Best Wireless Hard Drive For Mac

Hard drive spin speeds also matter here, as conventional 5,400RPM hard drives are reliable and silent, while 7,200RPM hard drives spin faster and have faster transfer speeds at the expense of noise. The Passport Wireless hard drive is a great Wi-Fi external hard drive for people with an Apple product as some users reported difficulties connecting their device to Windows models. The Passport Wireless hard drive aims to offer incredible Internet speeds and I feel that it lives up to its promises. The Best Wireless Hard Drives. These specialized drives can protect the snapshots, videos, and other memories you create on your tablet or smartphone—as well as stream them to multiple mobile. Western Digital is building a good collection of wireless drives, and the My Passport Wireless SSD is an excellent addition. As the name suggests, it has an SSD (Solid State Drive) which means it's. These USB-C hard drives for Mac can back up or beef up your storage Here are our favorite USB-C hard drives for your Mac, because USB-C is the future. Grabbing an external hard drive is a great way to store backups, music, movies, files, and more!

1. Make External Hard Drive Wireless
2. Best Wireless Hard Drive For Macbook Pro
3. Best Wireless Hard Drive For Mac

For those who chose a MacBook over an ordinary laptop must be short for some storage space, right? Well, upgrading storage space through apple is as costly as purchasing a new laptop. In this case, an external hard drive is less expensive and beneficial for storage requirements.

You can switch your external hard drive from a Mac to a pc which makes data transfer for two different OS easier. Furthermore, external hard disks are less likely to get corrupted and are portable in nature.

Macbooks generally have SSDs which are capable of loading a program quickly but more likely to low on storage.

Furthermore, SSDs are quite costly and upgrading an SSD on a Macbook is definitely costlier than you could even imagine. An external hard drive is best for storing data such as photos, videos, movies, rendered projects and more.

Contents

• 1 Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2021
  • 1.3 3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)
  • 1.4 4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)
  • 1.5 5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt
  • 1.6 6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)
  • 1.7 7. Adata SD700 External SSD
  • 1.8 8. LaCie Rugged USB-C
  • 1.9 9. Samsung X5 (1TB)
  • 1.10 10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
• 2 What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?
• 3 External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?

Best External Hard Drives for MacBook in 2021

Although choosing an external hard drive is a complicated process but we have made a list of 10 best external hard drives for Mac that you should consider before your final decision.

1. Samsung Portable SSD T5

Starting off Samsung Portable SSD T5 which is an outstanding storage device, it can reach up to a speed of 550 MB per second for data transfer which is amazing. You can directly plug it into a USB-C port or USB-A port.

It contains no moving parts therefore chances of getting damaged due to mishandling are less. Even though SSD is costlier than a hard drive, the speed it offers is commendable. You will notice a significant boost in the overall performance while doing stuff that requires you to load large files and programs.

Overall, the SSD is fantastic but only if you can spare a few more bucks than your actual budget. You can get the SSD ranging from 250 GB to 2 TB from Amazon with some additional discounts.

2. Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive

Western Digital My Passport 4TB external hard drive is the newest generation of external hard disks and is available in capacities from 1 TB to up to 4 TB. It offers cloud storage and 256-AES encryption alongside WD's software for backups.

The data transfer speeds won't disappoint you and the drive offers speed similar to what an SSD provides. If you are looking for a drive with good data transfer rate and maximum storage, consider Western Digital My Passport 4TB as a choice.

3. Seagate Backup Plus Slim (2 TB)

If you are looking for a reliable, portable, and affordable hard disk, Seagate backup plus slim is the thing you should have a look at. It supports Windows and Mac both and perfect for storing your essential data right away.

With the Seagate dashboard backup system, you can schedule backups and never lose your important files anymore. Backup automation can be set for daily, monthly, weekly or your desired time-frequency.

Also Check:

Alongside, Seagate also provides a two-month membership for adobe creative cloud photography plan and a one-year subscription to Mylio create to manage your photo library.

