Let’s check what are the market trends to define the most adequate USB 3.0 external ssd for your needs, and analyze if this is a purchase that will help your storage capacity and management.
If you own a laptop, odds are that you have ran out of storage space at least once in your days as a PC user, a problem which could look insurmountable a few years ago, when you could only resort to either slow and small USB flash drives or external hdds, or, in most cases, just deleting files and programs until your PC would run normally again.
However, with the advent of new and faster technologies, both in terms of PC ports and of disk speed and storage, you will hardly need to stress with file sizes or backups, as the number of options on the market have raised as much as the transfer speed of the latest USB 3.0 external drives.
When should you buy an USB 3.0 External SSD?
Before jumping into a purchase, you should know a few details about these devices and how they work. The main aspect you should check is if your PC has an USB 3.0 port, because in case it has an USB 2.0, no matter how fast your USB 3.0 external ssd might be, it won’t be able to deliver, it will be stuck at the maximum USB 2.0 speed which is 480Mbps or 48MB/s.
Secondly, you can actually store software in your USB 3.0 external ssd, but obviously, you will only be able to launch these software when the SSD is connected to your PC, so it will reduce considerably the portability of your external SSD.
Why you should buy an USB 3.0 External SSD?
An external SSD is something that may or may not apply to all users, but I strongly recommend it for back up reasons, if your pc has some virus related problem, or a ransomware problem, keeping a back up which is not connected at all times to the system is definitely helpful, as it will remain unharmed by any possible threat coming in unnoticed through the internet.
Even with the latest progresses in cloud computing, having an external SSD adds an extra layer of data security, as servers are more exposed to threats for being constantly connected.
External SSD or External HDD?
There are two differences that may influence your choice for an HDD or an SSD. The SSD technology is way faster providing higher transfer rates compared to HDDs, but, they are much more expensive. So if you are going to move big files, an SSD is definitely recommended.
Here are some of the best USB 3.0 external SSDs available in North America (Amazon.com) and in the UK / Europe at Amazon.co.uk :
Available in North America from Amazon.com
Samsung T1 Portable 1 TB USB 3.0 External SSD (MU-PS1T0B/AM)
Super fast read-write speeds of up to 450 MB/s driven by Turbo Write Technology. Transfer Rate – 450 MB/s
Easy Password Protection – Embedded AES 256 bit encryption for cutting edge data security. Encryption – AES 256-bit
Slim compact shape, combining style and portability featuring laser patterning and black chrome metalized finish. Interface – USB 3.0, USB 2.0
Capacity: 1TB, Form Factor: Portable
Interface – Compatible with USB 3.1(Gen.1, 5Gbps), 3.0, 2.0
Click here to read more or buy this SSD from Amazon.com
Transcend 256GB Thunderbolt Solid State Drive StoreJet 500 for MAC (TS256GSJM500)
HFS+ pre-formatted for MAC
USB 3.0 interface + Thunderbolt Interface
SSD
Click here to read more or buy this SSD from Amazon.com
SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD 0.85″ SDSSDEXT-480G-G25
High-speed storage for high res photos, videos and files
Transfers files up to 4x faster than an external hard drive
No moving parts to break or overheat
Compact and shock resistant
SanDisk Secure Access software encrypts private files
From the pioneer in solid state storage
Three-year warranty
Click here to read more or buy this SSD from Amazon.com
Available in the UK from Amazon.co.uk
Transcend ESD400K SuperSpeed 512GB USB 3.0 Portable Solid State Drive
SuperSpeed USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 connection options
Supports UASP and provides 10 times the bandwidth of USB 2.0.
One Touch Auto-Backup button
Free download of Transcend Elite data management software
Three-year Limited Warranty
Click here to read more or buy this SSD from Amazon.co.uk
Samsung 500 GB USB 3.0 Portable External Solid State Drive – Black
T1 portable SSD provides superfast read-write speeds of up to 450 MB/s driven by TurboWrite Technology
Data transfer speeds of 2 to 7 times faster than a comparable external hard drive
Embedded with the latest in advanced security using an AES 256 bit encryption algorithm to secure valuable data
No moving parts so can withstand up to 4x more shock and up to 40x more vibration than an external HDD
Compact, portable design so you can slide into your pocket, wallet or bag and you’re good to go
Click here to read more or buy this SSD from Amazon.co.uk
SanDisk Extreme 500 Portable SSD 240 GB upto 415 Mbps
High speed storage for high-resolution photos, videos and files
Up to 4x the speed of an external hard drive
Rugged, durable design with shock resistant solid state core
SanDisk SecureAccess software encrypts private files
3 year warranty
