When it comes to storing data, personal information, and important documents, you can never save it in enough places. External hard drives are not only useful for storing data but are an excellent way to transport files from one location to another. Here are our top picks for external hard drives to use with your Mac.
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Comes with cloud storage: Seagate Backup Plus 4TB Hub
If you're looking for a hard drive that not only offers a good chunk of space but can reach a read speed of up to 160MB/s, you might want to check out this Seagate 4TB drive. Besides the massive amounts of space, it comes with an additional 200GB in cloud storage that can be easily accessed by your iPhone or iPad via an iOS app.
$99 at Amazon
Super secure storage: 8TB Western Digital My Book
Western Digital offers 256-AES encryption when you download its security software, meaning you can rest easy knowing your private information and personal data is safe. The downside is the hard drive only comes formatted for Windows and will need to be formatted before you can use it with your Mac.
$160 at Amazon
Very fast storage: G-Technology G-DRIVE USB 3.0 4TB
With 7200 RPM, this hard drive works hard and fast to get your files transferred quickly. Plus, it uses USB 3.0 for newer devices and faster speeds, and it even has a Thunderbolt 2 port, making it perfect for people who are using Macs that are a couple of years old.
$135 at Amazon
Rugged storage: LaCie Rugged RAID 2TB
The LaCie Rugged RAID is a favorite among outdoors photographer friends of mine because it can withstand drops, dust, and even the occasional splash of water, giving you the necessary peace of mind to take it on the road with you. Its built-in Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) cable is a nice touch for Mac users on-the-go, as it eliminates the need to carry around a cable with you.
$170 at Amazon
Slim and affordable storage: Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB
You won't have to worry about lengthy setups or stressful formatting procedures when you plug in the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB because it's formatted for Mac and Windows right out of the packaging. Not only is this a great budget option, the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB still comes with Seagate's great Dashboard software and a two-year subscription to Microsoft OneDrive with 200GB of storage.
$65 at Amazon
Whether you need extra space because your hard drive on your Mac is already full, or you're looking for a same external source to store sensitive documents, any of the above listed hard drives is a fantastic option to help you out.
I personally use the Seagate Backup Plus Slim 2TB to store a lot of documents and pictures, and it works great. Plus, it's very reasonably priced.
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Luke Filipowicz
iMore's resident gaming guru. Loves playing games from all eras, and still has a working Atari 2600 in his basement. When he isn't writing about games, you'll probably find him slapping the bass to his favourite 80s tunes.