After that, it keeps deltas (only files that have changed).

When Time Machine runs for the first time, it takes the full backup of data on the disk. In other words, the best size for Time Machine backup drive 4x to 8x of the size of the primary disk, when 2x is a minimum. For instance, if MacBook’s disk size is 128GB, then 256GB will be the minimum for a backup, and 1TB would be the best choice. The minimum size for a Time Machine backup drive should be at least twice the size of the Mac primary storage. So, what’s the best size for the Time Machine backup drive? We want to keep a balance between capacity and the price, if possible. When the difference in price between 1TB and 2TB may not be too high, when we are moving up in size, doubling the storage comes with more than double price. However, we need to be practical, because extra bytes come with extra price. Ideally, you want as much storage as you can get. The second most important factor is storage capacity. On the market for decades, here is the list (not complete) of companies which If you are not familiar with which manufacturers have been If you get anything from this article, I want to remind you that brands matter when reliability is the most important factor in choosing a backup drive. I think we all know the answer: some reviews on Amazon are fake. So many times, I’ve seen several thousands of 5-star reviews on no name devices, and at the same time, good devices get a couple of hundreds of reviews, and the average is 3.5. If Amazon is your choice when it comes to purchasing anything online, be aware that not all user reviews are real. There is not a single model that is 100% fail free.ĭevices produced by well known established companies have lower rates compared to drives from unknown manufacturers. If the drive fails when you need it, then it’s not worth even a penny. It doesn’t matter how fast the disk is, how sleek it looks, or how good the discount was on Amazon. The main factor in selection is reliability. There are certain qualities that I look for when considering hard drives for any backup. Shop or Read Reviews on Amazon How to Choose Hard Drives for Time Machine Brand name

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