whole - state drive – aka SSD – used to be really expensive , but Price have really fallen in the last few years , and you could now pick up tight , reliable SSDs that be only slightly more than their hard driveway counterparts . Even the slowest SSDs are loosely truehearted than mechanical hard drive .
As well as being faster than conventional toilsome drive , SSDs are light and sturdier too , build them ideal for use of goods and services with a laptop computer when you ’re traveling . That ’s reflected in the thrust that we review here , most of which are small and light up enough to skid into your pocket . However , the previous SSDs can also offer up to 8 TB of memory board , which makes them a good pick for utilisation with a desktop Mac in an billet as well . And they can help to reduce cable smother too , as they generally take their mogul from a USB port on your Mac , rather than requiring a freestanding external king supplying .
Other features to take care out for include IP - ratings for conditions protection and password protection for your important files . Just recall to crack that any apps provide by the manufacturer oeuvre with Macs and well as Windows PCs .
Another thing to take short letter of is whether the SSD connects via Thunderbolt 5 , 4 or 3 , and USB 4 or USB - C , USB 3 or USB 3.2×2 . The latter is one to avoid if you are a Mac user because Apple supports only 10Gbps with USB 3.2 , meaning 3.2×2 20Gbps SSDS are constrain to half their potential .
There are some SSD drives that support the unexampled Thunderbolt 5 standard , which convey speeds of up to 80Gbps if you have a Mac with M4 Pro or M4 Max . We ’ve looked at some Thunderbolt 5 equipped SSDs below .
UPDATED March 2025 with revaluation of Lexar Armor 700 , Samsung T5 Evo and SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD .
Best SSD for Mac 2025
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5
professional
confidence trick
The Pro5 looks almost very to the late - coevals Rugged SSD Pro , which uses Thunderbolt 3 . The only seeable departure between the two drive is the fact that the Pro5 is wrap in a benighted - blue rubber arm , rather than the sombre blackamoor of its forerunner .
That rubber sleeve is designed to render extra protection for the private road , and the Pro5 is even sturdier than before , with an IP68 rating for water and dust - impedance . LaCie claims the Pro5 can hold out ingress in 1.5 meters of water for 30 minutes , survive being dropped from a height of 3 m ( 10 foot ) , and survive being incline over by fomite weighing up to two tonne . There ’s a five - class warranty too .
It measure 17 millimetre thick , 98 millimeter wide and 65 millimetre cryptical and librate 150 gramme , which is a little more than its 100 grand Rugged Pro predecessor . It comes in 2 terabyte or 4 TB electrical capacity . It ’s not cheap , starting at $ 399.99/£359.99 for 2 TB or $ 599.99/£579.99 for 4 TB .
The Pro5 does use a standard USB - C connexion , so it ’s still backward - compatible with previous mackintosh , but if you want to get the full carrying out of the Thunderbolt 5 interface you ’ll need a MacBook Pro or Mac mini with M4 Pro or M4 Max central processing unit as these are the only chips to hold up the standard . The one-time Rugged Pro is still on sale , so make certain you take care for the Pro5 mannequin if you want Thunderbolt 5 performance . We find that the received USB - C cable television service we practice for our Time Machine back - up movement did n’t offer enough power for the Pro5 , so it might be deserving investing in a supernumerary Thunderbolt 5 cable .
The Rugged SSD Pro5 is the fastest Thunderbolt movement we ’ve tested so far , and along with its broken , portable design it ’s an excellent alternative for originative exploiter who want to exploit the full hurrying of their new Thunderbolt 5 macintosh .
OWC Envoy Ultra
you’re able to take full advantage of the Thunderbolt 5 porthole on your M4 Pro Mac mini or M4 Pro / Max MacBook Pro and possibly sidestep Apple ’s grabby store upgrade pricing with OWC ’s Envoy Ultra Thunderbolt 5 external SSD .
Thunderbolt 5 itself is backwards compatible with older Thunderbolt spec , but it ’s not intimately as backward compatible as we ’d like . For object lesson , to utilize a Thunderbolt 5 drive your M - series Mac need to be running macOS 14 Sonoma or macOS 15 Sequoia . bolt of lightning 3 Macs with Intel chips must run Sequoia . But only the M4 Pro amd M4 Max silicon chip will give you the full Thunderbolt 5 experience .
You may have visit 120GBps quote in some article as Thunderbolt 5 ’s top speed , but that ’s only unidirectional for display . Bi - directional , as with storage , is throttle to 80Gbps . benchmark show anywhere from 5.2GBps ( Blackmagicdesign ’s Disk Speed Test ) , to 6.5GBps reading material ( AmorphousDiskMark ) , to near 7GBps recital and 5.57GBps writing ( ATTO ) . It ’s tight .
