The capacity to transfer vast amounts of data, as well as the ability to execute programmes from an external drive, is what a portable SSD is designed to accomplish. In comparison to traditional hard drives and flash drives, portable external SSDs are superior since they are both speedier and more reliable.
It is simple for creatives to back up their files without the need for an internet connection, transfer large projects to collaborators, and modify their files right from the drive without experiencing any loss in efficiency.
These are the best external SSDs available to buy:
Samsung T5 External SSD
Best external SSD on this list.
| Storage: | 250GB – 2TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Laptop, Mobile Phone, Tablet, PC |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 540 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 350 – 450 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | 512MB LP DDR3 |
Samsung produces a lot of things and is known for its best products. But in the field of hard drives, Samsung is best known for its internal hard drives rather than any external HDD hard drives. Internal hard drives, especially solid-state drives, are what it’s best known for. However, data transfer via PCI or SATA differs from data transfer via USB. In this Samsung T5 review, we’ll examine if the company’s strong internal drive performance can be transferred to the exterior arena.
Yes, it is possible, and the specifications are available to port internal SSD drive performance to the external area. The T5 is a portable solid-state drive that provides ultra-fast data transfers and uses USB 3.1 to provide maximum bandwidth.
However, like other SSDs, it is also expensive. But the benefits exceed the disadvantages. The T5 is the best external hard drive around that is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Android. The T5 performs with the quickest SSD speeds and comes with an appealing design and a substantial warranty.
The product comes with a nice Samsung product package. The product fits perfectly – nestling the drive and two USB connections inside the package. Other items included in the package are a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A cable, each with a velcro strap for easy carrying.
The interesting fact is that the size of the drive is like a business card – it only measures 57.3 mm by 74 mm and weighs only 51 grammes. It’s also made of metal, which means it’ll withstand a fall better than other Western Digital Elements drives (read our Western Digital Elements review).
Although it lacks the ultra-rugged appearance of the LaCie Rugged Mini, the drive does require cushioning to avoid any physical damage. The T5 is solid-state, which means the metal casing can take a battering and still work.
It’s really easy to set up your T5. Simply connect it to your computer using one of the supplied connections and locate the drive in your file manager. There are three setup programmes available, one for Windows, one for Mac OS X, and one for Android. Use the USB-C to USB-C connector to connect the drive to your Android device.
Following the installation, you’ll be sent to a screen where you can name your drive and create a password. If you don’t need the extra protection, you may skip it. But it’s a key component of the drive, which can ensure the security of your data.
Also, the programme is lacking many advanced features. You can rename your disc, change your password, and turn off password security. You can also check for updates in the bottom right corner. One of the important features is firmware upgrades, as they can be crucial in making the best use of the associated capabilities of the external drives.
It’s important to remember that it is required to disable password protection before proceeding with the upgrade. Once the update is complete, you’ll need to create a new password, which we recommend doing with one of our preferred password managers, such as Dashlane (read our Dashlane review).
The T5 Portable SSD is available in sizes of 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB, each in a different colour.
The T5 Portable SSD comes with a three-year limited warranty included which covers faults in craftsmanship or manufacture and refuses to recognise warranty requests if the drive has been mistreated.
What We Liked About Samsung T5 External SSD
- Faster transfer speeds
- Small
- Uses USB 3.1
- Included USB-C cable
- Password protection
- SSD
What We Didn’t Like About Samsung T5 External SSD
- Expensive
- No backup utility
The Samsung T5 is a powerful hard disk capable of handling even the most difficult jobs. It’s not only lightning quick, but it’s also light and portable, making it ideal for travel. You can also capture high-resolution videos with the camera attachments available for the drive.
WD 500GB My Passport Portable SSD
| Storage: | 500GB |
| Compatible Devices: | Any computer with a USB port. Mac & PC ready. |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 1,050 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 1000 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | N/A |
The company’s first effort into external SSDs was started in 2017 by producing the original WD My Passport SSD. The WD My Passport SSD was a two-tone rectangular block shape with Serial ATA-based guts, but the 2020 version is sleeker, more attractive, and better.
The 2020 version of the My Passport SSD offers a touch of refinement, which is rare in external SSDs, with an anodised aluminium finish and comes in four different colours—grey, gold, red, or blue with a textured wave design that covers much of the bottom and top. It has rounded edges and measures 0.4 by 3.5 by 1.8in (HWD). It’s only a little bigger than a credit card in width and length, yet it only weighs 1.7 ounces.
