Buying an external hard drive for your Mac is not all that different from buying one for your Windows PC, except for one very important complication: Newer MacBooks and MacBook Pros only come with Thunderbolt 3 ports, but the arrival of Thunderbolt 3-equipped drives has been a trickle, rather than a flood. Most of the current models are designed for photographers and video editors who need to store mountains of footage and access it very quickly. As a result, they are typically SSDs or RAID arrays, which means they're also very expensive. So what's a Mac user who just wants to back up his or her files using Time Machine to do? Read on as we answer that question, and solve your other Mac external-storage quandaries.
The Right Connections
A New File System
Thunderbolt 3 and USB Type-C are the latest innovations in the external storage market, but before we get to them, we need to address a basic building block of hard drives that has always affected compatibility, and probably always will: the file system.
MY PASSPORT ULTRA USER MANUAL Using the Drive with a Mac The My Passport drive is formatted as a single NTFS partition for compatibility with updated Windows operating systems. To use the drive on Mac OS X operating systems, and to use Time Machine, if you want, you must reformat the drive to a single HFS+J partition. My Passport for Mac 2tb (Hard Drive) Brand New. Or Best Offer. WD 4TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive, USB-C/USB-A - WDBP6A004. WD - My Passport Portable hard drive External HDD Manual Set Up Guide for MacBook Pro, iMac, Mac mini, Mac Pro, MacBook Air. Use with Time Machine, Partition, and make it work with Windows Pc.
An external drive's file system is the most important factor that determines whether or not it's readable by Macs, PCs, or both. With the release of the macOS High Sierra operating system, Cupertino ditched its venerable Mac OS Extended file system, commonly abbreviated as HFS+, and switched to an entirely new file format. It's simply called the Apple File System, and it's the first format to be across macOS products as well as the iOS ecosystem of iPads, iPhones, iPods, the Apple TV, and the Apple Watch.
There are many benefits to switching from HFS+ to the Apple File System, including better security thanks to native encryption, but the most important thing to note for external drive shoppers is backward-compatibility. Any drive formatted with HFS+ (which includes most Mac-specific drives on the market today) will work just fine with a Mac that's running macOS High Sierra or later.
Neither Apple File System nor HFS+ works with Windows, however. If you plan to use your external drive with computers that run both operating systems, you should consider a drive formatted with the exFAT file system. You won't get the security and efficiency of Apple File System, but you will get the convenience of being able to transfer files back and forth between Windows and macOS simply by plugging in and unplugging your drive.
Of course, you can easily reformat almost any drive you buy, so you're not limited to buying only those intended for use with Macs. If you really fancy a drive formatted for Windows (which will usually come preformatted in the NTFS format), you can use the Disk Utility in macOS to reformat it after you bring it home from the store. There are rare exceptions to this rule, such as the pro-oriented Akitio Thunder3 PCIe SSD, which uses a lightning-quick Intel SSD inside and relies on firmware that isn't Mac-compatible.
My Passport For Mac Portable External Hard Drive Manual UserSSD Versus Spinning Drive
Once you've settled on a file system, you then have to determine which storage medium you want: solid state or spinning disk. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, andâunlike the file systemâthe type you buy is the type you're stuck with for the life of the drive.
A solid-state drive (SSD) offers quick access to your data because it stores your bits in a type of flash memory rather than on spinning platters. SSDs are often smaller and lighter than spinning external drives, as well, which is also thanks to the lack of moving parts. Their small size means they can often fit into a jacket or pants pocket, which makes them a better choice if you're looking for a portable external drive that you'll be carrying with you frequently.
One major downside, however, is that they're more expensive. You could pay more than 30 cents per gigabyte for an SSD, while spinning drives can be had for less than 10 cents per gigabyteâand often much less. External SSDs also have lower capacity limits, with most drives topping out at 2TB. Compare that with external spinning drives, which are easy to find in capacities in excess of 8TB.
