Best Portable Hard Drive for Mac 2017 There are so many portable external DVD drives for Mac to expand the memory on the market, from USB type C, SD card, Chromecast to network-attached storage (NAS).
- Iomega Ego Portable Hard Drive
- Best Portable Hard Drives For Mac
- External Hard Drive For Mac
- Seagate Portable Hard Drives
- Portable Hard Drives Reviews
Welcome to our guide to buying the best external hard drive or backup hard drive in 2019. When looking to buy the best external hard drive for your needs, there are quite a lot of things you need to consider - and this guide will help you.
Plus, with Amazon Prime Day 2019 rapidly approaching, there's a good chance that we're going to see some major price cuts to the best external hard drives out there. If you do find a killer deal for any of the drives on this best external hard drive list, then you can buy in full confidence that you're getting a brilliant external drive for your money.
When buying the best external hard drive for your needs, you need to make sure you get a device that can safely and securely store your important files. Reliability is of the upmost importance here, as you do not want to buy an external hard drive that fails on you - making you lose all your important backups.
The best external hard drives will also be quick - either because they use SSD (Solid State Drive) technology, or because they use the latest connectivity technology, such as USB-C.
The biggest deciding factors when it comes to data transfer rates is the connection the drive uses, and whether it is a standard hard drive or a solid state drive (SSD). Many external hard drives use USB 2.0 connections, but for faster speeds you'll want USB 3.0 or ideally the newer USB Type-C connection. You'll need to ensure your PC or laptop also has a USB Type-C port.
You'll also need to think about how much storage space you need. The best external hard drives offer a range of capacities. We'd recommend 500GB to start with, as that gives you plenty of space to store your files without costing too much money.
However, if you deal in large files, such as high resolution photos and videos, then you may want to consider buying a bigger drive, with external hard drives offering terabytes (TB) of storage space.
Buying the best external hard drive for your needs involves figuring out how much space you need. You don't want to buy an external hard drive that's too small, and end up running out of space, but neither do you really want to pay over the odds for storage space you'll never need.
So, we've listed the best external hard drives money can buy in 2019. Each external drive (or backup hard drive) on this page has been carefully picked to make sure it offers fast data transfer speeds – essential if you move lots of big files regularly – while also offering sturdy build quality so you don't have to worry about them breaking and losing your files.
When buying the best external hard drive for your needs, there are certain things you need to take into account. For example, you'll want to make sure you have a drive that offers fast data transfer speeds.
In this guide we list the best external hard drives with both traditional hard drives and faster (and more expensive) solid state drives.
Still, the best external hard drives are also dependable and rugged, so you can safely store your data without worry. The best external drives will also be light enough to carry in your bag, with large capacities so that you can keep your data safe when travelling.
There's a huge range of external hard drives on offer, so we've put together this list of the best external hard drives to help you find the perfect one for your needs.
1. Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC external hard drive
Wireless security
Capacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0
An external hard drive you can buy without breaking the bank, Buffalo's MiniStation Extreme NFC could be your match made in heaven.
With compatibility for both Mac and Windows machines, the Buffalo MiniStation Extreme NFC is very flexible, and comes with a rugged case that's dust and water resistant, along with a built-in USB 3.0 cable.
Not only is your data kept protected from knocks and drops with the rugged shell, but it's also got 256-bit AES security features and NFC (Near Field Communication) features as well.
Essentially it allows you to unlock the drive to get to your files quickly and easily by tapping the supplied NFC card onto the drive's body. Pretty neat!
- This product is only available in the US at the time of this writing. UK and Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro
2. Western Digital My Passport Ultra 4TB external hard drive
Comes with Encryption and a long warranty
Capacity: 4TB | Interface: USB 3.0
The latest generation of the Western Digital My Passport Ultra range of external hard drives has landed, coming in sizes from 1TB to 4TB. It features cloud storage and 256-AES encryption, along with WD's own software suite.
