The Best External Hard Drive for Mac Backups

External hard drives can be used for a lot of different things but  certainly one of the most popular uses is for backing up your files. While you can technically use any external  hard drive for backups we thought we’d do a quick review on the best external hard drive for Mac backups to help you get the fastest and easiest backups.

Backing up your files is always a good idea. I’m sure all of us have had a crash or hardware/software issue in the past which has resulted in file loss. But with file backups your files are kept safe and the best way to do this is with something external so even if your desktop or laptop is damaged for whatever reason, your external backup is still safe. There are many options of doing this from expensive backup systems and web services but the easiest and cheapest is to simply use an external hard drive.

So what makes an external hard drive the best external hard drive for Mac backups?

First up you want something good quality and enough storage space. Some external hard drive manufacturers use cheap hard drives in flashy looking packaging and charge far more than the real value, and cheaper hard drives are more likely to malfuction which doesn’t make them viable for safe backups. You also want to make sure you can actually fit your files onto your storage device, otherwise you might have a hard time trying to back them up.

Secondly you want something with fast file transfer rates and a simple system to get the backups done. Backing up your files might be important but that doesn’t make it fun but with fast transfer speeds and quality software you can start your backups with a click of a button and be done within minutes, not hours.

Lastly you want to watch the price line. Unless you’re guarding government secrets here, you don’t need Fort Knox defending your data. You just need something good quality which will save your files and your wallet.

So we did some digging around with these points in mind and we found what we consider to be the best external hard drive for Mac backups – the Transcend StoreJet M3.

Best External Hard Drive for Mac Backups Features

List Price: $91 (although it is usually cheaper – they always have sales)

Connections: USB 3.0 (but it is backwards compatible with USB 2.0 if needed)

Capacity: 500 GB

Size: 5″ x 3.2″ x 0.7″

Weight: 7.2 ounces

What Makes it the Best External Hard Drive for Mac Backups?

This meets all the criteria we’d want in the best external hard drive for storing files. It’s fast (USB 3.0), it’s durable (shock and drop protection) and it has a quick backup button. After a quick setup to tell it which files you want kept safe – all you need to do is plug it in and push the button, it will handle the backup itself.

This drive makes backups easy, it makes it fast and it’s one of the most durable external hard drives for Mac the only one possible problem with it is it’s capped at 500 GB which might not be enough for everyone. If you’re looking for something with a bit more space you might want to have a look at our other review of the best external hard drive for mac. It’s a little less durable but you do get more space with it.

Final Conclusion
Reliability
Speed
Portability
Price
Capacity