For professional videographers who edit lots of 4K footage and gamers or movie buffs who have large libraries of multi-gigabyte titles, an external RAID array is worth considering, since it combines the speed of an SSD with the gargantuan capacities of a spinning drive. An array typically contains as few as two or as many as eight spinning drives, which all work together to speed up throughput, or guard your precious files against corruption via drive redundancy if one of the drives fail. (Or both; it depends on how the array is set up.) The result is that you can get SSD-like speeds, with data throughput of more than 400MBps, and capacities that top out close to 50TB. You'll pay handsomely, of course. The Mac-specific Promise Pegasus3, for one, can cost as much as $5,000.
On the other hand, if you're looking to buy an external drive mainly to back up your files (which you should definitely do) and it will rarely leave your home office, an inexpensive spinning drive will work just fine.
Searching for Thunderbolt 3
So, to recap: Faster, smaller (both physically and in terms of gigabytes) solid-state drives come at a premium, while spinning drives offer a much better value while sacrificing speed. But what happens when you throw yet another variable into the mix: the connection between your drive and your Mac? As you might have guessed, the answer is more tradeoffs.
Almost every Mac laptop sold today comes with USB Type-C ports that support Thunderbolt 3, but other than a headphone jack, they are the only connectivity options available, which means you'll need an adapter to plug in any device that doesn't have a USB Type-C cable. Fortunately, Thunderbolt 3 via USB Type-C supports a blazing maximum potential throughput of 40Gbps, double the speed of the old Thunderbolt 2 standard and many times the 5GBps that USB 3.0 offers. Unfortunately, you won't find many Thunderbolt 3-compatible drives on the market currently. Even some Mac-specific drives are still sold with USB 3.0 connectors. Moreover, the Thunderbolt 3 drives you can buy are constrained by the maximum throughput of the drive itself, rather than the Thunderbolt 3 interface. With the exception of the Samsung Portable SSD X5, all of the external SSDs we've tested recently top out at around 600MBps, for instance.
This means that for now, it's best to include Thunderbolt 3 support in your buying decision only if you're concerned about futureproofing. While it's nice of manufacturers to include a USB Type-C cable for people who own a USB Type-C-only MacBook, you can pick up a converter for a few dollars online if the drive you're eyeing doesn't offer one. Meanwhile, iMacs, Mac Pros, Mac Minis, and the entry-level MacBook Air all still come with USB 3.0 ports, so they won't require adapters.
Other Considerations
Drives intended for PCs sometimes come bundled with software that will automatically back up your files to the drive when it's connected, but such software isn't really a consideration for Mac users, who already have an excellent built-in backup option in the form of Time Machine. The first time you plug in an external drive, Time Machine will ask if you want to use it as a backup drive. While you can customize backup options in System Preferences, such as asking Time Machine to exclude certain folders, there's no action required on your part if you're happy with the default settings. The next time you plug in your drive, Time Machine will automatically set to work creating a backup.
Unless your drive is never going to leave your home or office, you should also consider its physical durability. Rugged, waterproof drives are a good option not just for surfers and BMX riders, as their marketing seems to suggest, but also for people who are carrying their drives to and from school or work, where they might occasionally get spilled on or dropped on the floor. (Check out our favorite rugged drives.)
Finally, you might want to consider how the drive will look when it's plugged into your Mac. Some drives come in a variety of colors. Many others feature copious amounts of aluminum and industrial-chic styling to match the design cues of your MacBook or iMac.
Ready for Our Recommendations?
We've selected a few of our favorite drives for Macs below; for more, check out our main list of best hard drives. You can also read our full list of hard drive reviews, as well as our top SSDs.
Best External Hard Drives for Macs Featured in This Roundup:
Storage space on your laptop or PC is insufficient for keeping all your files? Start using an external hard drive! This compact device will allow you to have your most important data at hand. To help you make the right pick, we have shortlisted 5 best external hard drive disks that are present on the market...Read more..Read less
If youâre looking for more speed, Western Digital external hard drive is what you need. With numerous backup options, your data will always be securely stored.
Compared with the other EHDs, this one is a bit heavier, yet, itâs all worth the functionality it offers.