It is a good performer when it comes to data transfer speeds but doesn't come near the top of the leaderboard. Unsurprisingly, it doesn't reach the top speeds of solid state external drives, but for external hard drives based on traditional HDDs, this is the drive to consider.
3. Samsung T5 SSD external hard drive
The best external SSD of 2018
Capacity: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Interface: USB Type-C
If you'd rather have an external hard drive that took advantage of solid state drive (SSD) speeds, then the Samsung Portable SSD T5 is definitely the best external hard drive for you. Samsung has a brilliant reputation for external SSDs, thanks to products like the T3, and the T5 builds on its predecessor by adding a fast USB Type-C connection that ekes out every last drop of performance from the solid state drive inside. Of course, it's also backwards compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 if your PC doesn't have USB Type-C. It's expensive, but it's well worth the cash.
Read the full review: Samsung Portable SSD T5
4. Adata SD700 External SSD
Capacity: 256GB, 512GB or 1TB | Interface: USB 3.0
The Adata SD700 will suit those looking for a rugged storage device that can provide ample capacity without costing too much. It performs superbly well and remains the only SSD we've seen that is IP68 rated.
Thanks to the solid state drive that resides in this external hard drive, it's a lot faster than external drives that use traditional spinning hard drives - so you're getting great transfer speeds as well as rugged protection.
It also comes in capacities up to 1TB, so you don't have to worry about missing out on storage space just because it uses an SSD - this drive really does hit all the right notes.
5. WD My Book Duo 4TB external hard drive
Capacity: 4TB | Interface: USB 3.0 x 2
If you're looking for the absolute largest capacity external hard drive, then the WD My Book Duo 4TB is the one to get, offering a huge 4TB (you can also get versions with up to 20TB) of storage space over two hard drives.
If you don't mind sacrificing some of the ample storage space you can set the drives up in a RAID array, so you have file backups of your files should one of the drives die.
This USB 3.0 drive has many of the features of a fully-fledged NAS device (including a high price), and if you have a router with a USB 3.0 port you could use this as a network attached storage device in its own right.
The device, which comes with two-year warranty, has 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and automatic backup software (WD SmartWare Pro).
Worth noting that the enclosure used is fully serviceable and that WD ships the drive already pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS).
6. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt external hard drive
Best Thunderbolt external hard drive
Capacity: 1TB, 2TB | Interface: Thunderbolt, USB 3.0
If you have a device with a Thunderbolt port, then this is a great option, as it provides twice the speeds of standard USB 3.0 drives. It's also not especially expensive compared to other Thunderbolt drives. The price is kept down due to its use of a traditional hard drive, rather than an SSD, which limits the potential speeds. It also comes with a USB 3.0 port for people without access to Thunderbolt.
- This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the WD MyBook Duo
7. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB
Capacity: 5TB | Interface: USB 3.0
If you want to combine speed and capacity, then the Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB is definitely worth considering. It comes in a range of sizes up to 8TB and it beats the competition when it comes to read and write speeds as well.
On top of this storage and speed, you get a decent amount of peace of mind thanks to Seagate's lower than average failure rates, especially in bigger capacity hard drives.
You also get backup software, and the drive is compatible with both Windows and Macs, though it's formatted for Windows out of the box unless you go for a Mac-specific hard drive - though these are more expensive.
8. Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro external hard drive
Capacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0 and Wi-Fi
Even if we had mixed feelings on past versions of the My Passport Wireless, the 2016 'pro' variant of the external HDD restores faith in the Western Digital name. The design, for one, has been overhauled and no longer resembles the My Passport Ultra or My Passport for Mac. Instead, there's now a more premium feel to the My Passport Wireless Pro. It resembles an external DVD drive, but considering the onboard SD card slot, don't worry about getting it confused with anything else. For photographers, this will make the Wireless Pro stand out.
For everyone else, there's a massive 6,400mAh battery built into the device. This lets the drive be used completely free of wires over 2.4GHz or 5GHz channels. When it's wired up, however, don't expect cutting edge connection tech, as the My Passport Wireless Pro uses only USB Type-B to Type-A. Completely absent is the latest and greatest USB-C connection.
