New MBP: Which Externals HDs WORK?

[JungleNYC]

Not a lot of enclosure options yet, that I can see. And now we're learning that SOME versions won't work with the new MBP.

I'm going from an older MacPro 2008, so I'm gonna need REALLY to rethink my externals…

Any suggestions? I'll buy anything but LaCie.

Thx!

 

[TofSanity]

well, I do have a LaCie connected to mine. Its the Porsche Design 4TB with USB-C. When at home I use it as my power source, so just having the two ports is working out, at least for me. Also, used it on my MacBook 12"

 

[westie3130]

I purchased the G-Technology external hard drive, 1 terabyte, from Apple. I have the Macbook pro 13 inch no touch bar- works fine.
http://www.apple.com/shop/product/H...f&fs=f=13_mbp_thdblt3_late2016&fh=3783%2B4803

 

[JungleNYC]

well, I do have a LaCie connected to mine. Its the Porsche Design 4TB with USB-C. When at home I use it as my power source, so just having the two ports is working out, at least for me. Also, used it on my MacBook 12"

Yeah, i know some people like LaCie…but they destroyed my professional portfolio several years ago. Their infamous "big disk" drives, they shipped them with the wrong power supplies. My main AND my backup failed, destroying all my data. Then made me pay 5k to try and retrieve it (unsuccessfully), and wouldn't refund any of my money. And were super super ****** about the whole thing. It is literally the ONLY company I refuse to ever do business with ever again.

Thanks for the response though

 

[TofSanity]

Yeah, i know some people like LaCie…but they destroyed my professional portfolio several years ago. Their infamous "big disk" drives, they shipped them with the wrong power supplies. My main AND my backup failed, destroying all my data. Then made me pay 5k to try and retrieve it (unsuccessfully), and wouldn't refund any of my money. And were super super ****** about the whole thing. It is literally the ONLY company I refuse to ever do business with ever again.

Thanks for the response though

That F****** sucks! I think the G-Technology in the above mentioned post would be good. Guess it also depends on the size you're looking to use as storage.

 

[Precursor]

This one is USB-C
and it's tiny!

 

[iizmoo]

Not a lot of enclosure options yet, that I can see. And now we're learning that SOME versions won't work with the new MBP.

I'm going from an older MacPro 2008, so I'm gonna need REALLY to rethink my externals…

Any suggestions? I'll buy anything but LaCie.

Thx!

What is it exactly you're looking for? External storage could be anything from a Samsung T3 that weight like ~100g for 2TB. Or it could be a big thing that hold 2 3.5" HDD...

Personally, for the super big networked storage, I've never bought those enclosures and just build my own Linux box then Software/Hardware RAID some big HDD. You can get integrated CPU ones for like $100, all you have to do is is put some RAM in and stick it in a box. It give ya a lot more controls over the data.

 

[johnparjr]

I just bought new cords for all my external drives there's plenty available from usb-c to micro B connectors

 

[Pootmatoot]

I've used a Samsung T3 for 4 months, and it's superb. Metal, tiny, drop proof, up to 2TB.

By far the more portable and seamless drive I've ever had. And you can chuck it off a building and not panic.

 

[JungleNYC]

What is it exactly you're looking for? External storage could be anything from a Samsung T3 that weight like ~100g for 2TB. Or it could be a big thing that hold 2 3.5" HDD...

Personally, for the super big networked storage, I've never bought those enclosures and just build my own Linux box then Software/Hardware RAID some big HDD. You can get integrated CPU ones for like $100, all you have to do is is put some RAM in and stick it in a box. It give ya a lot more controls over the data.

That's kinda what's surprising to me, that not more external enclosures are TB3. I pre-ordered the 13+ (had to, wanted to wait, but) and went to NewEgg to just get another couple enclosures. And really slim pickins there.

And then the announcement the other day that some TB3's don't work, makes it even more complicated.

Any good non texas instrument-driven TB3 enclosures you can reco?

 

[zhenya]

Wait, what external drives don't work? I think you are confusing the announcement the other day that some early Thunderbolt docks and adapters might not work. AFAIK none of those are drives or enclosures because those would tend to be usb rather than thunderbolt. Who needs more than 10Gbps (usb limit) for a drive?

 

[Macalway]

This one is USB-C
and it's tiny!

These are a big seller. I have the first edition. I'll probably get the new one (USB-C).

 

[JungleNYC]

Wait, what external drives don't work? I think you are confusing the announcement the other day that some early Thunderbolt docks and adapters might not work. AFAIK none of those are drives or enclosures because those would tend to be usb rather than thunderbolt. Who needs more than 10Gbps (usb limit) for a drive?

You may be right. I assumed that if docks were affected, then enclosures might be too.

But…why wouldn't, say, a video editor or audio engineer want/need that speed w/ an external?

(I may be dumb) but I assumed a TB3 connection was the best of all worlds, and the fastest. Would I get the same/better transfer out of USB-C connection?

 

[LS417]

I picked up two of these guys in anticipation of my touchpad mbp, theres a 15% preorder coupon that I think is still active from photoplus show 2 weeks ago, ATOMPHOTO15

 

[Rigby]

That's kinda what's surprising to me, that not more external enclosures are TB3. I pre-ordered the 13+ (had to, wanted to wait, but) and went to NewEgg to just get another couple enclosures. And really slim pickins there.

Why do you want TB3? There are now USB enclosures that support USB 3.1 gen 2, which is fast enough for even the fastest SSDs (and has the advantage that it works with any computer, not just the few with TB3 ports). E.g. this one (which is available either with a USB-C or USB-A cable):

https://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-10Gbps-Tool-free-Enclosure-Drives/dp/B0156KUKV2

 

[zhenya]

You may be right. I assumed that if docks were affected, then enclosures might be too.

But…why wouldn't, say, a video editor or audio engineer want/need that speed w/ an external?

(I may be dumb) but I assumed a TB3 connection was the best of all worlds, and the fastest. Would I get the same/better transfer out of USB-C connection?

Yeah, even the fastest ssd's on the market are only in the 2-4Gbps range. USB 3.1 gen2 is 10Gbps, so plenty fast even for a couple of SSD's. Thunderbolt 3 is 20 or 40Gbps (depending on cable type). All that bandwidth means that you can connect a single dock that carries power, video (even a couple of 4k screens), plus a couple of very fast SSD external drives, and have the bandwidth for all of them over that single connection. There'd be no point in a Thunderbolt 3 external hard drive because there is no need for that much bandwidth for that application.