Buying an external hard drive or solid-state drive for your Mac is much like buying one for your Windows PC; most computers of either stripe now have at least one oval USB-C port for drive connections. The main difference? Some drives designed for Macs utilize the pro-focused Thunderbolt interface for extremely fast data transfers. Do you just want to back up using Time Machine or stash an extensive video collection? An inexpensive, non-Thunderbolt drive that isn't explicitly intended for Macs should suffice. We've been testing PC storage for four decades, and for every drive we review, our analysts run standardized benchmark tests measuring speed and program launch times, and assess drives on design, bundled software, cost per gigabyte, and more. Our top general-use external SSD for Macs is Crucial's X10, but we have plenty of other top-tested picks, plus all the shopping advice you need.
Overview
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![Crucial X10]()
Best General-Use External SSD for MacCrucial X10
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![Samsung Portable SSD T9]()
Best High-Speed External SSD for MacSamsung Portable SSD T9
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![LaCie Rugged SSD Pro]()
Best Rugged External SSD for MacLaCie Rugged SSD Pro
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![LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5]()
Best Thunderbolt 5 External SSD for MacLaCie Rugged SSD Pro5
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![Corsair EX400U]()
Best Mac-Friendly SSD for iPhone VideographersCorsair EX400U
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![LaCie 2big RAID]()
Best Small Desktop RAID Hard Drive for MacLaCie 2big RAID
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![SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD]()
Best Rugged Portable Hard Drive for MacSanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
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![WD My Passport, Works with USB-C (6TB)]()
Best Portable Hard Drive for MacWD My Passport, Works with USB-C (6TB)
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![LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle]()
Best Portable Hard Drive With RAID Speed for MacLaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle
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![SanDisk Desk Drive]()
Best Desktop SSD for MacSanDisk Desk Drive
You Can Trust Our Reviews
Deeper Dive: Our Top Tested Picks
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![Crucial X10]()
Best General-Use External SSD for MacCrucial X10
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
A tiny yet highly capable external SSD, the Crucial X10 scored well in our benchmark testing and comes in capacities up to 8TB. It comes formatted in exFAT for near-universal compatibility with computers and mobile devices with a USB-C port. (Note that although its interface supports the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 standard, when used with a Mac it will revert to USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds— up to 10 Gbps.) The X10’s basic ruggedization features protect it from tumbles and meteorological threats while you’re traveling.
Note that Crucial (a brand subsidiary of memory giant Micron) is no longer making new drives, and in fact, Micron is exiting the retail memory and SSD market altogether. The company will continue to support its existing drives, however, and they're often good deals while they remain in sales channels.
Who It’s For
Anyone in need of high-capacity storage: The X10 is a storage device with near-universal appeal. Its native exFAT format makes it compatible with macOS, Windows, and Linux machines as well as Android, iOS, and ChromeOS devices. As a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 device, it should work with almost every modern computer with a USB-C connection. Factor in capacities up to 8TB and basic ruggedization, and you can't go too wrong with the X10. In a difficult storage market, it is relatively cost-effective per gigabyte, even at its higher capacities, and it can hold a sizeable game, video, or photo library.
Frequent travelers: The Crucial X10 is a great choice for travel, thanks to its lightweight, compact design. It is reasonably rugged, certified drop-proof up to 7.5 feet, and has an IP65 ingress protection rating, which indicates protection against dust and water. Note, though, that it lacks AES encryption, so you might want to avoid storing sensitive documents on it when you travel.
Specs & Configurations
Bus Type PCI Express 3.0 x4 Capacity (Tested) 4 Controller Maker Silicon Motion Interface (Computer Side) USB-C Internal Form Factor Not Applicable Internal or External External NAND Type TLC NVMe Support Rated Maximum Sequential Read 2100 Rated Maximum Sequential Write 2000 Warranty Length 5 Learn More Crucial X10 Review -
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![Samsung Portable SSD T9]()
Best High-Speed External SSD for MacSamsung Portable SSD T9
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Samsung Portable SSD T9 is a high-performance external drive, offered in capacities up to 4TB and with an interface that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, which is blazing fast if you have a Mac with a port that supports this standard. It was fast with our Windows testbed (which has a 2x2 expansion card) and surprisingly quick when tested with an older MacBook Pro with a Thunderbolt 3/USB 3.1 Gen 2 port. AES 256-bit hardware-based encryption, the gold standard in civilian encryption solutions, and an upgraded Samsung Magician software suite sweeten the deal.