The drive is smaller in design and lighter in weight than the Crucial X8 and the newest SanDisk Extreme SSD (portable), equivalent in weight and size to the ADATA SSD SE800, and somewhat longer and heavier in weight when compared with the Samsung SSD T7 Touch and Samsung SSD T7 (both portable).
The WD 500 GB My Passport Portable SSD is relatively robust as it is vibration and shock-resistant, as well as drop-resistant up to 2.8 meters or 6.5 ft. WD doesn’t have official (IP) certification for the drive. This implies it hasn’t been tested for liquid nor dust resistance.
WD does, however, back the My Passport SSD with a hefty five-year guarantee/warranty as protection against any unforeseen incidents. That will replace the disc but won’t replace your data. Be sure you have a backup.
While compared to typical spinning hard disk drives, SSDs have the potential to create heat when in use for long periods of time. After a lengthy period of transferring data, I observed that the My Passport grew warm to the Touch and slightly unpleasant to grasp when squeezed. As a heat sink, the metal case was performing admirably.
However, because solid disk drives are so much quicker than hard disk drives and have lower capacity, your read and write tasks will be completed considerably faster. As a result, the drive takes less time to heat up.
The drive’s 256-bit AES hardware encryption requires password protection to enable it, which is quicker and more secure than encrypted software but not as handy as Samsung’s Portable SSD T7 Touch’s fingerprint security. You also don’t require a password every time you use it if you already set it up on your computer.
The WD My Passport Portable SSD comes with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection type with a max speed of 10Gbps. WD claims that the peak read performance of the drive is 1,050MBps, and the max write speed of the drive is 1,000MBps.
The WD My Passport SSD 2020 is unusually attractive with four colour options and a textured, anodised aluminium casing. Its cutting-edge connection, as well as the supporting silicon within, more than doubles the read and write speeds of the previous My Passport SSD generation, putting it on par with comparable 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2 SSDs we’ve recently tested.
Despite this, the WD comes with an exceptionally lengthy five-year guarantee/warranty and a reasonable cost per gigabyte. The WD My Passport Wireless SSD (2020) takes our 2nd place slot for the best external SSDs, thanks to its low price, fast performance, beautiful appearance, and an excellent guarantee.
What We Liked About WD 500GB My Passport Portable SSD
- Generous five-year guarantee/warranty
- Attractive design
- Compact and very light
- Solid read and write speeds
- 256-bit AES hardware encryption
What We Didn’t Like About the WD 500GB My Passport Portable SSD
- No activity light
- Very short USB-C cable and tiny USB-C-to-A adapter
This My Passport Portable SSD is ideal for business travellers thanks to its 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and its comparable speed and storage capacity make it a good choice for holding a quick-to-access media library collection.
SAMSUNG T7 External SSD
| Storage: | 500GB – 2TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Laptop, Mobile Phone, Tablet, PC |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 1,050 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 1,000 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | 20 – 80GB |
The Samsung T7 SSD which is portable comes with a fingerprint-based security feature. The Samsung Portable SSD T7 saves money by not including a fingerprint reader it also comes in a variety of colours. While it lacks the ease of biometric security like the T7 Touch, its robust password protection which is encrypted should be more than enough to secure your data.
The T7 is a tiny metal rectangle, about the size of a bank card in length and breadth but much thicker— Blue, Grey and red are some of the colour options. It’s tiny compared to other portable hard drives, and it’s comparable in size to their smallest external SSD (the T7 Touch, and the Samsung Portable SSD X5 which both use Thunderbolt.)
A USB C port is on one side of the Portable SSD T7. It’s a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection that can transport data at speeds of up to 10Gbps, which is far faster than it’s actual capacity. If you have a USB 3.x on your hardware or smart device from the previous five years then the SSD from Samsung should work fine, but not at full speed. A small status light sits next to the connector, which glows blue while the drive is attached and blinks when data is being transferred.
In the package, Samsung includes USB-C cables as well as Type-C-to-A cables. If need to connect to a rectangular USB A port, the latter is a smart feature because it eliminates the need for an adaptor or dongle. Although some external SSDs, like the WD My Passport Portable SSD, have an adapter, you’ll usually find that a cable is preferred because adapters are tiny and easily lost.
