5 Best external SSDs for 2022

• Tyler Lee
• 2 years ago

When SSDs first launched, they were incredibly expensive and it wasn’t hard to see why. This is because the tech was still relatively new, so per-dollar cost per-gigabyte was pretty insane. These days, SSDs are more affordable. They’re still nowhere as cheap as traditional HDDs, but for those who have the extra cash, it’s not too bad.

If you’re looking for an external drive for your photos, videos, or documents, it might be time to consider looking at SSDs. This is because SSDs in general are more durable compared to HDDs due to the lack of moving parts, and they also read and write data faster, which is important for some professionals who deal with larger files.

So if you’re in the market for a new external drive, then here are some of the best external SSDs we’ve found that might be worth checking out.

ADATA SE800 1TB IP68 Rugged

If you tend to work a lot outside, then looking for an SSD that can withstand the environment might be a good idea, and that’s one of the selling points of the ADATA SE800. It features an IP68 rating which means that it is water-resistance up to a certain degree, so if you happen to work outside or need to make file transfers in less-than-ideal weather conditions, the SE800 should be up to the task.

It features support for both USB-A and USB-C ports and supports transfer speeds of up to 1,000MB/s, so it should be fast enough to get the job done for most users.

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Crucial X8 1TB Portable SSD

For those where price is one of their main concerns, then you might want to take a look at the Crucial X8 because it is one of the cheaper SSDs we’ve come across. It supports a wide variety of devices including PCs, Macs, Android devices, iOS devices, and even consoles like the Xbox and PlayStation.

It features a unibody design that Crucial claims helps it survive drops of up to 7.5 feet, and it is also protected against extreme temperatures. It also supports USB-A and USB-C connections and boasts a transfer speed of up to 1,050MB/s.

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SAMSUNG T7 Touch Portable SSD 1TB

While the fast transfer speeds of an SSD are great, for those who are a bit more security conscious, the Samsung T7 could be worth taking a look at. This is because the T7 comes with a built-in fingerprint scanner, meaning that unless the owner authenticates it, even if someone steals your drive or tries to plug it into their computer, they won’t be able to read its contents.

Samsung has also designed the T7 to be shock-resistant where it can withstand drops from heights of up to 6 feet, and boasts transfer speeds of up to 1,050MB/s, which is more than sufficient for the average user.

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WD 250GB My Passport Wireless SSD

SSDs in general are pretty small compared to HDDs, but if you’re looking for the ultimate convenience, then Western Digital’s My Passport Wireless SSD could be a great option. As its name implies, this is an SSD that supports wireless transfers, making it incredibly useful for in the field work.

Of course, you won’t be able to fully benefit from the SSD speeds while using its wireless connectivity, but it’s an option if you don’t want to deal with cables. It also comes with a built-in SD card reader which can be useful for photographers who need to quickly transfer data from their camera’s SD cards.

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SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD

Like we said earlier, one of the benefits of an SSD over HDDs is that it tends to be faster, but what if you needed transfer speeds faster than what most other SSDs have to offer? If you do, then look no further than the SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD. It boasts transfer speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, which is twice as fast as most SSDs in the market today.

It also features a durable design that helps protect it from drops, thanks to the use of a forged aluminum chassis which also doubles as a heatsink. It is also IP55 rated which means that it is protected from water and dust ingress up to a certain degree, and it also features a carabiner loop if you need to hang it outside of your backpack.

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