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12 Best External, Portable SSDs For a Faster Workflow and Bigger Computer Storage

A solid alternative to hard disk drives.

An external SSD (solid-state drive) is what you need if you find yourself constantly moving large files between computers or if your device is in desperate need of a boost in storage capacity. External SSDs are usually light and compact so that they can be easily carried anywhere as well as being incredibly rugged for travel-tested durability. 

Before purchasing one, you have to determine how much storage space you require as well as checking the type of connection that the SSD has to ensure that it is compatible with your device. 

Is an external SSD worth it?

If your computer doesn’t need upgrading but you’re lacking the space, it’s definitely worth it especially if you can’t change out the hard disk drive (HDD).

By mounting an external SSD as the primary hard drive on your computer, it starts up quicker, launch applications a lot faster, and make the process of opening files buttery smooth. The ability to multitask like accessing multiple programs in one go, running antivirus system scans, and backing up your data is made possible with little to no lag time. 

Besides, external SSDs enhance the gaming experience as the faster data access speeds result in quicker load times so you can spend more time in-game and less time waiting. Furthermore, as SSDs lack small moving parts that are prone to being damaged, making them much more durable than their hard disk counterpart. 

As you can see, despite their higher price tag, SSDs are worth every penny and this list recommends some of the best that market has to offer so you can carry around your data safely and securely.

Best buy external SSD
Samsung
Check Samsung T5 Portable External SSD price below:

The Samsung T5 offers the perfect blend of fast drive speeds, reliable data protection, and compact design. Thanks to its USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C port, you get to enjoy super fast read-write speeds of up to 540 MB/s. It has an edge over its competitors as the drive includes cables to connect to new and old PCs, phones and other devices. 

Furthermore, this SSD offers optional password protection and AES 256-bit hardware encryption to protect your sensitive information. As it’s small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, you can easily tuck into your pocket, bag or backpack.

Best external SSD for PS4
SanDisk
Check SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (2TB) price below:

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is an excellent means of providing extended storage for your favourite PS4 games or apps. It has a read speed of up to 550 MB/s so your games stored in the SSD will have blisteringly quick loading times. 

With its storage capacity of 2TB, you will have plenty of room for storing premium PS4 games that can easily occupy several hundred gigabytes worth of storage space.

Best external SSD for laptop
MiniX
Check MiniX Neo Storage S1 price below:

The Minix Neo Storage is perfect for USB-C laptops as it not only expands your devices’ storage, but it also serves as a USB hub so that there are more ports available for you to connect other devices to it. 

As it has compact dimensions and quite a lightweight, the Minix Neo Storage can be conveniently carried around while you’re travelling around with your laptop. Moreover, it also has an integrated HDMI port for instantly transmitting multimedia content from your laptop to an external display.

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Best external SSD for video editing
Samsung
Check Samsung X5 Portable SSD price below:

As storage-hungry 4K videos are quickly becoming the new standard for film and video production, you will be glad to have 2 TB worth of storage in your arsenal in the form of the Samsung X5. Its impressively quick read/write speeds of up to 2,800/2,300 MB/s can shave off a lot of time in the editing process. Besides, the X5 is shock-resistant for up to two meters and it has a non-slip mat to give it extra grip onto surfaces. 

Best external SSD for gaming
Western Digital
Check Western Digital My Passport SSD (256 GB) price below:

If you’re looking for an instant boost to the storage of your gaming PC, then look no further than the Western Digital My Passport SSD. It measures about 3.5 inches long, 1.75 inches wide, and a mere 0.4 inch thin so it barely takes up room on your desk space. 

Whether you game on your Mac or Windows PC, you will be glad to find that this SSD is compatible with both USB Type-C and USB Type-A ports. Furthermore, it pushes an incredibly fast read speed of up to 540MB/s using the USB Type-C port so you can run games directly from the SSD without any hiccups.

Best Thunderbolt 3 external SSD
Check G-Technology G-Drive Mobile Pro SSD price below:

Running via its Thunderbolt 3 interface, the G-Technology G-Drive Mobile Pro SSD is capable of reaching performance numbers that peak at over 2.8 GB/s read and 2.5 GB/s write. These impressive numbers would make any video-editing enthusiasts and professionals happy especially for those dealing with multi-stream 4K, 8K, and VR media. 

Furthermore, the core of this SSD has an aluminium heatsink that pushes heat away from the internal drive to keep it cool even when workflow gets heavy.

Best 2TB external SSD
VectoTech
Check VectoTech Rapid External SSD (2 TB) price below:

Based on sheer storage space alone, the VectoTech Rapid External SSD impresses with its 2 TB variant. You’d be glad to know that the distracting whir of when a large file loads is pretty much non-existent when it comes to this SSD. 

Being very transportation-friendly, the SSD is enclosed by a damage-resistant and reinforced casing while the internal drives are shock and vibration resistant. To top it off, the SSD comes pre-formatted as exFAT so it is compatible with both Windows and macOS operating systems without requiring any additional installation.

Best 4TB external SSD
Fantom Drives
Check Fantom Drives DUO Mobile 2 Bay RAID (4 TB) price below:

If you’re looking to double, or maybe even quadruple what most SSDs seem to offer in terms of storage space, then check out the 4 TB variant of the Fantom Drives DUO Mobile 2 Bay RAID. The SSD comes with USB Type-A and USB Type-C cables so it works well with both older and newer devices. 

Using the RAID0 configuration, the SSD can achieve impeccable speeds of 850 MB/s read and 800 MB/s write. Additionally, the SSD is compatible with all sorts of platforms such as Windows, Mac OS, PlayStation, and Xbox One.

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