives for Mac

Western Digital My Passport 4TB

Western Digital My Passport comes with WD auto-backup software, password protection via hardware encryption, 4 TB capacity, and USB 3.0 / 2.0 compatible and in a variety of vibrant colors. As far as OS compatibility is concerned you can use the Western Digital My Passport for Man OSX, Windows 10, 8 and 7. The WD backup software allows you to automatically backup your personal files such as pictures, documents, videos and music according to a schedule set according to your specific needs. All you have to do is choose the time and frequency and the software will do the rest.

The built-in 256 bit AES hardware encryption that comes with the bundled software, allows you to keep your personal information and files private and secure. You can even add a 'return-if-found' message and have it pop up as a password prompt if the hard drive ever gets lost. While there is no way to say if this feature is effective in the real world, it does provide a way for you to get it back if lost.

One thing that really sets this product apart from the rest is the unique ridged design. Best ftp client for mac. The body looks stylish and sleek as hell. It comes in both a standard finish as well as a metallic finish. We all love to customize our gadgets and My Passport does not disappoint us, as it comes in a variety of dazzling colors such as black, blue, white, black-gray, orange, red, white gold and yellow. It also only weighs about 8.6 ounces making it pretty light to carry around.

With 4 TB of storage capacity, you can store hundreds of movies, songs, thousands of pictures and other files easily for better portability. No matter where you go, you can now take all your favorite content with you and enjoy them by just plugging the device in. Moreover, you also get a 3-year limited warranty with this device making it one of the best options to buy if you are looking for an external hard drive for your Mac.

What makes it the best?

• Automatic backup through the software allows you to schedule the backup process according to the time and frequency you prefer.
• The design looks absolutely stunning with a combination of a smooth surface at the top and an aggressive looking ridge based design at the bottom.
• Comes in a variety of vibrant colors so that you can get the one that best matches your system or laptop.
• It comes at a very attractive price making it a great value product.
• It also comes with a limited 3-year warranty for added protection.

One of the Classiest Looking Hard Drives for Mac

G-Technology G-Drive Mobile 4 TB

The G-Technology G-Drive external hard drive comes with 4 TB storage capacity, USB-C compatible and USB-A cable and a USB 3 port. The design looks very traditional yet classy with a sweet metallic silver finish on the aluminum body. The case looks and feels durable ensuring safety for all the stored precious files in the device. The last thing you need is a flimsy external hard drive for all your personal file storage. The stylish, aluminum body goes exceptionally well with Mac computers due to their elegant but simple design. As far as visual compatibility is concerned, the G-Drive is one of the best looking ones out there on the market for Apple computers.

The G-Drive comes with both USB-C and USB-A cables for universal compatibility on Mac computers. The device supports Apple Time Machine as well as Apple File Vault, so you can back up your files more conveniently and faster than ever. The added layers of protection from passwords and encryption also provide more security for your precious stored data.

It is really lightweight at 8.2 ounces with dimensions of 4.33 x 3.23 x 0.75 inches, making it a breeze to carry around. All in all, this is one great external hard drive to have if you want a device that matches the design of your Mac computer.

What makes it the best?

• The aluminum case not only looks exceptionally great with Mac computers but at the same time, it also helps to keep the hard drive cool under heavy usage.
• The design looks slim and stylish making it not only highly attractive but also very portable.
• The body looks and feels durable and can withstand a limited amount of force after falling down.
• It comes with a limited 3-year warranty for added protection and safety of your precious files.

One of the Best External Hard Drives from Samsung for Mac

Samsung T5 Portable SSD

The Samsung T5 Portable SSD comes with 500 / 1 TB / 2 TB GB storage capacity, an impressive write speed of 540 MB/s, metallic body, optional password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption, USB Type C to C and USB Type C to A cables and dimensions of 2.3 x 0.4 x 3 inches. The drive comes with a top to bottom metal design and a rounded unibody that will easily fit in your hand. You get to choose from a blue aluminum finish for the 250 GB / 500 GB version or a black finish for the 1 TB / 2 TB models. It also weighs only 2 ounces making it extremely lightweight.

What's pretty awesome about the T5 portable SSD is that it comes with quite a sturdy metal body and can handle drops of up to 2 meters in height. This does not guarantee prevention of any damage but it does have a small buffer for protection. You also get to choose from an optional password protection option if you want. That level of protection along with the AES 256-bit hardware encryption will help you to keep all your files secure.

Since it is an SSD drive you get a higher read/write speed of 540 MB/s which is substantially faster than a traditional external hard drive. The T5 with Samsung V-NAND flash memory and a USB 3.1 gen 2 interface allow you to have a seamless and quick data transfer experience no matter where you are. All you need to do is plug it in and you're good to go. With the added data read/write speed you can transfer 4k videos and high-resolution pictures in a matter of seconds. However, it is important to note that you get the maximum speed of 540 MB/s only if the host device and connection cables support USB 3.1 Gen 2 with the UASP mode enabled.

What makes it the best?

• The blue and black aluminum body looks simple yet stylish for better customization with your laptop or computer.
• The hard drive has a data read/write speed of 540 MB/s which is about 4.9x times the speed of a traditional 500 GB Samsung HDD.
• The shock-resistant metal build of the device allows it to handle drops from up to a maximum of 2 meters.
• It weighs less than 2 ounces, making it one of the most lightweight and smallest external hard drives in the market.