Who It's For
Mac-based content creators: Billed as a drive for creators, the Samsung Portable SSD T9 is a smart choice for Mac users who need to access or back up large files. Available in sizes up to 4TB, it’s fast, too, according to our extensive tests.
Windows users: Users with Windows-based computers that support USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 will appreciate this SSD's speed and capacity. Goodies such as hardware-based encryption sweeten the pot.
Specs & Configurations
Bus Type PCI Express 3.0 x4 Capacity (Tested) 4 Interface (Computer Side) USB-C Internal or External External NAND Type TLC NVMe Support Rated Maximum Sequential Read 2000 Rated Maximum Sequential Write 2000 Warranty Length 5 Learn More Samsung Portable SSD T9 Review -
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![LaCie Rugged SSD Pro]()
Best Rugged External SSD for MacLaCie Rugged SSD Pro
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro takes a Seagate FireCuda NVMe solid-state drive, connects it to a Thunderbolt 3 interface, and puts it in a silicone-wrapped, crush-resistant aluminum case with a colossal IP67 ruggedness rating—dust-tight and able to survive 30 minutes in shallow water, even if you forget to close the rubber flap over the Thunderbolt 3 port. That adds up to a somewhat specialized device, best appreciated by videographers shooting outdoors with Mac laptops, but with a terrific mix of speed and sturdiness.
Who It's For
Content creators: The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is tailor-made for Apple content creators (and others with Thunderbolt-friendly machines) shooting and working in the great outdoors. Videographers, photographers, and film editors will love this SSD's speed, and its extreme ruggedness makes it ideal for off-site and outdoor use in projects such as nature documentaries.
Well-heeled travelers who use Macs: The Rugged SSD Pro comes in at a relatively high cost per gigabyte, but it should still appeal to Mac users whose adventures take them well off the beaten path. This zippy SSD's ruggedization features should protect the drive from anything Mother Nature throws at it.
Specs & Configurations
Bus Type PCI Express 3.0 x4 Capacity (Tested) 1 Interface (Computer Side) Thunderbolt 3 Internal or External External NAND Type TLC NVMe Support Rated Maximum Sequential Read 2880 Rated Maximum Sequential Write 2880 Warranty Length 5 Learn More LaCie Rugged SSD Pro Review -
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![LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5]()
Best Thunderbolt 5 External SSD for MacLaCie Rugged SSD Pro5
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
Built for full compatibility with the latest Thunderbolt 5-equipped Mac and Windows computers, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 is screaming fast when paired with a recent Mac that supports that standard. It is rugged as all get-out, too, receiving an ingress protection rating of IP68—the highest possible score for imperviousness to water and dirt that a product can get—and is built to survive drops of up to 10 feet. We also like its five-year warranty, subscription to a data recovery service, and the inclusion of LaCie Toolkit backup software.
Who It's For
People who own the latest Macs: Aimed squarely at Mac users and other creative pros who have (or are looking to upgrade to) a Thunderbolt 5-ready computer, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 has blazing read and write speeds—the fastest we've seen on an external SSD—on the Blackmagic benchmark, which tests how an SSD handles video files in different formats. Be forewarned that you do pay for its elite performance, though.
Photographers, videographers, and audio engineers: LaCie gears the Pro5 to creative professionals such as photographers, videographers, and audio specialists, and describes the SSD—which comes in capacities up to 4TB—as the industry's fastest scratch disk. It enables real-time editing of 8K and 6K RAW footage.
Creative pros on the go: The Pro5's IP68 ingress protection rating ensures maximum protection from dirt, dust, and water, and it’s been shown to survive 10-foot drops unscathed. This all makes it a great fit for professionals who spend more time on set or in the great outdoors than in the studio.
Specs & Configurations
Capacity (Tested) 4 Interface (Computer Side) Thunderbolt 5 Internal Form Factor Not Applicable Internal or External External NVMe Support Rated Maximum Sequential Read 6700 Rated Maximum Sequential Write 5300 Warranty Length 5 Learn More LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 Review -
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Credit: Joseph Maldonado
![Corsair EX400U]()
Best Mac-Friendly SSD for iPhone VideographersCorsair EX400U
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The Corsair EX400U is a compact external SSD that scored well on both our Mac-based benchmarks running Thunderbolt 4 and our Windows tests over a USB4 connection. The highly portable EX400U also offers a neat feature: Its MagSafe connector can attach to a compatible Apple iPhone, letting you transfer or even directly record video over its USB-C connection.
