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Best External SSD 2021 – Top 12 Best Portable SSD Reviewed

For those who don’t know, SSD is the modern type of storage device that uses a different, better, and more efficient approach to save data. We all know that hard disk drives save data on the discs that then spin, that’s how the data gets written and read on them.

However, this introduces a higher level of failure should the PC turns off, and the disc just stops spinning, and overall, a slower read and write speed. SSDs work on a drastically different formula, and instead of storing data on moving discs, it stores data on NAND flashes; now everyone knows what a NAND flash is because it’s basic computer language.

Still, for those wondering, a NAND flash is basically something made out of floating gate transistors, these transistors are different to what we find in the DRAMs because unlike those transistors, the floating gate transistors have the ability to hold a charge on them for long period of time, making the NAND flash a non-volatile memory.

In addition to that, there are actually a lot of benefits of an SSD over the traditional hard drive, for starters, the read and write speeds on SSDs are a lot faster, and SSDs live longer, and don’t die if you simply turn off the power, or it turns off due to some power outage. However, at the same time, the downside is that SSDs are a lot expensive than the traditional hard drives, and often the cost you’re paying for per gigabyte isn’t really in favour of the SSD.

With that out of the way, it would be wrong to forget that SSDs are still dominating the market with most of the laptop manufacturers including Apple are completely getting rid of the mechanical hard drives and are opting for SSDs, allowing the users to increase the productivity, and get the best possible performance.

The modern day SSDs are available in different variants, you have the standard SATA based SSD, and for those who don’t want that, you also have SSDs based on the PCI-E standard, and the M.2 to standard. Apart from these variants, a new breed of SSDs are the external portable SSDs that are quickly getting more and more popular.

As of now, the market is filled with some of the finest external SSDs that work just like external hard drives, however, providing massive speed gains on the USB interface. As always, the market is crowded with SSDs, and while that’s a good thing, it often leaves an average consumer in a confusion.

Today, we are going to take a look at some of the best portable SSDs that a consumer can buy at the moment, and in order to help you, we have taken it upon us to review these SSDs. So, without further ado, let’s take a look at some of the best external SSDs that are being offered.

Note: To make things easier, we have split each review in 3 categories; design, setting up process, and performance.

Top 12 Best External SSD (Portable SSD) of 2021

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1. Samsung T3 SSD – Rating: 10/10

The Best Budget Portable SSD of 2021

Samsung T3 SSD - Best External SSD 2017 - Top 12 Best Portable SSD

The first SSD on our list is the Samsung T3 SSD, it’s safe to say that Samsung is one of the top manufacturers of solid state drives, and they have done some amazing job with their SATA based SSDs as well as their NVME based SSDs.

Samsung isn’t new to the external side of things, they released the T1 SSD, and now, we have the T3. The external portable SSD is available in 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB, and can cost a pretty penny. It comes with super-fast USB Type C interface.

Let’s find out why the Samsung T3 SSD is so great.

Design

The good thing is that Samsung is a company always looking to make things better whether it’s the design, or the hardware. The good thing about the T3 is that despite being larger than the predecessor, it still looks great, and anyone can mistake it for a chocolate bar.

All the fancy, high end internals are housed inside a dual-toned aluminum shell that makes the SSD look a lot better than some of the other competitors. Samsung has introduced some pretty neat features including the drive’s capability of surviving under extreme temperatures, having the ability to face 1,500 g’s of force, and being shock resistant.

Despite having a USB Type-C port, the good thing is that it’s backward compatible, however, do keep in mind that Samsung doesn’t provide you with a USB Type-C cable, something we found odd.

Setting Up Process

While the predecessor required some bit of setting up, the T3 comes pre-formatted with the exFAT format that’s compatible with both Mac and Windows, so needless to say, you don’t really need any setting up here.

However, we would like to point out the fact that if you’re carrying some important files on this SSD, Samsung provides you with a software called “T3 Security Enabler”, installing and setting up that software allows you to encrypt the drive with a password that will be required every time you access it.

Do keep in mind that you need to make sure you remember the password, because the device uses AES 256-bit encryption, and in case you’re unaware, that’s the best encryption in the market right now, and can’t be cracked.