One of the Best Value and Durable External Hard Drives for Mac

ADATA HD710A

The ADATA HD710A comes with a waterproof/ dustproof/ shock-resistant body, 2 TB storage capacity, USB 3.1 port and a groove for keeping the cable. Your external hard drive is a precious device where people keep their most private and useful files. It is extremely important that it is very durable as you don't want to lose all your data from a single accident. It weighs about 7.8 ounces, which is a little more than some of its competitors, but considering the extra durability you get, it's a very insignificant price to pay.

The ADATA HD710A is unique from the rest, as it comes with a waterproof, dustproof and shock resistant body that have military grade toughness that can absorb the damage from falls up to 1.5m. It is designed for people who want a rugged and robust device that won't just break from a small fall. After all, accidents do happen sometimes no matter how careful you are. The device looks stunning with a variety of color options and aggressive ridge designs on the sides. You can choose from a red, blue, black or yellow case according to your personal tastes. The body is treated with triple layers of silicone and plastic to give it extra durability and grip.

The manufacturer has also claimed to have done waterproofing tests by submerging it in 2 meters of water for 60 minutes with the USB port firmly closed which is pretty impressive. The device also comes with G shock vibration technology that instantly stops all activities when it senses a shock. You also get a really cool feature with the groove on the side where you can neatly keep your cable attached when you don't want to use it. All in all, the ADATA HD710A is an amazing, durable external hard drive for your Mac, which will safely and securely protect your precious data.

What makes it the best?

• It has an incredibly durable body that is waterproof, dust proof and shock resistant to properly secure your important data.
• You can choose from different storage options such as 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB and 4 TB for Windows, but only 2 TB is available for Mac.
• It comes with a triple-layered protection for its body to add extra durability and comes in a variety of colorful options.
• You also get a convenient groove for keeping your cable neatly attached to the device when you are not using it.

One of the Best Gaming External Hard Drives For Mac

Silicon Power Armor A60

The Silicon Power Armor A60 is a rugged and portable external hard drive that comes with 3 TB storage capacity, military-grade shock-proof body, cable carry design, USB 3.0 and is compatible with Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim. It's the ultimate external hard drive for your gaming needs. Mac may not be the premier platform on which games are played, but this device is perfect if you own both a Mac and a gaming console. It also weighs only 0.7 pounds making it extremely lightweight to carry around.

The Armor A60 allows you to free up storage space in your consoles and save up to 50 plus Xbox or PS games with the average game size being 35 GB to 50 GB. The hard drive comes with a rugged rubber casing and an internal suspension system that will safeguard your data from crashes and accidental drops. The textured surface not only helps against drops but also to provide an exceptional grip that will prevent the device from slipping. You also don't have to worry about leaving ugly fingerprints on your hard drive. It is also water resistant offering complete protection from water spraying.

With the USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1), you can experience incredible read/write speeds to transfer files quickly and with ease. The 3 TB storage space really helps you save lots of data too from your Mac. The Armor A60 comes preformatted with FAT32, but when you are transferring a single file (larger than 4 GB); you need to reformat it to exFAT. However, you need to back up your drive before doing that.

What makes it the best?

• It comes with a textured rubber cased body that can absorb damage from accidental drops and offer great grip.
• It comes with a cable carry design that allows you to neatly manage your cable.
• The body is also made up of military grade, shockproof and water resistant material for incredible durability.
• The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface allows you to transfer large files such as HD videos, and high-resolution pictures insanely quick.

One of the Best Feature Filled External Hard Drives for Mac

LaCie Rugged Mini 1 TB

The LaCie Rugged Mini comes with 1 TB storage capacity, USB 3.0 / USB 2.0, shock, rain and pressure resistant body, built-in password protection and a 1-month complimentary Adobe Creative Cloud membership. Design wise, the LaCie Rugged Mini is perhaps one of the cuter looking external hard drives on the market today. It looks like a traditional rounded rectangular external hard drive with a puffy life jacket on it. Weighing at 0.5 lbs. and with dimensions of 3.5 x 0.98 x 5.5 inches, it is one of the smallest hard drives available for purchase.

The rugged rubber case makes the drive shock and drop resistant, as well as rain and pressure resistant which is a great aspect of this device. According to the manufacturer, you can run it over with a 1-ton car and it still will work. Although it wouldn't be wise to test such a scenario, it does speak volumes about how confident they are about their product. The rain-resistant nature of this device is a really important part because it is something that most of us may have to deal with a lot. Sometimes you go out thinking it won't rain only to find out later that you were very wrong.

The LaCie Rugged Mini is also one of the smallest devices in the rugged family making it very compact and easy to travel with. As far as usability goes, it comes with backward compatibility with USB 2.0 allowing you to use it on different machines. You also get a 1-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud, giving you access to all their apps. This will allow you to create some amazing content for film, TV or web and share them with the world. Once the 1 month period is over, you can choose to retain the membership by subscribing to your preferred plan.

Feature-wise, the LaCie Rugged Mini comes with automatic backup so that you can set the schedule for backing up your precious data. You can also protect your data by using the inbuilt password protection software. So it provides you external security from its rugged and durable case while providing internal security through the Lacie Private-Public software program. All in all, this is a great product to have if you are looking for a compact but highly durable external hard drive for your Mac.