The T7 operates with Windows, Mac OS X and Android without reformatting as it is preformatted and ready in an exFAT file format (Example – Dell XPS 13 with Windows 10).
The Samsung SSD Portable Programme needs to be installed to create a password for the drive. The software’s installers for Windows computers and Mac devices are already on the disc, but the Android apps like Android 5.0 and later need to download it from Google’s Play Store. The T7’s hardware encryption is AES 256-bit, which is almost impenetrable if you use a very good, secure password.
Samsung claims that the Samsung T7 is drop-resistant up to 1.98 meters (6.5 ft) and is not tested for water and dust resistance as it doesn’t have an ingress protection (IP) rating. The T7 SSD offers a similar set of fundamental durability characteristics as the WD My Passport SSD. The WD drive is much like the more ruggedised SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It comes with a five-yr warranty, but Samsung only has a three-year guarantee. You can change hard drives, but you can’t restore your data, so make a separate backup as usual.
SSDs produce a lot more heat than standard hard drives. Its small aluminium casing does a good job of dissipating it, but it can grow hot to the Touch over time. To avoid the overheating of the devices, the T7 comes with a phase-change layer parallel to the drive’s main circuit board that collects and then gradually releases heat. Its goal is to maintain the surface temperature below forty-five degrees Celsius (113 degrees Fahrenheit), and it appears to have succeeded. The drive never got too hot, even when it was transmitting 300GB of data.
The T7 is a USB 3.2 Gen 2 portable SSD drive. The read speed of T7 is 1,050 MBps, and the write speed is 1,000 MBps. This is quicker than SSDs with Serial ATA internals, which typically has reading and writing speed rates of between 550MBps and 500MBps, but slower than top-end drives with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interfaces, which may achieve sequential write speeds and sequential read speeds of around 2,000MBps. (The SanDisk Extreme Pro portable SSD 2020 version performs a read speed of 1,909 MBps and write speeds of 1,919MBps).
For accessing SSDs via a PCI Express connection – Samsung T7 SSD supports Memory Express (NVMe) data transfer protocol, which ensures rapid transfer speeds. It also incorporates triple-bit and multi-level cell (MLC) flash memory. Samsung was the first to use this cell-stacking technique, which entails several layers of cells rather than just one. If all other factors are equal, a higher cell density which could result in faster data rates.
The Samsung Portable SSD T7 is a small but powerful external solid-state drive that maintains its upgrades 256-bit AES encryption and is more reasonably priced. As already mentioned, it doesn’t have a fingerprint reader like the Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch SSD.
The T7 is a budget-friendly option for a standard portable SSD, whether it’s for a business traveller or a personal video collection. It’s pointless to spend more on fingerprint security if you don’t require biometric bulletproofing.
What We Liked About SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD
- Tiny drive and ultra-light
- 256-bit AES hardware encryption
- On-par speed for its class
- Discrete Type-A and Type-C USB cables
What We Didn’t Like About SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD
- Three- rather than five-year guarantee/warranty
The Samsung SSD T7 (portable) is a popular, small external drive with high security (256-bit AES hardware encryption) and a rugged aluminium casing.
Crucial CT1000X8SSD9 X8 1 TB External SSD
| Storage: | 1TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Windows, Mac, iPad Pro, Chromebook, Android, Linux, PS4, and Xbox One |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 1,050 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 1,000 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | 90GB |
The 1TB Crucial X8 external solid-state drive has a lot to like about it, and there’s practically nothing to dislike about it for the price. The sleek black shell of the anodised aluminium gadget is complemented by rubberised ends to give shock protection to an already rugged device—the drive can resist a drop of 7.5 feet onto a carpeted floor and 1,500 Gs.
The USB bus-powered NVMe drive can potentially read data at 1,050Mbps; we didn’t quite hit that level in our benchmark testing, but the X8 performed admirably. It’s also budget-friendly, costing 16.5 cents per gigabyte of storage. Check it out if you’re looking for shirt-pocket-sized storage.
The Crucial SSD is about 0.5 by 4.3 by 2.1 inches in size, about the same as a normal mouse but significantly smaller, and weighs only 3.5 ounces. (As with other little external solid-state drives, it’s easy to misplace, so be cautious.) The drive is shockproof, but it lacks an ingress protection (IP) rating, so don’t expect it to be completely waterproof or dustproof.