Where the My Passport Wireless Pro compromises on affordability, it's able to benefit in just about every other area. Of course, not everyone needs a wireless hard drive or SD card support, but for those who do, it's almost essential.
Read the full review:Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro
Worth noting that the enclosure used is fully serviceable and that WD ships the drive already pre-formatted for Windows users (NTFS).
6. Buffalo MiniStation Thunderbolt external hard drive
Best Thunderbolt external hard drive
Capacity: 1TB, 2TB | Interface: Thunderbolt, USB 3.0
If you have a device with a Thunderbolt port, then this is a great option, as it provides twice the speeds of standard USB 3.0 drives. It's also not especially expensive compared to other Thunderbolt drives. The price is kept down due to its use of a traditional hard drive, rather than an SSD, which limits the potential speeds. It also comes with a USB 3.0 port for people without access to Thunderbolt.
- This product is only available in the US and UK at the time of this writing. Australian readers: check out a fine alternative in the WD MyBook Duo
7. Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB
Capacity: 5TB | Interface: USB 3.0
If you want to combine speed and capacity, then the Seagate Backup Plus Desktop Drive 5TB is definitely worth considering. It comes in a range of sizes up to 8TB and it beats the competition when it comes to read and write speeds as well.
On top of this storage and speed, you get a decent amount of peace of mind thanks to Seagate's lower than average failure rates, especially in bigger capacity hard drives.
You also get backup software, and the drive is compatible with both Windows and Macs, though it's formatted for Windows out of the box unless you go for a Mac-specific hard drive - though these are more expensive.
8. Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro external hard drive
Capacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0 and Wi-Fi
Even if we had mixed feelings on past versions of the My Passport Wireless, the 2016 'pro' variant of the external HDD restores faith in the Western Digital name. The design, for one, has been overhauled and no longer resembles the My Passport Ultra or My Passport for Mac. Instead, there's now a more premium feel to the My Passport Wireless Pro. It resembles an external DVD drive, but considering the onboard SD card slot, don't worry about getting it confused with anything else. For photographers, this will make the Wireless Pro stand out.
For everyone else, there's a massive 6,400mAh battery built into the device. This lets the drive be used completely free of wires over 2.4GHz or 5GHz channels. When it's wired up, however, don't expect cutting edge connection tech, as the My Passport Wireless Pro uses only USB Type-B to Type-A. Completely absent is the latest and greatest USB-C connection.
Where the My Passport Wireless Pro compromises on affordability, it's able to benefit in just about every other area. Of course, not everyone needs a wireless hard drive or SD card support, but for those who do, it's almost essential.
Read the full review:Western Digital My Passport Wireless Pro
9. LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive 4TB
Capacity: 4TB | Interface: USB-C
You may have stumbled upon the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive when perusing the Apple website for USB-C accessories. There's a reason for that: the Porsche Design ships with both USB Type-C to Type-A and USB Type-C to Type-C connectors, making it a worthy candidate regardless of your setup.
It's expensive for an external hard drive, don't get us wrong, especially if you're in the market for the top-end 4TB option. On the other hand, this is an HDD that could theoretically output speeds of up to 5Gbps, if it weren't hindered by the limits of SMR (Shingled Magnetic Recording) technology.
Comprising five 800GB platters in a 15mm form factor, the LaCie Porsche Design Mobile is an excellent challenger to the Seagate M3, though it's notably bigger in both weight and dimensions.
Sure, it packs an extra convenience factor in the form of USB-C, but it should be noted that the Porsche Design Mobile is still limited to USB 3.0 speeds. Plus, even an aluminum finish can't prevent it from clashing with your Rose Gold MacBook. Nevertheless, LaCie's offering is the best USB-C external HDD money can buy, at least for the time being.
Read our full review:LaCie Porsche Design Mobile Drive 4TB
10. iStorage diskAshur 2TB external hard drive
Best for security
Capacity: 2TB | Interface: USB 3.0
Typically, iStorage hard disks cater best to governments and multinational organizations around the world, for good reason too – they offer tight security like no other drives around.