Western Digital USB external hard drive is an amazing choice for any professional photographer since it allows storing large amounts of data in the ultimate security owing to automatic backup.
detailed parameters
3 TB - 16 TB
Desktop
Mains (via power adapter)
2.23 lbs
Windows, Mac OS
Automatic local and cloud backup
2-year warranty
You get 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan with this model. It lets you edit, share, and store your photos with ease.
Cord insulation is a bit stiff.
The Seagate Portable External Hard Drive is a reliable and compact device that you can throw into your bag or jeans pocket and have all the important data at hand 24/7.
detailed parameters
4TB (1TB, 2TB, 5TB)
Portable
via USB
0.545 lbs
Windows, Mac OS
Seagate Dashboard backup
2 years limited
With this model, you get the access to the free trial of WD SmartWare Pro. It helps store your backups on the external hard drive itself and in the Dropbox.
The user manual could be more informative.
The WD Element HDD transfers data very fast with the USB 3.0 (100 Mb/s). And with its capacity, this model can store quite large video/audio libraries as well as expand storage on your gaming console.
detailed parameters
2TB (1TB, 3TB, 4TB, 6TB, 8TB)
Portable
via USB
0.52 lb
Windows® 10, Windows 8, Windows 7
Reformatting is required for other operating systems
Automatic local and cloud backup with WD SmartWare Pro
1 year
With super fast USB 3.0, you can take advantage of quick data transfers. Plus, there's no need to install any software; the drive comes ready for use out-of-the-box.
It is not compatible with Mac OS.
The Seagate hard drive is a compact, fast, and stylish device. Being available in various memory capacities, this model is a good choice for those who value their time and want to guard their personal and media data.
detailed parameters
2TB (1TB, 4TB)
Portable
via USB
0.37 lb
Windows® 10, Windows 8, Windows 7
Seagate Dashboard backup
Quickbooks 2010 for mac reviews. 1 year
This portable external hard drive provides extra protection of your data owing to 256-bit AES hardware encryption. The device looks rather stylish and you can choose one of 4 available colors.
Some users think the light indicator is too bright.
Having chosen this external hard drive, you will not only get a lot of storage space but you will also be sure about the top security of your data thanks to automatic backup.
detailed parameters
500 GB - 4 TB
Portable
via USB
0.35 lb
Windows, Mac OS
Automatic local and cloud backup
3-year limited warranty
Western Digital My BookType
This is a desktop external hard drive that helps you easily expand storage space if your computer's drive is overfilled with files. This Western Digital device is a perfect choice for professional photographers who make thousands of pictures and need immense storage space for them. Storing gigabytes of images right on your computer makes no sense, whilst an external hard drive disk not only contains all essential files but also backs them all up.
Capacity
It's one of the most high-capacity USB external hard drives available on the market. Several capacity options are available: 2TB, 3TB, 4TB, 6TB, and 8TB. Thus, even the most demanding buyer can find the right model of this fantastic hard drive. The 8TB external hard drive disk allows you to store all your files: images, photos, games, music, videos, movies, and so on. Therefore, storing HD-videos and Blu-Ray movies won't be a problem any more!
Speed
This cutting-edge USB external hard drive surely has what to boast of in terms of data transfer rate. If connected via USB 3.0, the maximum speed reaches 5 Gb/s, so you will be able to copy files momentarily and an HD movie will require several minutes (forget about painful 2-hour waits!). If the other device or computer has USB 2.0 support only, don't worry - this external HDD is 100% compatible with USB 2.0 but the read/write speed falls to 480 Mb/s.
Design and Size
Western Digital My Book desktop external hard drive has a stylish black plastic casing that has 4 small feet, so you can easily put the device upright. This unit looks stunning on your computer desk. As usual, an external hard drive of this kind can be placed right near the monitor. The front panel of this external HDD has a light indicator and a stylish Western Digital logo. The overall weight of the unit is 2.23 lbs, so it's not the best device to carry around. Oh, let's also mention the form factor of the external HDD that is 3.5'.
