Best Format Hard Drive For Mac
Hard Drive Format for Mac and PC Both Mac OS X and Windows allow users to format their hard drives using built-in utilities. Even though most people associate formatting with system installation, there are many other reasons why you might want to format your hard drive. When you purchase a brand-new hard drive, there’s no guarantee that it will be pre-formatted from the factory, nor is there any guarantee that it will come with the right file system. Optimization is another good reason for hard drive formatting. Data fragmentation remains an issue even in the era of mobile devices, and in some cases formatting is the fastest way how to solve it.
Of course, you may also just want to quickly delete the content of an entire hard drive. Regardless of why you want to format your hard drive, there are some considerations to be made before you begin. First and foremost, you need to decide which file system to use.
Mac OS X uses the HFS Plus file system, while Windows uses the NTFS file system. Both Mac OS X and Windows also support the FAT32 file system, but we don’t recommend it for hard drives. Because FAT32 supports only up to 4 GB large files, it should be used only with flash drives.
If you need to format external hard drive Mac or Windows, you may also consider the exFAT files system. Developed by Microsoft, this modern file system is optimized for situations where the NTFS file system is not a feasible solution, and the file size limit of the standard FAT32 file system is unacceptable. How to Format a Hard Drive for Mac Mac OS X users have at their disposal a handy tool called Disk Utility.
With it, it’s possible to easily format and storage device with just a few clicks. You can launch it from the App list or use Spotlight.
The main window of the utility contains a list of storage devices, storage device details, and formatting options. Select your storage device, choose your desire file system, specify the name, and click on the Erase button. Click on the Erase button again to confirm your decision and wait for the process to end. How to Format a Hard Drive for Windows To format a hard drive for Windows, open the File Explorer and click on This PC. If the hard drive you want to format is connected to your PC, it should be there.
Right-click on it and select the Format option from the context menu. Keep in mind that you can only format storage devices that are currently not in use.
Windows will present you with a formatting window where you can specify various formatting parameters. After you confirm your selection, it should take just a few moments for the formatting process to finish. Recover Data from a Formatted Hard Drive Realizing that you’ve forgot to back up a critically important file from a newly formatted hard drive feels horrible. Without a capable data recovery tool, there’s nothing you can do about it. That’s why countless people from around the world have turned to Disk Drill, selecting it as their data recovery tool of choice.
Sponsored Links Should you wish to get the best in the business, you would be hard pressed to find a better USB-C hard drive than Samsung T5. What stands out T5 is the beastly performance. The read-write speeds of up to 540 MB/s make it a top-notch pick.
Advanced AES 256-bit hardware encryption ensures your data has the maximum shield to remain secure. With the solid metal design, it’s readied to endure wear and tear. Lastly, T5 is backed by a three-year warranty and comes in four storage variants such as 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB (starting price: $79.99.) USP: Read-write speeds of up to 540 MB/s. Sponsored Links #2. My Passport Ultra from Western Digital If you want to have a more affordable yet exceptionally functional Mac hard drive, Western Digital’s My Passport Ultra would be a fine option. WD is made of high-grade metal and sports matte finish.
The pretty light and compact design make it pocket-friendly. Microsoft office tutorials: use the favorites folder in outlook 2016 download. You can use its software to connect with cloud services and social media to import your photos or files.
256-bit AES hardware encryption ensures your data has the needed safeguard. It lets you create a strong password to enable hardware encryption. Additionally, My Passport Ultra comes in four storage variants like 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 4TB (starting price: $59.99.). Sponsored Links Thanks to the smooth, the hard drive can easily slip into your pocket. Lastly, G-Technology provides a limited three-year warranty. USP: Highly efficient #4. G-Technology R-Series Yet another hard drive from G-Technology.
But the R-Series has packed in with more power that makes it at par with the best. The highlight of SSD R-Series hard drive for Mac is the blazing fast transfer rates up to 560MB/s.
