Need a fast portable SSD? 10 of the best you can buy

In today’s digital age, the demand for fast and reliable storage solutions has never been greater. Whether you’re a professional photographer needing to transfer large files, a gamer seeking quick load times, or simply someone who wants to back up important documents on the go, a portable solid-state drive (SSD) is an indispensable tool. With various options available on the market, selecting the right portable SSD can be overwhelming. This blog post presents a curated list of the ten best portable SSDs currently available, highlighting their features, performance, and value, to help you make an informed decision.

In the middle of the 2010s, companies including Glyph, Samsung, and Western Digital introduced the first portable solid state drive (SSD) to the market. WD’s My Passport external hard drives had up to 3 TB of storage, while the My Passport SSD had a maximum capacity of 1 TB. These early portable SSDs were not as large as their mechanical siblings, but they compensated by twice the transfer rate. Additionally, they were more costly, but that was the cost of performance.

Since those early portable SSDs, we have seen them increase in size (you can now get 8 TB portable SSDs, which should be more than enough for everyone except the most devoted data hoarders) and speed (new standards like USB 4 and Thunderbolt 4 have made the fastest portable SSDs outperform their mechanical cousins). Naturally, there are other factors to take into account when choosing a portable SSD, but if speed is your top priority, continue reading. This list of ten has been arranged according to transfer rates expressed in megabytes per second (MB/s).

Sabrent Rocket Nano V2

The size factor of Sabrent’s Rocket Nano V2, which resembles a USB thumb drive more than a high-capacity portable SSD, sets it apart from the other fast SSDs. Even when compared to its Gen 2×2 contemporaries, this USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 SSD is not the quickest one available, yet it is worth looking at for people who need something more portable than typical.

Please note that this is not to imply that the Rocket Nano V2 is a slow device. When connected to a USB 20 Gbps connection, the business claims sequential transfer speeds of over 1,500 MB/s, which is probably more than fast enough for the majority of end users. Compared to the majority of other businesses, many of which concentrate on how effectively their external SSDs can saturate a certain USB standard, this is a quite modest claim. However, to Sabrent’s credit, the Rocket Nano V2 readily meets this goal.

In CrystalDiskMark 8, PCWorld tested a 4 TB model and recorded sequential read and write rates of 1,698 MB/s and 1,520 MB/s, respectively. Although it is not the fastest 20 Gbps SSD to ever pass the outlet us testing, it is not a slouch either. Its small size may help make up for its relative slowness when compared to other USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 SSDs.

LaCie Rugged Mini SSD

Established in 1987, Seagate-owned LaCie has decades of experience in the storage industry. The firm is probably best recognized for its product designs, and with its eye-catching bright orange bumper, the LaCie Rugged Mini SSD undoubtedly continues the trend.

With its IP54 water and dust resistance, approximately 10-foot drop resistance, and 1.1 tons of crushing pressure from an automobile, LaCie’s SSD is, as its name implies, well suited to the great outdoors. Although it is undoubtedly slower than some other USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSDs, this longevity does not come at the expense of raw speed either.

At least real-world testing supports Seagate’s claims of read rates of up to 2,000 MB/s: PCMag passed a CrystalDiskMark test with 1,980 MB/s. At 1,737 MB/s, write speeds were not as fast, but they were still respectable and on par with other Gen 2×2 SSDs. Additionally, LaCie offers a Thunderbolt 3 version of the Rugged SSD Pro, which has a theoretical maximum transfer speed of 2,800 MB/s.

Crucial X10 Pro

Although the Crucial X10 Pro does not particularly stand out from the pack in terms of raw throughput, its ability to maintain good transfer speeds makes it worthy of being on this list. Many USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSDs operate similarly.

After all, the X10 Pro is not a slow SSD just because it does not perform exceptionally well in sequential read and write. The X10 Pro’s theoretical maximum speed is approximately 2,000 MB/s, as you might anticipate. PCMag observed sequential read speeds of 1,977 MB/s and write speeds of 1,738 MB/s, which are sufficiently similar to the real-world results. Although it is among the slower-writing USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 drives on this list due to the latter outcome, most users will still find it to be more than fast enough.

The Crucial X10 Pro performs exceptionally well in extended write tests, to: A 2 TB variant was tested by Tom’s Hardware, which found that it wrote between 1,750 and 1,780 MB/s for about 11 minutes. This was far longer than the other drives in the store’s tests, including the expensive (and significantly faster) Thunderbolt 3 SSD. Therefore, the X10 is probably the fastest SSD available when writing large amounts of data at once, even though raw speed may not be its strong suit.