There are no add-on subscriptions like software or Adobe services available with the drive. The device comes in basic retail packaging with no carrying case. There are manual or any startup instructions available as you just need to plug in the device to start using it.
The Crucial’s Storage Executive app can be downloaded with the drive to monitor the health and usage of the drive as well as upgrade the firmware. You’re on your own when it comes to data management (backup and restoration utilities); the X8 is primarily designed as a gaming or video file storage or streaming device.
One annoyance is that the X8 lacks an activity light, making it impossible to see whether the drive is being used. Of course, you can hear the platter spinning on a platter drive, but it will be difficult without an LED to indicate whether you’re reading from or writing to the drive. It’s a small quibble, but with so much to like about this SSD, little flaws tend to stick out. (Another small gripe is that Crucial supplies a Type-A adapter rather than a Type-A cable, which can be easily misplaced.)
The X8 is a storage device that is quick, compact, and inexpensive. It is difficult to beat the performance of the X8. We have a few complaints, primarily concerning what isn’t included in the box—utility software, an activity light, a protective case, and a USB-A cord instead of the easily misplaced adaptor.
The Crucial X8 SSD is beautiful, reasonably priced, well-made, and extremely speedy. Keeping all the minor flaws aside, It’s a definite winner.
What We Liked About Crucial CT1000X8SSD9 X8 1 TB Portable SSD
- Small and sturdy.
- Stylish, all-metal chassis with rubberised ends
- Attractive cost per gigabyte
- Solid performance
- Includes a USB-C cable and USB-C-to-USB-A adapter
- Compatible with a wide range of devices
- Three-year warranty
What We Didn’t Like About Crucial CT1000X8SSD9 X8 1 TB Portable SSD
- No activity light.
- No backup utility.
- A USB-A dongle is less elegant than a dedicated cable.
The Crucial X8 SSD is a tough little gem that combines a lot of speed and capacity into a little compact at a low price. For videophiles, gamers, and other data maniacs, it is highly recommended.
Seagate Barracuda Fast External SSD
| Storage: | 2TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Any computer with a USB port |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 540 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 540 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | 2TB |
Electronic gadgets store our entire lives. Storage is always a must, whether it’s for smartphones or computers, yet we constantly seem to run out of it. While many businesses provide cloud storage, it can never match the quality of external hard drives.
The Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD is a good example of this. If you keep up with the latest news on the storage market, you’ll know that Seagate has released a number of devices under the “Fast” label. Barracuda Fast SSD comes with improved hardware, software, a Creative Cloud membership, a 3-year warranty and huge storage spaces of 512 GB, 1TB, and 2 TB.
We’ve compiled a list of its highlights on Barracuda Fast SSD, which can be used for data storage.
The Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD is pocket-sized and has many of the same characteristics as its predecessor, except for the new colour scheme. The Barracuda Fast SSD has a USB-C interface that is completely reversible, file-syncing software, and fast file transfer, among other features. Because the USB-C cable is reversible, you’ll never plug it in the incorrect way. The file-syncing technology makes it simple to keep your data up to date, and its backup and folder mirroring software monitors particular folders for deletions and changes automatically.
The Barracuda Fast SSD is positioned as an entry point into the casual gaming world. Gamers will be able to start games faster, broadcast without latency, and transfer data more quickly. This SSD has a storage capacity of up to 2TB, allowing you to store all of your information.
The Barracuda Fast SSD features a one-of-a-kind design. This lightweight drive is thin and square in shape, with a black cover that highlights the white Seagate logo on top and a green “lip” that surrounds the faceplate. When the drive is plugged in, the lip reveals a green LED light that flashes to let you know it’s on. The reversible USB-C port is located on the front and may be used with your mobile device, PC, and consoles – even your PS4 or Xbox!
The standard drive information, such as the serial number and storage capacity, may be seen at the bottom. Both Windows and Mac operating systems support the Barracuda Fast SSD right out of the box.
This drive has a storage capacity of up to 2TB despite its small size. It is quite portable with precise measurements of 9.1x79x93 mm, and it weighs just 0.14 grammes. The SSD drive is more resistant to drops and other mishaps that may occur while being carried around when compared with other hard drives. This ensures that your data is always safe and unlikely to be damaged.
The Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD has read and write speeds of 560.3 and 519.7 MB/s, respectively. It also has a built-in software called Toolkit that provides good backup options. It allows you to sync data from your SSD to particular folders on your computer, ensuring that if you lose your drive, you’ll always have a backup. It also includes a free two-month Adobe Creative Cloud membership.
The Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD can hold up to 512 GB of photographs, data, movies, and more at its lowest pricing point. It’s worth noting that even if you use the Barracuda Fast, its transfer speed will be ineffective if you’re using an old computer with USB ports.
The Barracuda Fast can load games almost instantly as a gaming hard drive. The Toolkit is the backup system used by the Barracuda Fast SSD. The Toolkit generates a folder on your SSD that matches certain directories on your PC or Mac, ensuring that your files are constantly in sync and accessible. Everything you add, modify, or remove on one device will be reflected on the other. If you remove a file on your drive by accident, it is saved in your Barracuda Fast SSD’s archive folder for quick recovery.
To use the backup and folder mirroring functionality, you’ll need to establish a custom Sync Plan. You’ll be able to pick which folders to sync with your Fast SSD, modify the location of synced folders on your disc, adjust archive settings, and more this way.
The Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD drive is suitable for ‘everyday users as well as casual gamers. It can hold about fifty games or hundreds of movies, depending on your preferences. The Barracuda Fast SSD, on the other hand, is essentially the same as its predecessor. Its characteristics haven’t changed much except for the green LE light. Otherwise, any other drive in the Seagate Fast Series would certainly suffice.
What We Liked About Crucial Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD
- easy to keep your files updated
- boot games faster
- Thin and square unique design.
- It features an impressive speed profile
- perfect fit for ‘everyday’ users to casual gamers
What We Didn’t Like About Crucial Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD
- basically, just a facelift of its predecessor.
The Barracuda Fast SSD is a well-made and attractive little gem. It comes with a USB-C connection, backup and folder mirroring, storage sizes ranging from 500GB to 2TB, and a three-year guarantee.
Samsung 870 QVO SSD
| Storage: | Up to 8TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Any computer with a USB port |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 540 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 540 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | 6GB – 78GB |
The Samsung 870 QVO covers a variety of second-generation QLC SSDs with capacities up to 8TB and could compete for a position on our top SSDs list. The Samsung SSDs, unlike Sabrent’s gigantic 8TB Rocket Q, which was released in the M.2 form factor, have a SATA interface. Samsung is yet to release an 8TB M.2 NVMe SSD.
The Samsung 870 QVO promises to be the largest capacity 2.5″ SSDs on the market by using a V5 V-NAND with a 9x-Layer QLC flash drive and new controller. This top of the pecking order 8TB is available now but for the time being, we’re evaluating the 1TB model to see how well the new portable SSD drives perform.
We’re used to large storage capacities, but seeing third-party devices like Sabrent’s 8TB Rocket Q SSD hit the market before Samsung’s SSD storage division gave us an impressive 8TB SSD. While the Sabrent Rocket Q has a lot of storage and great performance, it’s still extremely costly. Samsung, on the other hand, claims that it does not want to launch products too soon. Instead, the firm claims it waited untill the demand from customers and the costs matched up, which is why we haven’t come across any 8TB consumer SSDs from the company until today.
There aren’t many people that need to fit 8TB onto a laptop right now, aside from the obsessive filmmaker or data scientist. Of course, there are data hoarding people that live, breathe, and sleep SFF PCs, but how many people require an 8TB storage and NVMe performance combination? An inexpensive large capacity SATA SSD is typically a decent level up from any HDD and for most people looking for bulk flash storage. They’re especially great flexibility and durability wise.
The QVO’s specifications claim a sequential read/write throughput of up to 560MBps and a random read/write IOPS of up to 98K. Samsung relies on these rates on SLC caching performance; however, if the cache is full, writing speed and performance will decrease dramatically.
Samsung’s 870 QVO utilises the Intelligent TurboWrite smart caching technique the same as the 860 QVO to offer fast performance and long battery life. The hybrid TurboWrite is Samsung’s Intelligent caching solution that includes a 6GB static SLC at all capacities for the 860 QVO, as well as a dynamic 36GB or 72GB cache. The Intelligent TurboWrite cache on the 1TB 870 QVO is up to 42GB. The higher-capacity versions offer up to 78GB.
