Any computer or laptop user in the first person gets frustrated when it starts to slow down more than usual. Either change the processor or increase the RAM to upgrade it.
Now, nothing will solve it like replacing the hard drive a bit with a state drive. The main problem is that these storage devices are usually very expensive, especially the extra space capacity.
Another good way is to get an external memory, where you can save all the data you have stored on your computer when it is full, or always plug it in and use it for all your data.
On the other hand, hard drives will help you save music, videos and photos that you don't need to keep on your Mac or MacBook. That will allow you to free up space on your Apple device and its speed will increase dramatically.
You can save as many items as you want on your new hard drive (and the device capacity allows). Over time, you will certainly accumulate more files, so it's always good to have a program like CocaMyDrive available to eliminate unnecessary files.
Ways to keep in mind before buying a Mac hard drive
1. How much storage capacity do you need?
Hard drives are cheaper, especially when we compare their price with that of hard drives. That is why we recommend a hard disk of at least 1 TB dose.
It is also worth looking at betting on 2 TB, 3 TB or 4 TB discs. Keep in mind that each terabyte is equivalent to about 11,000 music albums with a quality of 192 kbps, but that rate is much lower when storing 4K videos.
Specifically, 3 minutes of 4K video recorded with the iPhone 8 will have 1 GB of your disk. It is therefore important to consider, in addition to how much money you can spend, on how much storage you will have in the future.
2. Are you looking for a hard drive or desktop laptop?
Another issue to consider is when you will need to use that hard drive. If your answer is at home, you can choose either a physical external desktop or a desktop. However, if you need to take it everywhere, you will only have a computer option.
On the other hand, if you pay extra storage between 1 to 4 TB, you can go perfectly with the external hard drive. There are many models, but it will be easy to find other less than 2.5 inches that will fit right in your pocket.
The disks are portable and have the advantage of not requiring connection to the generator. Just plug in a computer's USB or laptop port to use it.
Now, if what you need is a high disk, you should bet on the desktop, which usually measures more than 3.5 inches and has a capacity of 4 to 12 TB. In addition, you will need to connect them, so they are not ready to move.
3. Hard disk with or without hardening?
Those who want to take the hard drive up and down will need to remember something else: the solidity provided by that tool, especially because it is made up of different parts that can be damaged when it crashes.
This peculiarity is known by the English word ruggedisation and refers to the act of protecting the computer from any threat it may cause, whether it is a fall, a blow or water.
If you are interested in being robust, you should buy a disk with a rubber cover that can pull shock and pressure. Some also protect water and there are some that can be imported.
4. What other benefits do you need?
As the hard drive grows, there are more opportunities to install other features. There are some desktop disks, for example, with ports where you can connect memory or USB cards.
You should also pay attention to the ports provided by your computer or computer, since at least one should be compatible with the one you need to connect the external disk to. In a sense, it's usually a standard USB port or USB Type-C.
If you have a Mac or MacBook from a few years ago, you will need a USB disc, and if you bought a computer recently, it probably includes a USB Type-C port.
5. External hard drive or NAS?
If an external hard drive, whether portable or desktop, doesn't guarantee it, you also have the opportunity to get a NAS or storage device connected to the network, which allows certain devices to access the same data over Wi-Fi.
NAS is especially useful when you want to design a multimedia server type at home, since you can fill it with videos, photos and music and access it from any connected Smart TV, Apple TV, iPad, Mac or MacBook.
Comparison: Which Mac 2020 hard drive?
Seagate Backup Plus Hub
He Seagate Backup Plus Hub It is without a doubt the best drive you can have at home. Although desk drives are not as attractive as laptops usually are, they are worth it if you don't need to take them out of the office.
Available in various capacities, this external memory has a 3.5-inch disk. Its black version is not intended to be visually compatible with Apple products, but there is something else empty model designed specifically for Mac.
This device has light sides, while the top, bottom and bottom are reminiscent of honey bees. In addition, it has two USB 3.0 ports on the front, which will allow you to charge your own smartphone either tablet.
Best of all, this hard drive is compatible with all Windows and Mac devices. Although formatted with the Windows NTFS file system, you can install a driver that will run with macOS.
One of the drawbacks of this memory is that it does not have Thunderbolt or USB Type-C ports. Yes it does have, instead, Micro USB 3.0 where you have to connect the cable that will be connected to the USB port of your Mac or MacBook.
We didn't expect a device other than Thunderbolt to do with the 10TB model. It has a writing speed of 197 MB per second and a reading speed of 264 MB per second.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 198.1 x 118 x 41 mm
- Weight: 1,06 kg
- Storage: 4 TB, 6 TB, 8 TB or 10 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
LaCie Mobile Drive
The LaCie Rugged Secure hard drive above is a model of last year and is still on sale. It's still a great option for those looking for a solid external hard disk that can be taken everywhere.