The OWC Envoy Ultra is a larger chunk of black metal , measuring about 0.75 inches thick , 2.8 inch wide , and 5 inches long . The Envoy Ultra weighs in at 10.5 ounces or so . It has a engrossed overseas telegram , which is for weatherproof ( it ’s not IP - grade ) . This does make it a scrap laborious to put aside . Alas , writing was considerably slower , only around 1.5GBps .
The Envoy Ultra costs $ 400/£356 in its 2 TB form and $ 600/£598.49 at 4 TB . It carries a three - twelvemonth warranty .
If you want , and can afford the absolute loyal storage for your unexampled Thunderbolt 5 Mac , then this is a heck of a lot cheaper than Apple ’s rapaciously priced interior store and nearly as fast .
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
We last looked at SanDisk ’s tough Extreme Portable V2 in 2021 so it was due an update . This late poser comes swagger back with an even sturdier blueprint and increased capacity that offers up to 8 TB of storage . The external plan has n’t change much for this update , it still comes in a perforate calamitous case made out of silicon that provide plenty of auspices , and there ’s the same hook for a lanyard .
We tested the 8 TB version , which is slightly larger than the previous model but it ’s still slim and tripping . There are n’t many rival thrust that provide that much reposition in such a heavyset and portable design .
This framework use the same USB - cytosine connector as its herald , with accompaniment for USB 3.2 ( Gen 2 ) . There ’s a USB - C cable let in in the boxful , and even a USB - A adapter ! Speeds are 1000MB / s and 1050MB / s for write and read operation severally , as previously . And our tests found that the two drives grow very interchangeable results when flow the Black Magic Disk speed test , with the Extreme Portable reaching 946MB / s for write public presentation and 910MB / s for read performance .
The principal difference is that this update for 2025 is even knotty than before , boasting an IP65 rating for underground to piddle and detritus . This exemplar cater more storage capacitance too , pop at 1 GB and going up to 8 TB .
SanDisk has several portable self-coloured - body politic drives that look similar and have similar name . The Extreme Pro Portable looks identical and has a faster USB4 port , but only offer up to 4 TB storage . The less expensive Portable SSD , is n’t in particular firm . Check the name before you buy .
It ’s a unspoiled alternative for anyone that necessitate to hive away orotund , high - rhenium photograph or TV files on their MacBook when they ’re working outdo .
Kingston XS1000
We liked the uncompromising little XS2000 driving thatKingstonlaunched back in 2022 , but it was moderately expensive and used a interlingual rendition of USB known as USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 , which is n’t fully supported on the Mac at the moment . Drives that use ‘ Gen 2×2 ’ will still work with a Mac , but the Mac wo n’t get the full speed that the campaign is equal to of . However , Kingston has now launched a more low-priced fashion model called the XS1000 . This is a more conventional USB - C drive , using standard USB 3.2 Gen 2 , so it ’s a well , affordable pick for Mac users who just want a compact , lightweight backup drive .
The XS1000 is one of the smallest and lightest SSDs that we ’ve seen so far – in fact , it look more like a lilliputian USB thumb driving force , rather than a high - content backup driving force . It mensurate just 13.5 mm thick , 32.5 mm wide and 69.5 mm long , and weigh only 28.7 g , so you may easily mistake it into your shirt or pant pouch when you ’re go . It ’s not quite as rugged as the more expensive XS2000 – which had an IP55 rating for H2O and debris resistance – but the plastic and metal casing palpate uncompromising enough to cope with a few belt when you ’re traveling , and Kingston provides a five - yr warranty as well .
It ’s very competitively price too , costing $ 84.99/£74.99 with 1 TB of storage , or $ 109.99/£99.99 with 2 TB . The drive ’s USB interface provides a quoted write velocity of 1000MBs , while the read fastness is slightly high at 1050MB / s. It did n’t quite match those speeds in our tests , but its write speed of 875MB / s and translate fastness of 950MB / s will still be all right for everyday back - ups with Time Machine . Our only complaint is that Kingston only let in a USB - A - to - USB - C cable system with the XS1000 , so you ’ll need to buy an adaptor or a new cable’s length if your Mac only has USB - C. Professional substance abuser might prefer a flying campaign , or a more tough design , but if you just require an low-cost patronage drive that can go traveling with you then the XS1000 is heavy economic value for money .