Performance

This is where things get interesting, the performance side of things is really, really amazing. The Samsung T3 SSD managed to outperform pretty much every single SSD there is in the market, and managed top speeds in both the USB 3.0 standard, as well as the USB 2.0 standard.

However, we didn’t like the fact that Samsung actually claimed that the device goes a lot higher in terms of speed, but then again, it’s really, really rare to see a drive meet the claimed speed, so that shouldn’t be an issue.

Pros

  • Top of the line performance.
  • Amazing, rugged, and compact design.
  • Variety of storage options.
  • USB Type-C support.
  • AES 256-bit encryption is the best of the best.

Cons

  • Higher storage options are expensive.

2. SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD – Rating: 9.5/10

Fastest External SSD in the Market 

SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD

SanDisk is one of the leading manufacturers when it comes to storage mediums, the company has been providing some of the finest memory cards, and USB drives, and their foray into SSD market is going rather well with the company bringing in some pretty amazing SSDs.

The one we are looking at today is the amazing SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD; available in 480GB, 960GB, and 1.92TB, the Extreme 900 SSD by SanDisk is bringing some really, really fast performance, and a plethora of neat features onto the table. Just how good is it? Let’s find out.

Design

The design on this SSD is rather pretty, however, we don’t understand the need for making this device large as compared to some of the other competitors. For instance, the Extreme 900 SSD is about 3-4 times larger than the competition, and at the same time, offering somewhat smaller amount of storage capacity even at 1.92TB.

The good thing, however, is that the overall design is rather well made, and the SSD is rugged, so you don’t have to worry about dropping it, or putting it under small amount of force. The casing is made out of aluminum with rubber for added protection, making sure that the protection remains as efficient as possible.

SanDisk was generous enough to provide a USB Type C to Type C cable, and USB Type C to USB 3.0 cable, needless to say, the backward compatibility is there, but the SSD sustains the maximum speed even if you’re running it at a USB 2.0 standard

Setting Up Process

Just like any other modern external SSD, this comes pre-formatted with exFAT system, meaning that it will work on both Windows, and Mac. For those wondering, the good thing is that the SSD does come with security options, however, the encryption you have is the AES 128-Bit encryption.

While the security features aren’t the best of the best, the good thing is that even the 128-Bit encryption is pretty good to. Just keep in mind that you shouldn’t forget the password once you’re done setting it up, otherwise, you will lose access to your data permanently.

Performance

Now the interesting bit here is that the SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD is comparatively fast when compared to the competition, that means that the speed tests automatically make it one of the fastest portable SSDs available in the market.

Do keep in mind that we carried the tests on 3 USB standards, and the device managed to perform excellently in both reading, and writing. So, the performance side of things remains pretty impressive to say the least.

Pros

  • The SSD is extremely fast.
  • Comes in multiple storage options.
  • Rugged build quality.
  • Provides both USB Type C and standard USB cables.

Cons

  • The SSD is quite large as compared to some of the competition.

Cnet: The SanDisk Extreme 900 Portable SSD is super fast, and includes both a USB-C cable and a regular USB cable, so it’ll work with all USB ports for the foreseeable future

3. Glyph Atom RAID SSD – Rating: 9.5/10

Glyph Atom RAID SSD - Best External SSD 2017 - Top 12 Best Portable SSD

A company named Glyph released an SSD called Atom, something that was pretty fast, and amazing for the price you’re paying for it. Fast forward, they are back with another SSD, however, this time, it’s the Glyph Atom RAID SSD, more like the Atom RAID SSD on steroids.

With that said, the Glyph Atom RAID SSD is basically 2 SSDs running in RAID-0 configuration, so, needless to say, the performance definitely got a huge bump. With that said, let’s stop wasting anymore time, and look at just how good this type of SSD is.

The SSD is available in 1 and 2TB of storage capacity, however, as per Glyph, the 4TB version is just around the corner.

Design

Although the SSD itself isn’t rugged like some of the others we have seen, it comes with a removable rubber case/pouch that you can use in order to protect it. Thankfully, the case is good enough to make the SSD rugged, giving you a peace of mind that it will certainly not get damaged that easily, something we really appreciate with solid state drives.

