For office workers, the maximum use of external SSD is the transfer of all kinds of files such as documents, forms, or reimbursement forms and some other storage requirements. So as a high-frequency office tool, to a certain extent, external SSD’s appearance reflects personal taste. Therefore, for office workers, choosing an external SSD needs to start from the appearance, while taking into account certain performance. In addition to 640MBps, you'll also see USB 3.0's theoretical data rate described as 5Gbps. (That's gigabits, not gigabytes, per second.) You also may see this interface dubbed "USB 3.1 Gen 1" or "SuperSpeed USB 5Gbps" (in practice, all three are the same thing), to differentiate it from "USB 3.1 Gen 2" or "SuperSpeed USB 10Gbps," which raises the ceiling to (you guessed it!) 10Gbps. USB 3.1 Gen 2 is the latest version widely available in consumer external SSDs at this writing. PCIe external SSDs can take advantage of the extra 5Gbps of bandwidth, but you need to have a USB port that supports the spec to see the extra speed benefit. (And yes, we are talking about "USB 3.1" as opposed to "USB 3.2." Bear with us.)

Random Write (4KB, QD32) Up to 88,000 IOPS Random Write * Performance may vary based on system hardware & configuration ** Measured with Intelligent TurboWrite technology being activated It's not like most external SSDs need to be carried in both hands or a briefcase, but Kingston's XS2000 is positively tiny—0.5 by 1.3 by 2.7 inches and about an ounce, barely bigger than most USB flash drives yet offering up to 2TB of storage. It's also tough enough to earn an IP55 ingress protection rating against sand, dirt, or rain, though it shouldn't be immersed in water, and its USB-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface makes it faster than the average SSD. It's unlikely that your PC has a port that actually supports the Kingston's peak speed, however. Who It's For Generally, the higher a drive's capacity, the cheaper it will be per gigabyte. But that's not always true; sometimes the very highest-capacity drives come at a per-gigabyte price premium. The basement for budget external SSDs is currently about 7 cents per gigabyte, mostly from second- or third-tier vendors. Calculate your bottom-line price when comparing a host of drives.It depends on type of the files. Big files will copy up to 540mb/s, while lots of smaller files will copy slower and will depend on your computer’s configuration. Also make sure you are connecting directly to your computer and not through a hub. Many SSDs come with cables for both kinds (Type-A and Type-C) at the computer end, or one cable plus an adapter. Two full cables is generally best, as adapters can be awkward and easy to lose. You'll want to match what comes in the box with the ports your PC has (and has free). Also, match specs; spending extra, for example, for a 10Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 SSD if you only have 5Gbps-capable ports may be pointless. I think one metric for comparing storage is to look at Sustained Write Performance as well, because it affects anyone who needs to do a large write: whether it's just once a week, or else many times a day. Mainstream hard drives of 8TB capacity generally can’t fit into a portable size, but the WD My Book is still a reasonably compact unit that houses a 3.5-inch hard disk drive (HDD). It stands upright and measures 6.7 inches tall, 1.9 inches wide, and 5.5 inches deep. You must plug it into the wall with a power adapter, so it’s not easy to tote around different places. Therefore you need to be able to compare benchmark results as best you can, but that means you need sufficent details on the critical parameters used.

External SSDs are now readily available and cheaper than they were a few years ago, but it will probably be a while before they are a complete replacement for hard drives. Physically larger external drives designed to stay on your desk or in a server closet still mostly use 3.5-inch platter drives inside, taking advantage of their vast capacities and much lower prices per gigabyte compared with SSDs.

Samsung Portable SSD T7 Touch

Data recording frequency? (your charts are smooth lines, without any points to indicate the datum points). Do you do it 1 or two datum points per second, or is it by data volume, as in 1 datum per GB or so? If none of the drives we've selected for this roundup sounds appealing to you (or you already own an extra internal SSD), there's one more option available: SSD enclosures. These are plastic or metal housings into which you can put your own SATA 2.5-inch or M.2 solid-state drive to take with you on the go. The author indicates this targeted to consumers that may have older hardware so a USB 3.2 I suspect will be more common than a USB Type-C. The Extreme PRO® SSD works with PCs and Mac™ computers right out of the box and connects with USB Type C and Type A, 3 making it easy to start and keep working in almost any situation.

A tiny yet highly capable external SSD, the Crucial X9 Pro scored well in our benchmarks and comes in capacities up to 4TB. Its interface supports the USB 3.2 Gen 2 standard, which affords near-universal compatibility if your computer has a USB port (although you’ll need an adapter to connect to a USB-A port). The X9 Pro’s basic ruggedization features and 256-bit AES encryption protect it from tumbles as well as both meteorological and human threats while you’re traveling. Who It’s ForCOST PER GIGABYTE.The way to calculate relative value on drives like these is to perform some simple math and figure the cost per gigabyte based on the price of a given drive on the day you're shopping. Because SSD pricing fluctuates all the time, relative value does, too. The small and light form factor of the Extreme PRO® SSD means it couldn’t be easier to keep your content with you whether you’re crossing town or traveling to an international location. In addition, there are two aspects to pay attention to when purchasing an external SSD. One is the interface connection, the high-speed external SSD must have a stable interface and connection to ensure stable data transmission during use. The other is the warranty, most SSD brand manufacturers provide three to five years of renewal or joint warranty. 7. Demand Is King Western Digital is one of the most trusted names in data storage, and trust is vital for a device that will hold so much of your valuable memories, media, and information. WD’s My Book external hard drive comes in an 8TB size and includes all the reliability, performance, and convenience you could want in a personal storage solution.