External drives · Choosing a drive
Can I still use an old USB 2 hard drive with my Mac?
Short answer: Yes, with an adapter if needed — it's fine for archives, spare copies and swapping files, just slow. It isn't a good choice for running apps or active projects, and Storage Studio's speed check would likely flag it as too slow.
Yes — with an adapter if needed, it works fine for copying files, archives and occasional access. It's just slow, so large copies take a long time and anything run from it feels sluggish.
Good uses: an archive of old projects, a spare copy of photos, a drive for swapping files with another computer. Not good: running apps, active projects, or as the drive Storage Studio moves things to — its speed test would likely flag it. See why a drive is blocked as too slow.