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We’re here to break down the best external SSDs in 2024, so you can find the right storage solution for your needs. In the current technological landscape, there is one storage technology that reigns supreme: the SSD. While in days past the HDD (hard disk drive), might have been the go-to, SSDs (solid state drives) have come for the crown. If you compare SSD vs HDD technology, it’s SSDs that are faster, more durable, and more easily portable due to a smaller footprint. What’s more, recently the price of an SSD has dropped significantly making going for one a no-brainer.
These devices are compatible with, and well-suited to, all kinds of digital storage requirements, from professionals handling masses of secure data, to gamers hoping to reduce load times and expand capacity. For all these and more, there is an SSD that suits the niche. Because of this range, we’ve offered a variety of options, each in a different category so you can find the drive that best suits your needs. Let’s get into it.
1. Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD – Best overall external SSD
Samsung T7 Touch
Capacity
500GB, 1TB, 2TB
Drive type
SSD
USB type
USB 3.2
- Compact and portable
- Built in finger print reader
- Speedy
- Expensive
This flashy drive from Samsung is the full premium storage package. Combining capacity, speed, and durability with premium features and a slick design this is easily one of the best SSDs for your gaming PC or console, as well as for other storage needs.
We’ll start with what makes the Samsung T7 Touch stand out. This SSD puts security first with a fingerprint scanner built into the device, ensuring your data is protected from unwanted eyes. SSDs are often taken on the go, and the Touch lends itself to that too with an impressively compact build. If you’re storing sensitive information while on the move, it’s great to have the extra piece of mind that the fingerprint reader brings you.
The scanner is built into the hard drive and enclosed by an LED which doubles up as an indicator light. This gives you useful information on the current status of the drive, letting you know if it is connected, reading or writing information, or locked.
The T7 Touch isn’t all flashy features either and manages to get the basics done well. With up to 2TB of storage capacity, USB 3.2 connectivity and read and write speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s, it also ensures you can move and access a vast amount of extra data at high speeds. In fact, that speed is over 9 times faster than what a traditional hard drive has to offer.
2. WD Black 1TB C50 Storage Expansion Card – Best for Xbox X/S
WD_Black 1TB C50 Storage Expansion Card
Capacity
512GB/ 1TB
Drive type
SSD
USB type
USB 3.0
- More affordable than other licensed drives
- Let’s you launch games from external storage
- Huge capacity
- Aesthetic might not be for everyone
With the vast size of modern games, more and more people are turning to external storage devices to store their libraries. When it comes to the best external SSD for the Xbox you are fairly limited in choice. This is because only a select few officially licensed drives are able to actually be used to launch and load the latest titles. Unlicensed drives can still be used to store older games, but these then have to be moved back over to internal storage to actually be played. We’ve had a look at the licensed options and brought you the best of the bunch, the WD Black C50.
This drive boasts up to a terabyte of storage. Considering the Series S comes with just 512GB of storage built in, this is enough to hugely expand your game library. Thanks to the SSD technology it is built from, this vast amount of data takes up barely any physical space, and with its official Xbox endorsement, it can simply plug straight into your Xbox.
This drive is speedy too, being able to move most triple-A games back and forth between internal and external storage in a mere matter of minutes. Couple all this with a rugged look, designed to natively with both Xbox consoles themselves, and at a price that undercuts other licensed Xbox drives and it’s easy to see why it’s our top pick for the system.
3. WD Black P50 1TB Game Drive SSD – Best for PS5
WD Black P50 NVMe SSD
Capacity
500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Drive type
SSD
USB type
USB 3.2
- Impressively speedy
- Warranty included
- USB 3/2 compatibility
- Can be power hungry
Storage is one of the few areas where modern game consoles can struggle to keep up with the best gaming PCs. For many PlayStation gamers, storage has been made even more of a priority, with the PS5 having full backwards compatibility with PS4 games.
The good news is that with the best external hard drive for PS5 you can launch PS4 games directly from external storage. We’ve opted for the WD Black P50 NVMe SSD thanks to its balance of design, speed, storage and quality.
With the right hardware set-up, this bad boy can reach staggering speeds of 2000 MB/s. Speed is especially important here too, as PS5 games cannot be launched from external storage, and you don’t want to be waiting around ages every time you have to move a game over.
4. BUFFALO External SSD – Best budget SSD
BUFFALO External SSD
Capacity
500GB/ 1TB/ 2TB
Drive type
SSD
USB type
USB 3.2
- Great price for performance
- USB 3.2 compatibility
- Drop proof
- Size is limited to up to 2TB
This external SSD from Buffalo proves that you don’t have to break the bank when looking for fast, efficient and compact external storage devices. Despite its low price, this drive still offers impressive read/ write speeds, USB 3.2 connectivity and large storage capacity. It’s also tiny, with dimensions of just 3 x 4.6in.
Its design is not only compact but durable too, with built-in shock absorbers that build on the natural durability of a solid-state drive. Couple that with a three-year warranty and you can be confident you won’t be needing to fork out for another drive for years to come.
This drive is also compatible with the PS5, as well as, of course, both Mac and PC. With a capacity of up to 2TB you’ll be able to store a vast amount of data for whatever purpose with this drive.
5. Crucial X10 Pro Portable SSD – Best fast SSD
Crucial X10 Pro 2TB Portable SSD
Capacity
1TB/ 2TB/ 4TB
Drive type
SSD
USB type
USB 3.2
- Eye watering speeds
- Reasonable price
- High build quality
- USB 3.2 is less common
Simply put, this is one of the fastest external storage options that we’ve ever seen. The Crucial X10 Pro has a stagger read speed of 2,100MB/s and a write speed that’s not far behind it at 2,000MB/s. That’s enough to ensure even larger files can be transferred between your computer and drive without having to wait around. In order to access these higher speeds though, you have to make sure you have access to USB 3.2 Gen 2 2×2 port.
It offers these impressive speeds without charging an insane premium either, with even the 4TB option coming in at less than $300. The X10 Pro is clearly a premium product too, with a rubberized grip, precise design and excellent durability.
Best external SSD – Frequently asked questions
There are a couple of key questions we see coming up quite a lot when looking into external storage devices. To help ensure you make the right choice, we’ve answered a few of them here. As with any bit of technology, there are a tonne of variables to consider and bits of jargon to decode.
What’s the best external SSD right now?
We think that the Samsung T7 touch is the best external SSD right now. This is thanks to its balance of speed, design, durability capacity and price point. It managed to be an efficient and durable storage device that also puts an impressive premium on keeping your data secure, thanks to a built-in fingerprint scanner.
What is a good external SSD speed?
Anything above 500MB/s is an acceptable read and write speed for a modern SSD but even this is on the slower end of what some of the cutting-edge drives can offer. Speed is one of the main advantages an SSD holds over a more traditional hard drive, and some modern ones, when used with the right hardware, can even exceed 2,000MB/s.
Is it OK to use an external SSD for gaming?
Yes, you can easily use an external SSD for PC gaming and many are built with console compatibility in mind too. For the Xbox Series X/S you should ideally get one of the official licensed drives, as they are able to launch games directly from storage. Any compatible drive on the PS5 will be able to launch PS4 games, but you’ll need to transfer PS5 games over to internal storage to launch them.
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