Stable-state drives – aka SSD – was actually costly, however costs have actually fallen prior to now few years, and now you can decide up quick, dependable SSDs that value solely barely greater than their onerous drive counterparts. Even the slowest SSDs are usually quicker than mechanical onerous drives.
In addition to being quicker than typical onerous drives, SSDs are lighter and sturdier too, making them preferrred to be used with a laptop computer if you’re touring. That’s mirrored within the drives that we assessment right here, most of that are small and lightweight sufficient to slide into your pocket. Nonetheless, the most recent SSDs can even provide as much as 8TB of storage, which makes them choice to be used with a desktop Mac in an workplace as properly. And so they may also help to scale back cable muddle too, as they often take their energy from a USB port in your Mac, relatively than requiring a separate exterior energy provide.
On this article we’ve included the most effective exterior SSDs for the whole lot from blazing-fast efficiency, to funds choices, to portability, and extra.Â
Finest SSD for Mac 2025
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 – Quick and rugged

Execs
- Helps Thunderbolt 5Â
- Spectacular efficiency
- Rugged design with IP68
- 5-year guarantee
Cons
- Costly
- Requires M4 Professional or Max
Value When Reviewed:
2TB: $399.99; 4TB: $599.99
The Pro5 seems to be nearly an identical to the previous-generation Rugged SSD Professional, which makes use of Thunderbolt 3. The one seen distinction between the 2 drives is the truth that the Pro5 is wrapped in a dark-blue rubber sleeve, relatively than the somber black of its predecessor.
That rubber sleeve is designed to supply additional safety for the drive, and the Pro5 is even sturdier than earlier than, with an IP68 score for water and dust-resistance. LaCie claims the Pro5 can survive immersion in 1.5 meters of water for half-hour, survive being dropped from a peak of 3m (10ft), and survive being run over by autos weighing as much as two tonnes. There’s a five-year guarantee too.
It measures 17mm thick, 98mm large and 65mm deep and weighs 150g, which is a bit more than its 100g Rugged Professional predecessor. It is available in 2TB or 4TB capacities. It’s not low cost, beginning at $399.99/£359.99 for 2TB or $599.99/£579.99 for 4TB.
The Pro5 does use a regular USB-C connector, so it’s nonetheless backward-compatible with older Macs, however if you wish to get the complete efficiency of the Thunderbolt 5 interface you’ll want a MacBook Professional or Mac mini with M4 Professional or M4 Max processor as these are the one chips to assist the usual. The older Rugged Professional remains to be on sale, so be sure to search for the Pro5 mannequin if you need Thunderbolt 5 efficiency. We discovered that the usual USB-C cable we use for our Time Machine back-up drive didn’t present sufficient energy for the Pro5, so it is perhaps value investing in a spare Thunderbolt 5 cable.
The Rugged SSD Pro5 is the quickest Thunderbolt drive we’ve examined to this point, and together with its rugged, moveable design it’s a superb choice for artistic customers who wish to exploit the complete pace of their new Thunderbolt 5 Macs.
Learn our full
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 assessment
SanDisk Excessive Professional SSD with USB4 – Spectacular, reasonably priced efficiency

Execs
- USB4 gives good efficiency
- Aggressive worth
- Rugged design
Cons
- Lacks full Thunderbolt assist
- Giant
Value When Reviewed:
$280 for 2TB, $430 for 4TB
Since parting methods with Western Digital SanDisk has launched a group of recent merchandise. Amongst these had been SanDisk’s Excessive Moveable SSD, an reasonably priced entry-level drive included under, and the Excessive Professional With USB4.
The Excessive Professional With USB4 is accessible with 2TB or 4TB of storage. It resembles its predecessors, that includes rounded corners, orange trim, and a cut-out for attaching a lanyard. A USB-C cable is included.Â
It’s somewhat bigger than beforehand: 11.9mm thick, 58.7mm large, and 140mm lengthy. Making it nearly as giant because the iPhone 16e and heavier than it. The drive’s most important physique is made from cast aluminium, wrapped in a silicon sleeve for added safety. SanDisk claims it may well survive a 2m drop and is IP65 water and dirt resistant. Additionally they present a five-year guarantee.
The Excessive Professional With USB4 is bigger than different SanDisk drives, measuring 11.9mm thick, 58.7mm large, and 140mm lengthy. It’s nearly as giant because the iPhone 16e and heavier than it, however nonetheless sufficiently small to slot in a pocket or bag. Its sturdy design makes it appropriate for journey and outside work.Â
The primary attraction is USB4 efficiency. SanDisk quotes a most write efficiency of as much as 3700MB/s and browse efficiency of as much as 3800MB/s. We examined the drive with a MacBook Professional with Thunderbolt 4, attaining sturdy efficiency of 3400MB/s for each learn and write.Â
We additionally examined the drive with a brand new Mac mini with Thunderbolt 5 and had been shocked to see a big soar in write efficiency to 4400MB/s, which remained constant regardless of repeated exams. Learn efficiency remained unchanged at 3400MB/s.
Skilled customers requiring prime efficiency with giant video or graphics information could choose a solid-state drive with full Thunderbolt assist, however the Excessive Professional With USB4 presents spectacular efficiency at an reasonably priced worth, making it appropriate for many customers who want a quick, sturdy moveable drive for Time Machine backups.
Learn our full
SanDisk Excessive Professional SSD with USB4 assessment
OWC Envoy Extremely – Thunderbolt 5 quick