However, the company has now released the grade Mobile drive, which has a lot to offer and introduces new designs with similar diamonds. Thus, it moves away from the design of the orange rubber from the integrated range.
This is outside Mobile drive It is made of aluminum and is available in two shades that they have called silver moon and gray. Both are perfectly matched to standard MacBooks colors: silver and gray.
Both the price and size of the device will depend on its storage capacity. So, the more sand you have, the more expensive it will be, and the harder it will be. You can choose from the capabilities of 1 TB, 2 TB, 4 TB and 5 TB.
This hard drive comes with USB C holes in the back, but thanks to USB C and USB 3.0 cables you can use it on both Mac and Windows computers. Of course, our main complaint is the lack of information about your ToolKit app.
In a sense, this application allows you to copy the folders you have to your computer or laptop, in addition to being able to use a Time Machine hard drive to make backup copies. In any case, it is a very powerful disk.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 121.9 x 87.8 x 10 mm | 124 x 91.2 x 20 mm
- Weight: 200 g | 400 g
- Storage: 1 TB | 2 TB | 4 TB | 5 TB
- Connectivity: USB C
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
Buffalo MiniStation Extreme
Of course, when we compare it to some of its most popular competitors, the disc Buffalo MiniStation Extreme It is very expensive. However, it will be difficult for you to find a storage device more powerful than this.
In this way, it is a great option for those who need to move it abroad. Of course, it will only be shown to those who have a compatible USB 3.0 laptop – instead of USB C -, as this is the standard they use.
You can buy MiniStation Extreme with capacity of 500 GB, 1 TB or 2 TB, its price will increase as storage space increases. As for the body size, it measures 141 x 90 x 21 mm and weighs 277 g.
Therefore, it is not one of the smallest vehicles on this list or the easiest to transport. That means you can't keep it in the pocket of your pants, but it shouldn't be hard to keep in any the MacBook case.
And you don't have to worry about resistance. It is covered by a house that has a fighting impact and meets military standards. It should survive a fall of up to 1,2 m.
It is also water resistant and dust resistant, with IP53 certification. As if that's not enough, the memory includes a USB cable included so you don't have to charge one up.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 141 x 90 x 21 mm
- Weight: 277 g
- Storage: 500 GB | 1 TB | 2 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch
Although we continue to feature last year's Backup Plus model on this list, we should be exploring Seagate's efforts to expand its supply of hard drives and as a result it meets the needs of laptop users.
This has happened, for example, in Ultra Backup Touch, a compact hard drive and easy to transport, but at the same time we offer plenty of storage space at a competitive price.
This hard drive has an excellent design that will never go wrong than your MacBook. On the contrary: it will be a perfect complement. It is 114.8 x 78 x 11.7 mm and weighs 151 g.
This means that it is small enough to be kept in any pocket or bag. Available in two colors: black and white, and its durable fabric makes it unique in the market.
The most important thing is that it provides privacy so that your files and data can be imported with complete security. This hard drive is also compatible with the ToolKit app, which will help you make backup copies of certain folders on your Mac.
Alternatively, if you want more storage, you can choose Portable Backup, with 4 TB and 5 TB dose. Or you can choose Backup Plus Slim, as the name suggests is very small and simple.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 114.8 x 78 x 11.7 mm
- Weight: 151 g
- Storage: 1 TB | 2 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
My Passport WDless Passport
External memory My Passport WDless Passport Photographers and those who want to save your videos, photos and music will love it, and it's great that it can be connected to a computer or cable or using Wi-Fi.
The wish of this phone is that, in order to use it over a wireless network, you must configure it using smartphone And not a laptop. Shortly after accessing it from your Mac, Smart TV or other connected device.
Aside from these exceptions, we continue to prefer it when connected using cable, despite the read and write speed, at 110 MB per second, lower than other inexpensive discs.
In a sense, it seems a good idea to use a cable if you want to transfer multiple gigabytes at a time, and if you only need to work a few megabytes, a speed of 20 MB per second when connected to Wi-Fi will be sufficient.
On the other hand, this WD disc has an SD card slot, where photographers can easily save their pictures before coming home. The four LEDs on top will indicate whether the memory is connected or not.
You will notice that this device is somehow average, but that is because it obviously requires some advanced technology to work. It is smaller than the 3.5-inch discs, so you can carry it easily.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 126 x 126 x 24 mm
- Weight: 0.45g
- Storage: 1 TB, 2 TB, 3 TB or 4 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0 | Wifi
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
LaCie 2big Dock Thunderbolt 3
He LaCie 2big Dock Thunderbolt 3 It's more than a hard drive, it starts with the fact that there are actually two. As for reliability, this device is light years away from the memories you can find at any electronics store.