Adata SE920 USB4 SSD
The Adata SE920 External SSD is a high - performance USB4 SSD for those who need rapid data transfer speed .
It unite inactive and active cooling with a heavyset metal housing for passive cooling , and a micro - buff with opening for active chilling . The substance abuser can actually set off the fan by pressing on the housing .
If you are working on a labor such as a telecasting or image edit , or another task that could call for a lot of drive access over a period of meter , then change on the rooter . The relief of the metre you’re able to probably leave it .
The SE920 is mainly design for Windows users , evident from the data formatting in the NTFS file organization and the backup software for Windows , but this should n’t be a problem for experienced Mac user . The SE920 is quickly reformatted in APFS using the macOS Disk Utility .
Data transfer rates quantify with Aja System Test Lite were telling . The SE920 achieved 2992MBps for writes and 3161 MBps for read . Data rates are stable over a long flow and the caloric excogitation work absolutely .
All this comes at a good price . We recommend the SE920 to any content creator .
SanDisk Pro Blade System
We unremarkably organize reviews of portable drives and screen background drives separately , but the new SanDisk Pro Blade is a modular SSD storage system that is very much designed for professional and creative substance abuser , and permit you to switch between portable and desktop mode as required .
you could lead off by buying thePro Blade SSD Mag , which is a solid - state storage module that is available in 1 TB , 2 TB or 4 TB size of it ( the 1 TB was discounted from $ 179.99 to $ 119.99 at the time of our reexamination ) . The SSD Mag is pre - formatted in APFS format for Mac users , and is tough enough to withstand being throw from a tiptop of 3 meters or 9.8 foot , and hold out 4000 lb ( 1814 kg ) compaction pressure sensation , making it ideal for outside use . However , the SSD Mag modules ca n’t connect to a computer on their own , so SanDisk provides two selection for portable and desktop use .
For portable function you could grease one’s palms thePro Blade Transport , which is a succinct case for the SSD Mag , and is fit out with a USB - degree Celsius port wine for connect to your Mac . The Transport measures just 130.4 mm long , 71.5 millimeter wide and 16 mm thick , so you’re able to well splay it into your pouch or a carrying font just like any other portable drive . It ’s also potential to connect the Transport to a camera that has a USB - C interface so that you may record high - res video rather than having to conduct lots of smaller SD retentivity cards .
When you get back to the billet you also have the option of tuck theSSD Mag modulesinto thePro Blade Station($499.99/£490.99 ) . This desktop depot organization does n’t include any built - in store of its own , but it has four slot that allow you to insert SSD Mag modules ( not included ) allow up to 16 TB of high - velocity solid - state storage . The Pro Blade Station has two Thunderbolt 3 port wine , with one used to link up your Mac , while the other embrasure can be used to daisy - Sir Ernst Boris Chain additional storage devices if postulate . The Pro Blade Station is fairly expensive – cave in that it does n’t include any memory of its own – but it gives you the option of creating a gamey - velocity , high - capacity SSD computer storage system for use in your part , whilst also being able to take away the individual SSD Mag modules and use them as portable drives whenever you need to .
Western Digital – which have SanDisk these days – claims that the Pro Blade Station can provide read and save speeds of 3000MB / s and 2600MB / s severally . Our test actually recorded a read speed of 2600MB / s and indite hurrying of 2300MB / s , but that ’s still one of the fastest SSD drives we ’ve ever seen , throw it a good selection for originative users who need a fast entrepot system that they can use both in the situation and on the route .
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
LaCie ’s furrowed driveshave been popular with Mac users for many yr , thanks to their combination of high - performance and that now - intimate orangeness arm that helps to keep the drive secure when you ’re work out outdoors . However , the broken range has mostly used conventional hard drives in the past , which are wearisome than the latest solid - state drives , as well as being bigger and profound . Welcome the Rugged Pro SSD , which is primarily propose at creative substance abuser . ( We attend at theLaCie Rugged SSD Pro5above , which is a New theoretical account that supports Thunderbolt 5 ) .
The Rugged SSD range pop out at around$180/£180for a mannikin with 500 GB storage , but we were able to review the SSD Pro , which stand out from the rest of the range with its matte - black arm . It ’s fairly expensive , costing $ 419/£249.99 with 1 TB of storehouse , and a goodish $ 739.99/£379.99 for the 2 TB example and $ 1,049.99/£999.99 for 4 TB , but it rationalise that price with an even tougher blueprint and the latest , super - fast unanimous - body politic drive designed for professional video work . ( U.K. prices dropped in 2024 but US prices do n’t seem to have followed suit of clothes . Luckily you could get skilful deal at various resellers ) .
interchange to a self-coloured - commonwealth drive means that the SSD Pro is now the minuscule model in the furrowed compass , measuring just 3.8in/98 mm long , 2.5in/65 millimeter wide and 0.6in/17 millimetre duncical . It only press 100g/3.5 oz , so you may easily slip it into your sac or bagful when you ’re traveling and barely even notice that it ’s there .
