BestUSB-C Hard Drives for MaciMore2019
Backing up your data is probably the most critical thing you can do, so getting a good hard drive is essential. Of course, the current MacBook Pro lineup only has Thunderbolt 3/USB-C ports, but that's OK, because USB-C is fast, future-proof, and will likely replace standard USB, HDMI, DisplayPort, power, and more. A USB-C hard drive is the perfect storage box to locally back up all of your most essential files, including photos, documents, music, movies, and anything else that's important to you. Save your Mac's hard drive and pick up a USB-C hard drive. Here are a few options to get you started on your search.
Shop for 1 terabyte external hard drive at Best Buy. Find low everyday prices and buy online for delivery or in-store pick-up. WD - My Passport for Mac 1TB. 1-16 of 468 results for '1 terabyte external hard drive for mac' Amazon's Choice for '1 terabyte external hard drive for mac' Seagate Backup Plus Slim 1TB Portable External Hard Drive for Mac USB 3.0 + 2mo Adobe CC Photography (STDS1000100).
The new 16-inch MacBook Pro only has USB-C Thunderbolt 3 ports, so you may need to invest in a new hard drive this Black Friday to save a few dollars. The hard drives featured in this article will likely be on sale for the holiday weekend, but there may be some great alternatives to this list on sale as well. The deals team here at iMore is continuously on the lookout for the best deals for Black Friday, and we'll update as they become available.
Fan favorite: G-Technology G-Drive 1TB
Staff FavoriteThe G-Drive by G-Technology is a great USB-C hard drive for most people. It has 1TB of storage and features a quick drive speed of 7200RPM, with transfer rates of up to 136MB/s, thanks to USB 3.1. It comes Mac ready and USB-C ready.
From $75 on AmazonBest for speed: Samsung T5 SSD 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Samsung's T5 SSD is a solid-state drive that provides way faster transfer rates than physical hard drives. Solid-state drives don't have moving parts, so if you happen to drop this one, there's less to break! SSDs are more expensive, but with this one, you get write speeds of up 540MB/s, which is over three times faster than many hard drives. If you like to store TV shows and movies on your hard drive, consider a solid-state drive!
From $90 at Amazon![Cheap terabyte external hard drive Cheap terabyte external hard drive](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/4f76d5b0c5401b75de80bb88e43837d4-320-80.jpg)
Rugged pick: Glyph Blackbox Plus 1TB
The Glyph Blackbox Plus is a rugged, portable hard drive that can keep up with you wherever you go. It's surrounded in rubber to protect from drops and has enough capacity for all your backups and then some. You get write speeds of up to 140MB/s from just 5400RPM, as well as a 3-year warranty in case anything goes wrong. It also features fan-free heat dissipation, so it's nice and quiet.
$120 at AmazonBest for video: Samsung 5X Portable SSD
With read and write speeds of up to 2,800MB/s and 2,300MB/s, respectively, this portable drive is perfect for videographers. It's designed for rendering and compiling high res photos and videos with up to 40Gb/s data transfer. It also looks like the Ferrari of external hard drives.
From $200 at AmazonUpgrade option: SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD 480GB, 960GB, 1.92TB
SanDisk's Extreme 900 SSD is a powerhouse solid-state drive that offers up to nine times the transfer speeds of external hard drives. It's made of durable aluminum and rubber, and the solid-state core is shock-proof. So, this is far less likely to die on you should you drop it (compared to hard drives).
From $175 at AmazonBest value: G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile SSD Durable Portable External Storage
With a low price per terabyte, G-Technology's G-Drive SSD is one of the more versatile solid-state drives on the market, and it comes from a brand that Apple recommends. You'll get transfer rates of up to 560MBps and USB-C connectivity. Plus, it has IP67 water/dust resistance, it's drop-tested to ten feet, and it has 1000 pound crush-resistance.
From $110 at AmazonLong-lasting: LaCie Rugged 2TB
The LaCie Rugged of yesteryear got me through my entire post-secondary education, and now that there's a USB-C option, it'll help get you (and maybe even your children!) through school or work with reliability and that fast connection. The body is rubberized to help it stand up to daily wear and tear, and 2TB should be more than enough for all of your files, documents, Final Cut projects, and much more. There's a 2-year warranty on these, which includes data recovery services.
From $110 at AmazonDurable and reliable: CalDigit Tuff 2TB
CalDigit's Tuff hard drives are rugged, colorful 2TB drives that offer USB-C connectivity, and there's even a USB-C to USB-A cable for backward compatibility. With an IP57 rating, these drives are water-resistant in three feet of water for up to 30 minutes. They're dust-resistant, so you can take yours with you anywhere, knowing that your data is safe from the elements.
$120 at AmazonCompact pick: SanDisk Extreme SSD
You may know SanDisk for its SD cards, but its hard drives are excellent as well. This solid-state drive is smaller than the average smartphone and has a hole in it so that you can clip it to a bag. It's shock-resistant and ruggedly designed, so it's perfect for life on the move.
From $73 at AmazonBudget pick: WD 2TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive
Western Digital makes some of the best hard drives around, and this well-priced USB-A and USB-C compatible hard drive fits right in with all its other excellent drives. It's made for Mac and is Time Machine ready.
From $80 at AmazonWaterproof-ish: G-Tech All-Terrain Drive
For the extreme outdoorsmen and women, this rugged hard drive does more than protect your external hard drive from scratches and breaks. It's watertight, so you can drop it into a pool of water up to one-foot for 30 seconds without anything seeping in. The tethered Thunderbolt cable means you don't have to bring any extra cables, too.
$179 at AmazonOur personal favorite
External hard drives are must-have peripherals for anyone with a computer. They give you additional storage space, which can fill up fast on laptops, and are essential to backing up your data safely and securely. Every one of the drives on this list is easy to set up and start using right away. All you have to do is plug one into your Mac.
The G-Drive is our staff's favorite portable hard drive because it's affordable and reliable. It's Mac-ready but can also be reformatted for Windows computers. If 1TB isn't enough, there is also a 2TB, 4TB, and 5TB version available. A three-year limited warranty backs the G-DriveThe G-Drive is supported by a three-year limited warranty.
A bit of purchasing advice for Black Friday
When it comes to buying any external hard drive, you have to know your needs. Do you plan on using this drive for backing up your Mac, or do you plan on using it to transport and save large video files? The larger the files, the more speed, and capacity you'll need. Plus, don't forget always to get more space than you need currently because your storage needs will likely grow over time. If you buy a drive with just enough space to fit the files you want to use it, for now, you'll be clamoring for another one as soon as you need to add something to that drive. So save yourself the trouble and make sure you get something with a bit of breathing room.
We've seen plenty of drives from Western Digital, Seagate, SanDisk, and more go on sale for Black Friday in the past, and we're hopeful this year will feature some great deals on USB-C drives as well. Whether it's an SSD with a huge capacity great for video, or a slim drive that you can take with you when you travel to ensure you always have a copy of your important files, you should be able to find something that fits your needs.
The iMore deals team is going to be on the lookout for the best deals we can find on USB-C drive for your mac, so make sure to keep this page bookmarked and come back often to see deals as we find them.
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