I'm in the market for a separate HDD or SSD to back up my MacBook Air (M1, 2020). I'm hoping to keep my Mac running until at least the end of 2026 and need a drive that can store unused files and serve as a backup. My main requirement is that it must be compatible with both MacOS and Windows, as I plan to get a PC in the future. I've done some research, but I keep getting mixed reviews and I'm not sure which product to go with. My budget is around $175 AUD (about $117 USD). Any suggestions would be appreciated!
4 Answers
You might want to check out the SanDisk SSDs—they're small and come with USB-C and USB-A adapters. The 1TB version is often under $90 on sale, and the 2TB runs about $130. Format it with Disk Utility for exFAT, and it’ll be good to go for both Mac and PC.
Most drives will work just fine. I usually recommend Western Digital drives for their reliability. If you go for a 2.5” WD drive, they can hold up to 6TB, which is more than enough for backups!
It really depends on how you format the drive. For backups using Time Machine, you’ll need APFS or HFS+, but Windows won’t read those formats. You might want to consider formatting the drive as FAT32, which works for both systems but remember it can’t handle files larger than 4GB. You’ll also need to back things up manually or use third-party software if you go that route. I usually stick to Seagate or Western Digital for brand reliability.
Thanks for the info! I’ve had some concerns about Seagate from older reviews, but maybe they're better now. Also, I've heard about file corruption with certain formats, so I'm a bit wary.
Honestly, anything should work as long as you format it correctly before use. Make sure to format it to exFAT for compatibility, but just know that formatting will erase everything on it.
Totally agree! WD’s drives have been solid for me. They’re perfect for backups.