If someone tries to tamper with your iStorage drive, you can configure it to self-desturct. What's more, the data is encrypted by the 256-bit AES protocol, with multiple forms of protection in place to ensure the bad guys don't get in no matter how persistent. When you consider all that extra security, the prices won't scare you away either.
Sure, it's still expensive, four times the price of an equivalent 2TB drive, and unlikely to be the most nimble performer. But, you're paying for a product that's virtually uncrackable. Bear in mind, though, you'll get no help from the manufacturer if things go awry and you lose your password.
Read our full review: iStorage diskAshur DT
Gabe Carey and Matt Hanson also contributed to this article
Are you still using an old 2011 or 2012 MacBook Pro? Yep, that's my model (mid-2012). I love my MacBook, but well, when it's starting to show its age, it's not that speedy anymore.
Fortunately, there is a quick way to increase the performance of an old Mac — upgrading the internal hard drive to SSD (solid-state drive).
If you are like me, who still loves the old MacBook and yet to decide to invest in a new yet pricey MacBook, then this guide is for you.
I am going to share with you a list of the best SSD drives for MacBook Pro 2011 and 2012, as well as a step-by-step instruction on how to replace the internal HDD with a new SSD so you waste no time and make no mistakes.
P.S. I went with Crucial BX200 SSD (as shown in the purchase receipt below), and I'm quite happy with the performance it has brought to my Mac. But, BX200 is a legacy product and the company has a new better SSD — Crucial MX500.
Note: I did the SSD upgrade on my mid-2012 MacBook Pro, so this guide is probably most useful to those of you who are using the same model with me. However, I assume it would also apply to older MacBook models like 2011 and 2010 as long as your machine has a standard 2.5-inch SATA drive.
Disclaimer: I'm not a computer expert but I did extensive research on the topic about the best SSD for MacBook Pro and actually upgraded it by myself (DIY). It's worth pointing out that MacBook Pros from 2013, 2014, and 2015 have very few SSD upgrade options; And newer MacBook Pro 2016 and 2017 models are not upgradable at all. Also, this post was initially published two years ago, I've thus come back to revamp the content making sure the information in the article is accurate as the SSD market changes fast.
Quick Summary
Don't have time to go too deep into the technical field? I understand. Here's a quick rundown of the best SSDs for MacBook Pro.
- If you use your old MacBook Pro mainly for lightweight tasks such as surfing the Internet, transferring pictures, etc., an affordable yet high-capacity SSD is best for you. Crucial MX500 is my top pick, followed by Samsung 860 EVO and SanDisk X400.
- If you use your MacBook Pro for heavy tasks like gaming, photo/video editing, 3D modeling, etc., a pricier performance SSD is best for you. Samsung 860 PRO is the best, OWC Mercury Electra 6G is a great alternative.
Below, you'll find more detailed reviews, but you can also click the links above to get more info about each SSD and perhaps order one of them on Amazon so you can get the product as soon as possible.
Why Trust Me for This SSD Upgrade Guide?
First of all, I still use a 13″ mid-2012 MacBook Pro, and I have successfully replaced my Mac's internal hard drive (500GB Hitachi HDD) with a shiny new Crucial SSD which cost me about $140 (tax included) by the time I purchased it in 2016. See these screenshots for evidence.
Here is what happened to my MacBook Pro and why I decided to replace the hard drive with an SSD. The quick answer is: I had to.
On April 1, 2016…yep, Fools' Day but it wasn't a joke. My MacBook Pro went black screen all of a sudden, it stopped working, and I couldn't turn it on. After sending it to Apple Genius Bar for diagnosis, the geek guy told me it was because the internal hard drive attached to my Mac died and he said the only solution was a replacement. To me, it was devastating! The 500GB Hitachi hard drive was working okay for the past four years, and there wasn't any sign for it to die out until it happened unexpectedly. As a result, I lost some documents and pictures that failed to be backed up in time. Lesson learned, the importance of backup!