Despite its summary design , that raw black sleeve is earnestly tough and rated IP67 for resistance to weewee and debris , allow it to hold out in 3.2 foot/1 m of water for up to 30 minutes . It can cope with being leave out from a stature of 9.8 foot/3 m , and can even resist the weight of a two - tonne car force over it . It includes a five - year warranty in case anything does go wrongly , which includes one visit to LaCie ’s data point - recuperation labs if you call for to retrieve important information .
The Rugged SSD Pro includes just a single Thunderbolt 3 / USB - vitamin C port , but most of its eminent price is down to the use of the in vogue NVMe solid - state drives , which provide top performance for high - end television applications , such as edit 8 K or super - irksome - motion video file ( which can be enormous , as they pip at up to 240 frames per second on the latest iPhones ) . The movement did n’t disappoint , record logical write speeds of 1780MB / s , and an even faster 2480MB / s for read pep pill – with both figure go away just about every other SSD campaign we ’ve ever tested trailing in its wake . And , when backing up our iTunes music depository library , the Rugged SSD Pro blew us aside by backing up 5 GB of music files in just five second base – look away for a couple of seconds and you ’ll drop it !
Of course , not everyone will need that sorting of performance – especially at this price – but if you work with high - res TV and demand a fast , tough ride for outdoor study then the Rugged SSD Pro is in a category of its own .
LaCie Portable SSD
TheLaCie Portable SSDis an option for people who do n’t want James Bond grade of security . usable with 500 GB , 1 TB or 2 TB of depot , the Portable SSD has a new design compare to its predecessor . Rather than sharp angular corners and edges of the now discontinued LaCie Mobile SSD , the compact Portable SSD has smoothly round corner – perhaps conform to Apple ’s recent fetish for rounded corners on icons in Big Sur and Monterey .
It ’s modest and unclouded than previous thrust from LaCie too , measure just 0.4in/10.6 mm thick , 1.9in/50 mm wide , and 3in/80 millimeter farsighted , and it weighs a mere 1.5oz/45 g , so it ’s ideal for carrying around with your MacBook or iPad when you ’re locomote .
The movement has a single USB - speed of light interface , and admit a USB - C cable , but the humbled price means that there are no sum up extras , such as an adaptor for older Macs that have USB - A ( 3.2 ) connecter .
LaCie has n’t thin any other corner , though . The Portable SSD has a solid , sturdy design that should be able-bodied to cope with a few jut in a backpack or briefcase , and it perform very well too .
LaCie quotes read and write pep pill of 1000MB / s , but repeated test with the BlackMagic speed psychometric test app showed the Portable SSD comfortably cruising along at around 1,300MB / s with no trouble at all .
That combination of f number , thickset design and militant pricing makes the Portable SSD a great option for anyone that needs a portable backup drive for their Mac or iPad .
Read our full review .
Samsung T5 EVO
T5 EVO is n’t as fast as some of its SSD competitor , but it ’s great as a general - purpose backup equipment and provides a faster and more portable alternative to a conventional voiceless drive . Unlike many solid - res publica drives , it render up to 8 TB of entrepot , lay down it a good option for people who need a pile of store space for their work files , photos and videos . It ’s competitively priced , set about at $ 189.99/£146 for 2 TB of storage .
The drive is compact , just 17 mm thick , 40 mm wide and 95 mm long , and count 102 g. There ’s a lumpy metal band on one end that can be used to attach the cause to a backpack or belt .
It does n’t have the armour - plate protection of Samsung ’s T7 Shield , but the T5 EVO does n’t cut corner on build quality . The drive is metal and then wrapped in a safe sleeve to provide extra protective covering . It does n’t quote an IP rating for ohmic resistance to water and dust though .
It ’s not the firm back - up drive you’re able to purchase , and while there ’s a USB - C port for associate to a Mac or PC , it only supports the relatively old USB 3.2 ( Gen 1 ) standard , and Samsung quotes fairly small speeds of 460MB / s for both read and write carrying into action . Our tests exhibit that the drive ’s write public presentation was correct on the nose with a speed of 460MB / s when running the Black Magic disk pep pill mental testing , although read operation was slower at 370MB / s.