Execs
- Quick 6GBps studying & 5GBps writing through Thunderbolt 5
- Rugged and weatherproof
Cons
- Costly
- Requires M4 Professional/Max Mac for full 80Gbps efficiency
- Restricted compatibility
Value When Reviewed:
2TB: $399.99; 4TB: $599.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
You’ll be able to take full benefit of the Thunderbolt 5 ports in your M4 Professional Mac mini or M4 Professional/Max MacBook Professional and presumably circumvent Apple’s avaricious storage improve pricing with OWC’s Envoy Extremely Thunderbolt 5 exterior SSD.
Thunderbolt 5 itself is backwards appropriate with older Thunderbolt specs, but it surely’s not practically as backwards appropriate as we’d like. For instance, to make the most of a Thunderbolt 5 drive your M-series Mac should be working macOS Sonoma or later. Thunderbolt 3 Macs with Intel chips should run Sequoia or later. However solely the M4 Professional and M4 Max chips gives you the complete Thunderbolt 5 expertise.
You will have seen 120GBps quoted in some articles as Thunderbolt 5’s prime pace, however that’s solely unidirectional for shows. Bi-directional, as with storage, is restricted to 80Gbps. Benchmarks confirmed anyplace from 5.2GBps (Blackmagicdesign’s Disk Velocity Check), to six.5GBps studying (AmorphousDiskMark), to close 7GBps studying and 5.57GBps writing (ATTO). It’s quick.
The OWC Envoy Extremely is a bigger chunk of black metallic, measuring about 0.75 inches thick, 2.8 inches large, and 5 inches lengthy. The Envoy Extremely weighs in at 10.5 ounces or so. It has a captive cable, which is for weatherproofing (it’s not IP-rated). This does make it a bit tougher to place away. Alas, writing was significantly slower, solely round 1.5GBps.
The Envoy Extremely prices $400/£356 in its 2TB kind and $600/£598.49 at 4TB. It carries a three-year guarantee.
If you would like, and might afford absolutely the quickest storage in your new Thunderbolt 5 Mac, then this can be a heck of lots cheaper than Apple’s rapaciously priced inner storage and practically as quick.
Learn our full
OWC Envoy Extremely Thunderbolt 5 SSD assessment
SanDisk Excessive Moveable SSD – Compact and moveable design

Execs
- Rugged design
- Aggressive worth
- Good efficiency
- USB-C interface, with USB-A adaptor included
Cons
- No Thunderbolt assist
- Not fully waterproof
Value When Reviewed:
1TB: $99.99; 2TB: $149.99; 4TB: $249.99; 8TB: $549.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
This SanDisk mannequin presents a sturdy design and as much as 8TB of storage. The exterior design hasn’t modified through the years, it nonetheless is available in a perforated black case made out of silicon that gives loads of safety, and there’s the identical hook for a lanyard.
The 8TB model is barely bigger than the earlier mannequin, but it surely’s nonetheless slim and lightweight. There aren’t many rival drives that present that a lot storage in such a compact and moveable design.
This mannequin makes use of the identical USB-C connector as its predecessor, with assist for USB 3.2 (Gen 2). There’s a USB-C cable included within the field, and even a USB-A adaptor! Speeds are 1000MB/s and 1050MB/s for write and browse efficiency respectively, as beforehand. And our exams discovered that the 2 drives produce very related outcomes when working the Black Magic Disk pace take a look at, with the Excessive Moveable reaching 946MB/s for write efficiency and 910MB/s for learn efficiency.
The primary distinction is that this replace for 2025 is even harder than earlier than, boasting an IP65 score for resistance to water and dirt. This mannequin gives extra storage capability too, beginning at 1GB and going as much as 8TB.
SanDisk has a number of moveable solid-state drives that look related and have related names. The Excessive Professional Moveable seems to be an identical and has a quicker USB4 interface, however solely presents as much as 4TB storage. The cheaper Moveable SSD, isn’t notably quick. Verify the title before you purchase.
It’s choice for anybody that should retailer giant, high-res picture or video information on their MacBook after they’re working outdo.
Learn our full
Sandisk Excessive Moveable SSD (2025) assessment
Kingston XS1000 – Reasonably priced and light-weight

Execs
- Very aggressive worth
- Pocket-size design
- Weighs solely 28.7g
Cons
- No Thunderbolt interface
- No bundled software program
- Cable is USB-A-to-USB-C
Value When Reviewed:
1TB – $84.99; 2TB – $139.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
We preferred the sturdy little XS2000 drive that Kingston launched again in 2022, but it surely was fairly costly and used a model of USB often known as USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, which isn’t absolutely supported on the Mac for the time being. Drives that use ‘Gen 2×2’ will nonetheless work with a Mac, however the Mac received’t get the complete pace that the drive is able to.
Nonetheless, the XS1000 is a extra typical USB-C drive, utilizing customary USB 3.2 Gen 2, so it’s , reasonably priced choice for Mac customers who simply desire a compact, light-weight backup drive.
The XS1000 is likely one of the smallest and lightest SSDs that we’ve seen to this point – in reality, it seems to be extra like somewhat USB thumb drive, relatively than a high-capacity backup drive. It measures simply 13.5mm thick, 32.5mm large and 69.5mm lengthy, and weighs solely 28.7g, so you may simply slip it into your shirt or trouser pocket if you’re touring. It’s not fairly as rugged because the dearer XS2000 – which had an IP55 score for water and dirt resistance – however the plastic and metallic casing feels sturdy sufficient to deal with just a few knocks if you’re touring, and Kingston gives a five-year guarantee as properly.
It’s very competitively priced too, costing $84.99/£74.99 with 1TB of storage, or $109.99/£99.99 with 2TB. The drive’s USB interface gives a quoted write pace of 1000MBs, whereas the learn pace is barely greater at 1050MB/s. It didn’t fairly match these speeds in our exams, however its write pace of 875MB/s and browse pace of 950MB/s will nonetheless be high quality for routine back-ups with Time Machine. Our solely grievance is that Kingston solely features a USB-A-to-USB-C cable with the XS1000, so that you’ll want to purchase an adaptor or a brand new cable in case your Mac solely has USB-C. Skilled customers would possibly choose a quicker drive, or a extra rugged design, however in the event you simply need an reasonably priced backup drive that may go touring with you then the XS1000 is nice worth for cash.
Adata SE920 USB4 SSD – Excessive efficiency