Iomega Ego Portable Hard Drive
Also Read: Best External Drives for Data Backup
I began to shop around for solid-state drives. For two reasons: first I read that SSDs beat HDDs over many aspects (more in the following section). The other is for fear of HDD failure — yes, I hated Hitachi HDD for a while and decided to give SSD a try. After that, I did as much research as I could, both online such as reading industry SSD benchmark tests from StorageReview.com, CNET.com, TechReport.com, AnandTech.com, and offline too — mostly asking computer repair shop technician for advice, and I ended up with ordering a 480GB Crucial BX200 SSD back in 2016.
After the SSD was delivered, it took me another two days to manage the installation process — opening the hard case, watching OWC and iFixit video instructions, installing the new macOS, etc. the list went on and on. Frankly, I made quite a few mistakes until I got everything right. Finally, the SSD was running smoothly on my MacBook Pro.
But, you don't have to make those mistakes, as I'm going to share all I've learned along the way in this guide. My goal is simple: to save you time exploring what the best SSD is for MacBook Pro 2012 (perhaps 2011 too) and avoid pitfalls you might encounter during the installation process.
Should I Upgrade My Old MacBook Pro to SSD?
The debate of HDD and SSD has never stopped. HDD stands for hard disk drive, has a much longer history and continues to be the mainstream. SDD, short for solid-state drive, uses a new storage mechanism and starts to get more traction as its price declines which happened just several years ago. Both HDDs and SSDs have pros and cons. General speaking, HDDs beat SSDs in price and capacity limits; while SSDs are superior to HDDs in performance and durability. If you are interested in learning more, this or this article is worth taking a look.
There are good reasons why you should consider installing an SSD on a Mac machine. In fact, Apple has started to use flash storage in almost all its computer product lines, MacBook Pro included. Flash storage is storage that uses electronically erasable memory modules with no moving parts, similar to what a solid state drive has to offer.
- Your Mac will be much faster. Case in point, once I installed the new Crucial SSD to my 2012 MacBook Pro, the performance increase blew my mind. Let's take boot time as an example, in the old days, my Mac took nearly a minute to start up entirely. Now it's only 10 seconds or so; I'm always amazed to see the startup progress bar flash through…no more spinning wheel. Besides, a Mac with SSD transfer files faster and launches and runs apps faster.
- It will be more silent. Since an SSD is non-mechanical, it makes virtually no noise unless the fans spin up. A quiet Mac is better than a noisy Mac. Unlike SSDs, mechanical hard drives contain spinning platters and magnetic heads. It's normal to hear a whining noise or clicking and tapping when the drive is spinning up or accessing data.
- SSDs are more durable. One main factor that leads to traditional hard drive failure is the heat created from continuous motion generated by small moving parts. 'Only 78% of the hard disk drives we buy are living longer than four years', according to Backblaze. Because a solid-state drive does not have any moving parts, it is more reliable thus safer for the data you'll save or create on your Mac.
- SSD price is dropping. According to Lucas Mearian from PCWorld, 'The price computer makers paid for solid-state drives (SSDs) declined by as much as 12% over the last quarter', he noted later 'SSD adoption rates in laptop computers will grow by more than 30% this year.' It's safe to say that SSD price still has room to decline as competition goes on.
Best SSD for 2011/2012 MacBook Pro: What To Consider?
Now that you are ready to purchase for an SSD and retire the old hard drive on your MacBook Pro. Which SSD should you get? Here are some factors you should consider. Note that this article is focused on internal SSD upgrade for MacBook Pro, NOT an external SSD as the criteria are different. You can read our best portable SSD roundup for more.
Budget
Although the price of SSD has been falling, the range still varies a lot. For example, the cheapest SSDs cost more than a hundred US Dollars while the most expensive ones are priced at over $1000 which could allow you to buy a new Mac machine. So, the first thing is to ask yourself — how much can I afford to get an SSD for my MacBook? For example, between $100 and $150, or around $200, etc. Note: a cheaper SSD does not mean it's not good, there are many other factors such as drive size, the brand, etc. that affect the price.