What makes it the best?

• The rubber case along with the highly durable case allows you to protect your data from rain and accidental drops (up to 1.2m).
• It looks absolutely gorgeous and very different from all the other devices on the market.
• With the LaCie Private-Public software, you can protect your sensitive files from being accessed by unwanted intruders.
• It is also incredibly affordable at a great price considering all the excellent features you get.

Other models worth buying

Hard Drive With Best Security

Time capsule

If you are planning to get the best external hard drive for MAC, Time Capsule is the most reliable, and it comes with 3TB and 2TB storage space. Those who are in need of more MAC hard drive can consider having the 3TB one. Packed with so many interesting features, this Time Capsule is not comparable with any other storage devices. With high-speed wireless connectivity of dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi, this hard drive can make many things done in just 1 minute. The high connectivity allows the users to connect with all types of Apple products and almost 50 users can use it simultaneously. Also, when it comes to security, Time Capsule is the best of all.

Best Cheap Hard Drive For Mac

Seagate Backup Plus SLIM

If you are looking for MAC external hard drive that is portable and very light in weight, Backup Plus Slim is among the best. It comes in 9.6 mm thickness and weighs about 150 gm. This storage solution is available in 3 options: 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB so you can get the one according to your storage needs. But the sizes and weight are the same for all the versions. The dashboard is the software that is packed with this storage device. This Dashboard is used for downloading photos from various websites. Also, if you need to have additional copies of the downloaded photos, Backup Plus SLIM is the perfect option for that as a backup is very easy on this hard drive.

Best Performing External Hard Drive

Passport Pro

This is the best option for all those who require the drive to be portable. It comes with 500GB and 1TB storage, but it is also available in other storage options. Thunderbolt port is responsible for faster performance. RAID 0 and RAID 1 are other features supported by it to provide maximum performance and greater backup of all files.

Best Sturdy External Hard Drive

G-Tech G-Drive ev ATC

This hard drive has a powerful design. What made us put it on our list is its superb resiliency. The ATC which stands for ‘All Terrain Case'. It can withstand half a ton in pressure and can survive a fall from two meters. The water and dust resistant case can also be dunked in water for 30 seconds without the hard drive giving in. In fact with the case on, the hard drive will simply float back up to the surface. It has 1TB of storage and a USB 3.0. If you buy it from the Apple Store, it comes with the Thunderbolt interface so that it can be used with the Macs, but if you intend to buy this online, you will get the ordinary USB 3.0 version.

Best Cheap And Robust External Hard Drive For Mac

ioSafe Solo G3

The G3 is one of the heaviest hard drives that I have come across. It comes with layers and layers of protection to ensure that the hard drive can survive extreme conditions without any problems. When I say extreme conditions I am talking about surviving up to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and being submerged in up to 10 feet water for 3 days.

The Solo G3 is a quiet strong device so you will not have to deal with a lot of noise or humming in the background while using this hard drive. But where the company has spent a lot on protecting the hard drive from external damage, there isn't much that has been done to protect it from internal failure. Meaning, if the Solo G3 fails because of mechanical defects or general wear and tear then there isn't much that you may be able to do about the data that is lost.

The Bottom Line

In the above list, you can see a wide variety of options available to you as a consumer in the external hard drive market today. Choosing the right hard drive for your Mac requires a number of different key aspects such as ease of use, affordability, durability and functionality. One of the most important factors when looking for an external hard drive for a Mac is durability. Your hard drive is a place where you store all your important data and you do not want it to get wiped away just because it fell down once.

There are a lot of devices on the market today that comes with a low-quality case. Do not by any means purchase them. They might be very cheap, but it won't be worth it when you lose all your important data in the blink of an eye. Get one that is dust, water and shockproof to ensure the longevity of your device. They won't be able to protect your data from a two storey fall but they can sufficiently save your files in cases of small drops. Most of the durable ones offer protection for drops up to 1.2 m.

The next crucial factor you need to look for is functionality which includes features. It would be wiser to go for an external hard drive that has password protection so you can get both external as well as internal security for your files. Last but not the least is the cost of the device. Some offer tons of cool features but are expensive whereas others offer fewer features for a lower cost. With a little bit of research online, you can find the right storage device for you in no time at all.

I've been using Time Machine, a built-in backup program developed by Apple since I bought my first Mac. I tried multiple external hard drives, and I believe I know a thing or two about the process and type of hardware that works best with the Time Machine.

The best external hard drive for Time Machine backups on Macs is Samsung T7 SSD Touch. It provides the best disk performance required for backing up data: up to 1000 MB/s for both reads and writes. Additionally, Samsung T7 comes with fingerprint security, not available in other comparable drives.

If you don't have time to read the entire post you can check my top 2 picks. However, I suggest to read reviews of all drives down below, as well as the buyer's guide.

BUDGET
OPTION

How to Choose Hard Drives for Time Machine

Brand name

There are certain qualities that I look for when considering hard drives for any backup.

The main factor in selection is reliability.

It doesn't matter how fast the disk is, how sleek it looks, or how good the discount was on Amazon.

If the drive fails when you need it, then it's not worth even a penny.

The thing is that all hard drives fail.

There is not a single model that is 100% fail free.

The difference is the failure rate.

Devices produced by well known established companies have lower rates compared to drives from unknown manufacturers.

