

So what's a Mac user to do who just wants to back up his or her files using Time Machine, or stash a large video collection? Spoiler: A Thunderbolt drive isn't your only option far from it. As a result, they are typically external SSDs, or even multidrive RAID arrays, which means they also tend to be expensive. The main difference is that many drives made specifically for Macs use the upgraded Thunderbolt data transfer protocol, which promises super-fast data transfers for photographers and video editors who need to store mountains of footage and access it very quickly. Most laptops with either operating system now come with at least one oval-shaped USB-C port, and it's the one you'll want to use for connecting your external drive. Read our editorial mission (Opens in a new window) & see how we test (Opens in a new window).īuying an external hard drive or SSD for your Mac is not all that different from buying one for your Windows PC. Since 1982, PCMag has tested and rated thousands of products to help you make better buying decisions. How to Set Up Two-Factor Authentication.How to Record the Screen on Your Windows PC or Mac.How to Convert YouTube Videos to MP3 Files.How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill.

How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad.How to Block Robotexts and Spam Messages.Or use the OS X installation disc that came with your machine - or buy a new one - to boot up and install OS X on your Mac’s hard drive. Download the relevant macOS or OS X installer from Apple, then use Terminal to create a USB installer you can boot up from. You CAN boot a 2018 2019 or 2020 Macbook Pro from USB! But it does take a few steps to get there.

Starting in 2018 the Macbook Pro includes a secure boot chip that prevents your Macbook from booting windows, linux, BSD, gentoo, Fedora, Atlas Supervisor, other Mac O/S/s on a usb, etc. Also look at the reliability of the HDD, get something that is USB powered so that you don’t need to carry the charger wherever you go. Despite going for big brands you should also look at the affordability in relation to capacity. In order to get the best hard drive for your MacBook pro they are a lot of factors to consider.
