SAVE Your Mac And Your MONEY! External SSDs For Mac Explained

43 Comments

1. Big THANK YOU for your two videos on SSDs (this and "External SSD For Mac Explained: Save Your Money, Your Storage, And Your Mac!"). I ordered an Acasis TBU401 and WD_BLACK overnight. … Then noticed that Amazon offered a $10 off coupon this morning when I looked from work, without logging in. 🤦 Why, Amazon, why. Well, it let me discover the newer TBU405 (Acasis claims better heat dissipation), also with a coupon.

   Question for you @Kyle: do you recommend using one of their included heat pads on an SSD, or is that going to make minimal difference? I'm not planning on using these for heavy read/write activity like live content editing like you demonstrate. TIA.

2. amazing production quality for just 60k subs!

3. all this work and inconvenience put on the costumer ….. so sad apple is anti consumer and promote E waste

4. New Mac user here. Gotta say your content has been a massive help in choosing and getting my Mac up and running

5. Bought a M1 Mac Mini with 256GB and an external SSD and regret it. iCloud drive can't be put onto external (for some reason) so there goes ~100GB. Logic Pro and a couple of Unity packages and there's not much left. I'm going to have to upgrade.

6. As a PC enthusiast who builds, fixes, tinkers, and upgrades I hate Macs. I think they’re cool but wish they had the hardware options PC’s have.

7. My 4 month old SanDisk 4Tb SSD just crashed! I wish I would’ve found this video before then as it would’ve saved me a lot of heartache and lost files!!

8. Five star all of the way

9. I cannot believe how helpful a single video can be! About to get an m3 16 mbp and very dubious about wasting money on extra internal storage that I might not even need. Wanted to get 512 gb but was anxious it would not be enough… now I know I can rest assured that I can always do this external enclosure thing if I ever lack the storage. The question is – can your external enclosure combo handle long sessions of video editing ? Or does it get too hot ? Also some nvme drives come with the heat sink option… does it actually help with minimizing heat or is it not worth extra money that it costs? ❤

10. Such a great informative video! About the SSD format, what do you recommend for using the disk mainly in a Mac and an Android TV?

11. Fantastic & Informative video. Question….Will these enclosures and Samsung 980 or WD770 SSD's work with an 27" iMac 2017 Intel that is dying and I want to get my data off of it soon – like this week. I will probably buy an iMac 24" M3 or maybe MAC Studio M3 if it comes out this summer (and the price is not too bad). In the meantime, I will use my 2017 iMac Pro as my my everyday computer until I do. Thanks, Charlie in Central Ohio – Mac user since 1986 (VisComm major at Ohio University)

12. Yeah but does your external SSD have an Apple logo on it? I rest my case.

13. Great content, very helpful. Thank you 🙏🏻

14. You are my go to trusted and well researched apple reviewer. So much so I would love it if you included a section or part of your videos that says… this is my recco….. I’d be happy with that and would literally just buy that. I’m still interested in your research and option it’s just I trust it so much I just need your recco. Done simple.
    Keep up the great work.

15. By using one of these drives's will this speed up my macbook air? I have ma 13, in 2018 1.6 GHZ dual core, 8 G memory.24.75 GB available of 121.02. all things on cloud. but i'm slow….any help?

16. Had a Mac for more than 10 years now I think. For some reason I always thought external SSD’s are just for extra storage. Now that I know I can run demanding apps on there, I just got the enclosure and NVMe you recommended and they should be here tomorrow! Thanks! Can’t wait to give my 2019 iMac a boost 😂. One day I’ll switch to a Mac with an M chip but not today 😆

17. I have a 2014 MBP, 16GB ram and i7 2.8 ghz with 512GB. I only use Logic Pro + plugins. I just install everything on internal ssd, libraries, etc. then my external drive which is a 1TB ssd which has insane write speeds of 6000MB does all the read writing. That’s been that way since 2016 when I got it used off eBay.

18. Amazing video thank you so much had not even thought about this option you have opened a new world thank you!

19. Will I need this if I’m not content creator? I just want this for the ecosystem and for basic work load like Work Order closure, emails and YouTube browsing.