T5 EVO will be a great alternative for laptop users who want to ditch an old hard drive and exchange it with a more portable satisfying - state drive that provide plenty of warehousing .
Lexar Armor 700
Lexar stool a wide reach of memory cards and solid - body politic drives that are very much drive at creative user , and its Armor 700 parkway provides degraded , high - capacity storage in a rugged design that will be ideal for outdoor photo - shoots or filming .
As the name suggests , the Armor 700 is sturdily built , boasting an IP66 evaluation for water and dust protection . This means that the driving can hold up brawny jets of water ( but not all over dousing under water ) , and is tightly seal to prevent dust or other subatomic particle from penetrating the drive . It ’s also wrapped in a shock - resistant rubber arm that can cope with being dropped from a tiptop of three metres . The drive is uncommitted with 1 TB , 2 TB or 4 TB of storage , so it supply good deal of storage for your Time Machine backups when you ’re on the route . Lexar also includes an app call DataShield that appropriate you to create an cipher folder on the private road for store sensitive filing cabinet and datum .
The Amor 700 is equipped with a USB - C interface , with a USB - C cable and USB - A adapter included in the box . Lexar states that the parkway offer read and indite upper of up to 2000MB / s , but it does require a gadget that supports USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 so as to reach those speeds ( yes , USB criterion are a stark muddle these day ) . Apple does n’t corroborate that specific version of USB , which mean that Macs , iPhones and iPads with USB - C will only get a maximal amphetamine of 1000MB / s. Our tests actually register mark of 910MB / s for write carrying out and 925MB / s for read execution , but that ’s more than adequate for routine backups when you ’re out and about . Lexar also states that this is degraded enough to record 4 K ProRes picture from an iPhone 15 or 16 , and the Armor 700 is still competitively priced when compared to furrowed drives such as LaCie ’s Rugged SSD .
Professional users who really require top performance may prefer a thrust that supports Thunderbolt – such as LaCie ’s gamey - end Rugged Pro – but bombshell drives are still very expensive , making the Armor 700 a near option for people on a tighter budget . You ca n’t buy unmediated from Lexar , though , so it ’s worth shopping around online to find the best price .
SanDisk Professional Pro-G40
Many portable drives practice a standard USB - C port for connecting to a Mac or PC , butSanDisk’sPro - G40 choose for a high - upper Thunderbolt 3 port to put up maximal operation for professional users who need to mold with large video and nontextual matter files ( and , of track , it ’s back - compatible with USB - one C as well ) .
The Pro - G40 was first liberate in 2022 , and was already on our inclination of the best SSD cause for Mac , but this current role model allow both improved performance and higher capacity for your oeuvre files . The conception has n’t changed though , with a compact , portable cause that value just 12 mm thick , 58 mm wide and 111 mm long . It weighs just over 120 g – calculate on the capacity you choose – so you may slip it into a jacket air pocket or into a carrying font alongside your MacBook with no trouble at all . The effort is also super hard , with a inflexible metal case that is rat IP68 – one of the in high spirits paygrade possible – for resistance to H2O , dust and other particles . Western Digital , which now own the SanDisk trade name , also claims that the campaign can go drops from a height of 3 K , and can hold up crushing insistency of up to 4000lbs . The effort even include a five - year warranty as well .
The 2022 reading of the Pro - G40 provided read and write f number of 2700MB / s and 1900MB / s respectively when using the Thunderbolt cable included in the box , but the current model is shit at 3000MB / s for read and 2500MB / s for write speeds . Our tests evidence it to be absolutely spot - on for write performance , consistently strike 2500MB / s. The read performance did n’t quite hit the quote 3000MB / s , settle at just over 27000MB / s , but that ’s still far faster than most USB - C drives , and provides the variety of operation that professional users require for plump for up their work files .
That combination of high performance and radical - tough design does mean that the Pro - G40 is quite a bit more expensive than many USB - cytosine drive , so it ’s probably overkill if you just want an low-cost portable drive for backing up personal files . However , professional users will be proud of to find that the price of the Pro - G40 has been reduced recently , with the 1 TB model now costing $ 299.99/£294.99 , while the 2 TB version is $ 449.99/£441.99 . And , as mentioned , there ’s a new 4 TB interlingual rendition to bring home the bacon extra capacity , price at $ 699.99/£687.99 .
SanDisk Desk Drive
The lightweight , compact design of upstanding - Department of State drives pee-pee them a great choice if you need a portable back - up drive to use with your MacBook when you ’re travel . However , portable SSDs do tend to have determine storage capacity , often with a upper limit of just 1 TB or 2 TB . In contrast , the SanDisk Desk Drive provide both high - speeding SSD performance and high mental ability too , starting with a minimum of 4 TB for $ 379.99/£359.99 . If that ’s not enough then you could also mistreat up to 8 TB , for $ 699.99/£663.99 .
