Portable backup drives for my MacBookPro?

[zoran]

Are there any small sized portable ext. drives that one could have as a Time Machine drive, for his MBpro? Is there something small but big enough (1TB) to suggest? 😉

Also, is it possible to encrypt that TMdrive, and if it is, is it worth it?

 

[Bigwaff]

Yes. Yes. And yes.

 

[zoran]

Yes. Yes. And yes.

Any suggestions?

 

[MBAir2010]

I use a NMVe blade (500GB) and an enclosure fro Time Machine y MacBook Air-USBc
im gettin blade drive instead of larger 2.5 Sata drives from now on.
I dont think we can get any more compact and still have good speeds!

 

[zoran]

Those NMVe blades are surelly compact, but are they reliable as a spinner?

 

[xraydoc]

Those NMVe blades are surelly compact, but are they reliable as a spinner?

My god, why would you want to use a mechanical hard drive these days? Especially in something you want portable, getting bounced around frequently? No. You do not want a spinner.

Look at the Samsung T5 or T7 line. Fast USB-C SSDs. Not expensive. Small. Up to 4TB available.

 

[Fishrrman]

Samsung t7 "shield".
It's all you need.

 

[Big Bad D]

Samsung t7 "shield".
It's all you need.

Agreed.

 

[zoran]

That is an expensive drive though... isnt it?
I suppose that for TMachine use i would need a 2TB drive (my MBpro has 1TB storage)... aint that right?

 

[DeltaMac]

hmm... Right now, about $90 for 1TB, and about $180 for 2TB.

SAMSUNG T7 Shield 1TB, Portable SSD, up to 1050MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen2, Rugged, IP65 Rated, for Photographers, Content Creators and Gaming, External Solid State Drive (MU-PE1T0S/AM, 2022), Black

Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD delivers high performance on-the-go, not matter the terrain. It has an IP65 rating for water** and dust* resistance, with Dynamic Thermal Guard to manage heat control. Transfer huge files instantly. USB 3.2 Gen 2 and PCIe® NVMe™ achieve soaring sequential read/write...

www.amazon.com

Pretty good prices for an external SSD, IMHO.

 

[zoran]

In my country its €200 for the 2TB version :-(

 

[zoran]

Maybe i should try the Lacie Rugged version?
Or is it mostly suitable for spinners, cause its kinda bouncy when dropped?

 

[Big Bad D]

In my country its €200 for the 2TB version :-(

T7 Shield prices are slowly coming down, even in Europe. Agreed they are not cheap, but price seems fair and competitive for SSD capacity and performance.

 

[zoran]

Agreed they are not cheap, but price seems fair and competitive for SSD capacity and performance.

Competitive? Who would be their closest competitors?

 

[FFabian]

You could use a cheap “spinner” HDD for stationary use as speed isn’t usually an issue with TM backups as they run in the background. An upside will be size and price. Downsides are noise, speed and suspectibility to shock
As others have already said for a drive that you want to move around a SSD is probably best.

 

[zoran]

Since i will be using the drive for Backup (using TMachine) i was wondering... do i really need an SSD drive, and does it have to be fast? Maybe not!

 

[zoran]

Im close for getting this one, but i cant tell if it can be connected to my 16" M1 MBpro.

 

[FFabian]

Im close for getting this one, but i cant tell if it can be connected to my 16" M1 MBpro.

It comes with an USB-A cable. You need a cheap USB-A to USB-C adapter. Something like this:

Blukar Adapter USB C auf USB 3.0 (2 Stück) Typ C Secker auf A Buchse Handy OTG Adapter Thunderbolt 4/3 auf USB3.1 Kompatibel mit iPhone 16/15/14/13/Galaxy MacBook und Andere Smartphone & Tablet

Blukar USB C Adapter auf USB 3.0, [2 Stücke] USB Typ C Adapter mit OTG, Thunderbolt 3 to USB 3.1, Kompatibel mit Huawei, Galaxy, iPad Pro, MacBook Pro

www.amazon.de

the Toshiba Canvio Flex, a very similar drive, has an USB-A AND USB-C cable:

Toshiba 2TB Canvio Flex Portable External Hard Drive for Mac, Windows PC, Smartphone and Tablet use, Compatible with Most USB-C and USB-A Devices, Silver (HDTX120ESCAA)

Super speed storage made simple – Quickly transfer all your home and business files with Toshiba’s Canvio Ready External Hard Drive wherever, whenever it suits you! Thanks to its compact casing this HDD is perfect for all working environments without compromising on capacity or performance. The p...

www.amazon.com

 

[zoran]

Thanks FFabian, but I’m wondering, is it a good idea to get a drive that needs an adapter to work? 😐

 

[DeltaMac]

ALL external drives require adapters, if you need to connect to other connector types.
I think that W-D has a micro-B USB connector on the drive. If you can connect the other end to USB-C, you will be fine.
(I also think that W-D includes a USB-A to USB-C adapter, in the box, for you to use, if needed)
If the drive comes with an adapter to change USB-C to USB-A (or some variation), then you will be set by adding that adapter to the cable.
Or, if you don't want to use an extra connection in the middle of the connection cable (and I understand that might possibly affect long-term use of the cable) , just purchase a cable that does not need an extra adapter.
Something like this, if that's the connections that you would need:

UGREEN 10 Gbps Micro B to USB C Hard Drive Cables, 3.3FT USB C to Micro B, External Hard Drive Cable Compatible with Macbook Pro/Air, iPad/Tablet, iPhone, Samsung Galaxy S24, WD Seagate etc

All in one cable: The USB 3.1 Micro B to USB C cable connects a computer/PC/laptop/iPad with a USB Type C port to an External Hard Drive, Smartphone or Tablet for data & phone charging.

www.amazon.com

 

[zoran]

ALL external drives require adapters, if you need to connect to other connector types.

Aren’t there ext drives, or enclosures, that can have a USBC port?

 

[xraydoc]

Aren’t there ext drives, or enclosures, that can have a USBC port?

Yes.

 

[DeltaMac]

Yes, some external drives use other connections.
I was simply pointing out that if you need an adapter, those are available, and the drive might come with the right adapter in the box, or... you will need to purchase that adapter. And, it makes a neater piece of hardware if you get a single cable that has the correct connector that you need on both ends.
It all depends on which drive you decide to get. The Micro-B USB 3.0 connector is pretty common, and you can find that connector on cables with other USB connector types on the other end.
Again, it will depend on what drive you decide to purchase, and you may not know what connector you get until you actually have the drive in your hands. Some drives (such as some LaCie models) might come with a "tethered" cable, permanently attached, and if there is no USB-C connector on that cable, you would have to use an adapter of some kind, as the cable itself would not be replaceable.

 

[zoran]

Thanks guys, so the best solution would be a spinner inside a 2.5” enclosure with a USB-C port 😉

 

[FFabian]

Thanks guys, so the best solution would be a spinner inside a 2.5” enclosure with a USB-C port 😉

That’s needlessly complicated.

We’re currently in a transitionary period between legacy USB-A and USB-C. Many devices still ship with USB-A connections/cables (Logitech Mice with an USB A Unify plug are a prime example). External Hard Drives often use, as Delta Mac mentioned, Micro-USB connectors on the Harddrive side and ship with cables having Micro-USB on one end of the cable to plug into the drive and USB-A or USB-C on the other end to plug into the Computer. Some companies ship one cable, some ship both and some ship one with an adapter. It isn’t a sign of bad quality or in any way problematic to use an adapter. having an USB A to USB C adapter can be quite useful if you encounter devices with USB A connectors - USB sticks, mice or keyboards etc.