Looking for a 3.5" Drive to replace my Time Machine external

[Microman]

Looking for a deal/price/quality on a 3.5" drive to replace in this case of a 3 TB WD My Essentials I bought in 2011. Should I get a bare drive and install, or just get another External already in case?

Thanks

[jdc]

Id just buy one done. 4 TB desktop, or portable (no fan and no wall wart) should be about $90.

[Microman]

4 TB sounds about right, now for a Time Machine backup, and buying complete might be the best way to go.

So portable or desktop, are they both 3.5" internally or is the portable a smaller 2.5" drive. And will a portable be able to be powered by my MacBook Pro 13 inch Mid 2012, without a drag on power

So Portable vs Desktop...

[jdc]

Microman wrote:
So portable or desktop, are they both 3.5" internally or is the portable a smaller 2.5" drive. And will a portable be able to be powered by my MacBook Pro 13 inch Mid 2012, without a drag on power

Desktop, 3.5", size of hardback book needs power, has fan. Portable, 2.5". size of a deck of cards, no fan, can use USB power.

Assuming you MBP will be plugged in while connected to these drives, power is kinda of irrelevant?

However, yes, a portable drive should have no problem being powered by your USB port... even on battery power. So you could technically be on a train and still have your TM backup working. Will it put a drain on the battery... yea, its gotta get power... but its small.

[hal]

Most of the original USB powered 4TB drives required the power of 2 USB ports and came with a special cable. Current version of the Seagate 4/5TB drives do not - not sure about others.

[Rolando]

hal wrote:
Most of the original USB powered 4TB drives required the power of 2 USB ports and came with a special cable. Current version of the Seagate 4/5TB drives do not - not sure about others.

I have a WD 4TB portable drive. One USB plug needed.

[Microman]

I will be looking for a sale then on a WD 4 TB portable....LMK if you see anything