Who It's For
Smartphone videographers: If you shoot enough video that your phone's storage fills up quickly, the compact EX400U can solve that problem. It can be magnetically attached to your phone, letting you transfer or even save video as it is shot while connected in that way.
Dual-OS (Mac and Windows) users: The EX400U plays well with both macOS and Windows. In testing, it showed high transfer speeds when paired with a Mac running Thunderbolt 4 and with our Windows testbed, which supports USB4.
Specs & Configurations
Capacity (Tested) 2 Controller Maker Phison Interface (Computer Side) USB4 Internal Form Factor Not Applicable Internal or External External NAND Type TLC Rated Maximum Sequential Read 4000 Rated Maximum Sequential Write 3600 Warranty Length 3 Learn More Corsair EX400U Review -
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![LaCie 2big RAID]()
Best Small Desktop RAID Hard Drive for MacLaCie 2big RAID
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The LaCie 2big RAID external hard drive, aimed squarely at videographers, photographers, and other content creators, earns kudos for design excellence. The handsome gray and black case houses two spinning-platter drives—4TB each in the 8TB version we tested. You can configure the 2big so your computer sees it as two separate 4TB drives, a single 8TB drive with faster performance, or a 4TB drive automatically mirrored or backed up to a second. You can also hot-swap drives, easily sliding an old one out and a new one in without tools and without turning the LaCie unit off.
The 2big RAID array promises reliability and delivers the performance benefit you'd expect from 7,200rpm platters, magnified by the default RAID 0 setting. The optional RAID 1 setting is available if you want data redundancy. (A JBOD mode is also available if you don't want to use RAID.)
Who It's For
Mac creators: The LaCie 2big RAID desktop array offers cavernous capacity to creative types and others who need to work with massive amounts of data. When we reviewed it, it was available in capacities up to 16TB, but the company has since added even higher volumes, up to a monstrous 40TB.
Windows users: The LaCie 2big RAID ships formatted in exFAT for Mac and Windows compatibility. It provides voluminous capacity and can be configured in multiple ways.
Specs & Configurations
Backup Software Included? Cables Included USB-C to USB-A Cables Included USB-C to USB-C Capacity 8 Drive Type External Desktop Other Features Hot swappable drives Spin Rate 7200 System-Side Interface Thunderbolt 3 System-Side Interface USB 3.0 Warranty (Parts/Labor) 5 Learn More LaCie 2big RAID Review Review -
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![SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD]()
Best Rugged Portable Hard Drive for MacSanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD is a cost-effective, semi-rugged external hard drive with capacities of up to 5TB. As a spinning (5,400rpm) platter drive, its speed can't compare with a solid-state drive's, but it fills a niche for travelers or mobile workers who need lots of capacity for their dollar. With a rubber bumper and internal shock mounts, the ArmorATD is rated to survive up to 1,000 pounds of pressure or a drop from 3.3 feet. Its ingress protection (IP) rating of IP54 promises some security against sand and rain. It comes formatted in Mac-friendly HFS+, one of two formats (along with APFS) compatible with the macOS Time Machine backup system.
Who It's For
Mac users: SanDisk’s G-Drive line has traditionally been geared toward Mac users, and that remains the case now that G-Drive is a premium SanDisk Professional offering. The ArmorATD comes formatted in the Mac-only HFS+ file system, and reformatting it for Windows use can be onerous if you don’t own a Mac.
Travelers: The ArmorATD is best for traveling Mac users who want a drive that can withstand a tumble or a rainstorm and has a higher capacity for the price than an SSD. It provides basic protection from dust, sand, and water, so it’s a good choice for people—whether workers or campers—who spend time in the outdoors but don’t go on extreme wilderness treks.
Specs & Configurations
Cables Included USB-C to USB-A Cables Included USB-C to USB-C Capacity 2 Drive Type External Portable Spin Rate 5400 System-Side Interface USB 3.0 USB Powered? Warranty (Parts/Labor) 3 Learn More SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorATD Review -
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![WD My Passport, Works with USB-C (6TB)]()
Best Portable Hard Drive for MacWD My Passport, Works with USB-C (6TB)
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The WD My Passport USB-C is available with the highest capacity (6TB) of any pocketable spinning hard drive on the market today. Despite its name, it connects via a USB Micro-B port—its included cable is a Micro-B-to-USB-Type-A, and it also comes with an A-to-C dongle for connecting to a computer's USB-C port. It comes formatted in exFAT for compatibility with both macOS and Windows. Its speeds on our benchmarks were actually a little faster than the similar 6TB WD My Passport Ultra with its native USB-C port—though still far below those of portable SSDs—and it's priced a little lower.