If Amazon is your choice when it comes to purchasing anything online, be aware that not all user reviews are real. How to use right mouse button on mac.

So many times, I've seen several thousands of 5-star reviews on no name devices, and at the same time, good devices get a couple of hundreds of reviews, and the average is 3.5.

How is it possible?

I think we all know the answer: some reviews on Amazon are fake.

So, what's my point?

If you get anything from this article, I want to remind you that brands matter when reliability is the most important factor in choosing a backup drive.

If you are not familiar with which manufacturers have beenon the market for decades, here is the list (not complete) of companies whichproduce quality hard drives:

• Seagate
• Western Digital (WD)
• Samsung
• Toshiba
• Buffalo

Capacity

The second most important factor is storage capacity. Ideally, you want as much storage as you can get. However, we need to be practical, because extra bytes come with extra price.

When the difference in price between 1TB and 2TB may not be too high, when we are moving up in size, doubling the storage comes with more than double price.

We want to keep a balance between capacity and the price, if possible.

So, what's the best size for the Time Machine backup drive?

The minimum size for a Time Machine backup drive should be at least twice the size of the Mac primary storage. For instance, if MacBook's disk size is 128GB, then 256GB will be the minimum for a backup, and 1TB would be the best choice.

In other words, the best size for Time Machine backup drive 4x to 8x of the size of the primary disk, when 2x is a minimum.

When Time Machine runs for the first time, it takes the full backup of data on the disk. After that, it keeps deltas (only files that have changed).

Time Machine keeps local snapshots, hourly snapshots for the last 24 hours, daily, and weekly snapshots as storage permits. If the backup disk gets full, the Time Machine starts deleting the oldest snapshots.

This means if you don't have enough space, your ability to go back will be limited.

Performance

One of the biggest complaints about Time Machine is the fact that it is slow.

It is much slower than other (commercial) backup solutions because it runs in the background, so it doesn't impact any programs you are using at the time the backup process runs.

If you want to know how to speed up the backup process, check my article here.

One of the ways to improve the time it takes to backup is getting a faster drive.

Pay attention to write and read performance.

Writes are important when taking backups, and reads are significant when restoring.

Compatibility

When browsing various drives on Amazon or Best Buy, you can see that some of them marked as compatible with Macs.

Contrary to what you might think, this does not mean that you cannot use drives described as PC drives.

Download bluestacks 4 mac. This really means that the disk was preformatted for either PC or Mac, and you can use it right away with the corresponding computer.

However, almost all drives can be used with Macs as long asthey have proper connectors. You just need to know how to prepare the drive forMac, i.e., format it.

What disk format is best for Time Machine?

Time Machine only recognizes the drives formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled), also known as HFS+. If the drive is formatted with different format types, the Time Machine will offer to erase the disk and reformat it before use.

To know the current format of the external drive, use the Disk Utility app.

One way to start it is by using Spotlight Search: hold Command and hit Spacebar. In the search bar type 'Disk Utility' and hit Enter.

In the Disk Utility app, select the drive on the left.

On the right, under the name of the drive, there will be information about the current format.

To reformat the disk in a new format, click on the Erase icon at the top. Note that all information on the disk will be wiped out.

In the pop-up window type in the new name for the drive (orkeep the old one). And pick Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as Format choice.

Hit Erase.

Once the format is complete, the drive is ready to be usedas a Time Machine backup drive.

Connector

One of the Best Value and Durable External Hard Drives for Mac

ADATA HD710A

The ADATA HD710A comes with a waterproof/ dustproof/ shock-resistant body, 2 TB storage capacity, USB 3.1 port and a groove for keeping the cable. Your external hard drive is a precious device where people keep their most private and useful files. It is extremely important that it is very durable as you don't want to lose all your data from a single accident. It weighs about 7.8 ounces, which is a little more than some of its competitors, but considering the extra durability you get, it's a very insignificant price to pay.

The ADATA HD710A is unique from the rest, as it comes with a waterproof, dustproof and shock resistant body that have military grade toughness that can absorb the damage from falls up to 1.5m. It is designed for people who want a rugged and robust device that won't just break from a small fall. After all, accidents do happen sometimes no matter how careful you are. The device looks stunning with a variety of color options and aggressive ridge designs on the sides. You can choose from a red, blue, black or yellow case according to your personal tastes. The body is treated with triple layers of silicone and plastic to give it extra durability and grip.

The manufacturer has also claimed to have done waterproofing tests by submerging it in 2 meters of water for 60 minutes with the USB port firmly closed which is pretty impressive. The device also comes with G shock vibration technology that instantly stops all activities when it senses a shock. You also get a really cool feature with the groove on the side where you can neatly keep your cable attached when you don't want to use it. All in all, the ADATA HD710A is an amazing, durable external hard drive for your Mac, which will safely and securely protect your precious data.

What makes it the best?

• It has an incredibly durable body that is waterproof, dust proof and shock resistant to properly secure your important data.
• You can choose from different storage options such as 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB and 4 TB for Windows, but only 2 TB is available for Mac.
• It comes with a triple-layered protection for its body to add extra durability and comes in a variety of colorful options.
• You also get a convenient groove for keeping your cable neatly attached to the device when you are not using it.