Although the design isn’t something to write home about, the good thing is that the SSD makes up for it when providing a blazing fast performance, something we really appreciate over here.

Setting up Process

The drive comes preformatted, but for some odd reason, it’s only for Mac, however, you can reformat it to the desired file system, and you’ll be on your way. What’s strange is that Glyph doesn’t include their data recovery software that can be found in the standard Atom SSD, and while it may not seem like a big deal, it actually is because the data loss in RAID-0 is easily amenable.

With that said, another odd thing is that the RAID configuration is fixed, meaning that there’s no possible way of changing it to some other RAID configuration should you desire.

Performance

Considering how it’s RAID 0 we’re talking about, the performance on this drive, or drives should we say is impeccable. It is, hands down, the fastest SSD we have tested so far. Thanks to the RAID 0, the SSD is extremely fast, and beats out the competition with the eyes closed.

However, the sad thing is that considering how it’s RAID 0, if one drive fails, both will fail, and it will result in a total data loss, and considering how there’s no recovery software included, it’s just a letdown.

Pros

  • RAID 0 configuration offers blazing fast performance.
  • Rugged and compact design.
  • USB Type- C compatible.

Cons

  • You can’t change the RAID 0 configuration.
  • Device doesn’t come with any recovery software.

9to5mac:Glyph’s Atom SSD is a good choice for MacBook and MacBook Pro-owning creatives [Video]

4. ADATA SE730 – Rating: 8/10

Small, Waterproof, Shockproof Portable Solid State Drive

ADATA SE730

For those who are not aware, ADATA has been into the storage industry for quite some time, and although they’re not as well-known as some of the other competitors in the market, the fact that they still provide quality products is something that can’t be denied.

Today, we are going to take a look at the ADATA SE730, a rather simple yet elegantly designed portable SSD, the SSD comes in just one 250GB configuration, and while it may not seem enough to some people, the good thing is that it doesn’t cost a lot.

So, without further ado, let’s take a look at just how good the ADATA SE730 is.

Design

First things first, the design on the ADATA SE730 is relatively different when compared to some of the other designs we have seen, it looks more like a capsule. The top portion is covered by a lid, and removing the lid exposes the USB port.

The good thing about the design is that the SSD is rated at IP68, making it dust, shock, and water proof. Thanks to the universal connectivity options, you can also use this SSD with variety of devices including phones, and tablets.

The SSD is available in 2 rather odd colour choices; gold, and red. We’d love a black or white version as well, but so far, it doesn’t seem to be happening.

Setting Up Process

The SSD comes preformatted with NTFS, meaning that you shouldn’t be having issues running it on either Mac, or Windows, however, if that’s not the file format you’re looking for, you can format it to some other file format system and everything will be up and running.

It comes with the USB Type-C to USB 3.0 cable, however, there’s no USB Type-C to Type-C cable, something that is odd, but considering the price of this SSD, it’s understandable.

ADATA doesn’t include any fancy encryption or other security options, but that’s not something to stress about because you’re paying a lot less for this SSD than some of the others in the market.

Performance

The performance wasn’t really the best, and definitely not what we had hoped. Using the USB 3.0 cable, the SSD gave average speeds that were below what we are normally used to seeing. However, things went really well when the USB Type-C cable was used, but considering how USB Type-C is still not as common, it was somewhat disappointing.

Needless to say, the only reason anyone should be spending on the ADATA SE730 is if someone is looking for the speeds of an SSD, if you want higher capacity, you can even go for an external mechanical hard drive, and save some considerable money while doing so.

Pros

  • Competitively priced.
  • Attractive design.
  • IP68 rated with a lightweight body.
  • Wide support system.

Cons

  • Not as fast as it should be.
  • No USB Type C cable.

5. PNY Elite SSD – Rating: 8.5/10

Small in size with good speed 

PNY Elite SSD - Best External SSD 2017 - Top 12 Best Portable SSD

For those who don’t know, PNY is one of the oldest players in the market, they have been providing some of the finest storage mediums for quite some time, and today, we are looking their Elite SSD. The SSD is available in the standard 240, and 480 gigs of storage capacity, and comes in an amazing aluminum enclosure.