Who It's For
Occasional travelers: The WD My Passport, Works with USB-C is good for occasional travel; its AES 256-bit encryption should keep your data safe if the drive is lost or stolen. It is shock- and vibration-resistant, and drop-resistant up to 6.5 feet. But without an ingress protection rating, you may not want to take it on a wilderness trip.
Bargain hunters: The My Passport is one of the first 6TB portable spinning hard drives, and especially at its highest capacity, it comes in at a very low cost per gigabyte, so you can get a lot of storage, cheap. The 6TB WD My Passport USB-C lists at a minuscule 3.2 cents per gig.
Business users: It brings the highest capacity available in a portable hard drive, making it a decent repository for media files. Acronis True Image backup software and 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption further sweeten the deal. This drive is a winner for businesses that seek high capacity and value in a platter hard drive and appreciate built-in software and security features.
Specs & Configurations
Backup Software Included? Cables Included USB Micro-B-to-A Cables Included USB-A-to-C adapter Capacity 6 Drive Type External Portable Spin Rate 5400 System-Side Interface USB 3.2 USB Powered? Warranty (Parts/Labor) 3 -
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![LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle]()
Best Portable Hard Drive With RAID Speed for MacLaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
LaCie's two-drive Rugged RAID Shuttle provides 8TB of capacity and fast performance (in striped mode) or 4TB of capacity with all data mirrored on the second disk. It's ideal for anyone who works in the field and produces mountains of data. Its crush-resistant gray brushed-aluminum case houses two physical drives, with a choice of RAID settings prioritizing performance or on-the-fly backup. The unit meets the IP54 dust and water resistance spec and is rated to survive a four-foot drop. It fits easily in a gear bag or a padded overnight express envelope to let pros send files to the office or studio when data connections are slow or nonexistent.
Who It's For
Mac-based creative professionals: Designed with creative professionals such as filmmakers, photographers, and musicians in mind, the LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle is aimed at anyone who works in the field and produces large amounts of data they can't afford to lose. Out of the box, the LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle is formatted in exFAT, ensuring compatibility with both Mac and Windows systems. It delivers an unmatched balance of performance, capacity, and data protection.
Travelers: Few RAID arrays are grab-and-go, but the LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle is a welcome exception. This two-drive unit offers the choice of high capacity and fast performance (in striped mode), or of half the capacity with all data mirrored on the second disk. It's ideal for anyone who works in the field and produces oodles of data. Its IP54 ingress protection rating ensures some resistance to water, sand, and dust.
Specs & Configurations
Backup Software Included? Cables Included USB-C to USB-A Cables Included USB-C to USB-C Capacity 8 Drive Type External Portable Spin Rate 5400 System-Side Interface Thunderbolt 3 System-Side Interface USB 3.0 USB Powered? Warranty (Parts/Labor) 3 Learn More LaCie Rugged RAID Shuttle Review Review -
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![SanDisk Desk Drive]()
Best Desktop SSD for MacSanDisk Desk Drive
Pros & Cons
Why We Picked It
The SanDisk Desk Drive is an external solid-state drive for use with a Mac or Windows desktop or laptop workstation and is a fine substitute for a spinning external hard drive. Available in capacities up to 8TB (with a 16TB model to come), it comes formatted in Mac-friendly exFAT and includes a download for Acronis True Image backup software. It aced our PCMark 10 Overall general-storage benchmark and did well in the 3DMark Storage gaming-centric test.
Who It's For
Users in fixed locations: The SanDisk Desk Drive provides abundant storage when paired with a Mac or Windows machine at a fixed location, whether a desktop or a laptop workstation. It is far faster than similar hard-drive-based solutions. Its bulk and reliance on an AC adapter make it less than ideal for portable use.
Gamers, photographers, and movie buffs: With current capacities of up to 8TB, the Desk Drive can store a library of more than 50 AAA games, a video collection, or a photo archive. It provides the sort of peak capacity previously only seen with platter drives on the desktop, but it is significantly faster.
