Are there any out there who use a external HDD for mass storage in todays day and age? I need around 4TB and I want it to use USB-C so it fits the Mac correctly without any dongle. Anyone have any good examples?
Got a tip for us?
Let us know
Become a MacRumors Supporter for $50/year with no ads, ability to filter front page stories, and private forums.
External MECHANICAL HDD for MacBook Pro M1?
- Thread starter TheRealAir
- Start date
- Sort by reaction score
Sure do. I currently have an OWC Mercury Elite Pro Mini with a 2TB WD Blue 2.5-inch HDD for Time Machine and about 500GB of movies. OWC does offer a 4TB config.
eshop.macsales.com
I went with the mini to save on desk space and clutter (i.e., it’s bus-powered).
OWC Mercury Elite Pro Mini 4TB Storage Solution
Made for fast-transfer and secure storage. Ideal for photo and video shoots, editing, motion graphics, audio, backups, and all your other data needs.
eshop.macsales.com
I went with the mini to save on desk space and clutter (i.e., it’s bus-powered).
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
For backup, yes. Is that what the purpose is? You say “mass storage” … I think for audio/video playback HDD is still good enough but eg i have my photos on an external SSD…
An SSD should outdo an HDD for a photo library due to NAND having a much better random read speed. However, even a SATA SSD is significantly more costly (e.g, I see a 4TB Seagate Barracuda 2.5-inch HDD for $145 and a 4TB WD Blue 2.5-inch SSD for ~$380). To me, the additional expense isn’t valuable enough. Although, I’m basing that conclusion on archival-type usage (i.e., consumption, primarily read access), not actively modifying media.
Last edited:
As an Amazon Associate, MacRumors earns a commission from qualifying purchases made through links in this post.
I use a WD 5TB Passport Ultra for Mac with USB-C and USB 3.1. Clearly measured faster than earlier versions and the USB-C connector is much better than the fragile 3.0.