However, the biggest surprise that we got from this SSD was of course the small size it has. Seriously, the Elite SSD is perhaps the smallest portable SSDs we have seen, it can easily fit in your palm, and you won’t even notice it there, and obviously, that is one of the redeeming qualities.

Design

Perhaps one of the best factor of this SSD is the design, it comes enclosed in a stylish looking aluminum enclosure, and the dimensions are really, really amazing. Even if you’re buying the 480GB version, you’re still getting the same, amazing, small design that we were talking about earlier.

You get a USB 3.0 cable for file transferring, and that’s pretty much it. PNY didn’t add in additional stuff into the device, and managed to make it look amazing at the same time. Needless to say, PNY has done an amazing job.

Setting Up Process

The setting up process is really, really simple, and easy to understand. Considering how the SSD comes preformatted to support both Mac, and Windows, you don’t really have to go through anything to really set it up, just plug it in using the supplied cable, and you’ll be good to go.

Considering the price point of this portable SSD, we weren’t really surprise to see that any additional softwares, along with the encryption was basically missing from the device. Still, no hard feelings towards PNY.

Performance

This is where the things got really, really interesting. For those who don’t know, it’s pretty rare for any SSD, be it external or internal, NVME or SATA, to actually perform on the claimed manufacturer speed. However, the PNY Elite SSD managed to woo us by actually giving performance numbers that were higher than what PNY suggested.

At first, we thought it may be a glitch, but after testing over and over again, we figured out that the SSD is actually faster than what the company suggest, and we couldn’t have been happier.

Pros

  • Incredibly fast performance despite the small size.
  • Amazing, compact build and design.
  • Multiple storage options.
  • Universal support.

Cons

  • No added security options.

6. Glyph Atom SSD – Rating: 9/10

Glyph Atom SSD

We have already looked at the amazing Glyph Atom RAID SSD, however, the product we are looking at right now is different because instead of having 2 SSDs in RAID 0, this one just has one SSD without any RAID configuration to boot.

The Glyph Atom is available in 275GB, 525GB, and 1TB, but considering how it’s just one SSD, the size is comparatively small than the Atom RAID, however, bear in mind that the smallest SSD is still the PNY Elite SSD. With that out of the way, let’s see just how good the Atom SSD is.

Design

The Glyph Atom SSD is one of the best looking SSDs in the market, it’s small, compact, and really sturdy. The SSD is basically enclosed in an aluminum shell, however, the company also provides a rubber shell, meaning that you get some amount of ruggedness if you put on the shell.

When comparing size, the Atom SSD may be a small SSD, but it isn’t the smallest because the PNY Elite SSD still manages to have the best possible size out of all the SSDs in the market. However, you should keep in mind that this one comes with USB Type-C support for blazing fast performance right out of the box.

Last but not the least, the SSD comes in different colours such as gold, silver, grey, and black. Needless to say, these colours exist so the Macbook users don’t feel left out.

Setting Up Process

The next thing is the setting up process, the device comes preformatted to work only on the Macbook, however, just by a few clicks, you can set it up to work on windows too. The device doesn’t really have any data recovery software, but thankfully, the default by Apple and Windows already work pretty well.

Performance

The Glyph Atom SSD is only slower than the Glyph Atom RAID SSD, if you ignore that, then it is quite possibly the fastest portable SSDs available in the market, and when we say “fastest”, we mean that it is able to easily beat out the likes of Samsung T3, and SandDisk Extreme 900SSD.

While it certainly costs a pretty penny, this is the portable SSD for people who are absolutely not looking for any compromises.

Pros

  • Fastest performing portable SSD yet.
  • Amazing size.
  • Great design and build quality.
  • Supports USB Type C, and has cables for both newer, and older computers.

Cons

  • No data recovery software included.

7. SanDisk Extreme 500 – Rating: 8.5/10

SanDisk Extreme 500 - Best External SSD 2017 - Top 12 Best Portable SSD

For those who don’t want to spend the additional premium on the SanDisk Extreme 900 SSD, we have got you covered. The SanDisk Extreme 500 is another great offering by the same company that costs relatively low.