Many of the 870 QVO’s QLC competitors, such as Crucial’s P1, Sabrent’s Rocket Q and also Intel’s Solid State Drive 665p, have substantially lower endurance. Samsung guarantees under their warranty that the 870 QVO can for every 1TB of capacity write up to 360TB, or for a 3 yr lifespan and thanks to Low-Density Parity-Check (LDPC) ECC, which assures data integrity on top of TurboWrite technology.
We found that quite a few of the Solid State Drives in 870 QVO’s price bracket come with five-year guarantee/warranties and frequently feature more durable TLC flash, the short warranty of 870 QVO is disappointing. Many Solid State Drives lack encryption capabilities; however, the 870 QVO does. It has AES 256-bit encrypted hardware and is Opal 2.0 compatible, in addition to standard functions like Trim, SMART data reporting, and safe wipe (IEEE1667 spec).
Samsung doesn’t include any extras when it comes to the 970 QVO, but it does offer support for its software. Samsung also has Magician and handy Migration tools, which can be downloaded from the Samsung website, allowing you to keep track of, upgrade and benchmark Samsung’s Solid State Drive firmware, as well as copy your existing data on to the new Solid State Drive.
What We Liked About Samsung 870 QVO SSD
- 8TB of storage
- Improved and more competitive performance
- AES 256-bit encryption
- Software suite
What We Didn’t Like About Samsung 870 QVO SSD
- 3-year warranty
- Slow write performance after SLC cache fills
Samsung’s 8TB 870 QVO’s SATA SSD is well-built and caters to people who want great capacity and security. With a three-year guarantee and a price tag of $900, it’s still a costly investment for a device built on QLC flash.
Pioneer 3D NAND External Storage SSD
| Storage: | 960GB |
| Compatible Devices: | Any computer with a USB port. Mac & PC ready. |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 1000 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 400 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | 6GB |
Pioneer 3D NAND External SSD is the most cost-effective choice. The Pioneer 3D NAND External SSD is possibly the best external ssd alternative if you want SSD-like performance without breaking the bank. This should be a wonderful addition to any game console or PC, but the 3.1 Gen 1 interface may result in slower speeds than the other drives on this list.
We believe this is a fantastic deal for the price you’re paying. We recommend it mainly for students or IT employees who don’t require a large amount of storage but benefit from faster read and write performance. What more can you ask for?
With a robust and shock-resistant shell and a very small and pocket-sized form factor, the Pioneer 3D NAND External SSD is a budget-friendly option that doesn’t spare on high-end features. We also liked that it worked right away with Apple Mac computers, which is ideal for Steam players, and that it came with a three-year guarantee, which is similar to our top selections.
Though significantly faster than hard disk drives, this item’s highest read speed at 1000 MB/s and write speeds, at 400 MB/s, which are slightly slower than our top selections but still very good. It also comes only in 960 GB capacities, whereas our top selections go up to 2 TB. But when compared to the best internal hard drive, it comes out on top.
What We Liked About Pioneer 3D NAND External SSD
- Best for Mac gamers
- Shock-resistant external casing
- 3-year warranty
What We Didn’t Like About Pioneer 3D NAND External SSD
- Available only in sizes up to 960 GB
- Speeds up to 400 MB/s
- Included USB cable extremely short, at 2 inches
Finally, Pioneer 3D NAND External SSD is a budget-friendly device having a compact form factor, shock-resistant housing, and immediate compatibility with Apple Mac computers without the need for a prolonged reformat.
G-Technology 0G06053-1 External SSD
| Storage: | Up to 2TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Devices with USB 3.2 Gen 2 – PC’s, MAC’s and Laptops |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | Up to 560 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 560 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | Up to 64MB |
G-Technology of Western Digital offers high-end desktop and portable storage solutions. They provide their products with a better degree of quality and polish, comparable to what LaCie does with Seagate. G Tech has a long history of offering storage systems that combine multiple disk RAID with the most up-to-date interface. With the R-Series, they recently released their first USB-C portable SSD. We can see how good it is now.
For the R-Series, G-Tech used a compact form factor “bar” style portable drive. Internally, this ensures the usage of the m.2 form factor in conjunction with a USB-C to SATA host controller; nevertheless, the controller used will have a significant influence on overall performance. G-Tech appears to have gone to great lengths to ensure that the R Series is USB 3.1 Gen 2 compliant, with a transfer rate of 560 MB/s.
