The 9 Best External Hard Drives for Mac 2021 Reviewed

We use Apple products all the time. But sadly, not every product is made to be Mac-compatible. In this guide, we will cover what we believe to be the best HDDs for Macs that you can pick up for a reasonable price this year.

Finding the best external hard drive for mac can be extremely useful for the immediate transfer of digital files without having to take the computer case apart and attach an internal hard drive to the motherboard.

An external hard drive can simply be connected to a Macbook Pro, Air, iMac or even a regular old Macbook with a USB cable and files can immediately be transferred to and from the external hard drive. They can also be connected using Thunderbolt or HDMI for maximum flexibility when moving or using your external files.

In the following section of this article, there will be a number of factors to be considered when reviewing each of the external hard drives in the list. Customer reviews, specifications, and price range will all be major factors in each external hard drive review. Finding a good value product can be challenging when it comes to computer hardware such as external hard drives, but that process can be made significantly easier with an in-depth analysis of some of the best products on the market.

ProductCapacitySpeedInterfaceOur Rating
LaCie Rugged 1TB USB-C and USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive1 TB5400 RPMUSB 3.04.6
LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS LACSTGU2000400 2TB Rugged Hard Drive2 TB387 MB/sUSB 3.14.8
Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1 TB Portable Hard Drive1 TB5400 RPMUSB 3.04.6
WD 4TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive4 TB109 MB/sUSB 3.0 and USB 2.04.5
iStorage IS-DT2-256-2000-C-G 2TB Encrypted Desktop Drive12 TB225 MB/sUSB 3.14.9
LaCie Porsche Design 6TB USB-C Mobile Hard Drive6 TB5 GB/sUSB 3.04.5
Buffalo MiniStation Extreme 1TB Rugged Portable Hard Drive1 TB5400 RPMUSB 3.04.5
Silicon Power 5TB Rugged Armor A605 TBN/AUSB 3.04.6
Seagate Backup Plus Hub for Mac 8TB8 TB160 MB/sUSB 3.04.5

 

LaCie Rugged 1TB USB-C and USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive

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The first Mac-compatible external hard drive we’re looking at is the LaCie Rugged 1TB USB-C and USB 3.0 Portable Hard Drive. This is a great option that has earned the endorsement of Amazon for being exceptionally high quality.

This is an extremely affordable HDD for Mac that matches the specifications of some of the best external drives in the industry. This is definitely a storage solution that you should consider if you are looking for great value.

Pros

  • Great value external drive
  • Amazon endorsed this product
  • High customer ratings

Cons

  • Long term durability

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS LACSTGU2000400 2TB Rugged Hard Drive

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The LaCie DJI Copilot BOSS LACSTGU2000400 Computer-Free in-Field Direct Backup 2TB Rugged Hard Drive is a premium end external drive that has an impressive list of specifications that will surely catch the eye of customers looking for a high end external hard drive for Macbook or Mac. Transfer speeds are exceptional and there is plenty of space for storage.

Pros

  • Premium end product
  • Fast transfer speeds

Cons

  • Expensive price range

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1 TB Portable Hard Drive

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The Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt USB 3.0 1 TB Portable Hard Drive has earned a spot on the podium in this buyer’s guide for being an exceptional external drive. This drive has earned an endorsement from Amazon for being highly rated and providing great value to customers. This device is capable of transferring files at speeds up to 10 GB per second.

Pros

  • Lightning-fast transfer speeds
  • USB 3.0 compatible
  • Amazon endorsed this hard drive

Cons

  • Average customer ratings

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

WD 4TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive

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The WD 4TB My Passport for Mac Portable External Hard Drive is a great Mac external drive that is listed at an extremely reasonable price range for customers that are on a budget. This external drive might not reach the same speeds as some of the top-end premium external drives, but it still manages to provide high speeds at a much cheaper price.

Pros

  • Affordable price range
  • Positive customer reviews
  • Multiple custom color and size selections

Cons

  • Slower transfer speeds than rival products

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

iStorage IS-DT2-256-2000-C-G 2TB Encrypted Desktop Drive

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The iStorage IS-DT2-256-2000-C-G 2TB diskAshur DT2 USB 3.1 Secure encrypted Desktop Drive is a unique cyber-secure external drive that includes an on-board digital keypad that requires a passcode in order to access and transfer files. This is one of the most unique external drive designs that focuses on enhanced security. This might be a great option for customers looking to maximize their cybersecurity.

In our opinion, this is the best portable hard drive for mac.

Pros

  • Enhanced security measures
  • Encrypted external drive design
  • Positive customer reviews

Cons

  • Expensive price range

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

LaCie Porsche Design 6TB USB-C Mobile Hard Drive

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The LaCie Porsche Design 6TB USB-C Mobile Hard Drive is one of the most convenient portable hard drives for Mac. This particular external hard drive is capable of reaching transfer speeds up to 5 GB per second. USB 3.0 support is also integrated into the design of this device.

In addition to all of the impressive specifications that this device offers to customers, the manufacturer is also including a complimentary two-month membership to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photo Plan.

Pros

  • Speeds up to 5 GB per second
  • Amazon recommend this product
  • Ultra-portable compact size

Cons

  • Not on Prime

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

Buffalo MiniStation Extreme 1TB Rugged Portable Hard Drive

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The Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC USB 3.0 1 TB Rugged Portable Hard Drive is a great portable external drive for your computer. This particular hard drive has received impressive reviews from customers for being durable and efficient. It is capable of reaching high transfer speeds and supports USB 3.0 ports.

Pros

  • USB 3.0 compatible
  • Portable compact design
  • Large storage space

Cons

  • Average customer reviews

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

Silicon Power 5TB Rugged Armor A60

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The Silicon Power 5TB Rugged Portable External Hard Drive Armor A60 is extremely convenient and should definitely be considered as one of the best portable hard drive options for Mac and PC. There are multiple storage sizes to select from with many customization options for colors and sizes.

In our opinion, this is the best 5 TB external hard drive for mac on the market.

Pros

  • Multiple color options
  • Compatible with all USB devices
  • Many different storage sizes

Cons

  • High-end price range

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

 

Seagate Backup Plus Hub for Mac 8TB

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The Seagate Backup Plus Hub for Mac 8TB External Desktop Hard Drive is another highly rated external drive that has earned its rightful place on this list. One of the major reasons it deserves to be rated so highly is because of its effective design that provides users with fast transfer speeds and large storage space. While this external drive is priced at the higher end of the market, you will be getting a trusted product from a trusted brand.

Pros

  • Reputable hard drive brand
  • High customer reviews
  • Multiple Storage Sizes

Cons

  • High-end price range

AVAILABLE ON AMAZON

2 thoughts on “The 9 Best External Hard Drives for Mac 2021 Reviewed”

    • Technically all external hard drives will work with an iMac, yes – as long as they have the correct connectors of course. However, ensuring they’re properly formatted to transfer between Windows and Mac devices can sometimes be an issue for non-tech savvy people. We therefore recommend getting a specific Mac external hard drive.

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