However, you lose some of the performance numbers, but bear in mind that the Extreme 500 is still a solid performer, and still managed to look as good as the competition. With that out of the way, let’s take a look at the SanDisk Extreme 500.

Design

Design is one of the best factors of the Extreme 500 SSD, instead of following what’s traditional, SanDisk decided to take a detour and create something different, and striking at the same time. The SanDisk Extreme 500 SSD looks like a puck, and while some may question this odd design, it’s rather pleasing.

The overall construction is a mishmash of different materials like textured plastic, aluminum, and rubber along the corners to give the SSD some protection. Needless to say, the SSD is rugged, and provides resistance against shock, and vibration.

Setting Up Process

Much like most of the SSDs in the market, this one also comes preformatted to work on a number of different operating systems, so that is something that you don’t really have to worry about. However, for people who are concerned about keeping their data protected, the good thing is that the Extreme 500 SSD comes with a software that lets you encrypt your files using the 128-bit AES encryption.

However, do keep in mind that you don’t end up forgetting the credentials, or you may be at the risk of losing the data.

Performance

A lot of people don’t see the point behind buying portable SSDs, after all, you’re paying a lot more for lesser amount of storage. However, the redeeming factor here is the speed. SSDs, be it external or internal, are a lot faster than your traditional mechanical drives, this is the main reason why people prefer SSDs.

Speaking of speeds, the SanDisk Extreme 500 SSD managed to outperform the competition by a greater number, and traded blows with some of the more expensive competitors. Needless to say, keeping the price in mind, we weren’t really expecting the amount of performance dished out by this SSD.

However, one important thing to note is that despite speedy performance, you should know that it was only on the USB 3.0 standard considering how this SSD doesn’t support Type-C. Regardless, we love what SanDisk has done here.

Pros

  • Top of the line performance on USB 3.0.
  • Great gigabyte per dollar value.
  • Solid, rugged construction.
  • Supports 128-bit AES encryption.

Cons

  • No USB Type-C support.

8. Samsung T1 – Rating:9/10

Samsung T1

When it comes to storage devices, especially SSDs, Samsung is the company that always surprises everyone thanks to their dedication towards providing the best of the best. The company is known for some of their best SSDs be it SATA, or NVME based.

However, today’s story is a bit different as we are neither looking at NVME based storage, nor SATA based storage. As a matter of fact, today, we are looking at Samsung’s T1 external portable SSD. This SSD comes in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB options, and in all honesty, is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.

Design

The T1 is definitely one of the smallest SSDs we have set our eyes on, this device comes in a nice looking plastic that is quite sturdy, but if you’re thinking about hurling this device around, we’d suggest you avoid it.

The interesting part is that this SSD only weighs an ounce, something that is surprisingly less for a device that is so powerful, and can house a lot of important data. You also get a 5 inch USB 3.0 cable to help you achieve amazing speeds.

Setting Up Process

The setting up process is somewhat different on the T1, for starters, the SSD comes preformatted as a FAT32 drive, and it has the necessary software in it. Once that’s done installing, you can reformat the SSD as per your requirements, and move on with it.

The SSD supports the strongest 256-bit AES encryption, making sure that your data remains at its safest, with that out of the way, you should also know that you should remember the password at all costs, because there’s no way of accessing data without it.

Performance

When it comes to looking at the performance numbers, the Samsung T1 manages to outperform the competition, however, an important thing that you should keep in mind is that when we use the word “competition”, we mean other portable external SSDs that are using the USB 3.0 standard, and not the USB Type-C.

Needless to say, the performance was very satisfactory, and we couldn’t have been happier with what we got.

Pros

  • Solid performance, beating out the rest in class.
  • Great, lightweight build quality.
  • 256-bit AES encryption.
  • Variety of storage options.

Cons

  • Doesn’t provide any ruggedness.

9. VectoTech Rapid – Rating: 7/10

VectoTech Rapid - Best External SSD 2017 - Top 12 Best Portable SSD

The next SSD is from a brand that a lot of people haven’t heard about, it’s called VecoTech, and while there may be some questions regarding our choice to review this SSD, it all comes down to the fact that we love technology, and it doesn’t matter if the company is well known or not.

