We’ve reviewed a selection of the top-performing external SSDs that excel in sustained write and read performance, not just short sprints. We focus on thermal efficiency, endurance-rated NAND flash, DRAM buffering, and advanced controllers that support consistent speeds over large file operations.
Peak speeds on a spec sheet don’t always reflect real-world performance. What really matters is sustained read and write performance, not just how fast an external SSD can go for a second, but how well it keeps going over time.
In real-world use, especially under heavy I/O loads, the performance of some SSDs often dips, sometimes dramatically, due to thermal throttling, insufficient cache sizes, or poor NAND endurance. Some external SSDs advertise speeds north of 1000MB/s or even 2000MB/s. But, sometimes, those speeds are typically burst rates, measured under ideal, short-duration conditions using large sequential files.
This isn’t just about data transfer; it’s about workflow integrity. You need drives that can write 200GB in one go, without stalling, heating up, or corrupting files.
This guide is for creative professionals, media producers, and performance-driven users who can’t afford slowdowns during data transfer. Additionally, it is for filmmakers, Vloggers, and DITs, photographers, developers and engineers, power users who need reliable performance in mobile and desktop environments
When we say “sustained performance,” we’re not just talking about benchmark peaks. We have prioritized sustained Sequential Write Speed (over 800MB/s) for at least 200GB without throttling.
Additionally, we have listed drives with proper passive or active cooling, for heat dissipation, thus ensuring longer performance.
To add to that, we have only selected drives with TLC (Triple-Level Cell) NAND, using high-endurance NAND or with pseudo-SLC cache that doesn’t immediately saturate fare better. Speaking of the Controller and DRAM Buffer drives with Phison E18 or similar premium controllers show stronger sustained throughput, reduced latency and buffering.
When it comes to Connectivity and Interface, NVMe over USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt 3/4 interfaces yield vastly better performance than older SATA-based externals. And our selection is influenced by that. Also check out the top 1TB external SSDs in addition to the best 8TB ones.
The Following are the Best External SSDs for Sustained Write and Read Speeds:
Contents
- BUFFALO External SSD 2TB - Compatible with PS4 PS5 WindowsMac
- Kingston XS2000 4TB High Performance Portable SSD with USB-C Pocket-Sized USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 External Solid State Drive
- Transcend TS1TESD370C 1TB USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB Type-C ESD370C Portable, Rugged Solid State Drive
- ADATA SE880 4TB - Up to 2000 MBs- SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 USB-C External Portable SSD
- SanDisk 8TB Extreme Portable SSD - Up to 1050MBs, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance
- 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
- SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 4TB, USB 3.2 Gen 1 External Solid State Drive, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 460MBs
- Lenovo P6 Portable External Solid State Drive, 2TB SSD
- Crucial X8 4TB Portable SSD - Up to 1050MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive
- PNY EliteX-PRO 4TB USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C Portable Solid State Drive (SSD)
- Kingston XS1000 2TB SSD Pocket-Sized USB 3.2 Gen 2 External Solid State Drive
- Crucial X6 2TB Portable SSD - Up to 800MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 USB-C External Solid State Drive
- LaCie Rugged Mini SSD 1TB Solid State Drive
- PNY EliteX-PRO 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C Portable Solid State Drive (SSD)
- SanDisk Professional 4TB G-Drive SSD
BUFFALO External SSD 2TB - Compatible with PS4 PS5 WindowsMac |
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| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | Up to 340MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, Type C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC, Metal |
| Weight | 5.6 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Shock-resistant, rugged design provides drop protection |
| Reasons to Buy | Compact, Reliable, High Speed |
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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| 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 |
Transcend TS1TESD370C 1TB USB 3.1 Gen 2 USB Type-C ESD370C Portable, Rugged Solid State Drive |
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| Storage Capacity | 1TB |
| 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 3.1, Type C |
| Color | Blue Navy |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC, Metal |
| Weight | 3.07 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Ruggedized |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage, Good performance |
ADATA SE880 4TB - Up to 2000 MBs- SuperSpeed USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 USB-C External Portable SSD |
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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 |
SanDisk 8TB Extreme Portable SSD - Up to 1050MBs, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance |
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| Storage Capacity | 8TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Rate | 1050MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2, USB-C |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC, Metal Casing |
| Weight | 1.76 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | IP65 Water and Dust Resistance |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage, Fast Speed, Dust Resistant, Water Resistant, Portable, Hardware Encryption |
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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| 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 |
SAMSUNG T5 EVO Portable SSD 4TB, USB 3.2 Gen 1 External Solid State Drive, Seq. Read Speeds Up to 460MBs |
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| Storage Capacity | 4TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 460MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen 1 |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC, Metal Casing |
| Weight | 3.6 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Encryption |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage space |
Lenovo P6 Portable External Solid State Drive, 2TB SSD |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| Data Transfer Speed | 550MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | Metal |
| Weight | 1.27 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Compatible with PC, Mac, Android |
| Reasons to Buy | Large storage capacity, Design, Performance, Reliability |
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 |
PNY EliteX-PRO 4TB USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C Portable Solid State 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 | 1500MB/s |
| Data Encryption | Yes |
| Encryption | AES 256 Bit |
| Interface | USB 3.2 |
| Color | Black |
| Casing Material | PVC, Metal |
| Weight | 3.87 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Password protection |
| Reasons to Buy | Functional, Highly portable |
Kingston XS1000 2TB SSD Pocket-Sized USB 3.2 Gen 2 External Solid State Drive |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| 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 |
| Casing Material | Silicone Rubber, PVC |
| Weight | 1.58 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | High speed |
| Reasons to Buy | Compact, Quality Build, Large storage, Easy to Use |
Crucial X6 2TB Portable SSD - Up to 800MBs - PC and Mac - USB 3.2 USB-C External Solid State Drive |
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| Storage Capacity | 2TB |
| Storage Drive Type | SSD |
| Operating System Compatibility | Windows OS, Mac OS, Android |
| 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 |
| Reasons to Buy | Lightweight, Good performance, |
LaCie Rugged Mini SSD 1TB Solid State Drive |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 1TB |
| 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 | Good performance |
PNY EliteX-PRO 1TB USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C Portable Solid State Drive (SSD) |
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|---|---|
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| Storage Capacity | 1TB |
| 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, Metal |
| Weight | 3.87 ounces |
| Power Source | USB Port |
| Features | Password protection |
| Reasons to Buy | Functional, Highly portable, Good performance |
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 |
You can also take a look at the best external ssds supporting USB A and C, in addition to the best external SSDs for TVs.
