The best portable SSDs

Compact but speedy storage drives that won't keep you waiting

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External storage drives make some of the best accessories to use alongside your Mac. Not only do they take the load off your computer's internal storage, but they can be used with Time Machine to back up your important files.

And while it's still possible to pick up an external hard drive, most of the storage you can buy is solid state in some way, be it a memory card, a USB flash drive, or an external SSD (solid-state drive). SSDs are superior to all the others, as they are capable of transferring data at enormous speeds, depending on the interface they have.

Interfaces can get kind of confusing, as the USB-C connector is used for everything these days, from a relatively humble 10Gbps USB 3.2 connection (still way faster than a hard drive), all the way up to Thunderbolt 5's fearsome throughput.

The problem is that the faster the drive, the more expensive it is, so choosing an external SSD is a balancing act between the needs of your Mac and the weight of your wallet, something that our roundup of external SSDs can help you to determine.

How we tested

Each SSD was tested using its own cable and connected to the Thunderbolt 5 port of a Mac Studio, formatted as APFS. Read and write speeds were measured in AmorphousDiskMark, and the BlackMagic Speed Test app was used to measure things like access time and bandwidth. While we weren't going to dunk the SSDs in the bath to test ruggedness, we've also taken into account IP ratings and how far they can be dropped before breaking.

Things to consider...

Mix and match

SSDs are fast, but there's no point spending the extra cash for a Thunderbolt 5 drive if your Mac only has Thunderbolt 4 ports.

Capacity

We're always making more data, especially if you have a camera or DAW (digital audio workstation). 2TB may sound a lot, but it may be worth investing in a 4TB drive to futureproof your needs.