As the name suggest , the Desk Drive is very much design for desktop use in an function , and it ’s larger than most conventional SSDs , standing 40.2 mm high and 99.2 mm on each side , and matter 268 g. The effort itself is still little and light enough to slip into a backpack or trip bag along with your MacBook , but it does require a mains office supply as well , so this is n’t a movement that is going to leave the place very often ( we did strain to power it through a USB - C embrasure on our MacBook Pro , but that did n’t work ) .
It ’s also a small unsatisfying that the Desk Drive just has a individual USB - coke larboard for data transferral . At this price , a couple of excess port would have been a useful bonus , specially for MacBook models that only have a couple of USB - blow port of their own .
We did n’t have any complaint about the Desk Drive ’s performance , though . SanDisk quotes a speed of 1GB / s , although the results we start out were closer to 925MB / s and 910MB / s for write and read speeds respectively . That ’s not as fast as some high - goal SSDs that are design for professional users – such as SanDisk ’s own Pro Blade organization – but it ’s still a set faster than a conventional operose campaign , and the Desk Drive will be a very beneficial choice for citizenry who simply demand a fast backup drive that provides plenty of memory board for photos , videos and oeuvre data file .
Seagate OneTouch SSD
Seagate ’s OneTouchhard drives are a democratic choice with many user . The OneTouch SSD is the small and lightest portable drive we ’ve ever seen and is useable in black , silver or blue .
When model flat on the desk it measures just 2in/50 millimetre wide-cut , 2.7in/70 millimeter rich and a mere 0.4in/10.6 mm thick . And it weighs only 2.6oz/74 GiB , so you could well fall away it into your pocket and carry it around with your laptop or iPad when you ’re move . It ’s sturdily build too , with Seagate claim that it can stand firm being drop from a height of 6.5 foot/2 m.
The OneTouch ride has a USB - C port , but Seagate admit both USB - C and USB - A cables so that you could use it with most Macs and PCs straight out of the box .
It works with Apple ’s Time Machine for automatic backups , but Seagate also includes its own ToolKit app , which has a ‘ sync ’ option for game up specific folder . The drive also includes a one - year gratis subscription to the Mylio exposure - organiser app , and four months with Adobe ’s CC Photography programme , normally $ 9.99/£9.98 a calendar month on an yearly plan ( read ourguide to getting the in effect deal on Adobe Creative Cloud ) .
The cause is available with 500 GB , 1 TB or 2 TB of storage , so it provide pot of room for backing up large libraries of photos , videos or euphony . It does n’t quite match Seagate ’s quoted amphetamine of 1GB / s , but it recorded read and write speed of 835MB / s and 915MB / s respectively in our tryout , which still put it among the fastest solid - state drives that we ’ve tested recently . And , with its ridiculously scant and succinct blueprint , the OneTouch will be ideal for backing up all your authoritative files when you ’re on the move .
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD
ContinuingLaCie ’s Ruggedrange of knockout drive and SSDs . These have long been popular with hoi polloi who involve a sturdy back - up drive that can deal with gravelly weather condition and precondition when play outdoors , but the Rugged drives have always tended to be rather orotund and bulky – like the Rugged SSD Pro ( above ) – so LaCie has produced a more compendious pick in the chassis of the new Rugged Mini SSD .
As you might expect , the Rugged Mini look very much like its furrowed relatives , with LaCie ’s distinctive vivid orange tree natural rubber sleeve helping to keep the parkway safe . But , of course , it ’s a passel smaller than previous good example , mensurate just 17.3 millimeter duncish , 66.9 millimetre wide , 105 mm long . It only weighs 114 gm as well , so you may well slue it into a jacket pocket or backpack when you ’re traveling .
Despite that compact figure , the Rugged Mini is still ruffianly enough to cope with some rough treatment . It ’s rated IP54 for water and junk resistance , so it should be able-bodied to cope with life outdoors if you ’re working on location for a photo- or video recording shoot . And , thanks to that safe arm , it can care drops of up to 3 m and even make it being drive over by a 1 - tonne truck . And if that ’s not knotty enough , the drive comes with a three - year warranty that includes LaCie ’s Rescue Data Recovery Service , to help restore any fall back data .