Execs
- Excessive information switch charges
- Good fan
Cons
- No transport bag
- No rubber toes
Value When Reviewed:
1TB: $140 I 2TB: $200 I 4TB: $380
Finest Costs In the present day:
The Adata SE920 Exterior SSD is a high-performance USB4 SSD for many who want speedy information switch speeds.Â
It combines passive and lively cooling with a compact metallic housing for passive cooling, and a micro-fan with openings for lively cooling. The person can truly activate the fan by urgent on the housing.Â
In case you are engaged on a mission reminiscent of a video or picture edit, or one other job that would require a number of drive entry over a time period, then swap on the fan. The remainder of the time you may in all probability depart it.Â
The SE920 is primarily designed for Home windows customers, evident from the formatting within the NTFS file system and the backup software program for Home windows, however this shouldn’t be an issue for knowledgeable Mac customers. The SE920 is shortly reformatted in APFS utilizing the macOS Disk Utility.
Knowledge switch charges measured with Aja System Check Lite had been spectacular. The SE920 achieved 2992MBps for writes and 3161 MBps for reads. Knowledge charges are secure over an extended interval and the thermal design works completely.
All this comes at worth. We advocate the SE920 to any content material creator.
Learn our full
SE920 Exterior SSD assessment
SanDisk Professional Blade System – For skilled and inventive customers

Execs
- Thunderbolt 3 interface (appropriate with USB-C)
- Extremely-rugged design
- Skilled-level efficiency
Cons
- Very costly
- Doesn’t assist Thunderbolt 4
Value When Reviewed:
$49.99 for dock I $159.99 w/1TB Magazine I $219.99 w/2TB I $339.99 w/4TB
We usually arrange opinions of moveable drives and desktop drives individually, however the brand new SanDisk Professional Blade is a modular SSD storage system that could be very a lot designed for skilled and inventive customers, and lets you swap between moveable and desktop modes as required.
You can begin by shopping for the Professional Blade SSD Magazine, which is a solid-state storage module that’s out there in 1TB, 2TB or 4TB sizes (the 1TB was discounted from $179.99 to $119.99 on the time of our assessment). The SSD Magazine is pre-formatted in APFS format for Mac customers, and is hard sufficient to resist being dropped from a peak of three meters or 9.8 foot, and stand up to 4000lb (1814kg) crush stress, making it preferrred for outside use. Nonetheless, the SSD Magazine modules can’t connect with a pc on their very own, so SanDisk gives two choices for moveable and desktop use.
For moveable use you should buy the Professional Blade Transport, which is a compact case for the SSD Magazine, and is supplied with a USB-C port for connecting to your Mac. The Transport measures simply 130.4mm lengthy, 71.5mm large and 16mm thick, so you may simply slip it into your pocket or a carrying case similar to every other moveable drive. It’s additionally potential to attach the Transport to a digital camera that has a USB-C interface with the intention to report high-res video relatively than having to hold a lot of smaller SD reminiscence playing cards.
If you get again to the workplace you even have the choice of inserting the SSD Magazine modules into the Professional Blade Station ($499.99/£490.99). This desktop storage system doesn’t embrace any built-in storage of its personal, but it surely has 4 slots that permit you to insert SSD Magazine modules (not included) offering as much as 16TB of high-speed solid-state storage. The Professional Blade Station has two Thunderbolt 3 ports, with one used to attach your Mac, whereas the opposite port can be utilized to daisy-chain extra storage units if required. The Professional Blade Station is pretty costly – provided that it doesn’t embrace any storage of its personal – but it surely provides you the choice of making a high-speed, high-capacity SSD storage system to be used in your workplace, while additionally having the ability to take away the person SSD Magazine modules and use them as moveable drives every time it’s worthwhile to.
Western Digital – which owns SanDisk lately – claims that the Professional Blade Station can present learn and write speeds of 3000MB/s and 2600MB/s respectively. Our exams truly recorded a learn pace of 2600MB/s and write pace of 2300MB/s, however that’s nonetheless one of many quickest SSD drives we’ve ever seen, making it choice for artistic customers who want a quick storage system that they’ll use each within the workplace and on the highway.
Learn our full
Sandisk Professional-Blade Transport assessment
LaCie Rugged SSD Professional

Execs
- IP67 ruggedized
- Quick NVMe/Thunderbolt 3 efficiency
- Operates through Thunderbolt 3 or USB 3.0
Value When Reviewed:
$419.99 (1TB), $739.99 (2TB), $1049.99 (4TB)
LaCie’s Rugged drives have been standard with Mac customers for a few years, because of their mixture of high-performance and that now-familiar orange sleeve that helps to maintain the drive secure if you’re working outside. Nonetheless, the Rugged vary has largely used typical onerous drives prior to now, that are slower than the most recent solid-state drives, in addition to being greater and heavier. Welcome the Rugged Professional SSD, which is primarily aimed toward artistic customers. (We have a look at the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 above, which is a more moderen mannequin that helps Thunderbolt 5).
The Rugged SSD vary begins at round $180/£180 for a mannequin with 500GB storage, however we had been capable of assessment the SSD Professional, which stands out from the remainder of the vary with its matte-black sleeve. It’s fairly costly, costing $419/£249.99 with 1TB of storage, and a hefty $739.99/£379.99 for the 2TB mannequin and $1,049.99/£999.99 for 4TB, but it surely justifies that worth with a good harder design and the most recent, super-fast solid-state drives designed for skilled video work. (U.Ok. costs dropped in 2024 however US costs don’t appear to have adopted swimsuit. Fortunately you may get good offers at varied resellers).
Switching to a solid-state drive implies that the SSD Professional is now the smallest mannequin within the Rugged vary, measuring simply 3.8in/98mm lengthy, 2.5in/65mm large and 0.6in/17mm thick. It solely weighs 100g/3.5oz, so you may simply slip it into your pocket or bag if you’re touring and barely even discover that it’s there.
Regardless of its compact design, that new black sleeve is critically robust and rated IP67 for resistance to water and dirt, permitting it to outlive in 3.2 foot/1m of water for as much as half-hour. It could actually address being dropped from a peak of 9.8 foot/3m, and might even resist the burden of a two-tonne automobile driving over it. It features a five-year guarantee in case something does go mistaken, which incorporates one go to to LaCie’s data-recovery labs if it’s worthwhile to retrieve essential information.
The Rugged SSD Professional consists of only a single Thunderbolt 3/USB-C interface, however most of its excessive worth is right down to using the most recent NVMe solid-state drives, which give prime efficiency for high-end video functions, reminiscent of enhancing 8K or super-slow-motion video information (which may be huge, as they shoot at as much as 240 frames per second on the most recent iPhones). The drive didn’t disappoint, recording constant write speeds of 1780MB/s, and a good quicker 2480MB/s for learn speeds – with each figures leaving nearly each different SSD drive we’ve ever examined trailing in its wake. And, when backing up our iTunes music library, the Rugged SSD Professional blew us away by backing up 5GB of music information in simply 5 seconds – look away for a few seconds and also you’ll miss it!
After all, not everybody will want that form of efficiency – particularly at this worth – however in the event you work with high-res video and want a quick, robust drive for outside work then the Rugged SSD Professional is in a category of its personal.
Learn our full
LaCie Rugged SSD Professional assessment
LaCie Moveable SSD

