Solid state drive mac mini

SSDs tend to be more reliable overall, and if they fail, you can still read data unless the actual memory chips are damaged , whereas you may not be able to do this with a hard disk.

However, SSDs are much more expensive when you look at the cost to storage ratio. There is another kind of drive that combines the two technologies: the hybrid drive, or what Apple calls the fusion drive. The drive copies the most frequently used files to the flash storage, so they can be accessed more quickly. This generally includes the operating system, apps you use often, and files you access regularly. The first time you boot and launch apps, files are read from the hard disk, and then moved to the SSD part of the drive; subsequently, accessing those files is much faster.

The speed and reliability of SSDs make them the ideal solution for today's computers. And Apple's laptops are only offered with SSDs. The larger SSD element means more files can be cached, and your Mac will run a lot faster.

The future is flash. We'll eventually see affordable SSDs at multi-terabyte sizes, and the choice will be simple: You'll only buy a hard disk if you really need a lot of storage.

Most of the files on a big SSD will just sit around, never being accessed, yet costing a lot. For now, most Mac users can get by with or GB SSDs, and if you have lots of files, an external drive—or even the cloud—will save you money. Which hard disk option s do you prefer to use? Have something to say about this story?

Share your comments below! Thanks for your article. I sent this along to them. But there are many options out there — scroll down to see our full list of recommendations, and the best external hard drive prices too. Black Friday and Cyber Monday are on their way — this year's major shopping event will kick off on 29 November.

This is typically a really good time to pick up a an amazing offer; in past years we've seen retailers offering big price drops on external hard drives. Take a look at our guide to the best Black Friday external hard drive deals for an in-depth look at what to expect. Our widgets below will pull in all the cheapest prices for your region, so the best early Black Friday deals will be reflected there.

First, is storage. You'll want to make sure you buy an external storage device that has enough capacity for your needs — without paying for high capacities you'll never use. Around GB is a good sweet-spot for external storage, though you can buy smaller capacities, as well as larger ones at 1TB or greater. Another consideration is whether to get an external storage device that uses a traditional hard drive, or one with an SSD.

Usually, external hard drives with traditional drives are more affordable and come in larger capacities. There are external SSDs that come with large capacities — but these can be expensive. SSDs are much faster than traditional hard drives, and because they don't have any mechanical or moving parts, they're generally more robust and smaller in physical size as well.

So, if you want to store huge amounts of data while keeping prices low, an external hard drive is the way to go. But if speed is your top priority — for example, if you move a lot of large files, or want to run programs off the drive — then choose an SSD. The connection between the external hard drive and your Mac or PC is also important. These are now found on all modern PCs, and Macs. This is the fastest external storage connection there is, and it provides very fast data transfer speeds, though Thunderbolt storage is considerably more expensive than plain old USB.

If you're in the market for a new laptop, don't miss our post on the best laptops for graphic design. Fancy getting your hands on the best external hard drive deals?

Here's our pick of the very best deals we've found today:. And, of course, when Black Friday hits, make sure you keep an eye on all the Black Friday ads. While transfer speeds aren't the quickest, due to its USB 3. If you want to make use of your Mac's Thunderbolt port, then this is a great option, as it provides twice the speeds of standard USB 3.

It still uses a traditional hard drive, rather than an SSD, and while this means speeds aren't quite as fast as possible, it at least keeps the price down, while offering large capacities. There's also a USB 3. This is one of the fastest high capacity hard drives you can plug into your Mac, with a huge 4TB of storage space that zips along its USB 3. The all-aluminium enclosure gives the drive a premium look and feel, while also protecting your data from knocks and drops, and keeping the drive cool when used. As it uses a solid state drive, the read and write speeds of this drive are much faster than external hard drives that use traditional hard drives.

It does mean the price is higher, but if transfer speed is the most important consideration when looking for the best external hard drive for your Mac, then this is the drive to go for.

How to Choose the Right Hard Disk for Your Mac

Not only is your data kept protected from knocks and drops with the rugged shell, but it's also got bit AES security features and NFC Near Field Communication features as well. This is a great external hard drive for your Mac if you are concerned about keeping your data safe and secure. It is a good performer when it comes to data transfer speeds but doesn't come near the top of the leaderboard.