In 2022, the best external hard drives and SSDs for Mac will be

 

If you want additional storage space on your new Mac, you have many alternatives. Here are our top external hard drive and SSD picks for Mac, ranging from compact and lightweight solutions to tough hard drives that will preserve your data drop after drop.

There are a plethora of hard drives and SSDs on the market right now, some manufacturers emphasising mobility, others emphasising speed, and yet others emphasising data security. But they're not all made of the same stuff. Make certain that the hard drive or SSD you choose checks all of the boxes in terms of what you're searching for.

Which external hard disc or solid-state drive is best for you? We've compiled a list of the finest external hard drives and SSDs for Mac, organised by category. There are also ideas for a broad range of budgets included, so you don't have to break the bank to save your data. Are you looking for the greatest price on a storage solution? Check out our list of World Backup Day deals right now.

Best overall hard drive

Western Digital (WD) is well-known for its inexpensive and dependable hard drives, and the WD My Passport external HD comes in sizes ranging from 2TB to 5TB. This 5TB hard drive is pre-configured for use with My Passport for Mac, so you can quickly set up a backup routine and drag and drop files to your drive. It also provides cloud storage and 256-AES encryption.

While it isn't the quickest hard disc on the market, it strikes a good mix between dependability, affordability, and speed for most customers.

The WD 5TB My Passport for Mac is available from Amazon for $119.99, a 25% discount off the regular price ahead of World Backup Day.

Best drive for speed

If speed is your primary priority while shopping for a new hard drive, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD is a great option. It has pro-grade transfer rates of up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write.

That means you can create and store bigger media files and carry them with you everywhere you go. It has basic 256-bit AES encryption and is quite tiny in your palm for such a powerful device. It's also extremely tough, having IP67 water and dust resistance.

The SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD is available for as little as $109.99 from Amazon. B&H is matching Amazon's prices on the G-Drive in capacities of 1TB and higher.

Best rugged drive

If keeping the data on your portable drive secure is all that matters, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is an excellent choice. It's a bit costlier than some of the other alternatives, and it writes a bit slower, but it's covered in silicone to help protect it from the environment as well as heat. The thick coating of silicone also keeps dust out and aids in pressure deflection. You may also pick between 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities.

The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is available for $349 from Amazon or B&H Photo.

Best value SSD

You don't always have to break the cash to find the right product. The SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD is a terrific alternative to more expensive hard drives, and it's a great disc to have with you when you're on the move. It has NVMe solid state performance of up to 1050MB/s read and up to 1000MB/s write speeds, plus it's small enough to throw in a bag and go. The SanDisk Portable SSD also has up to 2-meter drop protection and is water and dust resistant to IP55 standards. It also features a carabiner loop at the top for attaching to your favourite bag or belt loop. All of this, as well as 256-bit AES encryption, is available for less than $150.

Best compact drive

Good things come in tiny packages, and the Sabrent Rocket Nano 2TB External SSD is a compact disc that packs a punch. It is totally bus-powered, thus there is no need for drivers, allowing for simple plug-and-play installation. It is extremely fast, with minimal latency and 10Gbps speeds of up to 1000MB/s. It's also extremely tiny and robust, allowing you to carry a vast amount of storage in the palm of your hand. You'll have to pay a fee for the privilege, but it's well worth it considering how much data this little drive can carry. Amazon has the Sabrent Rocket Nano 2TB External SSD for $279.99.

Best splurge drive

If money isn't an issue, the OWC Envoy Pro EX is one of the greatest splurge-worthy drives available. It comes in sizes ranging from 4TB to 8TB and is extremely fast, with a high-performance NVMe M.2 SSD capable of speeds of up to 980MB/s. It's also water-resistant up to IP67, so it may live for a long time if you chance to drop it. The device is also made of anodized aluminium, which complements your Mac well. On Amazon, you can get the OWC Envoy Pro EX enclosure for $69, with 240GB variants beginning at $129. The high-end 8TB variant is available for $1,499 through OWC's own MacSales.com store.