External storage is one of the best upgrades you can make to your Mac, whether you’re running out of space, backing up with Time Machine or editing large photo and video libraries.
The biggest decision isn’t actually which drive to buy – it’s which type of drive.
Traditional hard drives (HDDs) still offer the best value if you need lots of storage for backups, while SSDs are dramatically faster and more durable for everyday use. Professional users editing 4K or 8K video can even take advantage of Thunderbolt SSDs that are almost as fast as your Mac’s internal storage.
In this guide we’ve selected the best external drives for every type of Mac user, whether you’re looking for an inexpensive backup drive or the fastest external SSD available.
| If you want… | Recommended drive |
|---|---|
| Best overall external drive | Samsung T7 Shield |
| Best for Time Machine | WD My Passport for Mac |
| Best SSD for Mac Minis | Orico Mini Mate |
| Fastest external drive | OWC Envoy Ultra TB5 |
| Best rugged HDD | Transcend StoreJet |
| Best high-capacity desktop drive | Seagate Expansion Desktop |
| Most portable SSD drive | Orico K20 |
Which Type Of External Drive Should You Buy?
Before choosing a specific drive, it’s worth understanding the three main types available.
External HDD
Best for:
- Time Machine
- Photo libraries
- Archives
- Long-term storage
An HDD (Hard Disk Drive) uses spinning magnetic disks to store your files.
Although they’re much slower than SSDs, they remain the cheapest way to add several terabytes of storage to your Mac. If you simply need somewhere to back up your Mac or store photos and videos you don’t access every day, an HDD is still excellent value.
Typical speed:
110–160 MB/s
USB-C SSD
Best for:
- Everyday use
- Photo editing
- Gaming
- Portable storage
- Working directly from the drive
Solid-state drives contain no moving parts, making them dramatically faster and much more durable than traditional hard drives.
Most Mac users buying an external drive today should choose an SSD. They’re small enough to fit in a pocket, silent in operation and fast enough to edit RAW photos or 4K video directly from.
Typical speed:
800–1,050 MB/s
Thunderbolt SSD
Best for:
- Professional video editing
- 3D rendering
- Large creative projects
- Virtual machines
Thunderbolt SSDs use your Mac’s Thunderbolt ports to deliver speeds several times faster than USB-C SSDs.
Unless you regularly move hundreds of gigabytes of data or edit directly from the drive, they’re probably more performance than you need.
Typical speed:
2,500–6,000 MB/s
External Hard Drive Comparison Table
| Drive type | Best for | Typical speed | Capacity | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HDD | Backups & Time Machine | 110–160 MB/s | Up to 24TB+ | $ |
| USB-C SSD | Everyday use | 800–1,050 MB/s | Up to 8TB | $$ |
| Thunderbolt SSD | Professional workflows | 2,500–6,000 MB/s | Up to 8TB | $$$ |
The Best External Drives For Mac
Here then are the results of our testing of the best external hard drives for Mac in 2026.
1. Samsung T7 Shield — Best Overall External Drive
Rather than chasing the fastest benchmark numbers, the Samsung T7 Shield strikes the best balance between speed, portability, durability and price.
Unlike a traditional hard drive, it has no moving parts, making it far more resistant to knocks and drops. It also carries an IP65 rating for water and dust resistance, making it ideal for photographers, students and anyone traveling with their Mac.
Although Samsung quotes speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s, Mac users will generally see around 900–1,000 MB/s depending on the model of Mac and connection used. That’s more than enough for editing 4K video, managing large photo libraries or running applications directly from the drive.
If you only buy one external drive for your Mac, this is the one we’d recommend.
Pros
- Excellent all-round performance
- Rugged IP65 design
- Very portable
- Great value
- Available up to 4TB
Cons
- Not as fast as Thunderbolt SSDs
2. WD My Passport For Mac HDD – Best For Time Machine
The Western Digital My Passport For Mac is an excellent value hard drive thanks to a solid combination of reliability, value for money and portability.
If your priority is backing up your Mac rather than speed, the WD My Passport for Mac remains one of the easiest recommendations.
It arrives formatted for macOS, works with Time Machine immediately and offers up to 6TB of storage in a compact portable design.
While transfer speeds of around 120 MB/s are modest compared to SSDs, they’re perfectly adequate for scheduled backups and storing large media libraries.
It’s also considerably cheaper per terabyte than any SSD.
Pros:
- Very reliable
- Works with both older Intel Macs and Apple Silicon Macs
- Ready formatted for Macs
- Good value for money
- Supports USB-C connections
- 3 Year Warranty
Cons:
- WD Discovery software
- Slow compared to SSD drives
3. Orico Mini Mate – Best For Mac Minis
If you want SSD performance without spending Thunderbolt prices, the Orico Mini Mate is outstanding value.
Designed to complement the Mac mini, it stacks neatly underneath Apple’s latest desktop Macs, although it works equally well with MacBooks and iMacs.
During our testing we saw transfer speeds approaching 30 Gbps over Thunderbolt, making it considerably faster than many similarly priced USB-C SSDs.
We found there were some heat issues when used over long periods and there is a low humming fan active when in use but overall, the Orico Mini Mate is excellent value for money.
Check out our full Orico Mini Mate review for more.
Pros:
- Excellent value
- Looks great with Mac Minis
- Fast read speeds of up to 30Gbps
- Slick design
Cons:
- Can get hot with long usage
- Fan a bit noisy
4. OWC 4TB Envoy Ultra – Best For Speed
For professionals working with 6K, 8K or massive creative projects, nothing currently beats the OWC Envoy Ultra.
Supporting Thunderbolt 5, it can exceed 6,000 MB/s on compatible Macs – approaching the performance of Apple’s internal SSDs.
