My "My Passport for Mac" has died. I need to replace it in a hurry, but I am confused as to what external hard drive to choose for my aged late 2013 21.5" iMac. I would also like to go on using this hard drive when I have upgraded to a new iMac. Speed, appearance and size don't matter, but I don't want to spend more than I need to get something reliable. I feel quite out of my depth. Please can anyone advise?
Most any external drive will work with the Mac, provided you ensure that it is formatted for use with macOS. Most drives that you find, unless otherwise specified, come pre-formatted for use with Windows machines. They can be used, but you will need to reformat them using the Mac's built in Disk Utility application.
Many veteran users will recommend drives and enclosure from OWC/macsales because they are priced right and are generally dependable and compatible with Mac systems.
For Time Machine backups you'll want to buy a drive that is 2-3 times the total capacity of the drive(s) you'll be backing up. So if you'll be backing up a 500GB internal drive, buy a backup drive that is 1-2TB.
Hi there!
The SanDisk Professional 2TB G-Drive ArmorATD™ - Apple would be a great choice! It includes the legacy USB-C to USB-A 3.0 cable required to connect to your 2013 iMac, along with a modern USB-C cable for use with current Mac computers.
Be sure to choose a capacity that is twice the size of your internal disk. For example, if you have a 1TB internal hard disk, choose a 2TB backup disk.
To set up this disk as your Time Machine backup destination, take a look at this Apple Support article: Back up your Mac with Time Machine - Apple Support.
Hope this helps!
-Jack
Which external hard drive to buy to backup iMac late 2013 running Catalina?