One of the Best Gaming External Hard Drives For Mac

Silicon Power Armor A60

The Silicon Power Armor A60 is a rugged and portable external hard drive that comes with 3 TB storage capacity, military-grade shock-proof body, cable carry design, USB 3.0 and is compatible with Xbox One, Xbox 360, PS4, PS4 Pro and PS4 Slim. It's the ultimate external hard drive for your gaming needs. Mac may not be the premier platform on which games are played, but this device is perfect if you own both a Mac and a gaming console. It also weighs only 0.7 pounds making it extremely lightweight to carry around.

The Armor A60 allows you to free up storage space in your consoles and save up to 50 plus Xbox or PS games with the average game size being 35 GB to 50 GB. The hard drive comes with a rugged rubber casing and an internal suspension system that will safeguard your data from crashes and accidental drops. The textured surface not only helps against drops but also to provide an exceptional grip that will prevent the device from slipping. You also don't have to worry about leaving ugly fingerprints on your hard drive. It is also water resistant offering complete protection from water spraying.

With the USB 3.0 (USB 3.1 Gen 1), you can experience incredible read/write speeds to transfer files quickly and with ease. The 3 TB storage space really helps you save lots of data too from your Mac. The Armor A60 comes preformatted with FAT32, but when you are transferring a single file (larger than 4 GB); you need to reformat it to exFAT. However, you need to back up your drive before doing that.

What makes it the best?

• It comes with a textured rubber cased body that can absorb damage from accidental drops and offer great grip.
• It comes with a cable carry design that allows you to neatly manage your cable.
• The body is also made up of military grade, shockproof and water resistant material for incredible durability.
• The SuperSpeed USB 3.0 interface allows you to transfer large files such as HD videos, and high-resolution pictures insanely quick.

One of the Best Feature Filled External Hard Drives for Mac

LaCie Rugged Mini 1 TB

The LaCie Rugged Mini comes with 1 TB storage capacity, USB 3.0 / USB 2.0, shock, rain and pressure resistant body, built-in password protection and a 1-month complimentary Adobe Creative Cloud membership. Design wise, the LaCie Rugged Mini is perhaps one of the cuter looking external hard drives on the market today. It looks like a traditional rounded rectangular external hard drive with a puffy life jacket on it. Weighing at 0.5 lbs. and with dimensions of 3.5 x 0.98 x 5.5 inches, it is one of the smallest hard drives available for purchase.

The rugged rubber case makes the drive shock and drop resistant, as well as rain and pressure resistant which is a great aspect of this device. According to the manufacturer, you can run it over with a 1-ton car and it still will work. Although it wouldn't be wise to test such a scenario, it does speak volumes about how confident they are about their product. The rain-resistant nature of this device is a really important part because it is something that most of us may have to deal with a lot. Sometimes you go out thinking it won't rain only to find out later that you were very wrong.

The LaCie Rugged Mini is also one of the smallest devices in the rugged family making it very compact and easy to travel with. As far as usability goes, it comes with backward compatibility with USB 2.0 allowing you to use it on different machines. You also get a 1-month membership to Adobe Creative Cloud, giving you access to all their apps. This will allow you to create some amazing content for film, TV or web and share them with the world. Once the 1 month period is over, you can choose to retain the membership by subscribing to your preferred plan.

Feature-wise, the LaCie Rugged Mini comes with automatic backup so that you can set the schedule for backing up your precious data. You can also protect your data by using the inbuilt password protection software. So it provides you external security from its rugged and durable case while providing internal security through the Lacie Private-Public software program. All in all, this is a great product to have if you are looking for a compact but highly durable external hard drive for your Mac.

What makes it the best?

• The rubber case along with the highly durable case allows you to protect your data from rain and accidental drops (up to 1.2m).
• It looks absolutely gorgeous and very different from all the other devices on the market.
• With the LaCie Private-Public software, you can protect your sensitive files from being accessed by unwanted intruders.
• It is also incredibly affordable at a great price considering all the excellent features you get.

Other models worth buying

Hard Drive With Best Security

Time capsule

If you are planning to get the best external hard drive for MAC, Time Capsule is the most reliable, and it comes with 3TB and 2TB storage space. Those who are in need of more MAC hard drive can consider having the 3TB one. Packed with so many interesting features, this Time Capsule is not comparable with any other storage devices. With high-speed wireless connectivity of dual-band 802.11ac wi-fi, this hard drive can make many things done in just 1 minute. The high connectivity allows the users to connect with all types of Apple products and almost 50 users can use it simultaneously. Also, when it comes to security, Time Capsule is the best of all.

Best Cheap Hard Drive For Mac

Seagate Backup Plus SLIM

If you are looking for MAC external hard drive that is portable and very light in weight, Backup Plus Slim is among the best. It comes in 9.6 mm thickness and weighs about 150 gm. This storage solution is available in 3 options: 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB so you can get the one according to your storage needs. But the sizes and weight are the same for all the versions. The dashboard is the software that is packed with this storage device. This Dashboard is used for downloading photos from various websites. Also, if you need to have additional copies of the downloaded photos, Backup Plus SLIM is the perfect option for that as a backup is very easy on this hard drive.

Best Performing External Hard Drive

Passport Pro

This is the best option for all those who require the drive to be portable. It comes with 500GB and 1TB storage, but it is also available in other storage options. Thunderbolt port is responsible for faster performance. RAID 0 and RAID 1 are other features supported by it to provide maximum performance and greater backup of all files.

