External Hard Drive for switching between Macbook and PC?

[MValuableP]

Hello hi

 

I'm in need of help. I'm looking to build a PC (the one in my signature), and I have an Elgato HD60 Pro that'll allow me to record gameplay. Though that gameplay will store onto the PC itself, I'd like to have an external hard drive that I could transfer the gameplay onto, so I could plug it into my Macbook and edit it on there.

 

Basically, I'd like an external hard drive that will work with both my pc and Macbook without reformatting and other struggles  is that possible?

 

 

Thanks

[RoroTheDeer]

You shouldn't have any reformatting issues. The only time you would have those kind of issues is if it was used as a backup drive.

[MValuableP]

1 minute ago, Insp1r3 said:

You shouldn't have any reformatting issues. The only time you would have those kind of issues is if it was used as a backup drive.

So pretty much any drive would do the job of switching between the systems?

[RoroTheDeer]

Just now, MValuableP said:

So pretty much any drive would do the job of switching between the systems?

I was also in a situation similar to yours once and I had no issues.

[SCHISCHKA]

I have not seen a USB drive that did not work on mac and windows. I'm assuming you meant windows as PC

[MValuableP]

1 minute ago, Insp1r3 said:

I was also in a situation similar to yours once and I had no issues.

Alright, thanks

[historicalpoultry]

Simply transferring footage between PC and Mac yields no problems, at least not in my experience. I'd get a portable SSD instead of an HDD though, simply for higher transfer speeds. As for connector, I'd get at least a drive with USB 3.0 (or is it some type of gen whatever now? well, the blue one). But i think there might be quicker solutions, maybe drives with both USB and maybe Thunderbolt.

[MValuableP]

1 minute ago, SCHISCHKA said:

I have not seen a USB drive that did not work on mac and windows. I'm assuming you meant windows as PC

I was just freaked out by some reviews highlighting that their product worked with both Mac and Windows

[MValuableP]

2 minutes ago, historicalpoultry said:

Simply transferring footage between PC and Mac yields no problems, at least not in my experience. I'd get a portable SSD instead of an HDD though, simply for higher transfer speeds. As for connector, I'd get at least a drive with USB 3.0 (or is it some type of gen whatever now? well, the blue one). But i think there might be quicker solutions, maybe drives with both USB and maybe Thunderbolt.

I don't think my PC will have Thunderbolt, and I'm not sure which USB "gens" my Macbook Pro 2015 has. I should probably check the USB gens for my Macbook, because if it has USB 3.0 or even 3.1 (my PC will have both of those), I could get one with those ports.

[historicalpoultry]

1 minute ago, MValuableP said:

I don't think my PC will have Thunderbolt, and I'm not sure which USB "gens" my Macbook Pro 2015 has. I should probably check the USB gens for my Macbook, because if it has USB 3.0 or even 3.1 (my PC will have both of those), I could get one with those ports.

2015 Macbooks have classic 3.0 ports, I have one myself. I was more thinking of a drive with both USB and Thunderbolt connection, I think there are ones. But they're also kinda expensive, so unless you're a baller, USB 3.0 will do fine.

[MValuableP]

1 minute ago, historicalpoultry said:

2015 Macbooks have classic 3.0 ports, I have one myself. I was more thinking of a drive with both USB and Thunderbolt connection, I think there are ones. But they're also kinda expensive, so unless you're a baller, USB 3.0 will do fine.

Yeah I found.

Do you have any USB 3.0 recommendations?

[joshfrog]

if your working with mac and pc for an external drive format it in exfat you could go with fat32 but its limited to 4.3gb file size exfat doesnt have that problem.

if it will be used to edit off an ssd will be better but there not cheap, why dont you want to reformat? there are some made for macs pre-formatter but im not sure what file system they use?

[MValuableP]

1 minute ago, joshfrog said:

if your working with mac and pc for an external drive format it in exfat you could go with fat32 but its limited to 4.3gb file size exfat doesnt have that problem.

if it will be used to edit off an ssd will be better but there not cheap, why dont you want to reformat? there are some made for macs pre-formatter but im not sure what file system they use?

I don't want to use third party programs, really. Also I'd just it to be plug and work, so I don't get extra hassel.

[historicalpoultry]

7 minutes ago, MValuableP said:

Yeah I found.

Do you have any USB 3.0 recommendations?

I use a WD my Passport drive to move stuff around. Works fine. 

If you wanted an SSD though, I think SanDisk makes one with a USB 3.0 connector

 

EDIT: If you want to go all out, those Angelbird disks that LTT  featured in their CES covering video have USB 3.1 Gen 2 but are backwards compatible with USB 3.0 too, so that would be the ultimate future proof I guess, but as others have stated, as long as you don't edit off the drive and only use it for moving files, something like that is a luxury

Edited January 21, 2017 by historicalpoultry

[joshfrog]

yeah they do some nice and fast external ssds, depending on what drive you get for it to work on both you may need to reformat.