Specs & Configurations
Bus Type PCI Express 3.0 x4 Capacity (Tested) 8 Interface (Computer Side) USB Type-A or Type-C Internal or External External NAND Type TLC NVMe Support Rated Maximum Sequential Read 1000 Warranty Length 3 Learn More SanDisk Desk Drive Review -
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Best For | Best General-Use External SSD for Mac | Best High-Speed External SSD for Mac | Best Rugged External SSD for Mac | Best Thunderbolt 5 External SSD for Mac | Best Mac-Friendly SSD for iPhone Videographers | Best Small Desktop RAID Hard Drive for Mac | Best Rugged Portable Hard Drive for Mac | Best Portable Hard Drive for Mac | Best Portable Hard Drive With RAID Speed for Mac | Best Desktop SSD for Mac | Best General-Use External SSD for Mac | Best High-Speed External SSD for Mac | Best Rugged External SSD for Mac |
Warranty Length | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 5 | 5 | ||||
Warranty (Parts/Labor) | 5 | 3 | 3 | 3 | |||||||||
USB Powered? | |||||||||||||
System-Side Interface | Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0 | USB 3.0 | USB 3.2 | Thunderbolt 3, USB 3.0 | |||||||||
Spin Rate | 7200 | 5400 | 5400 | 5400 | |||||||||
Rated Maximum Sequential Write | 2000 | 2000 | 2880 | 5300 | 3600 | 2000 | 2000 | 2880 | |||||
Rated Maximum Sequential Read | 2100 | 2000 | 2880 | 6700 | 4000 | 1000 | 2100 | 2000 | 2880 | ||||
Other Features | Hot swappable drives | ||||||||||||
NVMe Support | |||||||||||||
NAND Type | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | TLC | |||||
Internal or External | External | External | External | External | External | External | External | External | External | ||||
Internal Form Factor | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | Not Applicable | |||||||||
Interface (Computer Side) | USB-C | USB-C | Thunderbolt 3 | Thunderbolt 5 | USB4 | USB Type-A or Type-C | USB-C | USB-C | Thunderbolt 3 | ||||
Drive Type | External Desktop | External Portable | External Portable | External Portable | |||||||||
Controller Maker | Silicon Motion | Phison | Silicon Motion | ||||||||||
Capacity (Tested) | 4 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 1 | ||||
Capacity | 8 | 2 | 6 | 8 | |||||||||
Cables Included | USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to USB-A | USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to USB-A | USB Micro-B-to-A, USB-A-to-C adapter | USB-C to USB-C, USB-C to USB-A | |||||||||
Bus Type | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | PCI Express 3.0 x4 | ||||||
Backup Software Included? |
Buying Guide: The Best External Hard Drives and SSDs for Mac in 2026
What File System Is Best for a Mac External Hard Drive?
Before we get to Thunderbolt, we need to address a fundamental building block of hard drives that has always affected compatibility and probably always will: the file system.
An external drive's file system is the most critical factor in determining whether it's readable by Macs, PCs, or both. Starting with macOS "High Sierra," Cupertino ditched its venerable Mac OS Extended file system, commonly abbreviated as HFS+, and switched to an entirely new file system. It's simply called the Apple File System (APFS), the first format used across both Macs and iOS devices.
What Is the Difference Between Mac OS Extended (HFS+) and APFS?
You'll find many benefits to switching from HFS+ to APFS, including better security thanks to native encryption, but the most essential thing to note for external-drive shoppers is backward-compatibility. Any drive formatted with HFS+ will work just fine with a Mac that's running 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 formatting your drive with the exFAT file system. You won't get the security and efficiency of APFS, but you will enjoy the convenience of transferring files back and forth between Windows and macOS with ease, simply by plugging in and unplugging your drive.
(Credit: Kyle Cobian)Of course, you can easily wipe and reformat most external drives, so you're not limited to buying only those intended for use with Macs. If you really fancy a consumer-oriented drive formatted for Windows (which will usually come pre-formatted in the NTFS format), you can use the macOS Disk Utility to reformat it after you bring it home from the store. Some highly specialized external drives may not work with Macs, even if they're formatted correctly, but consumers looking for extra space simply to store backups or extensive video collections are unlikely to encounter this issue.
External Drives: SSDs vs. Spinning Platters
Once you've settled on a file system, you must determine which storage medium you want: solid-state or spinning disk. Each has its advantages and disadvantages, and—unlike the file system—the type you buy is the type you're stuck with for the life of the drive.
A solid-state drive (SSD) offers quick access to your data because it stores your bits in a type of flash memory rather than on spinning platters. SSDs are often smaller and lighter than spinning external drives, as well, which is also thanks to the lack of moving parts. Most fit into a jacket or pants pocket, making them a better choice if you're looking for a portable external drive that you'll frequently carry with you. (See our overall picks for favorite external SSDs.)
