The best SSD for a Mac depends on how you plan to use it, whether for external storage, internal upgrades, or professional expansion. All options below work reliably with macOS.
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Best Mac-Compatible External SSDs
Almost all currently-supported Macs have soldered storage. Because of that, if you need to free up disk space on your Mac without deleting files and apps, your best bet is going for an external SSD.
Lexar ES5 Magnetic External SSD
The Lexar ES5 is designed for portable use with Macs, iPads, and iPhones. It connects using USB-C and supports fast external storage workflows. The model even features a magnetic shell that supports MagSafe on iPhones and allow a sturdy attachment to the metal body of your Mac.
Features:
- Works with macOS without additional drivers.
- Magnetic mounting helps with mobile setups.
- USB-C interface supports high transfer speeds.
This model suits users who want a compact external SSD for Mac laptops. You can buy it for $210 on Amazon with 2TB of storage.
Corsair EX400U Portable External SSD
The Corsair EX400U is a high-speed external SSD compatible with modern Macs. It uses USB-C and supports both Thunderbolt 4 and USB 4 standards, with transfer speeds up to 4,000MB/s. This model also features a MagSafe-compatible magnetic ring which can also be used with a Mac.
Features:
- Compatible with macOS out of the box.
- Designed for sustained data transfers.
- Compact aluminum enclosure improves heat dissipation.
This drive works well for large file transfers and creative workloads. You can get the 1TB Corsair EX400U on amazon for $140.
LaCie Rugged Mini USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 SSD
The LaCie Rugged Mini SSD targets users who need durability and Mac compatibility. It supports fast USB connections and portable use. While not as thin as its competitors, and lacking a magnetic ring, it features the traditional rugged design that has made Mac users love LaCie drives for decades.
Features:
- Certified for macOS compatibility.
- Shock-resistant design suits travel use.
- USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 enables fast transfers.
LaCie external drives are especially popular among photographers and video professionals because of their reliability, and even include data recovery as part of the three-year warranty. The Lacie Rugged Mini External SSD is available at B&H at $125 for the 1TB version and $440 with 4TB of storage. Both models include a complimentary 1-month subscription of the full Adobe Creative Cloud suite.
Best SSDs for Mac: Internal Storage Options
While most Macs nowadays use soldered-in storage, some models still support expansions. Also, there are many Mac-compatible docks and hubs with NVMe slots that can be used as additional drives. Therefore, internal storage is still relevant for a lot of Mac owners.
Kingston NV3 NVMe PCIe 4.0 Gen 4×4
The Kingston NV3 is an internal NVMe SSD suitable for Mac systems that support PCIe storage upgrades. It uses a M.2 2280 format, and features speeds up to 6,000 MB/s.
Features:
- Uses PCIe NVMe technology.
- Recognized by macOS when properly installed.
- Works well in supported Mac desktops.
This drive fits users upgrading older Mac hardware, owners of Mac Pros, and those with compatible Thunderbolt docks and hubs. You can buy the Kingston NV3 at Amazon, with prices ranging from $90 for the 500GB version all the way to $495 for a 4TB model.
Samsung 980 PRO NVMe PCIe 4.0 Gen 4×4
The Samsung 980 PRO is a high-performance NVMe SSD used in Mac-compatible systems and expansion enclosures. With speeds up to 7,000MB/s, it’s even faster than the Kingston NV3, but lacks higher capacities.
Features:
- Widely supported in macOS environments.
- High-speed PCIe interface.
- Reliable thermal and performance behavior.
This SSD is often chosen for professional Mac setups for its speed and reliability. The Samsung 980 PRO is available at Amazon for $180 (1TB version) or $268 (2TB model).
Using NVMe SSDs on Mac: How To Install Expansion Cards
If you own a 2023 Mac Pro, you have a few upgrade options not available in other Macs. To use NVMe SSDs, however, you need a PCIe expansion card. As the name implies, these are attached to PCIe slots on the motherboard.
Sonnet M.2 4×4 Silent PCIe card
This Sonnet PCIe card allows multiple NVMe SSDs inside a Mac Pro. It is designed specifically for macOS compatibility.
It’s not the largest expansion card around — some models support eight SSDs at once. However, it offers decent upgradability with great speeds: you can add up to 32TB of storage by using four 8TB NVMe SSDs, which, thanks to the x16 connection, can all run at PCIe Gen 3×4 speeds at the same time, adding to a whopping 14,000MB/s maximum transfer rate (up to 3,500 MB/s for each SSD).
Features:
- Designed for Mac Pro systems.
- Supports multiple NVMe drives.
- Silent cooling design.
This solution suits advanced professional users, especially those looking for high-speed RAID support. The Sonnet M.2 4×4 Silent PCIe card costs $300 at Amazon (with no SSDs included).
Internal SATA SSDs for Mac: Not the Best Option, but Still an Option
The latest Mac Pro also features a couple of SATA connectors on the motherboard (and a USB 3.0 port as well for whatever reason, but I digress). So, if you really want to add slower drives to your top-notch system, it’s still a possibility.
Older Macs also feature SATA connectors. However, only two of those are still supported by Apple: the 2019 Mac Pro (on macOS Tahoe) and the 2019 iMac (on macOS Sequoia).
Verbatim Vi550 SATA SSD
For those, the Verbatim Vi550 is a SATA-based SSD with good macOS compatibility. It offers up to 550MB/s of reading speeds, which is far below what NVMe drives support, but is as good as SATA III models can get.
Features:
- Works with macOS SATA systems.
- Simple installation process.
- Stable performance for everyday tasks.
This SSD fits Macs that cannot use NVMe storage, and can also be used in external cases. The Verbatim Vi550 is available for $290 at Amazon with 4TB of capacity.
FAQ
Most ship formatted, but reformatting to APFS improves compatibility.
No. Storage is not user-upgradable. The exception is the 2023 Mac Pro, though you’re either limited to SATA III speeds or need to purchase a PCIe NVMe expansion card — the main storage, which you configure during purchase, is soldered like on all Apple Silicon Macs.
Yes, but mainly for older Intel-based models. While the Mac Pro has SATA slots, their speeds are so far below those of PCIe-based drives that you will be much better served by buying an NVMe SSD and an expansion card, even if that costs you significantly more.
Choosing the right SSD for Mac ensures compatibility and performance. Match the drive type to your Mac model and workload.