OS Compatibility and Backup
This WD external hard drive disk is compatible with Windows OS, so if you are using Windows 7, Windows 8, or Windows 10, you just need to connect the computer and the HDD via a USB cable. Although, it doesn't mean that this model can't be used as Mac hard drive external device. Since Windows and Mac OS are based on different file management systems, after a quick reformatting, Western Digital external hard drive will become Mac-friendly. If you are concerned about security of your data, this device is surely a must-have. First of all, the unit is supplied with WD Backup software - it works quietly and performs automatic backups. No need to say, you can set a schedule of backups, and if you have a Dropbox account - this software can save backup files right to it! But that's not all - Acronis True Image WD Edition software backs up files on a system level, which means it makes a copy of the whole system (with all settings, installed apps, etc.). Be sure, if a system failure occurs, you will be able to restore it entirely thanks to Acronis True Image.
Additional Info
VIDEO
WD 8TB My Book unboxing and review
Capacity
Western Digital My Book: 8000 GB
Seagate Backup Plus 4 TB: 4000 GB
Seagate Expansion (STEA2000400): 2000 GB
Western Digital My Passport: 4000 GB
Key Specs
It's really fast. It's faster than my old seagate barracuda internal drive connected through Sata III. It has an average sequential read and write of 160 MB/s.
Features
Easy to set up. I just plugged it in and it was automatically detected by windows with no problems.
Size & Weight
Great value, nice size. I am using this to back up my backup of family videos.
Seagate Backup Plus 4 TBEXPAND YOUR DATA STORAGE CAPABILITIES
Aiming to produce a capacious and compact HDD, Seagate engineers have designed the new series of Backup Plus external hard drive. Made smaller to fit a pocket of your jeans, this item offers 4 TB of memory to store tens of thousands of photos, documents, and other media. And if you presume this might not be enough, there is a 5 TB model available.
However, its capacity is only one of the many great features the Backup Plus has for you. Made to be convenient and safe to use on-the-go, the driver is durable enough to withstand accidental drops and scratches. The Seagate Plus is produced from metal, so it ensures great shock resistance. Also, if color matters to you, this model is available in black, red, silver, and blue, so you can choose the one you like more.
Software is what we absolutely love about Seagate. This small device can backup data automatically from any gadget, you only need to set it up right.
BACK UP AND SAVE UP
The first thing you should do after purchasing this external hard drive is install the Seagate Dashboard app. It has the Protect function, which allows you to make a backup with a single click. Also, you can create your own backup schedule and the software will do it automatically.
If you deal with lots of data, you can safely back it all up with the help of Protect function and you will never get in trouble.
You can also benefit from using the Seagate Media app which moves the images from your smartphone or tablet right to the external hard drive, thus expanding the storage capacity greatly. On top of that, with the Seagate Plus, you get 2-month complimentary membership to Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan for access to Lightroom CC, Photoshop CC, and more, a great perk giving you plenty of editing tools for your photos.
One for All
That is no news that this HDD by Seagate is compatible with both Mac and Windows PCs right out-of-the-box. The news is though, you don't need to reformat it for Mac, you should only install the Mac driver before the first use. Handy, isn't it?
Great in All Matters
Fast data copying with the USB 3.0/2.0, lots of storage space, scheduled auto backups, user-friendly software, and shockproof housing is what Seagate offers its users. So, if you are looking for an easy way to store your data, the Seagate Plus driver hits the sweet spot.
Additional Info
Features
A nice feature is the front panel USB ports for quick connection of temporary items, my Ecig battery in particular.
Key Specs
My only concern in advance is with such a large capacity drive there is a lot to lose when this goes faulty, consider this if the device is to be primary storage, if this is level 2/3 then happy days people !
Size & Weight
But this is true for any size, style or make of HDD, external or internal. Spend an extra £7 on a decent case would be my advice.
Western Digital ElementsPlug and Transfer
The WD Element can rightly be called one of the most reliable external hard drives on the market. It is quite compact for the model with a storage space of 2 TB and fairly affordable for the HDD of its range. Plus, the manufacturer offers you more and less capacious models (1TB / 2 TB / 3 TB / 4 TB) so that you could get the one that meets your individual needs.