• Affordable price
• Metal body
• Supports USB 3.0
• Comes with an automation backup software

• Doesn't support USB 3.0 cables

4. Western Digital My Book (8 TB)

This Hard disk is probably for creators and organizations that require a lot of storage for various purposes. Faster data transmission rate will let you transfer data in the meantime, all thanks to USB 3.0 support.

It also offers 256 AES encryption for securing your data and makes sure your personal data is secured in the storage device. Even though it meets the requirements of a regular user, the only thing where Western Digital My Book (8 TB) lacks is portability.

Therefore, if you are looking for a hard disk for work purposes and if portability is not an issue, Western Digital My Book (8 TB) is definitely the right choice.

• High storage
• Data encryption
• Compatible with the time machine

• Requires power source to work
• Not portable

5. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt

Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt offers data transmission at a speed of twice of what USB 3.0 offers. You can enjoy this feature if your device has a thunderbolt port. Another good thing about Buffalo MiniStation thunderbolt is its price. It is affordable and portable.

• Also Check: 10 Best Cooling Pads For MacBook Pro Reviewed

However, it is a hard drive, not a solid-state, therefore, the data transmission will definitely be high but the overall performance of your pc will remain unchanged. Lastly, if you don't have a thunderbolt port in your pc, you can use the traditional USB 3.0 port.

• USB 3.0 port
• Affordable
• Formatted for Mac

• Not a Solid State drive

6. G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB)

With the new products, Apple is on its way to completely shift to USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports but there are still some people who are using old hardware and for them, G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 (4TB) is going to work like a charm.

The body of the HDD is made up of metal which makes it durable and strong against accidents such as dropping off the drive on the floor or whatnot. It runs at a speed of 7200 RPM and can transfer data at a rate of 195 MB/s which is efficient for transferring music, videos and software.

• Metallic body for durability
• High data transmission rate
• USB 3.0

• Should be reformatted for Windows OS

7. Adata SD700 External SSD

Adata SD700 is an affordable External SSD which is IP68 rated which certainly makes it a water-resistant storage device. The overall performance of this SSD is commendable and as per our research, Adata SD700 External SSD is the only SSD with an IP68 rating.

You can expect faster transfer rates and better booting speed if you are planning to install an OS on the SSD. Don't worry about the storage space as it is available in 1 TB capacity also. The maximum read and write speed is up to 440 MB/S, all thanks to the USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.

• Lightweight and portable
• Shock resistant
• Supports Android, Mac, and Windows
• 3 years of Warranty

• Mac users must format it to FAT32 to use this product

8. LaCie Rugged USB-C

Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk can be distinguished easily because of its unique rubber casing that makes sure your hard drive doesn't get damaged when it drops from up to 1.3 m height. It can withstand rain, dust and can even survive 1-ton pressure. This is certainly the best choice for content creators.

Alongside hard disk, you will also get access to a one-month subscription to Adobe creative cloud all apps plan. The company also provides 3 years of warranty for the device and will also help you to restore the data if lost.

Also Check:

In terms of speed, Lacie rugged USB-C hard disk is not very fast as it provides only 120 MB/s which is comparatively lesser than the HDDs mentioned in this listicle. However, there are various variants available for this hard disk on Amazon.

• Durability
• Affordable
• Resistant to water

• Lesser data transmission speed

9. Samsung X5 (1TB)

Samsung never disappoints with its amazing hardware capabilities. With Samsung X5, you can transfer data at a rate of 2,300 MB/s which is the fastest speed an SSD can provide you. The build quality is super amazing as it is made up of metal, making it stronger than storage disks that are made up of plastic bodies.

The shock-resistant capability can save up your drive from a fall of 2 meters. Alongside this, it comes with Thunderbolt 3 technology that is ideal for faster data transfer of up to 40 GB per second which is unbelievable. You can take full advantage of this SSD on your MacBook or Macbook pro without having to format anything.

