If you’re a video editor, photographer, software engineer, data analyst, or creative power user, you’re in the right place.
This guide is designed to help you, make the right investment in a 4TB external SSD that can support intense workflows without sacrificing portability or peace of mind. You need a fast, stable, high-capacity drive you can depend on. This is without waiting on file transfers or risking data loss.
A 4TB SSD ensures that you can archive 8K video, maintain a full multimedia portfolio, develop machine learning datasets, or back up critical business systems. In addition, it gives you the ultimate combination: desktop-class capacity and lightning-fast performance.
These SSDs deliver enterprise-grade storage in a palm-sized device. Built on NVMe architecture, most models use USB 3.2 Gen 2, USB4, or Thunderbolt 3/4 interfaces to provide real-world speeds upwards of 1,000MB/s to over 2,800MB/s.
That means you can, edit video timelines directly off the drive (even 6K+ footage), run virtual machines and development containers, store massive RAW image libraries or project backups, expand gaming libraries with faster-than-console load speeds, and move terabytes in minutes, not hours
To separate the top-tier drives from the rest, we focused on performance, thermal consistency, build quality, and cost-efficiency.
Here’s how we made our picks:
- Speed (Read/Write Performance & Interface Type)
With 4TB of data, speed isn’t a luxury, it is a necessity. And for that reason, we only selected drives with; good sequential performance for large file transfers, video edits, drive cloning, good interface optimization: USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 (20Gbps), Thunderbolt 3/4 (40Gbps)
- Sustained Performance and Thermal Management
Large file transfers and extended editing sessions generate heat. Drives that can’t manage thermal loads suffer performance throttling, which slows your work. We have only selected drives that have good cooling designs for passive heat dissipation.
- Portability & Physical Design
At 4TB, you’re likely moving serious data, and for that reason, We only selected drives that are:
- Compact, pocketable form factors
- Rugged build quality: shock resistance, water/dust ingress (IP ratings)
- Encryption, Data Protection
We prioritized drives with, AES 256-bit hardware encryption, secure password protection software, optional backup and recovery tools to protect your intellectual property
- Value for Money
A 4TB SSD is a serious investment, so we evaluated price-per-gigabyte alongside:
- Brand reliability and warranty coverage
- Actual user value (speed, lifespan, support)
You’ll get drives from Samsung, SanDisk, Crucial, Sabrent, Kingston, Western Digital for building a mobile workstation, archiving creative assets, managing massive datasets, or keeping everything backed up and ready to go.
The Following are the Best 4TB External SSDs:
Contents
- Crucial X10 Pro 4TB Portable SSD – Up to 2100MBs Read, 2000MBs Write, Water and Dust Resistant
- Crucial X8 4TB Portable SSD - Up to 1050MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive
- ADATA HD710 Pro 4TB USB 3.1 IP68 ssd
- Corsair EX100U 4TB Portable USB Type-C Storage Drive - Blazing-Fast Storage
- LaCie Rugged Mini SSD 4TB Solid State Drive
- ADATA SE880 4TB - Up to 2000 MBs- SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 USB-C External Portable SSD
- Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD - Up to 800MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 USB-C External Solid State Drive
- Kingston XS2000 4TB High Performance Portable SSD with USB-C Pocket-Sized USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 External Solid State Drive
- BUFFALO External SSD 4.0TB Officially Licensed Product, Compatible with PS 5 PS 4 Consoles
- Lenovo P8 Portable External Solid State Drive, 4TB SSD
- SABRENT 4TB External Aluminum SSD, Rocket Nano V2, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, 1500 MBs
- Samsung T9 Portable SSD 4TB, Up to 2,000MBs, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 External Solid State Drive
- SanDisk Professional 4TB G-Drive SSD
- SanDisk 4TB Creator Pro Portable SSD - Up to 2000MBs - USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance - External Solid State Drive
- SSK External SSD 4TB, up to 2000MBs External Solid State Drive
- Western Digital 4TB My Passport SSD External Portable Solid State Drive, Grey, Up to 1,050 MBs, USB 3.2 Gen-2 and USB-C Compatible
Crucial X10 Pro 4TB Portable SSD – Up to 2100MBs Read, 2000MBs Write, Water and Dust Resistant |
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 2000MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Black |
| Material | PVC |
| Weight | 1.48 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Suitable for iPhone |
| Reasons to Buy | High read and write speeds |
Crucial X8 4TB Portable SSD - Up to 1050MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive |
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1050MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Black |
| Material | PVC |
| Weight | 3.36 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Encription |
| Reasons to Buy | Good performance, Large size |
ADATA HD710 Pro 4TB USB 3.1 IP68 ssd |
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1000MBs |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Blue |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC, Metal |
| Weight | 9.5 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Rugged, Waterproof |
| Reasons to Buy | Large Storage |
Corsair EX100U 4TB Portable USB Type-C Storage Drive - Blazing-Fast Storage |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1600MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, Type C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC |
| Weight | 0.705 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Protective cap, small footprint, secure data transfer |
| Reasons to Buy | High spped, large storage, value for money, highly functional |
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD 4TB Solid State Drive |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android, iPad, iPhone |
| Data Transfer Speed | 2000MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB C |
| Color | Orange |
| Casing Material | Silicone, PVC, |
| Weight | 4 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | High speed, Rugged |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage, Value for money |
ADATA SE880 4TB - Up to 2000 MBs- SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 USB-C External Portable SSD |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 500 megabits per second |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Grey |
| Casing Material | PVC |
| Weight | 3.84 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Encryption, Good performance |
| Reasons to Buy | Large capacity, Good performance, Value for money |
Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD - Up to 800MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 USB-C External Solid State Drive |
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS |
| Data Transfer Speed | 800MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Black |
| Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC, Metal Casing |
| Weight | 1.48 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Shock proof, dust proof |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage |
Kingston XS2000 4TB High Performance Portable SSD with USB-C Pocket-Sized USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 External Solid State Drive |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 2000MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC, Metal |
| Weight | 1.02 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Water Resistant |
| Reasons to Buy | Good build Quality, High read and write speeds, compact |
BUFFALO External SSD 4.0TB Officially Licensed Product, Compatible with PS 5 PS 4 Consoles |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4tb |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1000MBs |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, Type C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC, Metal |
| Weight | 5.9 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | P55 dust and water resistant design |
| Reasons to Buy | High performance, reliable |
Lenovo P8 Portable External Solid State Drive, 4TB SSD |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1050 MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, Type C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Metal- Aluminum |
| Weight | 3.87 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | High Data Transfer Speed, Compatible with PC, Mac, Android |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage, performance, reliability |
SABRENT 4TB External Aluminum SSD, Rocket Nano V2, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, 1500 MBs |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1500MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC |
| Weight | 1.76 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | High speed, Rugged |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage capacity, Reliable, Portable |
Samsung T9 Portable SSD 4TB, Up to 2,000MBs, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 External Solid State Drive |
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 2000MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC |
| Weight | 4.3 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | 3M Drop resistance |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage capacity, fast speeds |
SanDisk Professional 4TB G-Drive SSD |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1,050 MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, Type C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, Metal |
| Weight | 0.45 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Ultra-rugged durability with IP67 water/dust resistance, up to 3M1 drop, and 2000lb crush resistance |
| Reasons to Buy | Durable, Fast Speeds |
SanDisk 4TB Creator Pro Portable SSD - Up to 2000MBs - USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance - External Solid State Drive |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Rate | 2000MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB-C, USB 3.2 |
| Color | Blue |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber |
| Weight | 5.6 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | IP65 Water and Dust Resistance |
| Reasons to Buy | Fast speeds, Large storage |
SSK External SSD 4TB, up to 2000MBs External Solid State Drive |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 2000MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, Type C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Metal - Aluminium |
| Weight | 1.19 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Data security, Low power consumption, led indicator, fast transfer |
| Reasons to Buy | durable, high speed, High storage capacity |
Western Digital 4TB My Passport SSD External Portable Solid State Drive, Grey, Up to 1,050 MBs, USB 3.2 Gen-2 and USB-C Compatible |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS |
| Data Transfer Speed | 1050MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, USB TyPE C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC |
| Weight | 0.3 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Hardware encryption |
| Reasons to Buy | Reliable, good performance |
Also check out the top 1TB External ssds and also the top 500GB ones.