Execs
- Small and classy
- Stable development
Value When Reviewed:
500GB – $129.99; 1TB – $209.99; 2TB – $369.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
The LaCie Moveable SSD is an choice for individuals who don’t want James Bond ranges of safety. Accessible with 500GB, 1TB or 2TB of storage, the Moveable SSD has a brand new design in comparison with its predecessor. Fairly than sharply angular corners and edges of the now discontinued LaCie Cellular SSD, the compact Moveable SSD has easily spherical corners – maybe following Apple’s current fetish for rounded corners on icons in Massive Sur and Monterey.
It’s smaller and lighter than earlier drives from LaCie too, measuring simply 0.4in/10.6mm thick, 1.9in/50mm large, and 3in/80mm lengthy, and it weighs a mere 1.5oz/45g, so it’s preferrred for carrying round along with your MacBook or iPad if you’re touring.
The drive has a single USB-C interface, and features a USB-C cable, however the low value implies that there aren’t any added extras, reminiscent of an adaptor for older Macs which have USB-A (3.2) connectors.
LaCie hasn’t lower every other corners, although. The Moveable SSD has a stable, sturdy design that ought to have the ability to address just a few bumps in a backpack or briefcase, and it performs very properly too.
LaCie quotes learn and write speeds of 1000MB/s, however repeated exams with the BlackMagic pace take a look at app confirmed the Moveable SSD comfortably cruising alongside at round 1,300MB/s with no hassle in any respect.
That mixture of pace, compact design and aggressive pricing makes the Moveable SSD a terrific choice for anybody that wants a transportable backup drive for his or her Mac or iPad.
Samsung T5 EVO

Execs
- Compact, light-weight design
- Â Sturdily constructed
- Â Offers as much as 8TB storage
- Â Aggressive worth
Cons
- Modest performer
- Solely helps USB 3.1 (Gen 1)
Value When Reviewed:
2TB: $189.99; 4TB: $$229.99; 8TB: $479.00
Finest Costs In the present day:
T5 EVO isn’t as quick as a few of its SSD rivals, but it surely’s nice as a general-purpose backup system and gives a quicker and extra moveable various to a standard onerous drive. Not like many solid-state drives, it gives as much as 8TB of storage, making it choice for individuals who want a number of space for storing for his or her work information, images and movies. It’s competitively priced, beginning at $189.99/£146 for 2TB of storage.
The drive is compact, simply 17mm thick, 40mm large and 95mm lengthy, and weighing 102g. There’s a chunky metallic ring on one finish that can be utilized to connect the drive to a backpack or belt.
It doesn’t have the armor-plated safety of Samsung’s T7 Protect, however the T5 EVO doesn’t lower corners on construct high quality. The drive is metallic after which wrapped in a rubber sleeve to supply additional safety. It doesn’t quote an IP score for resistance to water and dirt although.
It’s not the quickest back-up drive you should buy, and whereas there’s a USB-C port for connecting to a Mac or PC, it solely helps the comparatively previous USB 3.2 (Gen 1) customary, and Samsung quotes pretty modest speeds of 460MB/s for each learn and write efficiency. Our exams confirmed that the drive’s write efficiency was proper on the nostril with a pace of 460MB/s when working the Black Magic disk pace take a look at, though learn efficiency was slower at 370MB/s.
T5 EVO will likely be a terrific choice for laptop computer customers who wish to ditch an previous onerous drive and exchange it with a extra moveable solid-state drive that gives loads of storage.
Lexar Armor 700