One major downside, however, is that they're more expensive. You could pay more than 20 cents per gigabyte for an SSD, while spinning drives can be had for less than 10 cents per gigabyte, and often much less. External SSDs also have lower capacity limits, with most drives topping out at either 2TB or 4TB. Compare that with external spinning drives, which are readily available in capacities exceeding 8TB for desktop-style drives or up to 6TB for portable ones.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)For professional videographers who edit large amounts of 4K footage and gamers or movie buffs with extensive libraries of multi-gigabyte titles, an external RAID array comprising multiple platter-based drives is worth considering, as it combines speed approaching that of an SSD with the vast capacities of spinning drives. An array contains two or more drives that work together to increase throughput or protect your precious files against corruption via drive redundancy, in case one of the drives fails. (Or both; it depends on how the array is set up.) The result is that you can achieve SSD-like speeds, with throughput exceeding 400MB per second, and capacities that top out at nearly 50TB. You'll pay handsomely, of course—some Mac-specific arrays cost thousands of dollars.
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. These come in both portable and "desktop" versions.
The portables are obviously smaller and based on the kinds of 2.5-inch platter drives used in laptops. Desktop-style external hard drives are larger and based on the more robust and capacious 3.5-inch drives used in full-size desktop PCs. They require their own AC power source. Portable drives don't have a power plug; they get the juice they need to run through their data interface.
Does Thunderbolt Matter, or Will USB-C Do?
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 trade-offs.
Every current Mac comes with oval-shaped USB Type-C ports that support Thunderbolt speeds. Some Macs have Thunderbolt 4, while older ones have Thunderbolt 3, but both have the same 40Gbps maximum throughput, which is many times the speed of regular USB-C ports. Starting in 2024, some high-end Macs, equipped with M4 Pro or M4 Max silicon, have Thunderbolt 5 ports; this latest standard normally supports throughput speeds up to 80Gbps.
Unfortunately, you won't find all that many Thunderbolt-compatible drives on the market. Some Mac-specific drives are even still sold with USB 3.0 connectors. Moreover, the Thunderbolt drives you can buy are constrained by the maximum throughput of the drive itself rather than the Thunderbolt interface. Until a few years ago, most external SSDs topped out at around 600MBps, for instance, due to the bus types used by the drives inside the chassis. That's more than fast enough for backups and occasionally transferring multi-gigabyte files, but considerably lower than Thunderbolt's maximum throughput.
(Credit: Joseph Maldonado)However, that speed ceiling is rising. While older external SSDs have been limited by the internal electronics (generally a drive and controller using the older Serial ATA bus inside the drive), late-model drives use different internal components based on PCI Express drives using the NVMe protocol. These kinds of components in newer drives help Thunderbolt reach more of its speed potential. Drives with rated peak reads and writes in the 1,000MBps to 3,500MBps range indicate one of these PCI Express/NVMe drives. (Again, see our roundup of the best external SSDs for more discussion of this.)
You can insist on Thunderbolt support if you know you need all the speed you can get, but a USB-C drive will be a better pick if you're more price-sensitive or need to use the drive with a PC. With USB-only drives, some manufacturers include a USB Type-C cable for people who own a USB Type-C-only Mac, and you can always pick up a converter for a few dollars online if the drive you're eyeing doesn't offer one. And don't forget that some recent Macs, such as the Mac Studio, come with USB 3.1 ports, so they won't require adapters.
Can I Use Any External Hard Drive for a Mac?
Drives intended for PCs sometimes come bundled with software that isn't compatible with macOS, but that doesn't mean you can't use such drives with Macs as long as you format them correctly, as mentioned above. This essentially means that you can use almost any external hard drive with a Mac, even if it doesn't specifically say that it's Mac-compatible. As for the drive's software, you can often replicate it using features built into macOS. For example, some drives come with software that automatically backs up your files to the drive when connected. Such software isn't as much of a consideration for Mac users, who already have an excellent built-in backup option in the form of Time Machine. (See our guide to using Time Machine for backups.)
(Credit: Molly Flores)Unless your drive is never going to leave your home or office, you should also consider its physical durability. Rugged, waterproof drives are a fine option not just for surfers and BMX riders, as their marketing suggests, but also for people 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 plugged into your Mac. Some drives come in a variety of colors, and many others feature copious amounts of aluminum and industrial-chic styling to match the design cues of your MacBook or iMac.
Ready to Buy the Right External Hard Drive for Your Mac?
In this guide, we've selected a host of our favorite drives, all of which were tested on both Windows and macOS testbed systems. For more external drive options, check out our main list of best external hard drives, as well as our top picks for external SSDs.