External hard drive & USB-C - How to! (Connect To MacBook)

Are you considering investing in an external hard drive for your MacBook that uses USB-C technology? In this post, I will explain about the many benefits you can get with such a device.

Which external hard drive should I choose? When choosing an external hard drive, it is essential to find a model that matches your specific needs in terms of capacity, speed and connectivity. As there is a wide selection of external hard drives, it is important to clarify your needs thoroughly before making your choice.

There are many factors to take into account, which is why in this post I will guide you through choosing the right external hard drive for your needs.

How an external hard drive works

Hard drives can be divided into internal and external. The internal one is the one that is built into your computer and stores data. The external one sits in its own cabinet and is connected externally via e.g. USB.

If your cable doesn't fit, an adapter can solve the problem.

Hard drives are available in two physical sizes

Hard drives come in different sizes, the two most common being 2.5" and 3.5".

Works like a USB key

An external hard drive works like a USB key and can be used to back up data or for extra space.

Many still prefer them to cloud storage services such as iCloud, OneDrive or Google Drive, as they feel more secure in keeping their private data on a physical device.

Do you need more space or is your computer slow?

If your hard drive is running out of space, it may be because you have filled it up with files you rarely use. In that case, an external hard drive can be the solution to save old pictures, movies, documents, etc.

Has your computer become slow? This may be due to a full internal hard drive. I have written a blog post with lots of good advice to solve this problem, where the hard drive i.a. is mentioned as a decisive factor. 

Quick explanation of Hard Drives

Please watch the video below, where my colleague explains in a minute and a half what a hard drive is, how it works and what the various abbreviations mean.

What is SSD?

SSD stands for Solid State Drive and is a technology similar to the one you know from USB sticks and memory cards. The data is stored in small RAM circuits, which means there are no moving parts or disks to cause noise, unlike a traditional HDD (Hard Disk Drive). The data can be accessed directly, making the SSD generally faster than an HDD.

Top 6: The best external hard drive for you

The best external hard drive for you is of course the one that meets your specific needs. Before buying a hard drive, it is important to consider the following four things:

You can develop a close relationship with your external hard drive, especially if you store data of great emotional value. Therefore, it is important to choose the right external hard drive, as there is a wide selection.

Capacity and speeds of external hard drives

Two of the most important specifications to consider when choosing an external hard drive are capacity and speed.

Capacity

At avXperten, we have divided our external hard drives into six categories based on capacity, ranging from 500 GB to 5 TB. If you need less space, your need may be met with a USB plug.

The space requirement on a hard drive varies greatly from person to person. You can usually see how much space a file is taking up on your computer by simply hovering over it. If you have many image or video files, you can select them all in a folder and the total size will typically be displayed at the bottom of the folder.

Speed

The speed of a traditional hard drive is usually based on its rotational speed, which is not the case for SSDs, which are typically faster due to their lack of moving parts.

When it comes to the transfer speed, it is evaluated based on the version of the connection option.

Since most external hard drives use USB connectors, I have prepared a table and chart showing the maximum speed based on connection type compatibility.

Backwards compatible

USB 3.0 is approximately 10 times faster than version 2.0, but they are backwards compatible. This means that you e.g. can use a USB 3.0 plug in a USB 2.0 port. You can find this information by clicking on the products.

See the table for the maximum bandwidth (speed) for each version.

USB-C and external hard drive (Connectivity options)

USB-C is the newest type of USB connector, and many MacBooks and PCs now have a USB-C port.

The USB-C port is approx. 60% smaller than a normal USB-A port and is expected to become the new standard, suitable for both computers, tablets and smartphones.

If you want to know more, you can read more in our guide to USB-C: What is USB-C?

The technology is backward compatible with older USB versions down to version 2.0.

If your external hard drive connector does not fit the port on your computer, you can use an adapter to ensure you can still enjoy your hard drive.

How to connect your old devices to the new ones

If you have a device that uses USB 2.0, but your new computer only has a USB-C port, you can solve this problem with a USB-C male to USB-A female adapter.

That way you avoid having to change all your products by investing in a cheap adapter instead.

Many options

There are several options for connecting your external hard drive to a USB-C port using the right adapter.

As a bonus, the USB-C connector can be plugged in either way, eliminating the struggle of turning the connector correctly when plugging it into your computer.

Charge your laptop with a USB-C Powerbank

The new USB-C connector and improved transfer speeds have also made it possible to connect a power bank to a laptop.

Connect Your MacBook to an External Hard Drive

When it comes to getting peripherals to work with Apple products, care is often required. Many new MacBooks only have one port – a USB-C port.

Apple's Thunderbolt cables version 1 and 2 were compatible with a mini displayport output. The new Thunderbolt 3 cable fits a USB-C port. However, it is not quite the same, and you can read more about the differences here: Is USB-C the same as Thunderbolt?

Always remember to be aware of which connector you should use, both for your hard drive and in your computer.

Example of specifications

When you click on a specific product, the following may be written, for example:

USB 3.1 connection

The hard drive connects via USB 3.1 Gen 1 and is compatible with Windows, Mac OS and Android.

(In addition, you can see many more specifications, such as speed and capacity, which are described earlier in the article)

With more devices now using USB-C connectors, connecting a MacBook to an external hard drive has become easier. However, the many different versions of both external hard drives and MacBooks can cause confusion.

Therefore, remember to check whether your device is compatible with the USB version and your operating system.