Execs
- Aggressive worth
- As much as 4TB storage
- Rugged, weather-resistant design
Cons
- No Thunderbolt assist
-  Full pace requires USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
Value When Reviewed:
1TB: $150 I 2TB: $230 I 4TB: $400
Finest Costs In the present day:
Lexar makes a variety of reminiscence playing cards and solid-state drives which can be very a lot aimed toward artistic customers, and its Armor 700 drive gives quick, high-capacity storage in a rugged design that will likely be preferrred for outside photo-shoots or filming.
Because the title suggests, the Armor 700 is sturdily constructed, boasting an IP66 score for water and dirt safety. Which means the drive can stand up to highly effective jets of water (however not full immersion underneath water), and is tightly sealed to stop mud or different particles from penetrating the drive. It’s additionally wrapped in a shock-resistant rubber sleeve that may address being dropped from a peak of three metres. The drive is accessible with 1TB, 2TB or 4TB of storage, so it gives loads of storage in your Time Machine backups if you’re on the highway. Lexar additionally consists of an app known as DataShield that lets you create an encrypted folder on the drive for storing delicate information and information.
The Amor 700 is supplied with a USB-C interface, with a USB-C cable and USB-A adaptor included within the field. Lexar states that the drive gives learn and write speeds of as much as 2000MB/s, but it surely does require a tool that helps USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 with a view to obtain these speeds (sure, USB requirements are a whole mess lately). Apple doesn’t assist that particular model of USB, which implies that Macs, iPhones and iPads with USB-C will solely get a most pace of 1000MB/s. Our exams truly recorded scores of 910MB/s for write efficiency and 925MB/s for learn efficiency, however that’s greater than ample for routine backups if you’re out and about. Lexar additionally states that that is quick sufficient to report 4K ProRes video from an iPhone 15 or 16, and the Armor 700 remains to be competitively priced when in comparison with rugged drives reminiscent of LaCie’s Rugged SSD.
Skilled customers who actually need prime efficiency could choose a drive that helps Thunderbolt – reminiscent of LaCie’s high-end Rugged Professional – however Thunderbolt drives are nonetheless very costly, making the Armor 700 choice for individuals on a tighter funds. You’ll be able to’t purchase direct from Lexar, although, so it’s value procuring round on-line to search out the most effective worth.

Execs
- Good information switch price
- Quiet fan
Cons
- Knowledge price drops throughout lengthy information transfers
- No operation with out fan
Finest Costs In the present day:
The Verbatim TurboMetal SSD is a basic NVMe drive with a size of round 106mm, a 55mm large and 18mm skinny metallic housing, and weighs 150g.
Like many USB4 enclosures, it makes use of an lively fan and cooling slots for cooling. The fan is temperature-controlled and begins robotically when the temperature rises.
Verbatim specifies a USB4 information switch price of 3600MBps for writing and 3700MBps for studying. Nonetheless, we achieved 2664MBps for writing and 3123MBps for studying on an M3 MacBook Air in a 4K take a look at with Aja System Check Lite. These will not be dangerous values, however the most effective USB4 drives we’ve measured obtain barely greater writing speeds however not greater studying speeds. The M4 Max Mac Studio confirmed significantly better values, with 2869MBps for writing and 3499MBps for studying.
In a 30-minute endurance take a look at with the Backmagicdesign Disk Velocity Check, the fan began after 10 minutes. The TurboMetal received too heat after round 9 minutes within the information switch price, which dropped considerably to under 1000MBps. Shortly after beginning the fan, the temperature of the SSD levelled off once more, and the info switch price rose to its authentic worth. The runs solely when it has to.
Through the endurance take a look at, the info switch price dropped briefly however stabilised instantly. DriveDX measured the temperature at round 46 levels Celsius after utilizing the fan, which remained on.
The TurboMetal Moveable SSD is accessible in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities with a 20cm USB4 cable. It’s formatted as FAT32, so Mac customers ought to reformat it to APFS. The included software program is just for Home windows.
The TurboMetal SSD is a discreet USB4 drive. The information switch charges are appropriate for on a regular basis use, however some SSDs provide higher pace. The common dips point out thermal safety, however they shouldn’t have an effect on most functions.
Learn our full
Verbatim Turbometal Moveable SSD assessment
SanDisk Skilled Professional-G40

Execs
- Thunderbolt 3 interface (appropriate with USB-C)
- Extremely-rugged design
- Skilled-level efficiency
Cons
- Very costly
- Doesn’t assist Thunderbolt 4
Value When Reviewed:
1TB – $299.99; 2TB – $449.99; 4TB – $699.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
Many moveable drives use a regular USB-C port for connecting to a Mac or PC, however SanDisk’s Professional-G40 opts for a high-speed Thunderbolt 3 port to supply most efficiency for skilled customers who must work with giant video and graphics information (and, in fact, it’s backward-compatible with USB-C as properly).
The Professional-G40 was first launched in 2022, and was already on our listing of the most effective SSD drives for Mac, however this present mannequin gives each improved efficiency and better capability in your work information. The design hasn’t modified although, with a compact, moveable drive that measures simply 12mm thick, 58mm large and 111mm lengthy. It weighs simply over 120g – relying on the capability you select – so you may slip it right into a jacket pocket or right into a carrying case alongside your MacBook with no hassle in any respect. The drive can also be extraordinarily robust, with a sturdy metallic case that’s rated IP68 – one of many highest rankings potential – for resistance to water, mud and different particles. Western Digital, which now owns the SanDisk model, additionally claims that the drive can survive drops from a peak of 3m, and might stand up to crushing stress of as much as 4000lbs. The drive even features a five-year guarantee as properly.
The 2022 model of the Professional-G40 offered learn and write speeds of 2700MB/s and 1900MB/s respectively when utilizing the Thunderbolt cable included within the field, however the present mannequin is rated at 3000MB/s for learn and 2500MB/s for write speeds. Our exams confirmed it to be completely spot-on for write efficiency, persistently hitting 2500MB/s. The learn efficiency didn’t fairly hit the quoted 3000MB/s, settling at simply over 27000MB/s, however that’s nonetheless far quicker than most USB-C drives, and gives the form of efficiency that skilled customers want for backing up their work information.
That mixture of excessive efficiency and ultra-rugged design does imply that the Professional-G40 is sort of a bit dearer than many USB-C drives, so it’s in all probability overkill in the event you simply want an reasonably priced moveable drive for backing up private information. Nonetheless, skilled customers will likely be happy to search out that the worth of the Professional-G40 has been diminished not too long ago, with the 1TB mannequin now costing $299.99/£294.99, whereas the 2TB model is $449.99/£441.99. And, as talked about, there’s a brand new 4TB model to supply additional capability, priced at $699.99/£687.99.
Learn our full
SanDisk Skilled PRO-G40 assessment
SanDisk Desk Drive