That means you will be able to manage your files efficiently. Aside from the rapid transfer speed, the external hard drive sports a rugged design that can help it survive up to three feet drops. IP67 water-resistance further boosts its longevity. Even better, G-Technology provides a reliable five-year warranty on R-Series. USP: Rapid transfer rate plus IP67 water-resistance #5. Silicon Power At $99.91, Silicon Power Armor A85M (4TB) seems to be a steal. The HFS+ format and Time Machine support makes it fully capable of handling your files.
Best Format External Hard Drive For Mac
With a ton of storage in the offing, you will have desired luxury to manage your large files. Talking about design, A85M features impressive unibody.
Due mainly to the strong aluminum casing, it’s shockproof (military-grade certified). That’s not all, this USB-C hard drive is IP68 waterproof and backed by a three-year warranty. USP: Impressive unibody (Military-grade certified) #6.
SanDisk SanDisk knows how to produce the finest SSD. And this one sits right at the top along with the likes of T5 and even R-Series. The prime reason why I rate it so highly is the wicked speed (up to 550MB/s). Courtesy the lightning fast speed, you will have complete control over to heavy videos, photos, and files.
Moving beyond the rapid transfer rate, the hard drive has received IP55 that does seem to be the downside. But in most cases, it should be sufficient to survive the low impact.
Moreover, SanDisk SSD comes in four capacities: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB with price starting at $83.74. USP: Fast and secure #7. LaCie Porsche Design LaCie Porsche Design promises to be a smart pick. There are three qualities that I would like to highlight. First and foremost, the hard drive is one of the most affordable options with the 2TB variant is priced at just $89.99.
Plus, it’s available in up to 8 storage capacities like 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB, 6TB, and 8TB. The second, 5 GB/s speed is more than good enough to take control of large files. Regarding design, the aluminum enclosure looks adorable and can also withstand shock. Besides, you will choose your SSD in three nice-looking colors such as silver, gold, and rose gold. USP: Competitive price/multiple storage capacities #8. LaCie d2 Professional Never want the storage capacity to hit rock bottom?
You should keep LaCie d2 Professional in mind. When I first had an interaction with d2 Professional, the one thing that caught my attention instantly was the massive 10TB storage capacity ($399.94) option. If you want to offer a safe haven to your tons of data, this one should be a great pick. Aside from the 10TB variant, it also comes in 4TB ($199.94) and 6TB ($249.94) models.
240MB/s speed should be more than sufficient to handle your large files. Regarding design, the aluminum unibody gives it a pro look and also boosts the longevity. Moreover, the company offers a reliable data recovery service for five years with this hard drive.
USP: 10TB storage capacity option #9. LaCie Rugged This is the third USB-C hard drive from LaCie in this roundup. Looking at the profile, I don’t think many of you would question its inclusion. The highlight of this external hard drive is the rugged design that can fight out bumps effortlessly.
Best Format Hard Drive For Mac
But that doesn’t mean it looks bulky or less pocket-friendly. It comes in only 4TB storage capacity that should be abundant for your truckload of data. 5Gb/s interface means you won’t have to encounter lagging while transfer files. Besides, the $159.94 price tag seems to be reasonable against what you get in return. USP: Impact-resistant design/5Gb/s interface #10.
Seagate Fast SSD Seagate’s “Fast SSD” may have been placed at the 10th position but don’t go by the ranking as it’s one of the finest USB-C hard drives for Mac. Starting from the storage capacity, Fast SSD comes in four models such as 250GB, 500GB, 1B, and 2TB.
So, you have multiple options to pick from. As for price, it’s reasonable (starting price $84.99). As far as performance is concerned, the 540MB/s transfer speed puts it in the elite league. Thus, you would be able to take control of high-resolution videos and photos immaculately.
Plus, the folder syncing feature makes it a bit easier to handle files. USP: Folder syncing feature That’s pretty much it! This sums up our roundup of the most efficient hard drives for macOS device.
Your top bet? I guess your boatload of data has finally got a safe haven. Which one is it? Share the qualities that you have found appreciable in it. And yes, tell us about the one should have been included in the above list.
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