Teamgroup T-Force M200

Although transfer rates are excellent, they are not the most important factor when it comes to portable SSDs (or storage in general, for that matter). Value is a major consideration when making a purchase, and if you do not have a lot of money to spend, price per terabyte is crucial, especially given how unstable SSD prices may be. Despite having one significant drawback, the Teamgroup T-Force M200 external SSD is able to meet both requirements, ranking among the fastest portable SSDs on the market and being less expensive than its competitors.

First, let us talk about the positive aspects. According to Teamgroup, the M200 may achieve transfer rates of up to 2,000 MB/s by fully utilizing the 20 Gbps bandwidth of USB 3.2 Gen 2×2. PCWorld’s CrystalDiskMark 8 tests, which indicate read and write speeds of 1,910 and 2,026 MB/s, respectively, support the company’s claims. Although it does not quite reach 2,000 MB/s in the read tests, we believe that 1,910 MB/s will be sufficient for the majority of users.

However, there is a problem: After you use all the write cache, the M200’s write speed drastically decreases. When the M200 ran out of cache, PCWorld recorded a very slow speed of 164 MB/s. For people who frequently move a lot of large files at once, it is probably not the ideal option. That slight inconvenience probably will not matter much if you only ever move smaller files or if you simply require a portable SSD to move your Steam library to.

Samsung T9

SSDs like the SamsungT9 are a prime illustration of why many people consider Samsung to be among the top SSD brands available today, if not the greatest brand altogether. As of this writing, the Samsung T9 is among the most expensive USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 portable SSDs available, but its performance is difficult to dispute.

Samsung claims a theoretical maximum sequential read and write performance of 2,000 MB/s, which is the same as any other USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 SSD. In PCMag’s CrystalDiskMark testing, the T9 achieved read and write rates of 1,982 and 1,891 MB/s, respectively, which is as close to the maximum limit that SSDs will probably get. It is interesting to note that, in contrast to other USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 SSDS, the T9’s read and write speeds when attached to a Thunderbolt connection were 2,357 and 1,938 MB/s, respectively, whilst other SSDs with comparable specifications plummeted to about 1,000 MB/s.

These figures are largely in line with Teamgroup’s significantly less expensive M200, but the T9 has one significant advantage: in PCWorld’s testing, it continues to write files at 890 MB/s off cache, meaning that it does not slow down much when the write cache is used up. Although it is unlikely that most users will ever find themselves in such circumstance, it is comforting to know that the T9 will still function reasonably even if its write cache runs empty.

OWC Envoy Pro FX

We now begin to enter the extremely rapid drives. OWC’s first SSD on this list, the OWC Envoy Pro FX, is an external SSD that is compatible with both Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.2 Gen 2 and uses the former to provide some pretty excellent transfer speeds.

OWC claims that the Envoy Pro FX can utilize Thunderbolt 3’s maximum bandwidth of 2,800 MB/s, but practical tests reveal that it is capable of far more: PCWorld exceeded OWC’s claims by managing about 3,040 MB/s for reads and 2,983 MB/s for writes. Despite having the same connector, the Envoy Pro FX was no slouch when connected via USB-C, which is not the same as Thunderbolt. With read and write speeds of 1,083 and 1,081 MB/s, respectively, it nearly reached the theoretical maximum throughput of USB 3.2 Gen 2. So regardless of the protocol, it will be a fast drive.

Additionally, OWC asserts that the aluminum case of the Envoy Pro FX has MIL-STD810G and IP67 standards. Although IP67 might be a bit excessive for most users, water and dust resistance are usually excellent. We are not sure how many of you will benefit from the latter. However, it is better safe than sorry, and field workers will value the highest level of protection available.

SanDisk Professional PRO-G40

Although SanDisk is best recognized for producing high-quality microSD cards, the company also sells a variety of other storage devices, such as the SanDisk Professional PRO-G40, a highly quick portable SSD.

The PRO-G40 is a portable SSD that is compatible with both Thunderbolt 3 and USB-C. Its stated maximum transfer rates are 3,000 MB/s (read) and 2,500 MB/s (write) over the former, dropping to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s when connected via the latter. An aluminum heatsink keeps the SSD cool and seemingly prevents throttling. With 3,112 MB/s reads and 2,676 MB/s writes in CrystalDiskMark, PCWorld discovered that the SanDisk outperformed the manufacturer’s claims, similar to the OWC Envoy Pro FX.

