Under the gaming belt, when expert gamers talk about their perfect gaming experience, most of them forget to mention an important shred – an SSD. Believe it or not, you might have the best gaming mouse, a dedicated 240Hz monitor, a fascinating RGB Mechanical keyboard, or even a gaming chair, but these all would mean nothing if you don’t have any space to install your favorite games. That’s where you need the best external SSD for your gaming world. Overall, if you wish to have ample space for your games along with reduced load time and lagging, then you have landed at the right place.
Against the grain, the top-notch portable SSDs recline many steps above in speed, capability, reliability, saving, protecting, and retrieving your important files as compared to traditional spinning mechanical Hard Drives (HDDs). Practically, if you are a PC gamer, you must be confident in investing a bit in a portable SSD drive, increasing the storage space and overall performance.
Another bigger advantage of external gaming SSDs is the compact portable design, which allows you to carry them anywhere in your backpack. Choosing an external SSD for PC, MAC, or Xbox gaming isn’t as simple as it seems, as you have to consider many factors along with the price range.
Hold on there; we have selected 9 high-end external SSDs for gaming and regular use by considering their size, weight, durability, interface, storage capacity, and budget to provide you with the best of both worlds.
Best External SSDs 2022
| Sr. No. | Best External SSDs for Gaming | Storage Capacity | Hardware Interface | Hardware Platforms | Dimensions (Inches) |
| 01 | Samsung T7 SSD | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | PC, MAC | USB 3.1 Type C | 3.35 x 2.24 x 0.31 |
| 02 | SanDisk Extreme SSD | 250GB,500GB,1TB,2TB | MAC, Windows | USB Type C | 0.38 x 2.07 x 3.97 |
| 03 | WD-Black P50 Game Drive SSD | 500GB,1TB,2TB,4TB | PC, MAC | USB | 4.65 x 2.44 x 0.55 |
| 04 | Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD | 500GB, 1TB,2TB | MAC, PC | USB 3.0 | 0.36 x 3.11 x 3.68 |
| 05 | Crucial X6 portable SSD | 500GB, 1TB,2TB,4TB | PC, Linux, Mac | USB 3.1 Type C | 2.72 x 0.43 x 2.52 |
| 06 | Apricorn Aegis Fortress L3 SSD | 500GB, 1TB,2TB,3TB,4TB,5TB | PC, Mac, UNI, Linux | USB 3.0 | 4.75 x 3 x 0.9 |
| 07 | ADATA SD700 | 256GB, 512GB, 1TB | PC, Mac, Unix, Linux | USB 3.0 | 3.28 x 0.55 x 3.28 |
| 08 | LaCie Rugged SSD Pro Drive | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB | PC, MAC | USB Type C, USB, Thunderbolt | 0.67 x 2.56 x 3.85 |
| 09 | LaCie External SSD | 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | PC, MAC | USB 3.0, USB Type C, Thunderbolt | 3.68 x 3.11 x 0.36 |
1. Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Samsung T7 SSD is compact and tiny compared to portable hard drives. Most people complain about heated up SSDs, but Samsung addressed this issue in T7 by incorporating a phase change layer right to the driver circuit board, which is excellent is absorbing and releasing the heat to keep the temperature below 45 Celsius even during excessive overuse. Overall, the innovative performance has been packed in the diminutive, sturdy, and go-anywhere design.
To get on security with this SSD, Samsung T7 entails a fingerprint reader, a smart solution to secure the vast trove of information that we always carry in our external devices. Optionally, you can also use AES 256-bit encrypted password protection, and if you ever forget the password, it permits you a second way of unlocking. To be clear, this SSD offers up to 10 Gbps performance in well-thought and sleek design.
Above all, if you are looking for a super-fast and secure portable SSD, this Samsung T7 is worth considering, which is available at a much lower cost per GB than other touch variants.
For more info: See Samsung T7 Portable SSD Review.
2. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
To be on solid ground, SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is a portable SSD that is not only pocket-size but also comes in a rugged, budget-friendly range entailing user-oriented features. Amazingly, four drive iterations (250GB, 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB) are available to meet the needs of all users.
To meet the demand of outdoor users, the SanDisk drive incorporates a rubber fuselage with an orange plastic loop attached safely to any item. Besides, the bottom and top edges surfaces are textured, while the all-around edges are smooth to make the handling much easier.
Ahead of the curve, the SanDisk Portable SSD embodied an IP55 type rating to ensure dust and water resistance. Additionally, the sole connector is a USB 3.1 port that can be bundled easily with Type-C to allow up to 550MBps, or you can obtain a higher fraction by using a Type-A adaptor.
This drive can transfer data at the rate of 10Gbps and can effectively work with windows and Macs straight out of the box. Moreover, you will be provided with SanDisk’s Secure Access 3.02 Software which permits you to produce password-protected folders to hide all your subtle data using 128-bit AES encryption.
For more info., read SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD Full Review.