As any other portable hard drive in our review, this one is powered through the USB cable. You can either use USB 3.0 or 2.0, but as you know, data transfer is faster with the former: it is 100 Mb/s with USB 3.0 and about 38 Mb/s with its alternative. Speaking in terms of time, to burn a 1GB video file on your WD, you will need to wait for either 10 or 40 seconds with USB 3.0 or 2.0 respectively.
The Element HDD is compatible with most OSs: Windows 7 and higher, Mac, and Linux. For Windows users, it is ready to use right from the box, just plug it into your PC and you are ready to go. The external hard drive is NTFS pre-formatted for Windows. If you reformat your hard drive in FAT-32 for example, it will work on any system. Gamers can also benefit from this model since this WD hard drive can easily expand storage on Xbox One, PS4, and other gaming consoles. A great opportunity to have all the important data at hand 24/7.
Intuitive Control
As we have mentioned before this model is user-friendly and it starts working right after you plug it in. Itâs like using a flash drive, though no flash drive will give you so much storage space at this price. But there is more!
The Element hard drive comes with the WD SmartWare Pro. It allows you to back up your data in Dropbox thus expanding your data storage options greatly. The installation app is on the HDD, you just need to run it on your PC and follow several simple instructions. However, donât forget to save it elsewhere before formatting the hard drive.
Made to Last
Being made of high-quality materials, the WD Element pleases its user with a pretty durable construction. It is wear-proof and can withstand accidental drops and hits, thus protecting the hard drive and all your data reliably.
The front and back sides of the housing have a matte finish so it is not a fingerprint magnet. That is a clever touch considering how annoying fingerprints on a glossy surface can be. Otherwise, the design is pretty simple, no bells and whistles. If you care little about your HDD being eye-catching and more about its functionality, that wouldn't be much of a problem, though. Finally, this 2TB model is pretty compact, so there is no need to carry your briefcase for the HDD only. Just drop it in your pocket.
Good Value for Money
Without a doubt, the WD element hard drive is a pretty simple and user-friendly model that can store hundreds of video files, thousands of audio tracks, and so many more for you securely. And at the same time, it wonât cost you an arm and a leg. Does it sound like the hard drive you are looking for? Then the WD HDD is right up your alley.
Additional InfoSeagate Expansion (STEA2000400)Plenty of Storage for a Reasonable Price
Seagate is a well-known company producing innovative and reliable data storage devices for over 40 years. Today the company offers a wide range of products, making it easy for buyers to find items to meet any needs. The Expansion External Hard Drive is one of their best hard drives, which is capable of holding up to 2 terabytes of files and documents and providing super-fast transfer speed. It has a slim, sharp design and it easily fits in a pocket so carrying it isn't going to bring any discomfort. The drive is also simple to use. Once you connect it to your PC, it will be recognized by the Windows system the same moment and you will be able to transfer your files by dragging and dropping them on the screen. For those looking for external hard drives with smaller or bigger capacities, Seagate offers to choose from 1TB and 4TB versions.
Funky and Compact
Like we've mentioned above, this drive stands out from a lot of other storage hard drives by its rugged, slim, and funky design. If you value comfort and you're haunting for gadgets that smartly combine performance with newfangled trends, this is your best choice. Besides, this drive is extremely lightweight. Weighing 0.37 lb, it won't take up more room in your pocket than a wallet or a stack of credit cards, and you'll find it tempting to carry it along with you. If you're leading an active lifestyle and often find yourself at the mercy of the weather, you should also like the fact that this drive comes supplied with a handy carrying case.
Fast-Speed Interface
With this Expansion External Hard Drive, you will not need to trade capacity for speed as it has them both. On top of 2 terabytes of storage space, the drive boasts a speedy USB interface with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports reaching up to 5Gbps of throughput. This is convenient if you have compatible devices and you've got plenty of files to transfer. Connecting the drive to a computer is also straightforward and quick. No software installation is needed. Once you plug it in, it will show up and work just like any other external device. The drive is compatible with an array of devices based on Windows 7 and above.
Backup and Restore with Seagate Dashboard Software
The advantage to buying storage hard drives from Seagate is that the company provides its users with a free Seagate Dashboard software allowing them to back up and restore (if need be) digital files they've ever transferred between the drive and their computer. To do so, a user may either adjust drive settings so that the software performs backups automatically or backup files manually when he needs so.