One of the advantages of this memory is that it can reach the average speed of a hard disk drive. It can read up to 495 MB per second and write at 487 MB per second, four times more than the standard external hard drive.
With this device, you have the opportunity to use only one disk to backup your files and leave the second to receive automatic backups. Although this is a point that would like to protect your data, you will also notice that its speed is down.
As for its physical appearance, it is a tool that will look completely close to any Mac, especially if you have one aluminum. The ball will turn blue when connected and red when something goes wrong.
This LaCie disc also offers you the option of connecting the external hard drive equipment via the chain, thanks to the USB Type-C and the dual Thunderbolt 3 you'll see in the background. It is compatible with DisplayPort to connect external monitoring to Mac.
Judging by the distractions, we have to point out the noise made by both Nactua fans which is in the background and IronWolf Pro are reluctant when working.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 217 x 118 x 93.3 mm
- Weight: 2.9 kg
- Storage: 8 TB, 12 TB, 16 TB or 20 TB
- Contact: Thunderbolt 3 | USB 3.1
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
Toshiba Canvio Advance (2 TB)
When buying a Mac hard drive, you do not have to choose one to use when removing it from the box. You can, as in the case of Toshiba Canvio Advance, format it with macOS drive.
This way, you won't have to buy a hard disk made for the Mac and you can save some money. The only drawback is that its design will not be paired with your Apple, because it is not available in aluminum but in white, black, blue and red.
We recommend accessing this memory if you have a computer from a few years ago, because it includes a USB cable and doesn't have a USB Type-C port. If you have a new MacBook, this might not be your best option.
As for transmission speed, for example, Toshiba Canvio Advance 2 TB can read 5 GB of files at 140.2 MB per second and can write at 120.3 MB per second.
In one of the corners of the memory you will notice that a small light comes on when connected. If it is white it means it is connected to the USB 2.0 port, and it will be blue when using USB 3.0.
One of the biggest disadvantages of using this disk on a Mac is that, if you turn it on, you will lose a encryption tool that allows you to create a password to protect the data stored there.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 109 x 78 x 14 mm
- Weight: 149 g
- Storage: 2 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
LaCie Rugged Safe
Driving hard LaCie Rugged SECURE It's one of the best things to take on a trip, basically because it's one of the hardest signs on the market thanks to the orange rubber it protects.
The device itself has an aluminum color, which creates a striking contrast to the tone of the visible case. Perhaps this is one of the reasons why this external memory is often recommended by creators, but the fact is that it will do well for anyone.
If the rubber is bothering you, you can always remove it, even though you should know that doing so on your hard drive will be unsafe. This rubber not only protects against possible erosion, but is extremely effective against bends and droplets.
LaCie & # 39; s Rugged memory range includes unique models, but SECURE is one of the least expensive. If you think about the price, it's not too expensive, even though it only has a USB Type-C port.
The memory is compatible with the Thunderbolt 3 ports of any modern Macs or MacBooks, or with the cable shown you can also use USB ports for older computers and laptops.
It is fair to say that the cable that comes with this hard drive is not too long, it does not have a 30-inch, though it should be enough for anyone to use at home or at the office.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 135.10 x 86 x 18.70 mm
- Weight: 100g
- Storage: 2 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0
- Compatibility: macOS | Windows
Toshiba Canvio Premium for Mac
The ideal hard drive for MacBook users is definitely this Toshiba Canvio Premium for Mac, because it is already formatted with the extended file system. You can start using it directly without installing the driver.
Also one that will attract a lot from those with an Apple laptop is its color. Aluminum will perfectly complement the aluminum of your laptop, even though its tone is less bright and the details in silver and black are plastic and not metal.
There is a balance between the storage capacity of different models and their size and size, so you have to consider how much it affects their availability and if it is worth investing in multiple terabytes.
The circle you will see in one of the memory corners corresponds to a green LED indicating the function of the HDD unit. On the other hand, to be compatible with all Macs, including the new USB Type-C adapter.
The internal disk of this device is 2.6 inches and has a conversion speed of 5400 per minute. Its writing speed is up to 133 MB per second. These features are very similar to discs. LaCie Rugged.
We especially like that the Toshiba Canvio Premium comes with a security system, which means you can configure the password and thus protect the data you have stored there.
Basic specification
- Dimensions: 109 x 78 x 13.5 mm | 109 x 78 x 19 mm
- Weight: 165 g | 230 g
- Storage: 1 TB or 2 TB
- Connectivity: USB 3.0 micro-B
- Compatibility: macOS
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