Execs
- Good efficiency
- As much as 8TB capability
- Compact design
Cons
- Requires mains energy
- No extra ports
Value When Reviewed:
4TB: $379.99; 8TB: $699.99
The light-weight, compact design of solid-state drives makes them a terrific choice in the event you want a transportable back-up drive to make use of along with your MacBook if you’re touring. Nonetheless, moveable SSDs do are likely to have restricted storage capability, typically with a most of simply 1TB or 2TB. In distinction, the SanDisk Desk Drive gives each high-speed SSD efficiency and excessive capability too, beginning with a minimal of 4TB for $379.99/£359.99. If that’s not sufficient then you may as well step as much as 8TB, for $699.99/£663.99.
Because the title suggests, the Desk Drive could be very a lot designed for desktop use in an workplace, and it’s bigger than most typical SSDs, standing 40.2mm excessive and 99.2mm on all sides, and weighing 268g. The drive itself remains to be small and lightweight sufficient to slide right into a backpack or touring bag alongside along with your MacBook, but it surely does require a mains energy provide as properly, so this isn’t a drive that’s going to go away the workplace fairly often (we did attempt to energy it by way of a USB-C port on our MacBook Professional, however that didn’t work).
It’s additionally somewhat disappointing that the Desk Drive simply has a single USB-C port for information switch. At this worth, a few additional ports would have been a helpful bonus, particularly for MacBook fashions that solely have a few USB-C ports of their very own.
We didn’t have any complaints in regards to the Desk Drive’s efficiency, although. SanDisk quotes a pace of 1GB/s, though the outcomes we received had been nearer to 925MB/s and 910MB/s for write and browse speeds respectively. That’s not as quick as some high-end SSDs which can be designed for skilled customers – reminiscent of SanDisk’s personal Professional Blade system – but it surely’s nonetheless lots quicker than a standard onerous drive, and the Desk Drive will likely be an excellent choice for individuals who merely want a quick backup drive that gives loads of storage for images, movies and work information.
Seagate OneTouch SSD

Execs
- Ships with USB cables that cowl each USB-C and USB-A
- Sturdily constructed
Cons
- Doesn’t provide {hardware} encryption choices
Value When Reviewed:
500GB – $94.99; 1TB – $169.99; 2TB – $309.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
Seagate’s OneTouch onerous drives are a well-liked alternative with many customers. The OneTouch SSD is the smallest and lightest moveable drive we’ve ever seen and is accessible in black, silver or blue.
When sitting flat on the desk it measures simply 2in/50mm large, 2.7in/70mm deep and a mere 0.4in/10.6mm thick. And it weighs solely 2.6oz/74g, so you may simply slip it into your pocket and carry it round along with your laptop computer or iPad if you’re touring. It’s sturdily constructed too, with Seagate claiming that it may well stand up to being dropped from a peak of 6.5 foot/2m.
The OneTouch drive has a USB-C interface, however Seagate consists of each USB-C and USB-A cables with the intention to use it with most Macs and PCs straight out of the field.
It really works with Apple’s Time Machine for automated backups, however Seagate additionally consists of its personal ToolKit app, which has a ‘sync’ choice for backing up particular folders. The drive additionally features a one-year free subscription to the Mylio photo-organizer app, and 4 months with Adobe’s CC Pictures plan, usually $9.99/£9.98 a month on an annual plan (learn our information to getting the most effective deal on Adobe Artistic Cloud).
The drive is accessible with 500GB, 1TB or 2TB of storage, so it gives loads of room for backing up giant libraries of images, movies or music. It doesn’t fairly match Seagate’s quoted pace of 1GB/s, but it surely recorded learn and write speeds of 835MB/s and 915MB/s respectively in our exams, which nonetheless put it among the many quickest solid-state drives that we’ve examined not too long ago. And, with its ridiculously gentle and compact design, the OneTouch will likely be preferrred for backing up all of your essential information if you’re on the transfer.
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD

Execs
- Compact, rugged design
- As much as 4TB storage
- 3-year guarantee
Cons
- Costly
- No Thunderbolt interface
- Requires USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 for max efficiency
Value When Reviewed:
500GB = $89.99; 1TB $129.99; 2TB – $234.99; 4TB – $439.99
Persevering with LaCie’s Rugged vary of onerous drives and SSDs. These have lengthy been standard with individuals who want a sturdy back-up drive that may address tough climate and situations when working outside, however the Rugged drives have at all times tended to be relatively giant and hulking – just like the Rugged SSD Professional (above) – so LaCie has produced a extra compact choice within the type of the brand new Rugged Mini SSD.
As you would possibly count on, the Rugged Mini seems to be very very similar to its rugged kin, with LaCie’s distinctive vibrant orange rubber sleeve serving to to maintain the drive secure. However, in fact, it’s lots smaller than earlier fashions, measuring simply 17.3mm thick, 66.9mm large, 105mm lengthy. It solely weighs 114g as properly, so you may simply slip it right into a jacket pocket or backpack if you’re touring.
Regardless of that compact design, the Rugged Mini remains to be robust sufficient to deal with some tough therapy. It’s rated IP54 for water and dirt resistance, so it ought to have the ability to address life outside in the event you’re engaged on location for a photo- or video shoot. And, because of that rubber sleeve, it may well deal with drops of as much as 3m and even survive being pushed over by a 1-tonne truck. And if that’s not robust sufficient, the drive comes with a three-year guarantee that features LaCie’s Rescue Knowledge Restoration Service, to assist restore any misplaced information.
The drive’s USB-C port will work with any Mac or PC that additionally has USB-C or Thunderbolt. However, like various drives that we’ve seen not too long ago, it makes use of a model of USB often known as USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, which isn’t absolutely supported by Macs for the time being. Which means Macs received’t have the ability to get the complete 2000MB/s speeds supported by that interface, and our exams confirmed this, recording write and browse speeds of 900MB/s and 970MB/s respectively. We’ve seen stronger efficiency from some rival drives, however these speeds ought to be completely ample for routine backups if you’re on the highway, and the sturdy design of the Rugged Mini makes it choice for individuals who want a drive that they’ll use outside frequently.
Pricing is somewhat complicated, although. Within the US, the Rugged Mini prices $84.99/£74.99 (1TB), $109.99/£99.99 (2TB), and $159.99/£149.99 (4TB). We’ve seen a lot decrease costs from Amazon and different on-line retailers, so it’s positively value procuring round earlier than shopping for.
WD My Passport SSD

