External SSDs are storage devices that conveniently carry a large amount of data from one computer to another. Or you can use one as an offline backup—tuck it away, and nobody can hack into your essential information.
This post includes the best SSD-based portable drives and desktop drives I’ve tested. There are quite a few of them—more than enough for you to find one that goes well with your situation.
Dong’s note: I first published this post on June 24, 2021, and last updated it on January 24, 2025, to keep the lists current.
Best External SSDs of 2024: The top-five lists
There are two top-five lists, each sorted in the recommended order, with the best being shown last—the numbers are the hardware’s ranking.
When applicable, I’ll also include similarly-excellent alternatives in each case. Any of these will serve you well. It’s a question of how well, and that requires some reading—check out the full review!
One list includes traditional, simple external drives for general usage—casual or gaming. The other is for portable drives with what I’d call the “storage vault” level of security or ultra-fast performance for professional use.
Both lists consist of only SSD-based drives. As internal solid-state drives become more and more affordable, there’s no reason you should get a mobile storage device that still uses a sluggish hard drive on the inside.
The lists also include devices of different interfaces, including USB 3.2 Gen 1 (5Gbps), Gen 2 (10Gbps), Gen 2×2 (20Gbps), and Thunderbolt 3 or 4 (40Gbps). If you’re confused about these interfaces, you’re not alone. Check out this post on the USB-C port type, where I explained them all.
I. Top best five external SSDs for gamers or day-to-day storage
There are a lot of excellent external drives for general consumers. This list will include similar alternatives in each case.
Advisory
From late 2022 till early 2024, many SanDisk Extreme/Pro and WD My Passport SSD portable drives were reported to wipe off their data randomly. While I didn’t experience that with the drives I’ve used, including those mentioned here, and the situation has seemed to improve, you’re advised to update the firmware to the latest before using them. In any case, never put the only copy of your data on a portable drive.
5. Silicon Power DS72: An excellent dual-port approach
The Silicon Power DS72 is a portable SSD that works like a thumb drive, or maybe it’s the other way around: it’s a compact thumb drive with the performance of a portable SSD.
Either way, thanks to having both USB-A and USB-C connectors, this little external storage device is excellent accessory for system administrators, computer technician,s or anyone who want a convenient device to carry on the go.
Pros
Compact design with integrated USB-A and USB-C connectors; excellent performance
Compatible with all USB (and USB-C Thunderbolt) standards
Affordable with a 5-year warranty
Cons
Non-removable port lids can be in the way when connecting to some USB ports.
4. SanDisk Desk Drive: Representing WD and SandDisk brands
The SanDisk Desk is the only external SSD designed for a workstation. It requires an external power adapter to work and, therefore, is less portable. To make up for that, the compact puck-size storage device has top performance for its specs and has up to 8TB of storage space.
Similar alternatives:
Pros
Fast USB 3.2 Gen 2 performance
Compact and beautiful design
Lots of storage space, completely silent.
Cons
Power adapter required; no USB 3.2 Gen 2×2; no redundancy
A bit pricey; runs a bit warm
3. Asus TUF Gaming Plus: Fast yet affordable 20Gbps USB portable SSD
The Asus TUF Gaming Plus, represented by the AS1000 Plus, is a new line of portable SSDs made for gamers, rivaling the WD Black P50. As such, it proved to be of excellent value thanks to its top-notch performance and friendly price tags.
Pros
Excellent performance with friendly pricing and a 5-year warranty
Rugged design with easy access to the internal drive
Compatible with all USB (and USB-C Thunderbolt) standards
Cons
No USB-A to USB-C cable or converter is included
No support for Android or iOS
2. Crucial X10 Pro: Representing Micron’s NVME-based portable SSDs
The Crucial X10 Pro is the latest and the best among Micron’s many excellent portable SSDs. It’s one of a few featuring the 20Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 standard and, in testing, proves to be the fastest among its peers.
Excellent and similar alternatives to consider:
Pros
Fast performance overall with top NVMe USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 performance
Super-compact yet spacious; rugged, practical design
Supports all platforms, including Android.
Cons
No USB-A cable or adapter included
1. Samsung T7 Shield: The best Samsung portable SSD to date
The Samsung T7 Shield is more than just the rugged version of the T7/Touch above. The new drive proved to be faster in testing, especially in tests using USB 3.2 Gen 1.
On top of that, it comes with a reasonable price tag at launch. It’s an easy recommendation.
Similar alternative:
Pros
Fast performance, compact and rugged design
Hardware encryption with effective password protection
Cons
The Android app is a joke
II. Top five best external SSDs for data security, outdoor adventures, or professionals
This list includes ultra-secure portable drives—and their similar alternatives when applicable—that deliver the type of performance professionals require.
5. Samsung Portable SSD X5: The Thunderbolt 3 bootable speed demon
The X5 is the fastest portable SSD by far. The catch is it only works with Thunderbolt 3 and not USB. For this reason, it’s more suitable for professional Mac environments, at least for now.
Similar alternatives:
Pros
Solid, pretty, rugged design
Compatible with Windows and Mac right out of the box
Useful and effective security feature
Cons
Only works with Thunderbolt 3
Only one Thunderbolt 3 port
The 3-year warranty is a bit short.
4. Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD: The convenient keeper of secrets
Like the diskAshur PRO2 below, the Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD portable drive has an integrated USB cable that makes it work right away out of the box—you’ll need a converter before it can connect to a USB-C port, however.
However, it’s a portable SSD and not a hard drive, so it’s much faster.
Pros
Built-in strong hardware encryption and security keypad
Compact, rugged, light-weight and practical design
Fast SATA-based SSD performance
Built-in USB cable with the included extension
Fool-proof security approach
Cons
No USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, or NVMe storage
Aegis Configurator software incurs extra cost
Manual management can be daunting
3. iStorage datAshur PRO2: The storage vault thumb drive
This tiny thumb drive is the most secure of its kind. It’s a storage device to which you can entrust your most confidential information. It’s a storage vault that fits inside your pocket.
Pros
Top-notch security against data breach
Rugged, weatherproof, compact design
Cons
No safeguard against deliberate data deletion
2. iStorage diskAshur M2: Super-secure and rugged with a bit of Oddity
The diskAshur M2 is another ultra-secure drive from iStorage that has two other members on this list.
The M2 is an ultra-compact portable SSD that has an interpreted keypad. The drive was excellent in my testing, except it uses a Micro-B SuperSpeed USB port instead of USB-C.
Pros
Strong hardware encryption and security keypad
Fast USB 3.2 Gen 1 performance
Cons
Micro-B Superspeed port instead of USB-C
PIN management can be overwhelming
Software patch needed for each Windows computer
1. Samsung T7/Touch: Security on the fingertip
The Samsung T7 Touch doesn’t have an integrated keypad, but it’s super-secure, thanks to the built-in fingerprint scanner.
It’s also the only drive on this list that features USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, and an NVMe SSD on the inside—it’s the fastest among ultra-secure portable SSDs.
Pros
Hardware encryption with an optional integrated fingerprint scanner
Compact and rugged design
USB 3.2 Gen 2-Class performance
Includes both USB-C and compatible cables
Cons
Write speed reduction during extended operations
More expensive than similar portable SSDs
Best External SSD: The final thoughts
All of the drives above are fast, and some of them can keep your information safe from prying eyes. However, none of these external SSDs have built-in redundancy. This means if, for some reason, they fail, you’ll lose all the information they store. As a result, while they are excellent for extra storage to hold backups, you’re advised not to use any of them to have the only copy of your important data. For data safety, at the very least, get more than one unit and use one as the backup of the other.
