Teamgroup X2 Max: This SSD flash drive is a mighty mite

The size of a small commodity thumb drive, the X2 Max is actually a 10Gbps powerhouse SSD.

- JON JACOBI

The Teamgroup X2 Max took me by surprise. I was expecting a slowish commodity drive, as it's as small as any thumb drive in my collection. However, when push came to shove, the X2 Max delivered superlative 10Gbps USB performance across nearly all of our tests—rivaling that of many significantly larger 10Gbps SSDs. In short, it's a gem. Read on to learn more, then see our roundup of the best external drives (fave.co/3n5NIMC).

FEATURES

At just under 3 inches long by 0.75 inches wide by 0.25 inches thick—and including both a captive Type-C port and a Type-A port—the X2 Max is outstandingly demure, even for a thumb drive. It's so svelte it makes most of its ilk look chunky in comparison. The dual-ports also make it easy to use with virtually any USB-enabled device on the planet—Lightning connector Apple stuff excepted, of course.

The drive uses NVMe internals to operate at 10Gbps USB 3.2 speeds, with sustained transfers maxing out at just under 1.1GBps. Teamgroup wasn't inclined to discuss the controller or specific type of NAND involved. However, given the excellent performance and ability to sustain reasonable transfer speeds over the long haul, I'm thinking it's state of the art on both counts.

There's no specific durability (TBW) rating, but Teamgroup warranties the drive for a full five years, a munificent rarity for any external SSD.

The X2 Max is so svelte it makes most of its ilk look chunky in comparison.

PRICE

While it isn't slow like a commodity USB stick, the X2 Max isn't cheap like one either. The 1TB costs $70, and the 2TB version we tested is $130. But you get what you pay for. This is not your father's USB stick—it's a full-on 10Gbps SSD in a tiny form factor. For, that, the price is right on.

PERFORMANCE