Considering all the advantages Seagate offers its users, we'd definitely recommend customers using Windows computers to consider buying this external storage hard drive. Compact, reliable, and speedy as it is, it will provide quick access to the files you need anywhere you go.
Additional Info
Weight
Western Digital My Book: 48 oz.
Seagate Backup Plus 4 TB: 8.7 oz.
Seagate Expansion (STEA2000400): 6.4 oz.
Western Digital My Passport: 8.6 oz.
Key Specs
Perfect and just what I wanted. I ordered the 4 tb size for my PS4 and it came undamaged and worked like a charm. Plugged it right up and formatted on PS4 without any hassles.
Features
I purchased this just to store a clone of the HDD in my laptop. I have several others in varying capacities and speeds. With its USB 3 speed, I was able to clone my HDD in 15 minutes versus the 45 minutes it used to take with older USB 2 versions.
Size & Weight
I bought two drives for two basic reasons; a) portability/travel, b) backing up.
Western Digital My PassportType
This external hard drive disk is a portable model that is rather compact, so you can easily carry it with you in a laptop bag or backpack. A fantastic device that you can always have at hand no matter where you go: to work, on a trip, or to college. Since it's a portable external hard drive, it's powered from USB. Therefore, you just need to plug a USB cable into your PC or laptop and the HDD will work. No need to say, you can use the same USB 3.0 interface to connect the external hard drive disk to a TV and other devices.
Capacity
Having chosen this portable external hard drive, you can select one of the several available models that differ in the capacity they provide. All in all, there are the following capacity options: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 3TB. Therefore, you can pick the most appropriate capacity according to your needs. For example, an external hard drive disk with 500GB capacity is enough for storing your favorite pictures and music, though if you are fond of videos and movies - you'd better pick an HDD with at least 1TB of storage.
Speed
The data transfer speed of this external hard drive depends on the type of USB connection you use. Western Digital has a USB 3.0 support, so if you plug it into the USB 3.0 slot of your PC or laptop, you will be able to transfer files at the maximum speed of 5 Gb/s. However, if your computer has only USB 2.0 interfaces, the read/write speed will fall to 480 Mb/s. However, these are the maximum rates, and the real speed might differ for various reasons. The spindle rotation speed of this external hard drive disk is 5400 RPM.
Design and Size
Western Digital portable external hard drive is rather compact. Just imagine! It's almost of the same size with your passport. The dimensions of the device are as follows: 4.3 x 3.2 x 0.6 inches. It goes without saying that the weight of the unit depends on its capacity and the one we have tested weighs 0.34 lbs. We all know that some people want to emphasize their personal style, and this external HDD will give a chance to pick one of 4 available colors: black, blue, white, and berry.
OS Compatibility and Backup
This USB external hard drive supports USB 3.0 connection and, of course, it is fully compatible with computers, laptops, and other devices that have USB 2.0 interface only. The gadget is ready to use right out of the box in case you use a Windows-operated computer (or laptop). If, however, you're a Mac user - a reformatting of the external hard drive's file system is required. Moreover, the unit provides the highest level of security for your data - both local and cloud automatic backups are available.
Additional Info
VIDEO
WD My Passport 2TB Black Unboxing and SpeedTest
Depth
Western Digital My Book: 6.7 in.
Seagate Backup Plus 4 TB: 3.1 in.
Seagate Expansion (STEA2000400): 3.2 in.
Mac pro manual. Western Digital My Passport: 0.85 in.
Features
This drive works fine with Windows, Linux or Mac out of the box. With Linux or Mac it performs best when reformatted with a native file system for the respective operating system.
Key Specs
High Capacity Available - Up to 4TB (The older model when released had up to 3TB capacity, up until a 6/28/16 release of a short lived 4TB model)
Size & Weight
My Passport For Mac Portable External Hard Drive Manual Download
This hard drive is perfect for using with my Raspberry PI as a portable video library.
What Is an External Hard Drive?
