File system for external drives - Mac Studio M2

[JoeStrummer]

Hello,

This is probably a dumb question, but I recently acquired a Mac Studio M2 and I'm wanting to attached a range of external hard drives (NMVe, 2.5 SSD, 3.5 spinning) and I want to double check that all drives should be formatted to APFS file system, regardless of drive type?

Thanks

 

[MarkC426]

What’s the spinning drive for….Time Machine?
If so yes APFS, this will be automatic when selecting as TM drive.

All flash based drives APFS.

There isn’t really any need to use HFS+ for modern MacOS (except as listed below)

File system formats available in Disk Utility on Mac

In Disk Utility on your Mac, format disks or volumes using Apple File System (APFS), Mac OS Extended, MS-DOS (FAT) and ExFAT.

support.apple.com

 

[Fishrrman]

A platter-based HDD should be formatted to HFS+, UNLESS it's going to be used for something that REQUIRES APFS -- such as time machine or other backup utilities.

SSD can be either APFS or HFS+.

Personal experience:
I used HFS+ for EVERYTHING -- except for my boot drives and backups.

 

[gilby101]

A platter-based HDD should be formatted to HFS+, UNLESS it's going to be used for something that REQUIRES APFS -- such as time machine or other backup utilities.

SSD can be either APFS or HFS+.

Personal experience:
I used HFS+ for EVERYTHING -- except for my boot drives and backups.

I am, of course, going to disagree.

All disks (HDD and SSD) can be formatted APFS unless you have a need for HFS+ or exFAT.

Personal experience:
I use APFS for EVERYTHING.