External SSDs

An external SSD has no moving parts, which makes it fast, silent, and far better suited to being carried than a mechanical drive — a hard drive knocked while spinning can be damaged, an SSD cannot.

What limits the speed is usually the interface, not the drive. USB 3.2 Gen 1 caps at 5Gbps (around 500MB/s), Gen 2 at 10Gbps, and Gen 2×2 at 20Gbps. A fast drive on a slow port runs at the port’s speed. Check both the drive’s rating and the port on your machine.

The cable matters too. A USB-C cable supplied for charging may only carry USB 2.0 data, which will make a fast SSD crawl. Use the cable supplied with the drive, or one rated for the speed.

Where an external SSD is worth the premium over a hard drive: working directly from the drive — video editing, running software, large project folders — and anything carried daily.

Where a hard drive still wins: bulk backups and archives, on cost per terabyte.

The range covers ADATA, Kingston, Verbatim and Lindy. See also drive enclosures.