It’s expensive, and unnecessary for most users, but if storage speed directly affects your workflow it’s one of the best investments you can make.
If maximum performance is your priority, see our dedicated guide to the Best Thunderbolt Drives for Mac.
Pros:
- Ultra-fast Thunderbolt 5 speeds (6,000MB/s+)
- Rugged and weather-resistant
- Fanless aluminum chassis for silent performance
- Compatible with Thunderbolt 3 and 4
- No need for external power
- Available up to 4TB
Cons:
- Premium price point
- Built-in (non-removable) Thunderbolt 5 cable
- Full performance only on Macs with Thunderbolt 5 ports
5. Seagate Expansion Desktop — Best High-Capacity Storage
If you simply need huge amounts of storage for the lowest possible cost, desktop hard drives still make sense.
The Seagate Expansion Desktop is available in capacities reaching 24TB, making it ideal for photographers, video editors and anyone maintaining several Time Machine backups.
It does require mains power, so it’s designed to stay on your desk rather than travel with you.
Pros:
- Excellent value per terabyte
- Huge capacities available (up to 24TB)
- Ideal for Time Machine and media archives
- Reliable desktop drive for long-term storage
- USB 3.0 compatible with Mac (via USB-A or adapter)
- Quiet operation for a desktop HDD
Cons:
- Requires external power (not portable)
- Much slower than SSDs (around 150–160 MB/s)
- Larger and heavier than portable drives
- Not designed for travel or frequent movement
- Ships formatted for Windows (requires reformatting for Time Machine)
6. Transcend StoreJet HDD – Most Durable Hard Drive
The best thing about the Transcend StoreJet is that it’s incredibly tough which makes it ideal for using on the move.
For those that need a storage or backup device to use out in the field such as photographers and video makers, it’s the most durable hard drive we’ve seen.
In fact, Transcend claim that the StoreJet is military drop tested with an advanced 3 stage shock protection system thanks to an incredibly strong anti-shock rubber outer case.
The Transcend StoreJet also comes with its own software that can be used for one-touch backups.
Just press the button on the Transcend and the software will automatically backup your data although it also works with Time Machine.
Although there is an older USB 3.0 version of the StoreJet, the 25M3C model also has a USB-C port so it can also be used with Apple Silicon Macs.
The slight drawback is that its not ready for Macs out of the box so you must format it first although this is very easy to do.
In tests, we’ve seen read/write speeds of around 115MB/s with the StoreJet 25M3C which is typical for an HDD.
If you’re going to using an external storage device outside, the Transcend StoreJet is the strongest external hard drive for Mac we’ve seen.
Pros:
- Incredibly strong and durable
- One touch backup system
- Encrypts files and folders
Cons:
- Requires formatting first to work with Macs
- Slow compared to SDDs
7. Orico K20 – Most Portable Hard Drive
If you don’t need Thunderbolt speeds but want portability and iPhone connectivity, then check out the excellent Orico K20 external drive.
The K20 has a magnet attached so that it clips neatly onto the lid of any MacBook or onto the side of an iPhone for storage you can take anywhere.
The Orico K20 supports USB-C speeds of around 9Gbps which is less than a third you’d get from a Thunderbolt drive but is still enough for editing 4K video, working with RAW files and backups.
With the 512GB version starting at just $69.99, the Orico K20 is good value for money with prices going up to $189.99 for the 2TB model.
The drive doesn’t have an IP rating for dust and water resistance though so it’s not the most robust of drives but it’s pocket portability will appeal to anyone that need storage on the move.
Read full Orico K20 review for more.
Pros:
- Excellent value
- Magnetically connects to MacBooks and iPhones
- Very small and portable
- Tasteful design
Cons:
- Not compatible with older iPhones
- No IP resistance rating
How Much Storage Do You Need?
- 1TB — Documents, photos and light backups
- 2TB–4TB — Most Mac users, Time Machine and media libraries
- 5TB–8TB — Large photo and video collections
- 10TB+ — Professional archives, NAS backups and long-term storage
If you’re unsure, it’s usually worth buying slightly more capacity than you think you’ll need. Modern photo libraries, 4K video and Apple device backups grow surprisingly quickly.
HDD vs SSD: Which Is Better?
For most Mac users, an SSD is now the better choice.
They’re significantly faster, more reliable when travelling and small enough to carry everywhere. Prices have also fallen dramatically over the last few years, making SSDs much better value than they once were.
Traditional HDDs still make sense if your priority is storing the largest possible amount of data for the lowest cost, especially for Time Machine backups or long-term archives.
FAQ
What’s the best external drive for Time Machine?
If you’re primarily creating backups, we recommend the WD My Passport for Mac or Seagate Expansion Desktop if you need more than 6TB of storage.
Should I buy an HDD or SSD?
Choose an SSD if you’ll regularly access your files or edit directly from the drive. Choose an HDD if you simply need affordable storage for backups and archives.
Is Thunderbolt worth it?
Only if you regularly work with very large files or professional creative workflows. For everyday use, a USB-C SSD offers excellent performance at a much lower price.
Do I need to format an external drive for Mac?
Many drives sold specifically for Mac are already formatted for macOS. Others may need reformatting using Disk Utility before first use.
Conclusion
If you’re buying your first external drive for a Mac, the Samsung T7 Shield is the best overall choice thanks to its excellent combination of speed, portability and durability.
If your main goal is backing up your Mac with Time Machine, the WD My Passport for Mac remains one of the best-value HDDs available.
Professionals working with large video projects should invest in a Thunderbolt SSD such as the OWC Envoy Ultra TB5, while anyone needing massive storage at the lowest possible cost should look at the Seagate Expansion Desktop.