External drives · Speed, cables and hardware
Is it OK to plug my external drive into my monitor's USB ports?
Short answer: It works, but monitor ports are a built-in hub: often slower, sharing bandwidth and power, and sometimes switching off when the display sleeps. Plug drives you rely on — especially your Storage Studio drive — directly into the Mac.
It works, but it's often slower and less reliable than a port on the Mac. A monitor's USB ports are a hub built into the display: they may run at a lower USB speed, share bandwidth with the display's other devices, supply limited power, and switch off when the display sleeps or changes input.
For a drive you use all the time — and especially for the drive Storage Studio moves apps and folders to — plug it straight into the Mac. Use monitor ports for keyboards, mice and occasional sticks. See hubs, docks or direct.