With that said, the VectoTech Rapid starts from 128GB, and goes all the way to 2TB, and that is something we really appreciate considering how you get a lot of storage options, something that we haven’t seen in some of the other SSDs in the market.

With that out of the way, we are going to take a look at just how good the SSD is.

Design

The design of the VectoTech Rapid is perhaps the simplest we have seen in a long time, the SSD is basically just a black bar with some branding here and there, other than that, there’s nothing to look at as far as the design is concerned.

Although it may not look, but the Rapid SSD is actually shock resistance, something that is an added bonus, especially for people who have to move a lot. However, we can’t really confirm just how rugged the SSD actually is.

Setting Up Process

Although the SSD is plug and play, you may need to reformat it depending on what type of files you’re trying to handle. We noticed that the best performance was on NTFS file system, and after that, you can even choose from the exFAT, another file system that comes closer to the performance provided by the NTFS.

Other than that, there isn’t really much to say about how the easy or complicated the setting up process actually is.

Performance

We were skeptical about the SSD’s performance mainly because it’s not very often we get to review products from companies that don’t have a lot of presence. However, the good thing is that the performance, as far as the USB 3.0 competition is concerned, remained consistent.

We didn’t really face any performance hiccups, and everything worked rather well.

Pros

  • Amazing price to performance ratio.
  • Minimalistic design.
  • Great, shock proof build quality.
  • Available in variety of storage options.

Cons

  • 2TB version costs as much as some of the faster SSDs using Type C.

10. Transcend ESD400K – Rating: 7/10

Transcend ESD400K

Transcend is another major player in the storage industry, they have released some of the best SSDs, as well as some other storage devices in the market. However, today, we are going to take a look at their portable external SSD known as the Transcend ESD400K.

With that said, this SSD is available in a multiple amount of storage options, starting from 128 to 500GB, and 1TB as well. Transcend has made sure that the SSD is light in weight, and easy to carry around, perhaps that’s the reason this is one of the highly revered SSDs in the market.

Design

Transcend is the company that doesn’t really go ahead and pay a lot of attention to the design, the good thing about that is that the design language remains extremely simple, and doesn’t really blow up on your face. The same goes for the ESD400K.

The design on the SSD is simple, and elegant, the SSD is available in all black, one interesting thing is that the SSD comes with a physical button that allows you to backup all of your data in one simple click, this is something that we haven’t seen before, and it’s definitely appreciated.

Setting Up Process

The device comes preformatted, and ready to work with the majority of operating systems there are, so the setting up process is basically nothing. However, if you want to use the physical button in order to back up your data, you’re going to have to make sure that you’re using Transcend’s Elite Data management in order to get to that point.

However, you should keep in mind that this SSD doesn’t come with any encryption whatsoever, so, keeping your data safe is something that is entirely up to you.

Performance

The ESD400K uses NAND flash in order to provide the best possible performance, and despite the fact that we’re looking at a USB 3.0 SSD, the speeds were really, really impressive. Sure, you’re not really getting speeds equivalent of a USB Type C, but the fact that they are still very respectable is something that can’t be denied.

With that said, if you’re looking to buy a good SSD that manages to provide great performance over USB 3.0, and don’t want to spend a lot of money, the Transcend ESD400K is an amazing option.

Pros

  • Great performance.
  • Stylish and lightweight design.
  • Variety of storage options.
  • One button backup option.

Cons

  • No hardware encryption or other security features.

11. My Digital SSD OTG – Rating: 8/10

My Digital SSD OTG - Best External SSD 2017 - Top 12 Best Portable SSD

Like we have stated before, we like looking at hardware that comes from the companies that aren’t well known, it just goes to show that there is a lot of talent out in the wilderness. The story right now remains the same, today, we are looking at a rather small SSD from a company known as My Digital.

The SSD is named SSD OTG, and while the name certainly feels a lot odd in the beginning, given the small size of the SSD, and the targeted market, it sorts of makes sense at the same time. The SSD is available in multiple storage options starting from 64, 128, and 256GB options.

Design

Although design is something completely subjective in our reviews, it is something we simply something we can’t ignore, and many people can’t either. The design language on the SSD OTG is not simple by any means, the SSD is textured from both the top and bottom, and even the sides are accented.

