They offer faster data transfer speeds and better reliability than traditional hard disk drives.
What to Look for in an External SSD
External SSDs offer several advantages as storage media.
The durability of an SSD can be an important consideration if you plan to carry one around with you.
Manufacturers typically mention the SSD’singress protection (IP) ratingand drop resistance in product marketing.
you’re free to alsoreformat an SSDto make it compatible with the operating system of your choice.
We only recommend the best products based on our research and expertise.
It features an aluminum frame with a wraparound rubberized shield for durability.
As a result, it can handle drops from as high as two meters without issues.
The SSD is also rated IP65 for dust and water resistance.
It supports theUSB 3.2 Gen 2 standardand has claimed sequential read and write speeds of around 1,000MBps.
Other positives of the Samsung SSD include its travel-friendly size and reliability.
It is available in1TB,2TB, and4TBsizes and three color options.
Justin Duino / How-To Geek
Sadly, it comes with only a three-year warrantyless than the five-year warranty on some other popular external SSDs.
Remember, you will need compatible USB ports to get these speeds.
However, it’s backward compatible and also performs well with older ports.
Adata
The SE880 is compact and lightweight, making it a perfect companion for your on-the-go needs.
The company also ships the SSD with both USB-A to USB-C and USB-C to USB-C cables.
Moreover, you get a five-year warranty.
Adata
Unfortunately, it only comes in500GBand1TBsizes, and the data transfer ratesfall during long, continuous writes.
But this won’t be an issue unless you regularly transfer dozens of gigs.
The Adata SE880 is a great bargain for most people.
Crucial
It delivers superfast data transfer speeds and has a compact design.
It works seamlessly with Macs, iPads, and newer iPhones with the USB-C port.
It’s also pre-formatted to work forTime Machine backups.
Lexar
The SSD is also IP55 dust and water-resistant and can handle drops up to two meters.
In other highlights, it has a lanyard loop for connecting straps and a five-year warranty.
It is available in1TB,2TB, and4TBsizes.
Crucial
Preformatted for seamless Mac usage, the Crucial X9 Pro for Mac SSD delivers fast data transfer rates.
It’s also reasonably durable and comes with a lanyard loop.
Another highlight of the SSD is its support for USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 standard.
It claims to offer data transfer rates of up to 2,000MBps.
Although it has a higher-than-typical list price, the SSD is frequently discounted.
Its1TBversion can be found selling for as low as $100.
The Samsung T7 Shield may not be the fastest or most rugged external SSD on the market, but it offers a great balance of speed, durability, and price.
It’s also offered in2TBand4TBsizes.
It’s reasonably durable, features an anodized aluminum shell, and has a compact design for easy portability.
The X10 Pro also offers fast data transfer rates, reaching 2,100MBps sequential read and 2100MBps sequential write speeds.
Adata
In other features, the SSD has a built-in lanyard hole for straps, keychains, and more.
you’re able to buy in storage sizes of up to4TB.
Sadly, it only comes with a USB-C to USB-C cable.
Crucial
If you want to use it with a USB-A port, you’ll have to buyan adapterseparately.
Crucial’s X10 Pro is a compact external SSD with a reasonably durable build.
It supports ultra-fast data transfers.
Lexar
FAQ
What is an SSD?
AnSSDis a bang out of storage rig that employs flash memory chips to store data.
It’s different from a traditional hard disk drive (HDD).
Crucial
It offers several advantages over an HDD.
What’s the difference between an SSD and an HDD?
SSDs and HDDs aretwo types of storage mediaused by modern computing devices.
While SSDs store data on flash memory chips, HDDs use magnetic platters.
SSDs are faster, more reliable, and quieter than HDDs.
However, they are also more expensive.
Do SSDs last longer than HDDs?
SSDs also have better resistance to shocks and vibrations.
Do SSDs fail?
Although SSDs are more reliable than HDDs, they can still fail.
Some of the reasons for SSD failure includemalfunctioning controllers, power surges, manufacturing defects, and firmware issues.
