External Ssd Drive For Mac

Aimed at multimedia professionals, the CalDigit AV Pro 2 is a well-designed, Mac-formatted external drive that comes in SSD and spinning disk versions, and includes both a USB hub and Thunderbolt. The best external hard drive and SSD in 2020 for Mac, PC, PS4 and Xbox. Need a backup option - or just more space? Here are our top picks for external storage options.

Best Portable Ssd For Mac
External Ssd Drive For Mac Mini Late 2014
External Ssd Drive For Mac

Best Portable Ssd For Mac

The ADATA SE800 external SSD is everything you want in a shirt-pocket solid-state drive: sleek, tough, affordable, and snappy. It will make an excellent addition to your kit. Mac Pro (2019) Mac Pro (Late 2013) Mac mini (2018 and later) Mac mini (Late 2014) More (Mac Compatibility). LaCie 2TB Rugged SSD Pro External Drive with Thunderbolt 3 - Previous Gallery Image; LaCie 2TB Rugged SSD Pro External Drive with Thunderbolt 3 - Next Gallery Image. On the two lower-end iMacs, opt for a 1TB Fusion drive (a $100 upgrade), and hold user files there, while using an external lower-capacity external SSD for your system.

We all love saving tons of photos, videos, and even movies on our laptops. So the default in-built storage on a MacBook can quickly run out, especially if you’ve been using it for a while. That’s why it’s handy to get an external drive too on which you can easily transfer all your big files. This will ensure your computer always has sufficient space. So without further delay, let’s go ahead and find out the best external SSDs for Mac.

#1. SanDisk 2TB Extreme Portable External SSD

Enjoy seamless transfers with this USB C SSD that gives up to 550MB/s read speeds. This external SSD for Mac is rugged and resistant to both water and dust with an IP55 rating.

Along with being compact and pocket-sized, it’s also durable and shock-proof. So your data can stay safe during minor falls or drops. It comes with a 3-year limited warranty. You can choose from varied capacities from 250 GB to 1 TB, according to your needs.

Pros

Water and dust resistant
Shock-proof
4 storage capacities available
Good price

Cons

Slower read/write speeds

Price: $329.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#2. Samsung X5 Portable SSD 2TB – Thunderbolt 3

Take your storage to the next level with this SSD. Designed with Thunderbolt 3 ports, the X5 is made for busy professionals who want to render high-resolution content quickly. Its thermal management and password protection features ensure safety and security.

Further, it offers impressive read/write speeds of 2,800/2,300 MB/s. So you can transfer a 20GB 4K UHD video from your computer to the SSD in as little as 12 seconds, depending on your system configurations. The innovative design is inspired by supercars!

Pros

Thermal management
Impressive read/write speeds
3 storage capacities available
Sleek look

Cons

Expensive

Price: $699.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#3. Seagate STJD1000400 1Tb Solid State Drive

This high-speed, portable solid-state drive is perfect for streaming stored videos directly to your Macbook. It’s an excellent choice for backing up your data on the go.

Moreover, its a mini USB 3.0 SSD with a lightweight, minimalist design that’s convenient to carry every day Finally, you can enjoy long-term peace of mind with the included three-year limited warranty.

Pros

Lightweight
Multiple storage capacities available
Good price

Cons

No USB C – you’ll need a separate adaptor

Price: $144.99 for 1TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#4. LaCie Water Resistant Rugged 2TB SSD

For those who want ultimate protection on their external SSD for Mac, this rugged one can withstand the pressures of life! It can survive a 3-meter drop and a two-ton car crash. Moreover, it is IP67-rated dust water-resistant.

You can take advantage of a one-month complimentary membership to Adobe creative cloud apps when you get this drive. Further, it comes with a 5-year limited protection plan so you can have long-term peace of mind about it’s functionality.

Pros

Drop protection
Multiple storage capacities available
5-year protection plan for data recovery

Cons

Slightly pricey

Price: $451.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#5. Crucial 1TB X8 Portable SSD

Incredible performance with read speeds of up to 1050 MB/s makes this one of the best SSDs for Mac. It has a durable design featuring an aluminum core. It offers drop protection for up to 7. 5 feet, and can also withstand extreme temperature. It’s shock and vibration proof so you can carry it around in your bag with ease.

Finally, you can rest assured about quality because this SSD is backed by Micron, one of the well-known storage tech manufacturers in the world. It also includes a 3-year limited warranty.

Pros

Withstands extreme temperatures
High-speed
Sleek design

Cons

Only available in 2 capacities

Price: $164.95 for 1TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#6. WD 2TB My Passport Go SSD Cobalt

Check out this pocket-sized SSD for Mac and Windows computers. It’s convenient to carry and is also capable of surviving drops up to 2 meters. The protective bumper acts as a cushion and absorbs shocks and bumps.