With a reading speed of 1,060 MB/s and a write speed of 1,035 MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2 demonstrated excellent performance as well. When connected via USB, it stumbled a little in PCWorld’s 450 GB write test, taking over 12 minutes as opposed to the less expensive Samsung T7’s 10-and-a-half, but that was only a small hiccup. Furthermore, we do not think anyone would spend this much money on an SSD that they will only use primarily using USB-C. It should weather the odd awkward drop or two because SanDisk also promises IP68 dust and water resistance, 4,000-pound crush resistance, and the capacity to withstand fall of almost 10 feet.

OWC Express 1M2

One may argue that the OWC Express 1M2 is not truly a portable SSD in the same sense as the other SSDs on this list, but it is one of OWC’s several high-speed portable SSDs. Technically speaking, the Express 1M2 is a portable, high-speed case for an NVMe SSD. We are including it, though, because you can get one with an SSD built in, so it is a plug-and-play option like the others on this list, but you can improve it later by replacing the NVMe drive.

According to OWC, when attached to a Thunderbolt 4 (Mac or PC) or USB4 port, the Express 1M2 can transfer files at up to 3,151 MB/s. When linked to a Thunderbolt 3 or 10 Gbps USB-C connector, the performance drops to a much more mediocre 990 MB/s.OWC’s stated rates are mostly supported by PCMag’s testing, which shows sequential reads and writes of 3,032 and 2,931 MB/s in CrystalDiskMark.

The outlet also noted that the Express 1M2 might have default performance issues in Windows, but OWC offers a simple fix: if you are using the Express 1M2 (or any other high-speed SSD) with a Windows computer, use the company’s Disk Performance tool to modify the OS’s default removable storage setting and maximize the drive’s capabilities. Although it is not the first Windows option to degrade a user’s experience, OWC’s software thankfully provides a fast cure.

Adata SE920

When you think of high-speed portable SSDs, you might not think of the Adata brand right now, but the Adata SE920, which is compatible with USB4 and Thunderbolt 4, demonstrates that even lesser-known brands can make some excellent hardware.

According to Adata, the SE920 can read and write data at 3,800 and 3,700 MB/s via USB4 if you change Windows’ default removable media policy, which also prevents drives like the OWC Express 1M2 from working. Although Adata’s ambitious claims were not fully met by PCWorld’s tests, the SE920’s 3,088 MB/s reads and 2,975 MB/s writes are nevertheless incredibly fast and place it just ahead of OWC’s Express 1M2. Will you be able to tell the two apart? Most likely not, but speed is speed. Additionally, the Adata SE920 is significantly less expensive, which further favors it.

With a built-in fan that you can turn on by pressing on the case, the SE920 also boasts a clever—or gimmicky, depending on your point of view—cooling solution. By opening the shroud and turning on the fan, Adata asserts that the SE920 is “10% cooler” than fanless options. The fan did lower operating temperatures, according to PCWorld’s research, although it is unclear if this will have a significant long-term effect.

OWC Envoy Ultra

Because OWC produces so many incredibly fast portable SSDs, the business has been a regular on this list. Fast as they are, however, none of the company’s other SSDs are nearly as quick as the Envoy Ultra, which, as of November 2024, is the fastest portable SSD available.

No, the Envoy Ultra is not some piddly Thunderbolt 4 SSD or USB 3.2 Gen 2×2. It makes advantage of the newly released Thunderbolt 5 protocol, which OWC claims should enable file transfers of over 6,000 MB/s. With the business claiming up to 3,800 MB/s transfers on Thunderbolt 4, over 3,800 MB/s via USB4, and up to 2,800 MB/s when attached to a Mac Thunderbolt 3 connection, the Envoy Ultra is also backward-compatible. Furthermore, it is not all talk: In CrystalDiskMark, Japanese retailer PC Watch was able to sequentially read and write at 6,056 and 4,213 MB/s, respectively.

With consecutive reads of 3,846 MB/s and sequential writes of 2,936 MB/s, Thunderbolt 4 speeds were also among the fastest. Thus, it is indeed quick. Additionally, the Envoy Ultra is IP66 certified to prevent dust and water intrusion. However, this level of performance is not inexpensive; as of this writing, a 4 TB OWC Envoy Ultra costs $600.