apple time machine external hard drive compatibility

They’re an essential part of a good backup strategy, and they’re handy for storing files you don’t have room for on your internal drive. Who needs an external hard drive? You do.Įvery Mac user should own a good external hard drive or two.

If you’re like Daniel, we’ve included a number of attractive drives in our roundup. It was gorgeous, and as far as I know, he’s still using it today. When he saw the LaCie Porsche Design desktop drive he couldn’t believe his eyes. I remember some years ago going shopping for an external drive with Daniel, a client who is an accountant. I’ve also helped a number of businesses and companies set up backup systems. I’m currently considering upgrading my iMac’s backup drive to a larger-capacity portable drive to free up a powerpoint in my office. All of these drives have been working flawlessly for many years. I use a Seagate Expansion Drive on my Mac Mini media computer to hold a large iTunes library and have several Western Digital My Passport portable drives in my desk drawer. I currently use Time Machine to back up my 1 TB internal iMac drive to a 2 TB HP SimpleSave 3.5-inch external USB drive.īut that’s not my only external drive. I’ve been diligently backing up my computers for decades and have tried a wide variety of backup strategies, software, and media. My name is Adrian Try, and I’ve been using external drives since before USB existed. You may prefer to spend a little more for a high-speed drive, even higher capacity, or a sturdy metal case that will match your Mac and look incredible on your desk. In my opinion, these offer the best value for money for most Mac users. The company’s portable drive also offers exceptional value, though if you prefer a more rugged solution, you can’t go past the ADATA HD710 Pro. There are large capacity options that are quite inexpensive, it includes a USB hub for your peripherals and memory sticks, and even includes cloud storage. Heavy users of portable drives may prefer a ruggedized version that’s less susceptible to damage.įor desktop Mac users we love the look of the Seagate Backup Plus Hub for Mac. Desktop users may prefer to max out the storage with a larger 3.5-inch drive, while laptop users will appreciate a smaller 2.5-inch drive that doesn’t need to be plugged into mains power. One hard drive solution won’t suit everyone. In this review, we’ll recommend a number of the best drives to consider. In our review of the best Mac backup software we recommend every Mac user should use Time Machine to back up to an external hard drive. They’re useful for storing files you don’t need to keep permanently on your computer, for transferring files between computers, and for keeping backups of your Mac’s internal storage. With the growing popularity of SSD drives, the average Mac has less storage than it used to, making an external drive handier than ever.

Apple time machine external hard drive compatibility