• High data transmission rate
• Supports thunderbolt 3
• Shock-resistant up to 2 meters

• Heats up really quick
• Comparatively expensive than the other disks

10. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive

In terms of flexibility, Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive is really good as it supports both Mac and windows out of the box. The disk doesn't get damaged due to dust and water which is again a positive point.

It encrypts the user data at 256 bit AES security which additionally makes everything on the drive, secure. Overall, it is a great drive for Mac owners as well as windows owners too.

• Secure for handling user data
• Protects from water and dust

• Low-speed data transfer

What things to consider while buying External Hard Drive For Mac?

So those were some of the best external hard disk drive solutions for Mac. However, you must be confused about which external HDD to choose. But not to worry, let me just point some of the key factors that you need to consider while buying an external hard drive:

1. Storage

One of the first and the most important thing that you need to consider is the storage space of your external HDD. As you already know that Macbook does not come with a huge space. Hence, you better choose something which offers you enough space to store all your files.

For many users, 1 TB of space should be good enough. But if you need to store a huge number of files and save them for a longer period of time, then getting 2TB of HDD would be an ideal choice.

Apart from 1TB and 2TB of storage options, you can also consider getting huge storage options like 4TB. But for a day to day work, 4TB of HDD does not help much. Also, they are quite expensive.

2. Transfer speed

After the storing capacity, transfer speed is the second most important thing that you have to consider. You don't want to get an external hard disk drive for Mac, which takes too long to copy files. Instead, you need something that can get the job done as quickly as possible.

So the first thing that you must do is avoid USB 2.0 powered external HDD. As they are outdated and not fast enough. Instead, you should get an external HDD with USB 3.0, 3.1 Gen 1 or USB 3.2 Gen 1. All of these are capable of offering an exceptional transfer speed. On the other hand, I would like to recoomend you to buy the best external SSD for Mac that offers good transfer speed.

3. Compatibility

The next thing you need to check its compatibility. External HDD formatted for Windows 10 may have connectivity issues with Mac OS and vise versa. So since you are using a Mac powered machine, I would recommend you to get an external HDD with Mac OS compatibility.

Although there is no need to focus on the compatibility part way too much. Since you can always format your external HDD using a Windows Computer with exFat Format. So you can easily use the HDD with your Macbook. But yes, if you get a pre compatible external hard disk drive then it saves you from extra work and headaches that you have to face.

4. Security

If you are someone who takes security really seriously, then you must look for security features. Most of the manufacturers do ship security software and backup software. So you can easily encrypt your drive or take a backup of it. Even, if you don't consider the encryption feature, the backup feature is something that you must and should consider.

Even to make sure your HDD stays safe, they use strong casing from physical damage. So you can consider getting such external hard disk drives that save you from every side.

External Hard Drive Vs SSD: Which one is good for MacBook Pro?

Whenever it comes to a primary storage solution for computers, HDD and SSD's are the only solutions we have. However, in the last couple of years, the usage of HDD has dropped drastically, and people are not moving to SSD's for better performance.

But there are quite a lot of users who are still unaware of the difference between a hard disk drive and a solid state drive or SSD.

However, not to worry, let me just draw a quick difference between both and help you to understand better.

1. Storage Capacity

HDD's are a great option if you want something for storage. HDD's are available in a wide range of storage capacities from 500GB to 12 TB. Even, for enterprise uses, you will find a large capacity of HDDs.

SSDs are also available with large capacities. However, when it comes to the costs of an SSD and an HDD, SSDs are quite expensive. Hence, if your main goal is to store a huge amount of data, HDD is an ideal choice.

2. Speed

Whenever it comes to speed, SSDs are a better option. Since a hard disk drive uses a round plate with a layer of magnetic material. And the data is stored on this magnetic layer only. So the disk spins and the magnetic head is used for reading and writing data.

