#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC UPDATE#
#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC ARCHIVE#
#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC FULL#
#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC SOFTWARE#
#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC PC#

Alas, only new subscribers can use the included code, so if you already have a Game Pass Ultimate subscription, you're really paying the extra $20 for the logo. The Xbox version shown in the image simply includes an Xbox logo and a month of Game Pass Ultimate, a $15 value, for $20 more. The standard version works with PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One and One X and S consoles, as well as PCs. It essentially looks like a mini hard drive, which is kind of cool. It's thicker and more rugged-looking than your typical SSD and includes a detachable stand with rubber feet to keep it from moving around wherever you place it. But it's really its design that sets it apart. On its surface, then, the WD Black D30 game drive isn't all that special (it has up to a 900MBps transfer rate, which is basically what a console's USB 3.1 connection caps out at).

#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC FULL#

The PS5 has the same restriction - you can only store full PS4 games on external drives.

#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC ARCHIVE#

Note that with the Xbox Series X, you can only archive Xbox Series X and S games to this drive, you can't store full games on it (the Seagate Storage Expansion Card is required for that). You can use any SSD with your PlayStation PS4/PS5 or Xbox One, Xbox One Series X or Series S to store PS4 and Xbox One games and other content and pick up a nice speed bump when loading games compared with a standard external hard drive like the WD Black P10 above.

#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC UPDATE#

We'll update our list of the best external hard drives and SSDs as we test new products. These (or nearly identical models with less storage capacity) have been used or anecdotally tested by CNET editors. With those caveats noted, our current top picks for the best external hard drives and SSDs are below. The Xbox Series X does offer a proprietary Seagate-made storage expansion card, but it costs $220. The PS5 can store and play PS4 games from an external drive, but not PS5 games the Xbox Series X can store Series X games, but you'll have to transfer them to the main SSD to actually play them. One important note for console gamers is that the newer PS5 and Xbox Series X (and Series S) consoles are much more restrictive about using external drives.

Ideally, you'll want redundant backups either off-site or using cloud storage for key data and large files (such as family photos) in case of theft or fire. But if they don't happen to be included, you can easily buy dongles for about $10.Īnd remember: A single backup doesn't cut it. Many of them include cables or adapters to accommodate USB-C and USB-A ports.

#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC PC#

Unless otherwise indicated, all the PC drives mentioned here are compatible with Windows but can be formatted for a Mac.

#BEST USB PORTABLE HARD DRIVE FOR MAC SOFTWARE#

But a lot of times they'll be designated as working with a specific platform out of the box and sometimes come with backup software that's platform-specific. Most of the options on this list of the best external hard drive models will work across platforms - whether you have a Windows PC, Mac computer, PlayStation 4 or Xbox - so long as the drives are correctly formatted for the right platform. A solid-state drive doesn't have moving parts and has up to four times faster read speeds, but it costs a lot more per gigabyte. Prices have dropped significantly in the last few years, with even the high-capacity hard drive models tipping the scales at 5TB but costing just over $100. One way to manage it all is to find the best external hard drive for your needs.Ī traditional hard drive that uses 'old' hard drive technology (mechanical platters and a moving read-write head to access data) is adequate for the majority of users, thanks to speedier USB-C and USB 3.0 (as well as 3.1/3.2) interfaces. Game consoles today come with 1-terabyte drives (which is roughly 1,000GB of hard drive storage), but the drives max out easily if you don't regularly delete games off the drive as you acquire more. Unless you're splurging on a high-end model, most new computers don't come with much storage space - they usually have 256GB or 51GB.

Best usb portable hard drive for mac