It offers a transfer rate of 400MB/s which is pretty decent. Further, it comes with a 3-year warranty and you can get it in 2 cool color options namely cobalt blue and amber. All in all, it’s an excellent everyday choice for your storage needs.

Pros

Protective bumper
Good price
Color options

Cons

Transfer rate on slower side

Price: $329.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#7. Samsung T5 2TB Portable SSD

For the stylish and modern professional, this is one of the best SSDs for your Mac! With a USB 3.1 interface, the T5 provides transfer speeds of up to 540 MB/s depending on your system. So transfers and backups of large-sized data including 4K videos and high-resolution photos will be much quicker and faster.

Furthermore, the impressive performance comes in a compact package that’s easy to carry with you. Perhaps the best part is the classy color options such as blue, gold, and red.

Pros

Good speed
Value for money
Color options

Cons

Looks a bit delicate and may not have drop protection

Price: $319.85 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#8. Sabrent Rocket Nano 512GB USB 3.2 SSD

For ultimate portability, check out this ultra-slim SSD. It’s sleek and durable – an ideal travel companion whether for work or leisure. Easily transfer your media with the smooth plug-and-play technology.

It provides speeds of up to 1000MB/s, depending on your system configurations. Further, you can get it in 3 convenient storage capacities of 512 GB, 1 TB, and 2TB. You can also choose either black or silver color options.

Pros

Slim and compact
Good price
Color options

Cons

No drop protection

Price: $299.99 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#9. G-Technology 2TB G-DRIVE mobile SSD

Carry your data worry-free on this shock and vibration resistant SSD for Mac. The durable design comes with iP67 dust and water resistance.

The USB C connectivity offers transfer rates of up to 560MB/s. Further, you can buy with confidence given the industry-leading 5-year limited manufacturer’s warranty.

Pros

Dust and water-resistant
Shock-proof
5-year warranty

Cons

Bulky

Price: $329.95 for 2TB capacity
Check out on Amazon

#10. Seagate Barracuda Fast 500GB SSD

With reliable performance and a speed of up to 540MB/s, you can enjoy smooth data transfer on this external SSD for Mac. It features a minimalist design and green LED accent light.

It’s a perfect solution for carrying media on the go or even for external Xbox or PlayStation storage. It offers seamless installation and loading. Moreover, you get a limited product protection plan too.

Pros

Minimalist design
LED light indicator
Reliable performance

Cons

No drop protection

Price: $109.99 for 500 GB capacity
Check out on Amazon

Summing Up

Well, as you can see, there’s a wide variety of external SSDs for Mac. Most come with warranties so are a valuable accessory to get. Let us know in the comments below which one you prefer and why.

I have been writing about tech for over 10 years now. I am passionate about helping people solve their tech problems with easy and practical solutions. At iGeeksBlog, I write and edit how-to guides and accessory reviews for all things Apple. My work has previously appeared in Live IT and Woman’s Era magazines. When not working, I love reading and traveling.

https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
Using 'Rebuild' Feature of Database Utility in Mac Entourage
https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/
https://www.igeeksblog.com/author/mehak/

Prepare your drive

You can store your library on an external storage device, such as a USB or Thunderbolt drive formatted as APFS or Mac OS Extended (Journaled). However, you can't move your library to a disk that's used for Time Machine backups. Find out how to check the format of your external storage device.

To prevent data loss, Apple doesn't recommend storing photo libraries on external storage devices like SD cards and USB flash drives, or drives that are shared on a network.

Move your Photos library to an external storage device

Quit Photos.
In the Finder, go to the external drive where you want to store your library.
In another Finder window, find your library. The default location is Users > [username] > Pictures, and it's named Photos Library.
Drag your library to its new location on the external drive. If you see an error, select your external drive's icon in the Finder, then choose File > Get Info. If the information under Sharing & Permissions isn't visible, click the triangle button , then make sure the 'Ignore ownership on this volume' checkbox is selected. If it's not selected, click the lock button to unlock it, enter an administrator name and password, then select the checkbox.*
After the move is finished, double-click Photos Library in its new location to open it.
If you use iCloud Photo Library, designate this library as the System Photo Library.

Delete original library to save space

After you open your library from its new location and make sure that it works as expected, you can delete the library from its original location.

In a Finder window, go back to your Pictures folder (or whichever folder you copied your library from) and move Photos Library to the trash. Then choose Finder > Empty Trash to delete the library and reclaim disk space.

Open another Photos library

If you have multiple libraries, here's how to open a different one:

Quit Photos.
Press and hold the Option key while you open Photos.
Select the library that you want to open, then click Choose Library.

Photos uses this library until you open a different one.