Best Sturdy External Hard Drive

G-Tech G-Drive ev ATC

This hard drive has a powerful design. What made us put it on our list is its superb resiliency. The ATC which stands for ‘All Terrain Case'. It can withstand half a ton in pressure and can survive a fall from two meters. The water and dust resistant case can also be dunked in water for 30 seconds without the hard drive giving in. In fact with the case on, the hard drive will simply float back up to the surface. It has 1TB of storage and a USB 3.0. If you buy it from the Apple Store, it comes with the Thunderbolt interface so that it can be used with the Macs, but if you intend to buy this online, you will get the ordinary USB 3.0 version.

Best Cheap And Robust External Hard Drive For Mac

ioSafe Solo G3

The G3 is one of the heaviest hard drives that I have come across. It comes with layers and layers of protection to ensure that the hard drive can survive extreme conditions without any problems. When I say extreme conditions I am talking about surviving up to 1550 degrees Fahrenheit for 30 minutes and being submerged in up to 10 feet water for 3 days.

The Solo G3 is a quiet strong device so you will not have to deal with a lot of noise or humming in the background while using this hard drive. But where the company has spent a lot on protecting the hard drive from external damage, there isn't much that has been done to protect it from internal failure. Meaning, if the Solo G3 fails because of mechanical defects or general wear and tear then there isn't much that you may be able to do about the data that is lost.

The Bottom Line

In the above list, you can see a wide variety of options available to you as a consumer in the external hard drive market today. Choosing the right hard drive for your Mac requires a number of different key aspects such as ease of use, affordability, durability and functionality. One of the most important factors when looking for an external hard drive for a Mac is durability. Your hard drive is a place where you store all your important data and you do not want it to get wiped away just because it fell down once.

There are a lot of devices on the market today that comes with a low-quality case. Do not by any means purchase them. They might be very cheap, but it won't be worth it when you lose all your important data in the blink of an eye. Get one that is dust, water and shockproof to ensure the longevity of your device. They won't be able to protect your data from a two storey fall but they can sufficiently save your files in cases of small drops. Most of the durable ones offer protection for drops up to 1.2 m.

The next crucial factor you need to look for is functionality which includes features. It would be wiser to go for an external hard drive that has password protection so you can get both external as well as internal security for your files. Last but not the least is the cost of the device. Some offer tons of cool features but are expensive whereas others offer fewer features for a lower cost. With a little bit of research online, you can find the right storage device for you in no time at all.

I've been using Time Machine, a built-in backup program developed by Apple since I bought my first Mac. I tried multiple external hard drives, and I believe I know a thing or two about the process and type of hardware that works best with the Time Machine.

The best external hard drive for Time Machine backups on Macs is Samsung T7 SSD Touch. It provides the best disk performance required for backing up data: up to 1000 MB/s for both reads and writes. Additionally, Samsung T7 comes with fingerprint security, not available in other comparable drives.

If you don't have time to read the entire post you can check my top 2 picks. However, I suggest to read reviews of all drives down below, as well as the buyer's guide.

BUDGET
OPTION

How to Choose Hard Drives for Time Machine

Brand name

There are certain qualities that I look for when considering hard drives for any backup.

The main factor in selection is reliability.

It doesn't matter how fast the disk is, how sleek it looks, or how good the discount was on Amazon.

If the drive fails when you need it, then it's not worth even a penny.

The thing is that all hard drives fail.

There is not a single model that is 100% fail free.

The difference is the failure rate.

Devices produced by well known established companies have lower rates compared to drives from unknown manufacturers.

If Amazon is your choice when it comes to purchasing anything online, be aware that not all user reviews are real. How to use right mouse button on mac.

So many times, I've seen several thousands of 5-star reviews on no name devices, and at the same time, good devices get a couple of hundreds of reviews, and the average is 3.5.

How is it possible?

I think we all know the answer: some reviews on Amazon are fake.

So, what's my point?

If you get anything from this article, I want to remind you that brands matter when reliability is the most important factor in choosing a backup drive.

If you are not familiar with which manufacturers have beenon the market for decades, here is the list (not complete) of companies whichproduce quality hard drives:

• Seagate
• Western Digital (WD)
• Samsung
• Toshiba
• Buffalo

Capacity

The second most important factor is storage capacity. Ideally, you want as much storage as you can get. However, we need to be practical, because extra bytes come with extra price.

When the difference in price between 1TB and 2TB may not be too high, when we are moving up in size, doubling the storage comes with more than double price.

We want to keep a balance between capacity and the price, if possible.

So, what's the best size for the Time Machine backup drive?

The minimum size for a Time Machine backup drive should be at least twice the size of the Mac primary storage. For instance, if MacBook's disk size is 128GB, then 256GB will be the minimum for a backup, and 1TB would be the best choice.

In other words, the best size for Time Machine backup drive 4x to 8x of the size of the primary disk, when 2x is a minimum.

When Time Machine runs for the first time, it takes the full backup of data on the disk. After that, it keeps deltas (only files that have changed).

Time Machine keeps local snapshots, hourly snapshots for the last 24 hours, daily, and weekly snapshots as storage permits. If the backup disk gets full, the Time Machine starts deleting the oldest snapshots.

This means if you don't have enough space, your ability to go back will be limited.

Performance

One of the biggest complaints about Time Machine is the fact that it is slow.