Execs
- Light-weight
- Affords USB-C and A
- {Hardware} encryption
Cons
- Costly
- Remarkably brief cable
- Software program points
Value When Reviewed:
500GB – $59.99; 1TB – $74.99; 2TB – $179.99; 4TB – $319.99
Western Digital’s Passport drives have at all times offered moveable, light-weight designs, and the My Passport SSD combines compact design with sturdy efficiency and extra security measures.
Accessible in a wide range of colours, the My Passport SSD gives as much as 4TB of solid-state storage, though the 1TB mannequin that we assessment right here prices $74.99/£94.99.
The drive measures simply 0.35in/9mm thick, and weighs 1.6oz/46g, so it’s sufficiently small to slide right into a jacket pocket if you’re on the transfer. Nonetheless, it’s additionally robust sufficient to outlive being dropped from a peak of two metres.
The drive is supplied with a USB-C interface, however WD features a USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor with the drive, so you may nonetheless use it with older Macs that don’t have USB-C. The solid-state drive gives good efficiency too, recording a write pace of 935MB/s and browse pace of 908MB/s, making it a terrific choice for backing up your essential information on the transfer.
It’s safe too, as WD’s Discovery app lets you set a password for the drive so as maintain your information secure. There’s a second app as properly, known as WD Unlocker, which is constructed into the drive itself, and lets you enter the password with the intention to use the drive with one other Mac or PC if it’s worthwhile to.
When the drive was first launched there have been complaints that the WD apps hadn’t been correctly up to date to 64-bit code for the most recent variations of the macOS, however we examined the drive with our workplace Macs and didn’t encounter any issues.
Learn a full assessment over on our sister web site Tech Advisor.
Samsung Moveable SSD T7 Protect

Execs
- Rugged & shock resistant
- Password safety
- USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor included
Cons
- The usual T7 is cheaper and could also be ample in your wants.
Value When Reviewed:
1TB – $129.99; 2TB – $219.99; 4TB – $389.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
There are three variations of Samsung’s T7. The usual T7 is a compact, light-weight SSD that appears similar to the previous T5 – though it boasts greater efficiency, so be sure to verify the mannequin numbers earlier than shopping for. We examined the T7 Protect, which is a extra rugged mannequin, wrapped in a sturdy rubber sleeve designed for outside use. Each of these fashions can use Samsung’s Moveable SSD app so as to add password safety in your information, however there’s additionally a 3rd mannequin known as the T7 Contact that has a built-in fingerprint sensor for additional safety and comfort.
Accessible in black, blue or silver, the T7 Protect prices $129/£110 with 1TB of storage, however we’re seeing nice reductions now it’s been out some time. It has a USB-C interface for connecting to your Mac, however Samsung features a USB-C cable and a USB-A adaptor with the intention to use it with older Macs which have USB-A. The rugged protecting sleeve implies that it’s somewhat bigger than the opposite T7 fashions, measuring 0.5in/13mm thick, 2.3in/59mm large and three.4in/88mm lengthy, and weighing 3.4oz/98g. Even so, it’s nonetheless sufficiently small to slide right into a jacket pocket or backpack with no hassle in any respect, and many individuals will respect the additional safety that it presents.
The T7 Protect is rated IP65 for water- and dust-resistance, and Samsung claims that the shock-resistant rubber sleeve can survive drops from a peak of three meters.
It’s performer too. Samsung quotes learn and write speeds of 1,000MB/s, however our exams with the Blackmagic disk device truly recorded a learn pace of 1,780MB/s, and a write pace of 1,300MB/s, which makes the T7 Protect a terrific backup choice for individuals who must work outside with their laptop computer.
OWC Categorical 1M2 USB4 SSD