3. WD Black P50 Portable SSD Game Drive
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Saunter through the data world, WD-Black P50 Game Drive is an advanced solution to storage problems for PC and console gamers. Actually, it’s a portable NVMe SSD that gamers can use to store part of their game library for efficiently quicker loading times compared to an internal hard drive in the PC or console.
This SSD incorporates USB 3.2 connectivity, and the maximum performance can be attained up to 2GBs. However, the available capacities range from 500B to 2TB. Letting behind the traditional designs, this SSD comes with smooth edges that appear more like a crate than in Halo or Gears of War which is durable and visually pleasing.
To devour it completely, it boosts the startup process, so you wouldn’t have to wait on the sluggish load screens. Additionally, it’s a shock-resistant drive to take your games anywhere, and you won’t need to delete old files to feed the new one as it comes with enough room. As it is portable, you can also use it to save music, movies, and other files. Above all, there is a venting system for heat dissipation at the bottom of the drive and four small rubber feet for added assistance.
For more info., read WD-Black P50 Game Drive’s full review.
4. Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Grounded in fact, the Seagate Fast SSD comes with an innovative color scheme with the built-in excellent features of a portable drive. Some of the features supported by this SSD include fully reversible and future-proof USB-C connectivity, swift file transfer speed, and novel file-syncing software to meet all your needs.
Practically, via this SSD drive, you can transfer files seamlessly, boot games quickly, and store streaming videos without lagging. Moreover, with the optimal capacity of 2TB, this SSD can save more than 50 titles to carry them anywhere.
When it comes to design, this Seagate fast SSD incorporates a thin square-shaped texture that comes with an all-black enclosure with the green lip across the faceplate and white Seagate branding on the top. To make it compatible with Windows and Mac right out of the box, exFAT formatting is added.
Coming to the performance, this SSD drive stood at the top of the fastest drives without resorting to any magic tricks. Furthermore, the incorporated software helps keep the files updated. You can create the backups and folder mirroring for your important files to be secured in case of any miss-deletion.
For more info, read Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD’s full review.
5. Crucial X6 External SSD
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Crucial X6 portable SSD is a portable solid-state drive that suits best for users looking for a comparatively compact storage device with Type-C connectivity, more than average capacity to boot, and a reasonable price tag. Stunningly, the smooth black plastic case with the crucial logo imparts a classy look.
Moreover, this portable SSD is nearly square, slightly thick, and easy to fit in your pocket. But if you wish to use the USB Type-A port at the computer, you may need to grab the USB-C-to-A cable or adapter.
Crucial X6 portable SSD works well with Linux, MAC, and Windows in the run of performance. It supports the USB 3.1 with generation 2 interface, backward compatible with USB 3.2 generation 1 and USB 3.0. Moreover, there is no limited need for a 10Gbps interface, as this drive incorporates Serial ATA technology linked to USB, which assures that the drive is slender to typical SATA speeds. Amazingly, the flow with this USB will never be blocked, which is made possible by swift reads of around 540MBps.
For more info, read Crucial X6 portable SSD full review.
6. Apricorn Aegis External Fortress L3 SSD
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
To open up, Apricorn Fortress L3 is designed specifically to suit the storage needs of companies and organizations that demand a premium level of security for their data. Surprisingly, this drive comes in a sleek and compact design in black vault appearance for your information that demands an incorporated PIN authentication pas to unlock you before reaching bulk sensitive data anywhere. Additionally, an extra security layer is added by including 256-bit AES-XTS hardware encryption, ensuring that all your sensitive data will be secured to military-grade privacy.
Saunter through the range, Apricorn Aegis Fortress L3 comes with a sturdy polymer coating that incorporates dust and water resistance, reducing wear and tear on repetitively used keys. Digging deep, this USB comes with LED indications above the buttons and lock & unlock buttons on the top.
Interestingly, USB 3.1/3.2 cords are provided to offer the standard USB Type-A and USB Type-C connections. It comes with pre-formatted NTFS for the windows but is reformattable for Mac. Moreover, a case is included to store the drive.
For more info, read Apricorn Aegis Fortress L3’s full review.
7. ADATA SD700 3D NAND External Drive
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
ADATA SD700 is excellent in creating backup storage solutions for all your media files in a pocket-sized design. Surprisingly, it’s extremely lightweight, faster, easy to use, and much more efficient than an average HDD. This SSD drive is carved using a solid metal shell to ensure longevity, completely protected by the thick, sturdy rubber across the entire body. Surprisingly, it can withstand submersion and dust in up to 5 feet of water for nearly an hour. Doesn’t look smart?
Keeping all your data in case, ADATA SD700 is military-grade protected. Interestingly, it can handle around 5GB of video files in just 26 seconds but doesn’t confidently call a gaming drive. Plus, the reported reading speed of this drive is 440MB/s and the writing speed of 430MB/S. This drive is compatible with windows, MAC, and Android devices.
Amazingly, SD700 utilized advances 3D NAND triple-level technology to obtain consistent, fast, and efficient performance each time. Overall, if you are in search of a nifty way to store and access media files for personal use, you couldn’t get a better SSD than ADATA SD700.
For more info., read ADATA SD700’s full review.
8. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro Drive
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
Believe it or not, LaCie Rugged SSD Pro Drive is an ideal choice for users searching for worthwhile IP67 rated ruggedized external SSD. Adding more, the silicon’s grippy covering makes this device one of the well-designed portable drives.
Its fast action can be utilized by USB or Thunderbolt 3 – neither will hurt it. Stunningly, it’s available up to 5TB capacity; you can pick the range according to preference. It can offer reading and writing well over 2GBps, which is quite excellent for even heavy files.
The LaCie Rugged SSD has an aluminum surface that is dust, shock, water, and crush resistant. The rounded edges in a sleek, lightweight design make it perfectly functional for outdoor trips. This drive shows unequaled results for any professional use when it comes to performance due to its tough, responsive, and secure nature.
To be clear, most of the available excellent models lack universal connectivity, but LaCie Rugged SSD has built-in USB-C, USB 3.0, and Thunderbolt 3 ports that support light-speed transfer.
9. LaCie Portable SSD With USB-C
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
To open up, LaCie Portable SSD is the lightest and smallest drive produced by this brand, with a storage capacity of up to 2TB is available in the palm-sized design. The slim width of this model makes it suitable to be fitted anywhere in the backpack or pocket. Amazingly, it has a drop resistance of up to 2-meters in height and is hence suitable for on-the-go use.
When it comes to the design, this external SSD is carved using a black plastic material with the red-rimmed dark black metal surface at the apex that looks attractive when it catches the light. Moreover, when you plug the device into your computer, an incorporated LED at the front starts coming out, which looks brighter in the dimmer room.
Inching forward, LaCie Portable SSD features USB 3.1 Generation-2 with the optimal write or read speed of around 540-500 MB/s, which is quite excellent in this price range. Most importantly, this device is shipped with both ‘USB-C to USB-C’ cable for joining USB-C accessories to Mac with the C-type port and a ‘USB-C to USB-A’ port to join in a MAC with the type-A port, and hence it becomes compatible with both.
But keep in mind that you will not get the USB 3.1 Generation-2 speeds with the USB-A port, so make your arrangements. The good news is that this SSD well-suits both Windows and Macs due to exFAT formatting. Additionally, LaCie’s software is programmed to sync files between SSD and mirrored folders on your computer.
A Guide to Choosing the Best External SSD for Gaming
On the clear ground, the key to fast storage lies in the best internal SSD because most of the computers slow down when they are paired with slow storage drives. Stunningly, the advanced processors could handle billions of cycles per second, but the time can be delayed when it has to wait for your drive to feed any data. So, to save you from all space and durability-related issues, we are going to discuss which model will suit you best.
Capacity
When it comes to spending money on an external SSD, you first need to know about the suitable storage space that you need for your data. Here, we are going to discuss the possibilities available capacities and compatibility with your data.
- 128GB: The drives having this capacity are bit slower in performance due to lower number of memory modules. Plus, after installing windows and a few heavy games, it will run out of space. So, if you are going to put more data, we recommend you to go for higher space models.
- 250GB: Undoubtedly, these drives are cheaper than their high-capacity cousins, and they can suit you for moderate level of data storage which you will be needed to clean before putting new one. If you have a bit more budget, we advise you to opt at least 500GB model.
- 500GB: Practically, this class of capacity offers a reasonable space for your sensitive data and keep it store for lifetime. Overall, if you have medium level budget, you can grab this range of storage, otherwise move to the next one.
- 1TB: Comparatively, 1TB storage drives are selling like hot cakes due to their ability to store enough data that a gamer might need even at excessive gaming. You will be provided with ample space for the programming system, and to store future files and software.
- 2TB: If you are going to tackle massive media files, or a huge game library that you want to access suffering slow installation pains, then this 2TB drive is perfectly for you.
- 4TB: We recommend to grab this storage space only of you really want to put this much data, because their price ranges are quite very high compared to lower storage drives. But they are efficient in holding, storing, and interpreting large files just like a piece of cake. When it comes to read/write speed, no other storage options could compete them.
Ruggedization and Endurance
To get good mileage out of your SSDs, the degree of ruggedness must be considered, which varies from drive to drive. Overall, the IP68 certification proved an excellent specification to consider if you are keen on dustproof and waterproof drives. Additionally, some available models come with combined ruggedness with electrical and physical security. It would be impossible to crack open such drives to obtain the PCBs inside without destroying them, which suits best the military level security.
General-purpose computing doesn’t need to dive too deep when it comes to endurance. The all-flash memory comes with a restricted life span, which means every storage call will stop holding data after a written number of times. How would you know about endurance? The manufacturers mention them as drive writes per day (DWPD) or total terabytes written (TBW).
Final Verdict
The external SSDs are a much-preferred choice if you are searching for a storage solution that offers the best value. Surprisingly, the price of the best external and portable SSDs has come down in recent years to provide you with ease of your space storage stress. Our checked models are taking the heart of many gamers by considering their capacity, interface, compatible devices, durability, weight, dimensions, and price tag. Give it a go and grab the excellent for yourself or your loved ones.
