External SSD for Mac: 5 recommendations for backups, photos & more

Which external SSD is recommended for a Mac?

For Time Machine and normal data exchange, models around 1,000 MB/s such as Samsung T7 or Crucial X9 are already very fast. According to their manufacturers, Samsung T9 and SanDisk Extreme PRO reach up to around 2,000 MB/s, and Crucial X10 Pro up to around 2,100 MB/s. However, these maximum figures require a suitable USB connection. On a Mac in particular, do not buy solely on the basis of the highest number on the packaging.

External SSD for Mac: Our five recommendations at a glance

* Affiliate link. Speed figures are manufacturers’ maximum values and depend on the Mac, interface, cable, file type and use.

Samsung T7 2 TB: Our all-round recommendation for Mac and Time Machine

The Samsung T7 2 TB is a straightforward all-round solution for many Mac users. It combines a compact design with USB 3.2 Gen 2 and, according to the manufacturer, reaches up to 1,050 MB/s reading and up to 1,000 MB/s writing. It is well suited to backups, photos, documents and general storage expansion.

Time Machine does not normally require extreme peak speeds. The 2 TB T7 is therefore an interesting combination of speed, capacity and everyday practicality.

Suitable for: Time Machine, photos, documents, general storage expansion and mobile work.

View Samsung T7 2 TB on Amazon*

Crucial X9 2 TB: Our value-for-money recommendation

The Crucial X9 2 TB is an interesting alternative if you want a compact external SSD with up to 1,050 MB/s and do not need extra professional features. For backups, photos, Office files and general storage expansion, this performance is already more than sufficient.

A price comparison is particularly worthwhile here: if the X9 is significantly cheaper than comparable 1,000 MB/s models, it can be the more attractive choice.

Suitable for: budget-conscious Mac users, Time Machine and general data storage.

View Crucial X9 2 TB on Amazon*

Samsung T9 2 TB: Fast SSD for photos, video and large files

The Samsung T9 2 TB is aimed more at users who regularly move large amounts of data. Samsung specifies up to 2,000 MB/s reading and, depending on capacity, up to 2,000 MB/s writing for the T9. It uses USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 at 20 Gbit/s for this.

Important for Mac users: an SSD with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 only achieves its advertised maximum speeds on a host that supports that interface accordingly. Do not buy the T9 solely because of the “2,000 MB/s” figure. It remains a high-quality portable SSD, but actual achievable speed depends on the specific Mac and port.

Suitable for: large photo archives, video projects, frequent file transfers and users who also use the SSD with other compatible devices.

View Samsung T9 2 TB on Amazon*

Crucial X10 Pro 2 TB: A fast, compact alternative

The Crucial X10 Pro 2 TB also belongs to the faster class of portable USB SSDs. The linked 2 TB model is advertised with read speeds of up to 2,100 MB/s. This makes it particularly interesting for large file transfers.

As with other 20 Gbit/s USB SSDs, however, the manufacturer’s maximum specification does not automatically tell you what speed you will achieve on your specific Mac. For a drive used solely for Time Machine, a more affordable Crucial X9 2 TB or Samsung T7 2 TB often already makes sense.

Suitable for: large files, creative workflows and users who use a fast portable SSD across several systems.

View Crucial X10 Pro 2 TB on Amazon*

SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB: A fast, robust SSD for travelling

The SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB is a particularly fast portable SSD. SanDisk specifies up to 2,000 MB/s reading and writing for this model through USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. It also includes an aluminium casing, IP65 water and dust resistance, and password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption.

This makes it particularly interesting if the SSD is often carried in a backpack or used on the go.

Suitable for: MacBook, travel, photo backups on the go and general storage expansion.

View SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB on Amazon*

How fast does an external SSD on a Mac really need to be?

For Time Machine, documents, photos and normal file transfers, external SSDs around 1,000 MB/s are already very fast. Higher data rates become more interesting if you regularly copy very large files or work directly from the external SSD.

However, the entire connection chain matters: the SSD, the Mac’s USB/Thunderbolt interface and the cable. The slowest part limits speed. An SSD that is nominally twice as fast is therefore not automatically twice as fast on every Mac.

For professional workflows, a genuine Thunderbolt SSD can represent a different performance class. For Time Machine and conventional storage expansion, however, it is often unnecessarily expensive.

Which external SSD is best for Time Machine?

For Time Machine, we would mainly consider Samsung T7 2 TB or Crucial X9 2 TB from this selection. The maximum speed of Samsung T9 2 TB, Crucial X10 Pro 2 TB or SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB usually provides less everyday benefit for automatic backups than greater capacity for the same budget.

As a guideline, Apple recommends a Time Machine backup drive with at least twice the Mac’s storage capacity. A 2 TB SSD is therefore a sensible starting point for a Mac with 1 TB.

We explain how to set up Time Machine step by step in our “Back up your Mac properly: Time Machine backups explained” guide.

1 TB, 2 TB or 4 TB: Which external SSD capacity for a Mac?

1 TB

Good for documents, photos, mobile projects or as an addition to a Mac with a small internal SSD.

2 TB

The best middle ground for many users. Enough space for larger photo archives, Time Machine and more extensive projects without immediately moving to very expensive capacities.

4 TB or more

Interesting for large video archives, extensive media libraries or long backup histories. Compare the price per terabyte particularly carefully here.

Format an external SSD for Mac: APFS or exFAT?

If the SSD is used exclusively with modern Macs, APFS is the appropriate choice in many cases. For a Time Machine drive, macOS configures the destination appropriately or requests a suitable format.

If the SSD regularly exchanges data between Mac and Windows, exFAT can be more practical. However, do not also treat a Time Machine drive as an unrestricted exchange drive. Clear separation reduces errors and makes the backup structure easier to understand.

Which SSD would we buy?

For Time Machine and everyday use: Samsung T7 2 TB or Crucial X9 2 TB, depending on the current price.

For frequent large file transfers: Samsung T9 2 TB, Crucial X10 Pro 2 TB or SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB if your devices can effectively use the higher interface performance.

For travelling: SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB is the clearly specified robust Pro option in this selection; the compact Samsung T7 remains a good all-round solution.

Frequently asked questions about external SSDs on a Mac

Conclusion: The best external SSD depends on the Mac and intended use

For most Mac users, an external SSD does not need to achieve the highest advertised speed. Samsung T7 2 TB and Crucial X9 2 TB cover conventional backups and storage expansion very well. Samsung T9 2 TB, Crucial X10 Pro 2 TB and SanDisk Extreme PRO 2 TB become more interesting when large files and fast transfers are the main focus.

For Time Machine, we would be more inclined to invest additional money in more capacity rather than solely in maximum sequential speed.

Found the right external SSD?

Compare the five recommendations on Amazon and pay particular attention to your desired capacity as well as price.

View Samsung T7 2 TB on Amazon*

Related Mac guides

• Back up your Mac properly: Time Machine backup
• Which Mac for photo editing?
• Set up a new Mac properly

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