Execs
- Very excessive information switch charges
- Excessive-quality housing
- Good cooling with out a fan
Value When Reviewed:
1TB: $219.99 I 2TB: $299.99 I 4TB: $529.99 I 8TB: $1,299.99
Finest Costs In the present day:
The OWC Categorical 1M2’s cooling fins alone account for round half of the general peak of this exterior SSD. The aluminum housing is sort of giant at 5.2 by 2.8 by 0.9 inches (13.2 by 7.1 by 2.3 centimeters) and the very high-quality metallic housing additionally has sufficiently giant rubber surfaces on the underside.
To check for pace, we used two benchmarks, Aja System Check Lite and Blackmagicdesign Disk Velocity Check. The outcomes are spectacular: 2736MBps (write) and 2980MBps (learn) in Aja System Check Lite. The values with Blackmagicdesign Disk Velocity Check had been round 100MBps greater–it cracked the 3000 MBps mark within the learn take a look at.
Learn our full
OWC Categorical 1M2 USB4 SSD assessment
How we take a look at Mac SSDs
We take a look at SSD drives with our Mac working the most recent model of macOS. We format the drive earlier than we start after which we run benchmarks and carry out real-world operations to find out its pace relative to different related drives. We additionally have a look at longevity and sturdiness – we wish to ensure that a drive received’t die after just a few months of use, so the construct and development issues. Portability can also be thought of, assuming the drive is designed to be moveable.
Why it’s best to belief Macworld
At Macworld been placing Mac {hardware} by way of its paces for many years. We all know tips on how to root out the strengths and weaknesses of a SSD drive utilizing a mix of rigorous benchmark testing and real-world hands-on use.
How to decide on an SSD: Shopping for recommendation
You’ve learn our suggestions of the most effective SSDs for Mac house owners available on the market proper now. However how did we attain these selections, and what common recommendation do you have to observe when choosing the right SSD in your wants?
SSDs vs onerous drives
Value per gigabyte is the most important stumbling block. You would possibly pay $200 for a 1TB moveable SSD, whereas a 1TB exterior onerous drive prices round $25.
It is because onerous drives use comparatively low cost spinning platters to retailer information. SSDs make use of NAND reminiscence chips. They’re pricier, but additionally quicker and permit for a lot smaller enclosures.
Should you determine in favor of onerous drives, see our roundup of the finest Mac onerous drives.
Which connectors to decide on
One other factor to pay attention to is whether or not the SSD connects through Thunderbolt 5, 4 or 3, and USB 4 or USB-C, USB 3 or USB 3.2×2. The latter is one to keep away from in case you are a Mac person as a result of Apple helps solely 10Gbps with USB 3.2, that means 3.2×2 20Gbps SSDS are constrained to half their potential.
There are some SSD drives that assist the brand new Thunderbolt 5 customary, which brings speeds of as much as 80Gbps when you have a Mac with M4 Professional or M4 Max. We’ve checked out some Thunderbolt 5 outfitted SSDs under.
How briskly are you able to count on SSD file transfers to be? The highest exterior SSDs can learn and write at as much as round 550MB/s.
Nonetheless, to get these speeds you want a port in your Mac or MacBook that may deal with this bandwidth.
Should you’ve received a Mac mannequin with a Thunderbolt/USB-C port, you’re set. Whereas exterior SSDs use USB 3.1 requirements relatively than Thunderbolt, the port additionally helps USB 3.1 Gen 1 and Gen 2, which is what we’re after.
Most trendy Macs have a Thunderbolt 4 port, however some MacBook Professional fashions have already got Thunderbolt 5 (Professional and Max variations) as does the Mac mini with the Professional chip, and the Mac Studio. Thunderbolt 4 is sort of precisely the identical as Thunderbolt 3 was, but it surely has stricter implementation necessities and a few modifications for PC customers which simply deliver it into line with what Mac customers already had. Thunderbolt 5 is the highest-performing interfaces for exterior storage. We clarify the whole lot it’s worthwhile to learn about Thunderbolt 5 vs Thunderbolt 4 and three vs USB4 individually. Thunderbolt 5 is a giant step up from Thunderbolt 4. Bandwidth doubles from 40Gbps to 80Gbps, show connections go as quick as 120Gbps. That’s as much as 3 times extra bandwidth than earlier present connectivity options.
How a lot storage do I would like?
Current exterior SSDs have a tendency to come back in three or 4 capacities: 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB and also you would possibly even discover 8TB.
You’ll wish to consider carefully in regards to the capability you want, as the associated fee distinction between 500GB and 1TB fashions is often stark. There aren’t the identical comparatively minor worth leaps seen in 1-4TB onerous drives.
We are able to’t reply this one for you, but it surely’s a good suggestion to do a fast psychological calculation. For instance, 4K footage from a Panasonic Lumix GH4 digital camera eats up 4GB each 5 minutes. Video editors who work in 4K want a number of storage.
Nonetheless, in the event you simply must again up or carry round some motion pictures and images, a smaller-capacity mannequin could properly do the trick. Try your Mac’s personal storage capability and use that as a information. We advocate about twice that quantity as a result of it lets you make a full again up and retailer some incremental backups too.
Simply don’t assume that the lowest-cost drives present the most effective worth. It’s often the case that the upper the capability the higher the worth per gigabyte is. The most effective worth is often the very best capability, however that additionally means a better worth, so that you in all probability need one thing in the midst of that, relying in your wants.
2.5in or ultra-portable?
SSD efficiency varies from round 300-500MB/s learn speeds all the way in which as much as 3000MB/s, however there are three fundamental bodily types of SSD. And two may be thought of moveable.
‘Bare’ SSD boards plug instantly into PCIe or SATA interfaces. These are the type you would possibly use to switch the SSD in a laptop computer, or add to a desktop. They don’t seem to be actually moveable.
2.5in SSDs provide a mixture of portability and inner use, and are the most affordable solution to get a transportable drive. They’ve a plastic casing, avoiding harm to the elements, however use SATA connectors relatively than USB.
You should purchase an enclosure to get extra safety and that all-important USB or Thunderbolt interface, and even simply use a SATA-to-USB cable. We use one in every of these cables within the workplace to ferry round take a look at information on a 2.5in SSD.
For the last word moveable expertise you want a ‘pocket’ SSD, although, not one based mostly on 2.5in drive dimensions. These are designed for use with USB or Thunderbolt connectors, not these discovered inside a Mac or MacBook.
You’ll largely discover this sort under. They’re extremely small and handy. Nonetheless, they’re dearer than 2.5in-style drives, so you might wish to contemplate the bigger sort if decrease spend is a prime concern.
Shock-proof and rugged?
Different options to look out for embrace IP-ratings for climate safety and password safety in your essential information.
SSDs are extra sturdy than onerous drives. They haven’t any shifting components, and received’t be broken if they’re moved or knocked whereas writing information. Whereas trendy onerous drives have some stage of shock safety, it’s nonetheless a giant subject.
You’ll be able to deal with an SSD fairly imply earlier than it begins complaining.
Some moveable SSDs even provide water resistance. You can too get ruggedization in a specialised drive enclosure, in the event you select to go down the two.5in drive route.
This can be a big portability profit. But when they’re sat nonetheless all day, are SSDs extra dependable than HDDs? Laborious drives are likely to fail mechanically. For instance, the motor that spins the platters would possibly burn out. SSDs’ reminiscence cells age, which may result in failure. Each sorts require specialist restoration. As ever,
again up essential information.
Nonetheless, for our functions, as individuals who sometimes must fling drives in rucksacks and plug them in whereas sat in an airplane seat, SSDs are the clear winner.
Software program
Simply bear in mind to verify that any apps offered by the producer work with Macs and properly as Home windows PCs.