Storage Capacity
The volume of an SSD is one of the most important factors you should consider. At this moment, it's not common to see SSDs available for sale that is less than 500GB in size. In other words, 500GB is almost the base capacity you could choose from most manufacturers. This is because smaller drivers are often slower and more expensive considering the cost per gigabyte. Also, as camera technology improves, photos and videos often have much larger file sizes. If you are used to syncing these files with your Mac, the chances are that your Mac will be filled up much faster than ever before. So, consider a 750GB or 1TB if you have a need for large storage. You could consider 4TB, but in my opinion, it is an overkill, and a 4TB SSD is usually way more expensive.
Performance
There is a saying in the storage world that even the worst SSD is miles ahead of an HDD in terms of speed. But not all SSDs are made equal. Drives with larger capacities tend to be faster in writing and reading, thanks to an SSD's speed advantage that comes from parallelization. But the difference wouldn't be night and day. For most MacBook Pro users, a cheaper yet high-capacity SSD is enough to meet your daily computing needs. For those of you who make a living in fields like design, development, or workstation, etc. that requires a MacBook Pro to move large files and handle request very quickly, then consider a high-budget, high-performance SSD.
Brand
Buying an SSD is a big investment, and it's serious business as the drive carries all your personal or business data. You don't want to get an SSD that is insecure, defective or from a manufacturer that doesn't offer quality customer service. That's why choosing a brand is important. In general, I buy products from brands that are trustworthy like Apple, Samsung, Crucial, SanDisk, etc. For SSD manufacturers, another factor why brand matters is that quality and warranty. For example, during my research, I know Samsung makes its own SSD controllers, memory, and firmware, which gave me confidence that the company is capable of designing and putting together the entire SSD from start to end. Also, brands like Crucial and Samsung all offer 3-5 year warranty for their SSDs…another bonus.
Compatibility
Not all Macs support SSD upgrade and not all SSDs fit into the Mac model you own. For example, the most recent MacBooks are all with SSDs and they are blazing fast and based on 4-channel PCIe interface (Source: 9to5mac), there is no need to upgrade unless you have particular reasons. If you are using a Retina MacBook Pro or Air that was made mid-2013 or later, it's almost impossible to upgrade the hard drive because PCIe-based SSDs don't use standard connectors. Even if your Mac like MacBook Pro/Air prior to 2013 is able for SSD upgrade, you should be careful because MacBooks don't use standard SSD designs and MBPs and Airs share different types with each other. Fortunately, MacBook Pros from 2012 and before are compatible with 2.5-inch SATA drives which most SSD manufacturers provide.
Best SSD for MacBook Pro: 5 Great Choices
For general users who prefer a cheaper yet high-capacity SSD, Crucial MX500 is my top pick, followed by Samsung 860 EVO. In case both options went out of stock, SanDisk X400 is an excellent alternative.
For power users who are less price-sensitive and have high-performance demands, Samsung 860 PRO is surely a winner in the market. If it is not available, OWC Mercury Electra 6G is a great option.
Pro tip: once you secure the desired SSD, I also suggest you get the BatPower S2 Mac Laptop Screwdriver set kit — which includes the right screwdriver and other tools you'll need to open your MacBook Pro case and swap the old hard drive to get the new SSD installed.
1. Crucial MX500
As I said in the beginning, I've been using a Crucial BX200 480GB (now a legacy product) with my mid-2012 MacBook Pro for about eight months — without any problems! I have a good impression of the Crucial brand and definitely would recommend its products. MX500 is popular because of its price advantage and various capacity options (from 250 GB to 2TB).
What's Great:
Best Portable Hard Drives For Mac
- Price is very competitive.
- Strong security with hardware encryption.
- Plenty of unique features other products are unable to offer.
