APFS on a 7200 RPM External HDD?

[Makisupa Policeman]

I have a 16TB Oyen Digital external HDD that I have partitioned with various storage and backups (yes I have a lot of files!). All of the partitions are HFS+ except one I’m using for Carbon Copy Cloner which requires APFS to create snapshots.

I’ve heard APFS isn’t good for platter drives, but I’m guessing because it’s a “fast” rotational speed it shouldn’t be too hard on it? I’ve had the drive for a couple months, and no issues so far except for a few random disconnects.

 

[white7561]

2 of my 2.5inch HDDs which uses SMR is on APFS right now since I'm using both for time machine backups. It seems fine. Hits the rated speeds too. So idk

 

[Makisupa Policeman]

2 of my 2.5inch HDDs which uses SMR is on APFS right now since I'm using both for time machine backups. It seems fine. Hits the rated speeds too. So idk

That’s good to hear, especially since I’d guess those are probably the slower 5400 RPM ones.

 

[Makisupa Policeman]

Doesn’t Time Machine require HFS though? Or did that change?

 

[white7561]

That’s good to hear, especially since I’d guess those are probably the slower 5400 RPM ones.

Yep . And also considering that those are SMR drives. It's pretty okay I think. Atleast for TM backup drives..

Doesn’t Time Machine require HFS though? Or did that change?

It did. But nowadays it uses APFS automatically. It's prob to support the snapshots etc

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

I'd leave things the way they're set up now.
APFS for the cloned backup.
HFS+ for everything else.