The file system used in macOS, ' Apple File System (APFS) ', has a clone function that 'when copying a file, it creates only reference information to the original file without copying the data itself.

Process should be, install new drive in laptop > clone old drive too new disk > remove old drive from laptop if desired. If you were doing NVMe to NVMe or SATA to SATA you would need an adapter. If ...

As a test run for upgrading to a SSD, I just cloned my Toshiba laptop's 720Gb HDD to a 1Gb HDD using Macrium Reflect. The target HDD was connected to the laptop by a USB docking station. The clone is ...