External hard disk drives are additional data storage devices. There are two types of external hard disk drives: portable and desktop. Very often the capacity of your PC's or laptop's HDD or SDD is insufficient and that's when external hard drives come in handy. Moreover, as a rule, USB external hard drives also provide reliable backup of your most important data: encrypt the data on external hard disk drive and restrict access to it on a software level.
Aside from external hard drives, more sophisticated and high-tech storage devices are also available to all computer owners: solid state drives. They boast the highest data transfer rate possible and compact size. Therefore, we strongly recommend you to check our review on solidstate drives! To be able to customize the look of your CD/DVDs covers, we can offer you to read our review onCD/DVD printers and choose the one that suits you better.
What Features to Compare
Type
The first feature we are going to tell you about is the type of external hard drives. In general, they are either portable or desktop. Portable external hard drives are very compact and can work directly off the USB port, so you just need a cable. Moreover, you can carry such external hard drives around wherever you go. Desktop external hard drive disks, in their turn, boast higher capacity and are perfect for home use. However, they require connection to the mains (via power adapter).
Capacity
The next parameter to take into consideration is the capacity of every external hard disk drive. To put it simpler, this feature tells you how much data a device can store. For some customers, this is the most important feature for choosing an external HDD. The capacity ranges from several hundred megabytes (200MB, 500MB, 750MB) on some outdated models to several terabytes (1TB, 2TB, 3 TB) on the newest HDDs. The latter are much better in terms of price to capacity ratio.
Speed
Next, you should know the precise speed (or, in other words, the data transfer rate) which determines how fast the data can be transferred from/to the external hard drive. With ever-increasing data amounts and file sizes, speed becomes a really important performance indicator. The speed primarily depends on what type of USB interface is used: it can be either USB 2.0 (in this case the maximum data transfer rate reaches 480 Mb/s) or USB 3.0 (it's much faster - up to 5 Gb/s). Of course, the maximum speed is guaranteed only if both a computer and an external HDD support USB 3.0. However, that isn't the only parameter determining the performance of the device - you should also know the spindle rotation speed - the higher it is, the faster your HDD works. Modern external hard drive disks boast a spindle rotation speed of 5400 RPM or 7200 RPM.
Size andDesign
Another important feature is the size and design. It determines not only how an external HDD looks but also the form factor and weight of the device. The form factor or the size is measured in inches. Most commonly, the form factor of external hard drive disks varies from 2.5' to 3.5' - it's, actually, the size of magnetic disc inside the casing. No need to say, the smaller the form factor is, the more compact and lightweight the device is. However, bigger external hard drives usually have a larger capacity.
OS Compatibility and Backup
External hard drive disks come with different default file systems and that's why you should always be fully aware if the device can work with your operating system. For example, if you have a device featuring FAT32 file management system, you won't be able to use it with iMac. Of course, you can reformat the external HDD and after that it will become Mac-friendly, but it will require deleting all your files. In general, the most widespread operating system (Windows, Mac OS, and Linux) run on different file systems (FAT, FAT32, NTFS, ext4), so if a new external hard drive doesn't work with your, say, Ubuntu Linux - just reformat it and everything will be fine. Finally, any worthy external HDD must provide the maximum security of the data stored on it. And that's why different back-up technologies are used. Some USB external hard drives are capable of performing local backups, which means the files are copied to the external hard drive. Some models support cloud backup, i.e. your files are copied to a remote cloud storage. The backups are usually carried out automatically, so you just need to configure the backup schedule.
Sources:
1. Natalia RealHOW TO BUY AN EXTERNAL HARD DRIVE, Digital Trends. December 9, 2012.
2. Lisa JohnstonTips for Buying a Portable or External Hard Drive, Lifewire. February 14, 2017.
3. Dong NgoStorage buying guide, CNET. November 20, 2015.
4. Michael BrownHow to buy the best portable hard drive, PCWorld. December 5, 2012.
5. Hard disk drive, Wikipedia.
6. Caron BeesleyGot Backup? Finding the Best Backup Option for Your Small Business Data, SBA. February 16, 2012.
7. Desire Athow10 Things to Consider When Buying An External Hard-disk based Storage Device, ITProPortal. June 24, 2008.
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