20. I have a MacBook Pro i7 2017 and I have just bought a TS4, but I cannot connect my 2x T7s (1x 512GB T& Touch, and 1x 1TB T7), I have tried updating all firmwear etc., but the T7s will only connect directly with my Macbook. Wondered if you had any advice? Thanks

21. Idk what to get I can either get a M3 air for 1000 or the MacBook for 2000
    I need a strong computer long term… I’m thinking maybe I can get the m3 and use an ssd what would be the pros n cons??
    Is it worth spending more for the upgrades or would it be a waste of another 1k
    I don’t want to spend 2000
    If an m3 can with a beefy external ssd can do the same as a 2000 MacBook

22. Thanks, Kyle … very informative. Does anyone know of an SSD enclosure (Thunderbolt 4) that has a lock on the enclosure lid, and can be attached to a Keystone lock? I need to use one in a fairly public area at a business, and don't want it to grow legs and walk off. Thanks for any recommendations.

23. It's a real shame Apple is pricing commodity upgrades at such exorbitant prices. That said, I think having a fast and reliable external drive is very important regardless of machine specs.

24. I don't have a M1 chip , will my Mac be compatible for acasis SSD ? my specs …Intel UHD Graphics 630 1536 MB ….2.6 GHz 6-Core Intel Core i7

25. Is this(acasis ssd enclosure) compatible for macbook pro 13.3 m2?

26. I've got an Intel 27' iMac, and have attached a samsung drive to hold Time Machine. If I use a 3 C connection, can I just put an adapter on the USB2. My Thunderbolt is hosting in a hub a Windows SSD as well as the Time Machine. Your mention of USVB 4 is the first I've heard of such a thing, all of this an indication of my (non) level. What is enticing, however, where I don't completely trust Time Machine, is the idea of something to park mothball files (former banks etc.) Your presentation is very good, in any case.

27. Just buy a NAS

28. Great info!

29. these thunderbold enclosures are at similar price as QLC SSD 4TB drives.. understand these are for people that really need 3000MBps speeds.

30. Did I hear you correctly? Did you say that with the intro of the M2 ship the external SSD drive can not be a boot drive?

31. Excellent review and loved the pace. My question is regarding connectivity. I have an iMac late 2013 which has Thunderbolt 2 ports. If I buy the Acasis enclosure and WD SN770 drive how do I best connect the Thunderbolt 2 ports to the drive? Can you estimate likely read/write in that configuration? Obviously this won't be an issue once I upgrade the iMac but I'm not there yet. Thanks!

32. So glad I saw this. I was just about to buy that SanDisk Pro but I went with the Samsung

33. I do NOT recommend the ZikeDrive. if you simply dislike the drive you have to spend $50+ to mail it back to China. the read speeds max out on a Mac at 1900mb/s which is considerably lower than my Acasis enclosure which gets 2500mb/s+. a bit disingenuous

34. Thanks for a great video!
    I have a 27" intel iMac, 2019 with iTB internal SSD. I use bootcamp and need more capacity.
    How would these external drives perform as the primary boot drive with the Mac OS installed? Compared to the internal 1tb ssd currently on the system?
    Thanks for your reply!

35. Ok so this is what I just purchased. SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD – Up to 2000MB/s – USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware – External Solid State Drive – SDSSDE81-4T00-G25. should I return????

36. Not me watching this after I just purchased my sanddisk 4tb v2 😳

37. What is the best portable disk for downgrade macOS from Sonoma to Ventura? i have intel mac book pro 2019🙏

38. I have a 2012 Mac Mini. Fully Upgradeable. Upgraded the RAM. Will upgrade the Hard Drive to SSD drive eventually. At the Moment I'm only looking for an external SSD storage for "Projects". Finding a reasonably priced adequate SSD is a Pain.

39. At a certain point it just makes sense to pay the Apple tax for storage. A 150-300 dollar enclosure/dock with 1-200 dollars of M.2 gets you close or to the Apple price point with what will always be an inferior compromise.

40. A LOT OF GREAT INFO. Thank You so much. I am going to be setting up a new MacMini when it gets here and using an internal storage upgrade so some kind. So many of them 🤷🏼‍♂

41. I have a 2011 Mac Pro tower. Are there any compatible external SSDs for it?

42. linus looks different in this ?

43. I have came back to this video 3 times for guidance thank you