Sadly, we weren’t surprised that most of the construction is made out of plastic, and there’s no rubber or aluminum involved, but considering how the SSD is priced, it’s understandable to say the least.

Setting Up Process

The setting up process is as easy as a walk in the park, there are no complicated set ups, or formatting involved, and everything just takes place in a few seconds. However, as simple as the installation process is, the sad thing is that there’s no sure way to protect your data; there’s no encryption whatsoever, and you have to make sure know the means to keep the data safe.

Performance

The performance side of things went really, really smooth. We were surprised by how good the numbers were. The reason why we got surprised is simple, we didn’t really expect the performance we were getting in this SSD, but the good thing is, that it all went with the breeze.

While certainly not the fastest in the bunch, when you consider the price factor of this SSD, things start to clear up a bit more than before. There’s nothing wrong with the performance on the SSD OTG, and if you’re looking for something budget friendly, this is the way to go.

Pros

  • Wonderful price to performance ratio.
  • Variety of storage options.
  • Lightweight and compact build quality.

Cons

  • Not the fastest in the competition.

12. Oyen Digital Shadow Mini – Rating: 8.5/10

Oyen Digital Shadow Mini

The last SSD on our list is the Oyen Digital Shadow Mini, and while from the name it may seem like a new kid in the block, don’t be fooled because this is clearly one of the fastest SSDs in the market. The SSD is available in 120, 240, 480 gigabytes, and then you have the 1TB version for people who have higher storage requirements.

The device is available in black and silver colour, and is based on USB 3.0 standard for those willing to know the specifications.

Design

Design is rather simple on this drive, the silver colour is all silver with some branding on it, and the black version is all black with the same branding. There’s no IP certification, or ruggedness, so it’s safe to say that this SSD isn’t built for the purpose of hurling it around whenever one pleases. Though the good thing is that the enclosure is still

The design is simple, elegant, and looks good as it is. Plus, let’s not forget that the SSD is lightweight, making the whole idea of being portable even better.

Setting Up Process

Oyen Digital believe in the idea of simplicity, and that is the exact reason why this device is plug and play; you simply have to take it out of the box, plug it in, and you’re good to go. There’s no need for any extra setups, or encrypting the device.

However, while that provides a lot of ease of access, bear in mind that it also takes away some of the added protection that is being offered by the other drives. So, if you’re someone who can live with it, the drive is more than recommended.

Performance

We weren’t really expecting a good performance because we are at a point where seeing an SSD outperform the competition is getting rarer and rarer. Of course, if it’s something released by Samsung, then we’re all up for it, but this wasn’t the case here.

Thankfully, and luckily, this wasn’t the case here. The Oyen Digital Shadow Mini managed to perform like a champ in almost all the tests that we conducted. Bear in mind that we don’t do testing with the benchmarking tools because in many cases, they don’t really reflect the real world performance.

Our real world testing includes copying and pasting files from one location to another, and the files that we transfer are both single, large files, and multiple, smaller files. Needless to say, the testing provide that this is one of the fastest, if not the fastest SSD available in the market, and delivered some great performance.

Pros

  • Simple and elegant aluminum casing.
  • Great performance.
  • Compact and lightweight design.
  • Works with every OS.

Cons

  • No security features.

Editor’s Choice

Editor’s choice is often the hardest part of a roundup, and the reason behind that is simple; you see, editor’s choice is something that doesn’t go to the fastest SSD in the market, it goes to the SSD that all around, provides the best amount of features.

Even if the said SSD is somewhat slower than the competition, and still provides more features than the competition, it would be considered a better option because you’re actually getting more for what you’re paying. Keeping that in mind, the editor’s choice goes to Samsung T3 SSD, and while it’s certainly not the fastest in the market, the fact that it comes in a small, lightweight shell, has 256-bit AES encryption, and is available in a variety of different sizes. It’s a great purchase.

Conclusion

There you have it, folks. The best of the best external portable SSDs compared with one and the other. Through this list, we hope to help you finding the best possible external portable SSD. We have listed some of the greatest options available in the market.

We hope you have an easier time choosing the best external SSD you have been looking for, and you find the right one for your needs, and for the budget you have.

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