What's Not So Great:
- Decent performance but not the fastest SSD Only 3-year warranty
2. Samsung 860 EVO
The Samsung EVO series has remained the top position in SATA SSD for several years thanks to its many advantages such as high speed, 5-year warranty, and technology — which I mentioned earlier that Samsung is able to design and make key SSD controllers and parts on its own. Another perk of choosing Samsung is the Magician software, which is great for drive installation, maintenance, and faster transfers.
What's Great:
- High performance.
- Up to 4TB in size 5-year warranty.
What's Not So Great:
- The Samsung Magician software only works with PCs, not Macs.
3. SanDisk X400
SanDisk has a word of mouth among its memory card and disk storage market. The company also makes solid-state drives. SanDisk X400, relatively new to the SSD market, aims primarily for business notebook upgrades. The SanDisk X400 has four capacities that range from low to high volume. What impressed me most is its performance, which is as good as Samsung 860 EVO.
What's Great:
- Greater endurance with SanDisk's nCache 2.0 technology.
- 5-year warranty.
What's Not So Great:
- Does not come with software like Samsung Magician.
4. Samsung 860 PRO
This product is essentially an upgraded version of 860 EVO. PRO is designed for gaming and professional computing, while EVO is for everyday computing. The differences are that PRO has a higher maximum sequential read speed (i.e. up to 560 MB/s) while EVO is up to 550MB/s. But 860 PRO is much more expensive than 860 EVO as well.
What's Great:
- Excellent performance, much faster than 860 EVO.
- A lot of great features and capacity options.
What's Not So Great:
- Samsung Magician software is not available for Mac users.
- Changed the warranty from 10-year to 5-year.
5. OWC Mercury Electra 6G
OWC (stands for Other World Computing), is a computer hardware provider since 1988. I got to know the brand when I was searching for video tutorials about how to open my MacBook Pro case. The OWC team has created tons of really awesome videos that make it hassle-free to replace any Mac components all by yourself. The OWC Mercury Electra 6G SSD features high-quality and supports disk encryption.
What's Great:
- Excellent in performance.
- Offers useful video tutorials for SSD installation.
What's Not So Great:
- Price is a bit higher than that of other options.
Disclaimer: this review and guide are primarily based on 1) my own experiencing shopping and installing a solid-state drive on my mid-2012 MacBook Pro; 2) the expertise of SSD and computer experts with whom I consult; 3) the information accessible via the manufacturers' websites. As thus, the above recommendations are my own opinions and I reserve the rights to change my opinions when necessary. Your Mac's performance may vary after swapping the drive. Also, it may make more sense to buy a new SSD laptop instead of spending money on upgrading components.
How to Upgrade MacBook Pro to SSD: 4-Step Guide
So you've bought and received your desired solid-state drive (and perhaps the screwdrivers and tools needed to open your Mac case), now what? Open the case of your MacBook Pro and put the SSD inside? Wrong. You'll need to make sure you've backed up all the data on your old hard disk drive (if it's still working) and created a bootable installer for macOS (see how to do this in Step 2).
Note: if the internal hard drive in your MacBook Pro has crashed or died, I highly recommend you schedule an appointment with Apple Genius Bar. Their geek team will install the latest macOS for you, so you don't have to take the time to make a bootable installer. Also, you don't need to buy any screwdrivers or tools because they will open the case for you as well.
External Hard Drive For Mac
Step 1: Back up Your Mac Hard Drive
The easiest way is to use Time Machine. You can also clone your Mac hard drive to an external drive. Cloning is complementary to backup methods like Time Machine, and I encourage you to do so if you have extra portable drives. This ensures you get up and make your Mac work again in minutes in case any system crash/errors during update.
Step 2: Create a Bootable macOS USB Installer
The USB installer allows you to quickly boot up your Mac just in case, especially when the Internet Recovery option isn't available to use. All you have to prepare is a USB flash drive with a capacity 8GB or larger because the file size of the latest macOS Mojave is 18.5 GB. You can read this article for how to make it.