It is much slower than other (commercial) backup solutions because it runs in the background, so it doesn't impact any programs you are using at the time the backup process runs.

If you want to know how to speed up the backup process, check my article here.

One of the ways to improve the time it takes to backup is getting a faster drive.

Pay attention to write and read performance.

Writes are important when taking backups, and reads are significant when restoring.

Compatibility

When browsing various drives on Amazon or Best Buy, you can see that some of them marked as compatible with Macs.

Contrary to what you might think, this does not mean that you cannot use drives described as PC drives.

Download bluestacks 4 mac. This really means that the disk was preformatted for either PC or Mac, and you can use it right away with the corresponding computer.

However, almost all drives can be used with Macs as long asthey have proper connectors. You just need to know how to prepare the drive forMac, i.e., format it.

What disk format is best for Time Machine?

Time Machine only recognizes the drives formatted as Mac OS Extended (Journaled), also known as HFS+. If the drive is formatted with different format types, the Time Machine will offer to erase the disk and reformat it before use.

To know the current format of the external drive, use the Disk Utility app.

One way to start it is by using Spotlight Search: hold Command and hit Spacebar. In the search bar type 'Disk Utility' and hit Enter.

In the Disk Utility app, select the drive on the left.

On the right, under the name of the drive, there will be information about the current format.

To reformat the disk in a new format, click on the Erase icon at the top. Note that all information on the disk will be wiped out.

In the pop-up window type in the new name for the drive (orkeep the old one). And pick Mac OS Extended (Journaled) as Format choice.

Hit Erase.

Once the format is complete, the drive is ready to be usedas a Time Machine backup drive.

Connector

As mentioned above, all drives are compatible with Applecomputers as long as they have proper connectors.

So, check your Mac for extension ports.

If you have a newer Mac, then you need a USB-C hard drive, older ones support USB (2.0, 3.0, or 3.1) or Thunderbolt. Pick the drive that supports all Mac ports.

Quick Note: Many people use USB-A hard drives with Macs equipped with USB-C ports and use adapters. Unfortunately, with such configuration data transfer speed suffers because the adapter becomes a bottleneck.

Price

And last, but not the least – price.

Yes, price is important, but I want to reiterate the importance of reliability over the price. If you want to save on price, then go with a slower drive, but don't go with a cheap no name brand.

Best External Hard Drives for Time Machine Backup

SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD

The device is so small that it can fit in your shirt pocket. It's a little bigger than a matchbox and weighs just 2 oz.

As with any SSD drive, T7 has no moving parts. It has a sturdy metal body, so it can handle drops of up to 2 meters.

It comes with two cables: USB and USB-C, which is super helpful if you have old and new Macs.

So you can use the USB cable with the old MacBook, copy data on it and then plug it into a new MacBook with TouchBar and copy again.

And T7 is crazy fast. The read and write speed of T7 is almost double of corresponding values of older model T5: up to 1000 MB/s for both reads and writes.

I was able to run the Virtual Box image directly from Samsung T7.

I never thought it would be possible because I tried to run VMs from external drives before, and they were super slow, even unusable.

With T7, however, I didn't even know that I am running VM on the external hard drive. Partially, it was due to the fast SSD inside and partially due to the USB-C connector.

Additionally, T7 comes with fingerprint security (optional), which is very important for someone who's doing Time Machine backups.

T7 supports up to 4 fingerprints and works similar to MacBook Touch ID.

Samsung T7 is backed by a 3-year limited warranty.

Pros:

• Data Transfer Speeds
• Fingerprint security
• Support USB-A and USB-C

Cons:

WD 5TB My Passport for Mac

If you need a larger drive than T7, then check out Western Digital My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive. Its upper limit is 5TB.

Let's start with the following fact: My Passport supportsboth USB 3.0 and USB-C ports. It comes with two cables, and depending on whichport you have on your Mac, you can use one or the other.

The transfer speed of USB 3.0 is limited to 10.0 Gbit/s max.The max speed for USB-C is 40.0 Gbit/s, four times faster thansecond-generation 3.0.

Overall the read and write speed of My Passport is around110 MB/s.

The best thing about My Passport for Mac is that it already preformatted for macOS.

You can start using the drive immediately. No need to mess with disk utilities and other stuff. Just plug it in and start your Time Machine backups.

My Passport is a little bigger than T7 and has the following dimensions:

• Depth 4.22 in/10.71cm
• Width 2.95 in/7.49cm
• Height 0.75 in/1.91cm
• Weight 0.51 lb/0.21kg

Pros:

• Budget-friendly
• Preformated for Mac
• Size limit up to 5TB

Cons:

Toshiba Canvio Basics Portable External Hard Drive

If you need a reliable external hard drive under $100, thenconsider Toshiba Canvio Basics 4TB Portable External Hard Drive USB 3.0.

This is not the fastest drive, but it's reliable and cheap.You can buy a 4TB drive for less than $100, and in my opinion, it's a greatdeal.

I use this device for my archives.

If I have files that I am not going to use for a while, then instead of deleting them, I shove them to my Toshiba drive. You never know when you will need that old VM, and it's nice to not waste prime drive space either.

Note, however, this comes only with a USB-A cable, so if you have a new laptop with USB-C ports, you will need to buy an adapter as well.

