

- #Best backup tools for mac install#
- #Best backup tools for mac software#
- #Best backup tools for mac Pc#
The device has 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and automatic backup software (WD SmartWare Pro). It provides two additional USB ports on the rear, so you can easily insert flash sticks. Rather than use all the storage normally, you can instead use the My Book Duo's drives as a RAID 1 backup, which means your data's duplicated across two drives so that if one of them fails, everything's still safe on the other drive, making this the perfect choice for anyone who doesn't want to leave anything to chance where their files are concerned. And while that seems overkill for anyone except video professionals, there's a great case for choosing way more storage than you actually need in this case. Need all the storage? If so, you need the WD My Book Duo, which comes with storage options up to a frankly ludicrous 36TB. It’s better to have a bigger hard disk for that, and use the T5 in more specialised situations that need all that lovely performance. SSDs give you less capacity for more money, so we don’t recommend the T5 for backup.
#Best backup tools for mac install#
You can install applications onto it, and you can even run an entire alternative operating system off it at full speed, if you’re so inclined. You’ll be able to easily load edit and save 4K video directly on the T5, which can be very slow with a USB hard disk. It's tiny and it'll plug straight into Macs and PCs via USB-C or older USB-A, and unlike hard drives it has no moving parts so it can take a lot more punishment drop a hard drive and it's touch-and-go whether it'll survive the fall, but even a basic SSD can take that in its stride.Įxternal SSDs may cost considerably more than hard disks, but the faster speeds go a long way. That's when having an SSD feels like the really smart option, and while it's been around for a while, the Samsung T5 SSD is still a fantastic choice with speeds of up to 550MB/second.

You might not think that speed really matters when you're looking for the best external drive, but you'll soon change your mind when you're copying over gigabytes of files and watching the progress bar crawl along at a glacial pace. And if you need to know about the best external drive bargains as well as other great seasonal savings, be sure to take a look at our guide to Black Friday 2021. If you're struggling to choose, though, first read our brief intro to what to consider when buying an external hard drive. And if you fancy a little DIY, it's easy to make your own external drive and save a little money.ĭon't have room for a physical device in your workspace? Then alternatively, check out our guide to best cloud storage. In this article, we list the very best external hard drives and SSDs available today, and include all the facts and figures you need to find the right model for you. Some come with their own software for easy backups, however you'll also be able to drag and drop files around if you prefer to be in control.
#Best backup tools for mac Pc#
But whatever external drive you choose, you'll find that they're generally easy to use simply plug them into your Mac or PC via Thunderbolt or USB and you should be good to go. For something faster, lighter and generally more portable, you want an SSD. The downside to hard drives, of course, is that they're slow and they have moving parts, which makes them a little less suitable for taking out and about with you. And you don't need to spend big to get all the external storage you need it's easy to find a basic 4TB external hard disk for under $100/£100, which should be ample for most creatives. An external drive's also the ideal way to back up all your precious files and documents just in case anything goes wrong with your main drive, or if your laptop gets lost and stolen.