In addition, the R Series is built to last long, with an IP67 water and dust resistant shell, 3-meter drop protection, and a 1000 Lb crushproof certification. The capacity choices available which are compatible with Windows 10 and macOS 10.10 and later are 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB. The 1TB model comes with a five-year guarantee/warrantee.
The packaging is in the same blue colour scheme as previous releases. The drive is shown on the front, with capacity on top and marketing on the bottom. The other details of the packaging are:
- The spine includes specifications as well as material in several languages.
- The disc, USB-C cable, and Type-C to C cable are all included in the box.
- With a soft plastic shell and a big G Tech logo concealing a blue anodised metal casing beneath, the drive has an intriguing appearance.
- The USB-C port is located on the top.
The R Series is a visually pleasing drive with a two-part design. The exterior shell is pleasant to the Touch, and the underlying aluminium provides the necessary seal to keep it watertight and durable, so quality is assured.
The R Series might be the answer for those looking for a portable SSD with a little extra durability without losing money.
What We Liked About G-Technology 0G06053-1 SSD
- quite durable
- higher level of quality
- water and dust resistance
- contents in several languages.
- interesting aesthetic
What We Didn’t Like About G-Technology 0G06053-1 SSD
- There are window compatibility issues sometimes.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
| Storage: | 1TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Desktop |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | 550 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 500 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | N/A |
Solid-state drives are becoming more affordable because of the rapidly decreasing component costs. For example, the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD, an external SSD that is not only robust and pocket-sized but also cheap and packed with useful features.
Although the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is not as small as some of its competitors (such as the Samsung T5), it is thin enough (8.85 mm) to fit comfortably in one’s back pocket. It is much smaller than most contemporary smartphones, with a size of 50 x 96.2 mm.
This SanDisk drive features a rubber chassis and an orange plastic loop on the top-right that can be used to firmly connect it to an object. It’s aimed at an audience that’s likely to utilise the device outdoors. The top and bottom surfaces are textured, making it simpler to handle the drive and looks like a Bluetooth speaker.
The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is water and dust resistant with an IP55 certification. Simply keep it clear of anything that could become stuck in the USB Type-C connector and prevent you from attaching it to any other device in the future. Also, after any exposure to water in liquid, make sure it is properly dried and cleaned before using it.
The drive can endure a 2-metre drop onto concrete without severe damage and is extremely shock resistant.
Hardware and Performance
The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD comes with only one connector – Gen 2 USB 3.1 and can reach 500 MBps when combined with Type-C to Type-C cable. It is also more beneficial if used with Type-A Adapter.
The latter does not persuade us, as its magnitude makes it more likely to be overlooked. It could help if you tie it to the main cord using a plastic band. Perhaps it is something that SanDisk should consider for the future drive generation.
A copy of SanDisk’s SecureAccess 3.02 software is provided along with the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. The SecureAccess will assist in establishing a password-protected folder to store important data using 128-bit AES encryption. However, the application – which was created by a third party named EncryptStick – appears to retain all the data in plain text for a short period of time.
SanDisk uses the 64-layer version of the BiCS Flash developed by Western Digital (WD) and Toshiba rather than the 96-layer version launched in 2018. BiCS Flash’s three-dimensional design improves performance, reduces heat dissipation, and lowers prices to provide it for more affordable prices.
The SanDisk Extreme outperforms the competition when connected to a computer through USB Type-C. The design and form size is perfect, and while we have one complaint about the bundled cable, at this price, you can’t go wrong.
What We Liked About SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
- Smart design
- 1TB model is great value
- Excellent performance
- IP55 rating
What We Didn’t Like About SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
- Not totally convinced by the cable.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is unquestionably one of the best external storage SSDs on the market (rugged or not), and its 1TB version stands out among the other SKUs. It is difficult to criticise the device due to some excellent performance figures and a reasonable price.
Seagate Expansion SSD STJD1000400
| Storage: | 1TB |
| Compatible Devices: | Devices with USB 3.2 Gen 2 – PC’s, MAC’s and Laptops |
| Usage: | Multimedia, personal & business |
| Connectivity Tech: | USB Connection |
| Read Speed: | 400 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed: | 400 Megabytes Per Second |
| Cache Size: | N/A |
The new Seagate Expansion is a compact and lightweight drive that fits easily into your handbag or pocket. The 2TB drive is an obvious choice for anyone who requires additional capacity while on the move. The drive is also available in 500GB and 1TB variants and is an affordable option to consider.