Seagate Portable Hard Drives
Step 3: Open MacBook Pro Case and Install SSD
This is the key part that you need to be extra careful. Any misoperation could damage your Mac. Fortunately, OWC has recorded a detailed instruction in this video. I highly recommend you watch it before you start.
Step 4: Run macOS Installation and Transfer Data
Once you finish the SSD replacement work, plug in the USB flash drive (with the bootable installer you made in Step 2) to your MacBook Pro. Now press the start button to turn on your Mac. Hold down the Option key as soon as you hear the reboot tone. Select the disk named 'Install macOS Mojave' and install the operating system to your MacBook Pro. After that, use Time Machine to restore all the data. Follow the instructions from OSXDaily. They are quite helpful.
What is TRIM and Should I Enable It on My SSD MacBook Pro
For Mac computers, TRIM is a command that helps macOS system know where the data you want to delete or move is stored. The main benefit of enabling TRIM is to make it faster to write to empty memory thus prolong the life of your SSD. Do you really need to enable it? In my opinion, no. Because I haven't noticed any slowdown with my Crucial SSD (yet). Plus, Apple didn't support TRIM for aftermarket SSDs until OS X 10.10.4 (source: AppleInsider).
Portable Hard Drives Reviews
How to check if your SSD is TRIM enabled or not on your MacBook Pro? Click on Apple logo on the top left corner > About This Mac > System Report > SATA/SATA Express, then select your SSD disk and check 'TRIM Support.'
If you want to enable TRIM, this CNET article shows how to do it step by step. You can also watch this YouTube guide if you prefer a video tutorial. Just a kind warning: before you proceed, make sure you backup your Mac just in case.
Tips To Keep Your SSD-based MacBook Pro in Good Shape
In the digital age, nothing lasts forever. All devices and hardware components have a lifespan. Eventually, they will be gone. An SSD drive is no exception. All we can do is try our best to extend its life and maximize the value. Even if it fails someday, it won't cause panic. That said, here are some helpful tips and tricks you may want to apply:
- Always backup your SSD data to another place, be it an external drive or cloud storage, it doesn't matter. Backup is the only effective way to avoid data loss disasters.
- Never erase or format your SSD drive. You've learned the difference between how HDDs and SSDs work, there is no need to wipe an SSD clean by making unnecessary write cycles because doing so will only degrade your SSD life.
- Update firmware from your manufacturer. Most solid-state drive providers like Samsung release firmware updates regularly. It's always a good idea to visit the manufacturer's website and install the firmware.
- Do not use up all your SSD storage space. Even if you've chosen a small-size SSD for your MacBook, aim to have at least 10% free space. Optimize your Mac on a regular basis with apps like MacBooster.
- Avoid exposing your SSD and MacBook to extreme temperatures. Although SSDs are more durable and resistant than HDDs when it comes to cold and hot, leaving your SSD-based MacBook Pro in such environment too long is a bad idea for sure.
Final Words
When your old MacBook Pro runs slow or starts to act up like freezing up randomly, it's better to watch out as there could be something wrong with the hard drive. In my case, I've personally experienced drive crash with my mid-2012 MacBook Pro. Fortunately, you don't need to abandon your old Mac and get a new one. Replacing the internal hard drive with a solid-state drive has been a great way to boost your Mac performance while spending less.
However, choosing the best MacBook Pro SSD isn't an easy task because there are so many factors you may want to consider. Plus, the installation process could easily go wrong if you don't know what you are doing. Anyway, I hope this guide above has given you some useful directions. Whether you are a general user who's selected a Crucial MX500, or you are a power user who has secured a Samsung 860 PRO, they both are awesome SSDs for Mac laptops. Also, don't underestimate the SSD installation part as it could be quite time-consuming if you don't have the right tools at hand.
If you have any additional questions regarding SSDs for MacBook, leave a comment below.
Chris is a computer geek for a decade. He loved talking to computers via codes, and now he finds it more interesting communicating with the real people. He now writes everything related to computer issues and loves helping people solve problems.