Also, the speed that the disk spins is measured in RPM. And on average, an HDD has about 5,400 RPM, and it will have a read/write speeds of around 100 MB/s.

However, when it comes to SSD's, there are no moving parts. As a result, it offers you a much faster data transfer rate. On average, it offers you around 550 MB/s and 520 MB/s of data transfer rate.

3. Reliability & Durability

There are quite a lot of factors that determine the lifespan of drivers. However, you should know that an SSD can sustain a limited number of write cycles compared to HDD which has no read/write limits.

But you should know that SSD has a write cycle limit between 3000 and 10,000 which is a high number. So it would not be a problem for you.

Also, SSD's are lesser affected by any sort of damages compared to HDD. Since there are no moving parts in SSD, they tend to survive more. While HDD's might stop working if it encounters any physical damage.

3. Cost

Finally, let's talk about pricing. Well, if you look at the cost of both HDD and SSD, you would happily pick up an HDD. Why? Because SSD's are expensive. When you choose an HDD, you will get a large amount of capacity for a lesser price. But on the other hand, if you choose an SSD, it would cost you 3-5x of an HDD price.

In the end, the conclusion is HDD's are a better option when it comes to storing data. Of course, SSD's are faster and more reliable. But they do come with a high price. But on the other hand, if you take care of your HDD in a good manner, it will offer you great performance for years.

Wrapping it up:

So, these were the 10 best external hard drives for Macbook Air and Pro. Every disk mentioned in this article has its own pros and cons, we have tried our best to list out the good and bad in every product. For Mac users, external SSD can be really helpful for storing content and transferring it to a different place.

For MAC Owners Who Love Doing More…

If it isn't the biggest and best wireless hard drive for MAC, then I don't want it for my precious videos, photos, and backups…

But hey, it's because I take my work personal.

It's also because I never stop…

Wireless Storage Lets You Work from Bed

Even before I get out of bed I'm already hitting the keys with new ideas…

Make External Hard Drive Wireless

You might say I'm obsessed with my work.

And you'd be right because I love to create!

But to fuel my creativity I need space, disk space that is…

WiFi Storage Makes Sense

Lots of disk space which is why having a portable WiFi hard drive makes total sense for me.

Best Wireless Hard Drive For Macbook Pro

Look, for a while I tried to store my files on cheap USB thumb drives.

Hey, they're big enough and they come 3 in a pack, right?

Then I lost the thumb drive that had an important project saved on it.

I'd spent days working on this project and it really pissed me off so I don't save my important files on thumb drives anymore…

Alternative for USB Thumb Drive

But now I needed a solid alternative for storing my projects, something that was as easy to use as a thumb drive.

So after some research, and reading lots of product reviews, I figured out that buying a wireless hard drive was the answer to my storage problem.

Allison's WD Wireless SSD video convinced me…

Here's a link to see the WD 500GB My Passport Wireless SSD External Portable Drive.

BUT THAT'S NOT ALL – a wireless hard drive has more benefits…

• Simple – I can download 100s of photos from my MAC, iPhone, and DLSR every day for editing and storing.
• Fast – I can directly access and edit video files that would normally take up a huge amount of storage on my MAC. Now I only keep a few working files on my laptop hard drive and copy everything else to external storage.
• Versatile – It allows all my devices to connect using wireless so I can move around while I work (or work from bed).
• Big – I've learned the hard way to keep backups of my work. And now I even back up my backups for extra protection.