The Seagate Expansion is also available in a 2TB legacy version too. The two variants of the drive are practically the same except for the somewhat different appearances and prices.
The new Seagate Expansion is one of which the non-essential features have been removed to keep the price low and hence, have no additional value because it lacks backup software and encryption capabilities. It also only comes with a one-year guarantee.
The Seagate Expansion is a good option to add extra storage to your laptop for large storage space and fast performance. The drive is also ideal for non-computer hosts like a gaming console or media player due to its simple architecture.
The Seagate Expansion is a standard portable hard drive. It’s as big as a squarish plastic box containing a normal 2.5-inch hard drive on the inside, measuring 4.8 inches by 3.2 inches by 0.6 inches (12.2 by 8.1 by 1.52cm). It’s tiny enough to fit inside a handbag or back pocket.
Internal storage on the Expansion is a low-power drive that rotates at 5,400rpm rather than 7,200rpm. Slower spin speeds usually imply slower performance (although not in this case; more on that later), but they also imply reduced power consumption.
The Expansion comes in a basic retail box that contains the drive and a standard Micro-USB 3.0 cable that is a foot long. However, it is all you will require to get started. The Expansion requires only one connection for data and power as it is also bus-powered, like other portable drives.
The Expansion is preformatted in the NTFS system, so it can be used with a Windows PC straight away. It’s also simple to convert it to HFS+ for use with a Mac, which takes only a few seconds. It is true that purchasing an Expansion drive like this is an affordable option than purchasing an expensive Mac-specific drive.
You can utilise the exFAT file system to format the Seagate Expansion if you wish to use it in a mixed Windows and Mac environment. The drive will operate with a variety of popular hosts, including gaming consoles and media players, in addition to computers. Just make sure it’s formatted in the compatible file system beforehand. It worked flawlessly on the Xbox One. The drive was immediately detected, and I was able to save games and programmes as well as media for playback.
The Seagate Expansion only has registration features, whereas the other Seagate Backup Plus Series like Backup Plus First have many advanced features like backup software etc.
As already mentioned, Seagate Expansion does not have other software or security features. This implies that if you lose the drive, anybody could see the data it contains; therefore, don’t keep important material on it if you use it while travelling.
This does not restrict you from using the Expansion as a backup drive. Once a Mac’s hard disk has been converted to HFS+, it can be used with Time Machine. You can also use any third-party backup programme with Expansion on a Windows computer.
Performance
The Seagate Expansion’s performance is a pleasant surprise considering it has a low-power internal drive, and it more than compensates for its lack of features.
If you’re searching for a storage device with quick speed, a lot of storage capacity, and a reasonable price, the Seagate Expansion is the way to go. It’s a fantastic drive, whether you’re a Windows or Mac user.
The main disadvantages of the Seagate Expansion are – It does not provide a longer warranty and secures the data from loss/theft. The better options for a longer warranty and data safety are the Backup Plus Slim or the WD My Passport Slim, which provides a password to protect your files.
However, the Expansion’s lack of advanced functionality offers its own set of benefits. It keeps the drive simple and allows it to function with a variety of hosts, including game consoles, something a password-protected drive can’t.
What We Liked About Seagate Expansion SSD STJD1000400
- The Seagate Expansion Portable Drive copies media files quickly
- Has a lot of storage for the money.
- Also, it is compact enough to fit in your pocket.
- Its no-frills approach makes it easy to use with both computers and game consoles.
What We Didn’t Like About Seagate Expansion SSD STJD1000400
- There is no backup software included
- It lacks any security features.
- It has a short warranty of just a year.
The Seagate Expansion provides a lot of capacity for a low price, despite its lack of bells and whistles.
Best External SSD Conclusion
The Solid State Drives (SSDs) are compact, faster and more dependable when compared with conventional Hard Disk Drives (HDDs). But the cost of SSDs will be about 300% more than that of other external HDDs while providing the same storage capacity.
Solid-state drives don’t have any mechanical moving components and use flash memory cells which are accessible by a controller. This flash memory acts as the SSDs brain. SSDs create less heat and are more shock-resistant than traditional hard drives.
The flash memory features help in transfer speeds that are at least 200 percent quicker than traditional hard drives. (External SSDs are all portable, albeit some are built to be robust.) SSDs are the way of the future in terms of storage; for now, the difficulty is to locate a drive of sufficient size at a reasonable price.