The crusade ’s USB - C porthole will work with any Mac or microcomputer that also has USB - C or Thunderbolt . But , like a number of campaign that we ’ve see latterly , it uses a variant of USB be intimate as USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 , which is n’t fully substantiate by Macs at the consequence . This means that Macs wo n’t be able to get the full 2000MB / s speeds sustain by that port , and our trial confirmed this , recording write and read velocity of 900MB / s and 970MB / s severally . We ’ve see strong performance from some rival drives , but those speeds should be absolutely adequate for routine musical accompaniment when you ’re on the road , and the stout design of the Rugged Mini make it a good option for citizenry who need a drive that they can use outdoors on a regular basis .
Pricing is a little confusing , though . In the US , the Rugged Mini price $ 84.99/£74.99 ( 1 TB ) , $ 109.99/£99.99 ( 2 TB ) , and $ 159.99/£149.99 ( 4 TB ) . We ’ve get word much lower prices from Amazon and other online retailer , so it ’s definitely deserving shopping around before buying .
WD My Passport SSD
Western Digital ’s Passportdrives have always provided portable , lightweight design , and the My Passport SSD combines compendious designing with potent performance and additional surety features .
usable in a variety of colors , the My Passport SSD furnish up to 4 TB of solid - state storage , although the 1 TB model that we review here costs $ 74.99/£94.99 .
The drive measurement just 0.35in/9 mm thick , and press 1.6oz/46 g , so it ’s minuscule enough to slip into a crownwork pocket when you ’re on the move . However , it ’s also tough enough to exist being dropped from a height of two meter .
The drive is outfit with a USB - blow interface , but WD includes a USB - hundred cable and a USB - A adaptor with the driving , so you could still use it with old Macs that do n’t have USB - C. The firm - state drive provides undecomposed execution too , recording a write speed of 935MB / s and interpret f number of 908MB / s , making it a not bad option for backing up your important file on the move .
It ’s secure too , as WD ’s Discovery app reserve you to set a password for the drive in Holy Order keep your files secure . There ’s a second app as well , call WD Unlocker , which is progress into the thrust itself , and allow you to get in the password so that you may employ the drive with another Mac or PC if you need to .
When the drive was first introduced there were complaints that the WD apps had n’t been properly updated to 64 - bit code for the in vogue versions of the macOS , but we tested the drive with our authority Macs and did n’t see any problems .
record a full reviewover on our sister site Tech Advisor .
Samsung Portable SSD T7 Shield
There are three versions ofSamsung ’s T7 . The received T7 is a compact , lightweight SSD that looks very similar to the old T5 – although it boasts higher public presentation , so make trusted you moderate the model numbers before buying . We test the T7 Shield , which is a more rugged model , wrapped in a sturdy synthetic rubber sleeve designed for outside use . Both of those example can employ Samsung ’s Portable SSD app to tally password shelter for your files , but there ’s also a third modelling shout the T7 Touch that has a built - in fingerprint detector for extra security and convenience .
useable in black , blue or silver , the T7 Shield costs $ 129/£110 with 1 TB of storage , but we are seeing bang-up discounts now it ’s been out a while . It has a USB - coke interface for connecting to your Mac , but Samsung include a USB - C cable television and a USB - A adapter so that you may habituate it with old Macs that have USB - A. The furrowed protective arm means that it ’s a minuscule larger than the other T7 models , measuring 0.5in/13 mm thickset , 2.3in/59 millimeter wide and 3.4in/88 mm foresighted , and librate 3.4oz/98 g. Even so , it ’s still small enough to slip into a crownwork pocket or backpack with no trouble at all , and many people will appreciate the extra protection that it offers .
The T7 Shield is shit IP65 for water- and dust - resistance , and Samsung claims that the impact - resistant rubber arm can go drops from a superlative of three meters .
It ’s a in effect performing artist too . Samsung quote take and write speeds of 1,000MB / s , but our test with the Blackmagic disc tool actually recorded a read speed of 1,780MB / s , and a write speed of 1,300MB / s , which make the T7 Shield a great musical accompaniment option for multitude who need to solve outdoors with their laptop computer .
OWC Express 1M2 USB4 SSD
The OWC Express 1M2 ’s cooling quintet alone account for around half of the overall height of this external SSD . The Al living accommodations is quite large at 5.2 by 2.8 by 0.9 inch ( 13.2 by 7.1 by 2.3 centimeters ) and the very high - quality alloy living accommodations also has sufficiently prominent safe aerofoil on the undersurface .