Look, I could keep on going but you can imagine by now, especially if you also love to create that having gigabytes of easy to access extra storage space is crucial for your job…

Best Wireless Hard Drive for MAC (pick from 10 Best Sellers)

• SD 3.0 card reader for fast media offloads
• Wireless 802.11ac to stream 4K videos and view photos with the My Cloud mobile app on iOS and Android* |*4K streaming requires native player on mobile device with codec support for 4K video files and is subject to mobile device capabilities, hardware and software components and configurations.
• All-day battery (up to 10 hours)* |*Based on streaming HD 720p, 3 Mbps video to one device over Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz single band only. Actual battery life depends on file size, type, format, bitrate, devices connected, Wi-Fi connectivity, settings and other factors.
• Built-in power bank to charge your phone, action camera and more (with output up to 1.5A). Compatibility - Compatible with Windows10, Windows 8.1 or Windows 7, Mac OS X El Capitan, Yosemite, Mavericks or Mountain Lion operating systems. Requires DLNA/UPnPor Plex-enabled devices for streaming
• 2-year manufacturer's limited warranty

• High speed and large capacity: 2TB storage capacity(HDD), Up to 300Mbps high speed wireless transmission, without geographical restrictions,remote access and manage the storage freely at anywhere by PC/Mobile phone, Point to Point(P2P) confidential transmission to ensure data security.
• Portable: Small size can be carried at any time, Built-in 3800Mah lithium-polymer battery, also can be used as power bank, charge your phones and other USB devices;
• Smart Control: Smart App(IOS & Android supported), smart upload/download, one Click backup, remote access easier. Supports multi-people sharing at the same time; Supports Samba and DLNA Protocol, all smart devices interconnection in the LAN, smart TVs, laptops and mobile phones can share SSKCloud data freely; Divide hard drive to Private Area and Public Area to better retain private information and improve security; One Click backup On Mobile Phones, Tablets ,PCs and iPads.
• Centralize all your data: Support IOS, Android, Windows, MAC, all have proprietary client software. Centralize all photos, videos, music and files in one safe place and easily access.. With USB Host Port , supports all kinds of USB storage devices, such as USB Disk, Card reader etc. and managed by SSKCloud App/Software

• ✔ Ultra Slim and Sturdy Metal Design: Merely 0.4 inch thick. All-Aluminum anti-scratch model delivers remarkable strength and durability, keeping this portable hard drive running cool and quiet
• ✔ A Reliable Game Drive: This PS4 external hard drive features fast and stable performance for PS4, PS4 Pro, and Xbox One, does not refuse or delete a game. Compatible with Microsoft Windows and Mac OS(10.6.5 and above) in the meantime
• ✔ Improve PC Performance: Powered by USB 3.0 technology, this USB hard drive is much faster than - but still compatible with - USB 2.0 backup drive, allowing for super fast transfer speed at up to 5 Gbit/s
• ✔ Plug and Play: This external drive is ready to use without external power supply or software installation needed. Ideal extra storage for your computer and game console
• ✔ What's Included: Portable external hard drive, 19-inch(48.26cm) USB 3.0 hard drive cable, user's manual, 3-Year manufacturer warranty with free technical support service

• ✔【 1TB HDD Hard Drive】- The iDiskk iPhone Hard Drive lets you easily transfer content between your iPhone, iPad, PC and Mac computer and instantly expands your storage by up to 1TB, freeing up your space to lets you enjoy vide/photo anytime anywhere.
• ✔【One Key Backup Photos or Videos 】-One key backup your iphone/ipad camera roll via app anytime the external hard drive is connected.Future backups only save newly added files,to avoid storage-consuming duplications.Also you can use in-app camera to take photos/videos,which will be automatically stored into the drive.
• ✔【MFi Certified & Widely Compatibility】- MFi Certified chip and connector guarantee stable and safe data transfer; USB+Type C+Micro USB (USB-C) ports guarantee it compatible with most devices (iPhone 5/6/7/8/X/XR/XS MAX,iPad series,Macbook and PC)
• ✔【Plug & Play】- iDiskk Portable Hard Drive offer simple plug and play operation,just plug it into your iphone/ipad and watch the movies directly from the hard drive during your trip or on travel.No software instalation required and intuitively drag and drop files to and from your PC or Macbook.
• ✔【What you get 】- You will get 1 x 1TB iPhone External Hard Drive, 1 x MFi Charging Cable,1 x Type-C Cable,1 x User Manual. 18 Months Worry-free Warranty & Replacement Warranty and Dedicated Email Customer Support