On the other hand, if you have a pre 2016 MacBook, then this is a good storage for Time Machine backups.

Pros:

• Super reliable
• Not expensive

Cons:

LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt USB-C 5TB

I've been using LaCie external hard drives for years and they always have been super reliable and crazy fast compared to other models.

You can always recognize them by their orange cover. While I am not particular a fan of their color option, I loved that the device has a rugged surface.

This extremely durable cover provides excellent protection against dust, shock, and water. Which makes it the best choice for someone who travels a lot or even someone who carries the laptop and its accessories to school or work daily.

Best Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine

When it comes to performance LaCie external hard drive provides an ok data transfer speed up to 130MB/s thru the Thunderbolt cable.

If you need a faster drive go with the USB-C SSD option. It will give you up to 510MB/s transfer speed.

Additionally, each LaCie drive comes with a complimentary 3-year recovery service. Thankfully I never needed one, but it's nice to have such a peace of mind option.

Pros:

• Super reliable
• Shock and water resistant
• Complimentary recovery service

Cons:

LaCie Mobile Drive 5TB

Another drive from LaCie (this time in silver or grey colors): LaCie Mobile.

As it name suggests the drive was designed for mobile people, i.e. specifically for people with laptops.

Unlike it's orange sibling, LaCie Mobile is not rugged and it is quite small: 0.79 x 3.59 x 4.88 inches.

However, the drive comes with a variety of size options up to 5TB. So, you can store up to 500,000 high resolution photos or up to 165 hours of video footage.

It comes with both USB 3.0 and USB-C cables, so you can use it with older and newer Macs for your backups.

And finally, the drive is already preformatted to work both with Macs and PCs (if you need to).

Pros:

• Portable
• Size options up to 5TB
• Support USB-A and USB-C

Cons:

G-Technology 18TB G-DRIVE

So far, we've been discussing 2 to 5 TB drives. While 5TB may sound big, some people may find it not adequate for their needs.

The next hard drive, G-Drive, is massive. It comes with the following size options:

• 4TB
• 8TB
• 10TB
• 12TB
• 14TB
• 18TB

Who in the world may need so much space, you might ask.

Well, if you someone like me, who has 6 MacBooks at home and you don't want to buy separate hard drives to back each one (and you have to back up regularly), you may buy one huge hard drive and create multiple volumes (for each Mac).

The downside of this approach is that you will not be able to have incremental Time Machine snapshots, because you can't connect multiple Macs to the same drive physically.

Also, note that this external device is pretty big and it is not strictly portable. It's best to use with iMac or Mac mini. For MacBooks, I would still stick with Samsung T7.

G-Drive is made by Western Digital and comes with a very sturdy aluminum body. While it does not have SSDs inside, it contains fast enterprise-grade hard disks (7200 rpm).

Pros:

• Massive storage
• Super durable
• Enterprise-grade disks

Cons:

SAMSUNG X5 Portable SSD

While I love, love, love T7, it's not the fasted device from Samsung. If you are looking for the ultimate speed champion, than check X5.

Samsung X5 is not an SSD. It contains NVMe chip inside which clocks over 2800 MB/s data transfer speed, almost three times the speed of T7!

This means that this drive can transfer a 20GB 4K UHD video from your Mac in just 12 seconds.

In other words, this device will not be a bottleneck when backing up. The Time Machine will be.

And don't worry about disk overheating, which happens often when massive data is being copied. The X5 has a special heat sink layer which keeps the outer layer below 45° C.

Pros:

• Sequential Read Speed: 2,800 MB/s
• Sequential Write Speed: 2,300 MB/s
• Never overheats

Cons:

Best Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine Backup

BUFFALO LinkStation 220 12TB

While technically not a hard drive, NAS devices from Buffalo are better designed for Time Machine backups.

Ever since Apple discontinued the AirPort Time Capsule, users were forced to use bulky external drives connecting with multiple cables. Very frustrating.

So, if you are looking for AirPort replacement, then check NAS (Network Attached Storage) devices.

One of the most known brands for NAS is Buffalo. They have a number of products available on the market, and most of them are very expensive.

Buffalo LinkStation 220 is a good compromise between functionality, storage capacity and price.

The device is available in a number of storage sizes:

• 2TB
• 4TB
• 6TB
• 8TB
• 12TB
• 16TB

By default, LinkStation 12TB is shipped configured as RAID 1 (Disk mirroring). It means that the available storage is not 12, but 6TB. The upside, however, is that each bit of information is stored twice to improved redundancy.

Best Backup Hard Drive For Mac Time Machine

So, if one of the drives fails, you will not use any information, which is crucial for any computer backups.

Pros:

• Wireless backups
• RAID support
• Multiple size options

Cons:

Takeaway

I can't tell you how many times I was able to recover my Macs after experiments I run in order to write articles on my site.

I intentionally infected my poor MacBook with malware, installed keyloggers, deleted parts of the operating system, and did other things that normal people usually avoid.

During my experiments, I wasn't afraid to cause any damage(excluding physical) to my Macs because, after each test, I restored the lastimage from my Time Machine drives.

Unfortunately, not all backups I made were successful. In several cases, I had to use older backups from my secondary drives because my primary drives had failed.

And after going through the school of hard knocks, I realized how important it is to pick a write hard drive for Time Machine.

So, I want again to reiterate my top recommended products, so you can learn from my mistakes.