To test for speed , we used two benchmarks , Aja System Test Lite and Blackmagicdesign Disk Speed Test . The results are impressive : 2736MBps ( write ) and 2980MBps ( read ) in Aja System Test Lite . The value with Blackmagicdesign Disk Speed Test were around 100MBps higher – it cracked the 3000 MBps patsy in the read run .
How to choose an SSD: Buying advice
You ’ve read our good word of the good SSDs for Mac proprietor on the securities industry right now . But how did we reach these decisions , and what general advice should you succeed when choose an SSD ?
SSDs vs hard drives
Cost per gigabyte is the main stumbling block . You might pay off $ 200 for a 1 TB portable SSD , whereas a 1 TB external punishing drive costs around $ 25 .
This is because hard drives expend relatively cheap whirl platters to store data . SSDs employ NAND memory chips . They are pricier , but also faster and allow for much little enclosures .
If you make up one’s mind in favor of hard drives , see our roundup of thebest Mac heavy drives .
2.5in or ultra-portable?
SSD performance varies from around 300 - 500MB / s interpret speeds all the way up to 3000MB / s , but there are three basic physical word form of SSD . And two can be considered portable .
‘ Naked ’ SSD board secure immediately into PCIe or SATA interfaces . These are the kind you might use to replace the SSD in a laptop computer , or bring to a screen background . They are not really portable .
2.5 in SSDs offer a mix of portability and inner use of goods and services , and are the cheapest way of life to get a portable drive . They have a moldable casing , avoiding legal injury to the components , but habituate SATA connector rather than USB .
you could buy an envelopment to get more shelter and that all - authoritative USB or Thunderbolt user interface , or even just use a SATA - to - USB transmission line . We habituate one of these cables in the office to ferry around test files on a 2.5 in SSD .
For the ultimate portable experience you need a ‘ pocket ’ SSD , though , not one found on 2.5 in drive dimensions . These are designed to be used with USB or Thunderbolt connectors , not those found inside a Mac or MacBook .
You ’ll mostly determine this kind below . They are incredibly small and convenient . However , they are more expensive than 2.5in - style drive , so you may want to consider the larger type if gloomy spend is a top concern .
Shock-proof, and rugged?
SSDs are more long-wearing than heavy drives . They have no move parts , and wo n’t be damaged if they are go or knocked while pen datum . While innovative severe effort have some level of impact protection , it ’s still a adult issue .
you could treat an SSD reasonably mean before it starts kvetch .
Some portable SSDs even provide water resistance . you could also get ruggedisation in a specialised drive envelopment , if you choose to go down the 2.5 in drive route .
This is a huge portability welfare . But if they are sat still all day , are SSDs more honest than HDDs ? Hard drives be given to break mechanically . For example , the motor that spins the platters might burn out . SSDs ’ retentivity cells long time , which can take to loser . Both kinds require specialist recuperation . As ever , back upimportant data point .
However , for our purposes , as masses who from time to time have to fling drives in haversack and plug them in while baby-sit in an aeroplane seat , SSDs are the light winner .
Matching SSD performance to your connectors
How tight can you anticipate SSD file transfers to be ? The top international SSDs can record and spell at up to around 550MB / s.
However , to get these speeds you need a embrasure on your Mac or MacBook that can deal this bandwidth .
If you ’ve flummox a recent model with a Thunderbolt 3 USB - C port , you ’re set . While external SSDs use USB 3.1 standards rather than Thunderbolt , the port also supports USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2 , which is what we ’re after .
Have an older auto with USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 ports ? You ’ll see some speed compromise .
USB 3.0 can hack most of an international SSD ’s speed , with theoretic max of 625MB / s , or a ball scurvy in existent - humankind use . cogitate double if your computer is rather old , say a 2011 MacBook Pro , and only has USB 2.0 ports . These max out at 60MB / s , which just ca n’t do justice to these extremist - fast SSDs . In that subject , believe a knockout movement instead .
How much storage do I need?
Recent external SSDs lean to come up in three or four capacities : 250 GB , 500 GB , 1 TB , 2 TB , 4 TB and you might even line up 8 TB .
You ’ll want to think carefully about the capability you need , as the cost difference between 500 GB and 1 TB models is ordinarily stark . There are n’t the same relatively minor price saltation check in 1 - 4 TB hard drives .
We ca n’t do this one for you , but it ’s a good thought to do a quick mental calculation . For example , 4 cat valium footage from a Panasonic Lumix GH4 tv camera eats up 4 GB every five minutes . picture editors who work in 4 K need a lot of storage .
However , if you just postulate to back up or carry around some movies and photo , a smaller - capacity role model may well do the magic . Check out your Mac ’s own computer storage capacitance and apply that as a guide .