• Designed for Mac and Time Machine ready
• USB-C and USB-A compatible
• Password protection + 256-bit AES hardware encryption
• WD Discovery software for WD Backup, password protection and drive management
• SuperSpeed USB port; USB 2.0 compatible

• High-speed transfers with up to 550MB/s read speeds let you move hi-res photos and videos faster (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on drive capacity, host device, OS and application.)
• Ruggedized, water- and dust-resistant (IP55-rated) (IEC 60529 IP55: Tested to withstand water flow (30 kPa) at 3 Minch; limited dust contact does not interfere with the operation. Must be clean and dry before use.)
• Shock-resistant solid state core for greater durability (Shock-resistant (up to 1500G) and vibration-resistant (5g RMS, 10-2000 HZ), Non-Operating Temperature (from ‐20°C to 70°C), operating temperature (from 0°C to 45°C))
• Compact and pocket-sized
• For PC and Mac users

• Easily store and access 2TB to content on the go with the Seagate Portable Drive, a USB external hard drive
• Designed to work with Windows or Mac computers, this external hard drive makes backup a snap just drag and drop
• To get set up, connect the portable hard drive to a computer for automatic recognition no software required
• This USB drive provides plug and play simplicity with the included 18 inch USB 3.0 cable
• Enjoy long-term peace of mind with the included one-year limited warranty and 1 year rescue data recovery services

• USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 Compatibility
• Fast data transfers
• Improve PC Performance
• High Capacity; Compatibility Formatted NTFS for Windows 10, Windows 8.1, Windows 7; Reformatting may be required for other operating systems; Compatibility may vary depending on user's hardware configuration and operating system
• 2 year manufacturer's limited warranty

• USB-C ready, USB 3.0 compatible
• Innovative style with refined metal cover
• Password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption
• Formatted for Mac
• 3-year manufacturer's limited warranty

• Connect your new MacBook to any Standard-B equipped printer or scanner with the Kanex USB-C > Standard-B Cable. The built-in USB 3.0 technology will have you printing and scanning pictures or documents within seconds.
• The USB-C > Standard-B Cable comes equipped with SuperSpeed USB 3.0 technology letting you print or scan images and documents quickly every time.
• Access and transfer information from an optical drive, floppy drive, or a hard drive that supports Standard-B connectivity
• Compatible with Mac OS X 10.10 and Above, Chrome OS 46.0.2490.82 and Above, Windows 8 & 10, MacBook 12', Chromebook Pixel, HP Pavilion x2 - 10t Touch Laptop, HP EliteBook 840 G3 Notebook, ASUS GL752VW-DH74, Dell Latitude 11 5000 Series 2-in-1, and Dell Latitude 12 7000 Series 2-in-1.
• Cable Length 4 ft. / 1.2m

Last updated on 2021-03-05 at 03:30.

Best Wireless Hard Drive For Mac

Which is the best wireless hard drive?

You're probably wondering which wireless hard drive I use, right?

Like I said, I like the Western Digital Passport with the 500 GB SSD for extra speed that lets me connect using WiFi or with USB.

But you can also get the same wireless hard drive with a large hard drive that isn't SSD.

I like to store my work files on my drive but you can use the storage for anything.

Which wireless hard drive did you choose?

Actually, they're all pretty good choices but I've always had pretty good luck with Western Digital. Plus the Passport works great with my MAC.

But hey, I'm still interested in knowing which portable drive you think is the best wireless hard drive for MAC owners…

Read about NAS storage devices…

• Best NAS for Home Backup – Network storage for doing full backups of your desktop for safekeeping.
• Best NAS Drive for Media Streaming – Network storage for storing and streaming a lot of large videos.