USB C external hard drive for off-site Time Machine backups; Suggestions?

[reubs]

I've got a 1 TB 16" MBP, and I'm wanting to keep an external hard drive in my office for off-site Time Machine backups (along with the one I've got at home).

Any suggestions on a good one? I'd prefer USB C so I don't have to buy a dongle of any kind, and I could be powered or not; that doesn't concern me too much.

At home I've got a WD MyBook, but it's not USB C.

Thanks.

 

[barbu]

Samsung T5 drives are affordable, fast, and compact. Highly recommended.

 

[Stephen.R]

@reubs: by far the easiest solution here is to just buy whatever external HDD you like (cost/looks/features wise) that has a removable USB cable, and then just buy a cable for it with USB-C.

Using the image below as a reference, you can check what the drive has, and then buy that port to USB-C. Your MyBook probably has the "3.0" Type-B connector. Mobile drives often have the abomination that is the "3.0 micro-b".

Either way - work out what it has, buy the appropriate cable.

Also, if you want it expressly for backups, I'd personally very much avoid using an SSD, unless you have very tiny backups to make.

Edit: just realised I didn't link the image.

 

[Fishrrman]

OP:

There are several ways to do this.

1. Buy a pre-assembled 1tb USB3 SSD. Samsung t5 or perhaps something like this:

Titanium Micro 1TB External SSD, Titanium One Portable SSD - Up to 500MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C USBA, Rugged IP66 Water Resistance, Drop Proof, External Solid State Drive Storage for PC Mac Smartphone

Titanium Micro introduces TITANIUM ONE, a robust external solid state drive with decent dust-proof, water-resistant and shock-absorbing function. The Aluminum cover and silicone frame provide sturdy protection. Integrated cable design, with built-in USB 3.2 Gen 2, carrying and storing by which yo...

tinyurl.com

2. Buy a 2.5" SATA "bare" SSD of your choice (I like Crucial and Sandisk), and a 2.5" USB3 SSD enclosure, perhaps one like this:

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

SABRENT 2.5 Inch SATA to USB 3.0 Tool Free External Hard Drive Enclosure [Optimized for SSD, Support UASP SATA III] Black (EC-UASP)

www.amazon.com

3. Buy an nvme "blade" SSD, something like this:

Silicon Power 1TB - NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 2280 SSD (SP001TBP34A60M28)

Silicon Power 1TB - NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen3x4 2280 TLC SSD (SP001TBP34A60M28)

www.amazon.com

...And put it into a USB3.1 gen2 enclosure, like this:

ORICO M.2 SATA B+M/B Key SSD Enclosure USB 3.1 Type C 5Gbps External Solid State Enclosure Adapter for 2280/2260/2242/2230 M.2 NGFF SSD 4TB Max, NOT Supoort PCIe NVMe/AHCI M.2 SSD-Black

12 MONTHS FREE REPLACEMENT AND LIFETIME TECHNICAL SUPPORT: If there was any problem with the products from ORICO Direct Store, please contact us, you will get a free-replacement within 12 months.

www.amazon.com

Choice #3 will run about twice as fast as choices 1 and 2.
I have a similar setup (Orico enclosure using a Crucial drive) and get reads of 965MBps and writes around 850MBps.

 

[reubs]

Thanks, everyone. I like the simplicity of the Western Digital MyBook, but I thought that connector was proprietary. It looks like it might be a micro B, so I may just have to see if I can find a Micro B to USB C.

Thanks!