Is It Worth Buying SSD External Hard Drive?

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The world is fast embracing technology and at the heart of it all is the PC revolution. Gadgets are getting sleeker, faster, more durable, and long-lasting as technology improves leaps and bounds. One of these gadgets is the disk drive – or more precisely the SSD External Hard Drive. A considerable upgrade on the older mechanical drives, they provide speed, data reliability, durability, and above all value for money.

Increased performance, lightning-fast boot-up times, and a license to multitask make these External Solid-State Drive a must-have. The efficiency and sheer speed of these SSD External Hard Drives will make your life a lot easier by saving you precious time. Overall, it’ll add convenience to your life by allowing you to seamlessly work with heavy data and large files.

SSD External Hard Drives have become a fan favorite, quickly after they became available at affordable rates. Students, professionals, and businesses alike have whole-heartedly embraced this tech-revolution. Portability is a game-changer as moving your data becomes a breeze with these SSD External Hard Drives. 

This guide will elaborate on all the benefits of procuring an External SSD and why you should make the shift.

Advantages Of An SSD Drive Over HDD’s

No doubt Hard Disk Drives have been in the game ever since the advent of personal computers. But the tech world has seen a rapid shift in the usage of HDDs since the external SSDs were introduced. Let’s have a look at the advantages an SSD has over an HDD.

Access Time

When it comes to speed, SSD is a clear winner. With the mechanical hard drives, running more than one or two applications at a time was a headache and it would result in delayed response time from your PC.  That’s not the case with an SSD. It has an access time of 35 to 100 microseconds, which is 100 times more than a traditional hard drive. This means that overall SSD’s provide increased boot times, faster application loading, improved response time from the system, etc. Web hosting is also improved as an SSD ensures faster website load times and overall smoother user experience.

Durability

Compared to HDDs, SSDs are far more durable and wear-resistant. If you ever happen to drop an HDD and it breaks, it would result in the loss of your important data. Whereas with SSD, that’s never the case. They are super reliable when it comes to the protection of data inside them due to no moving parts.

HDDs, on the other hand, are composed of moving parts which results in loss of data in case the HDDs suffer any harm physically. Also, when the space in a hard disk drive reaches its end, pieces of huge files start to scatter around the disk. That’s what is called fragmentation. Even though the algorithms of HDD read/write have been upgraded, they can still be fragmented to an extent that it affects the performance.

Moreover, SSD external hard drives are pretty convenient to carry around as they come in lightweight sizes. So, it’s easier to carry an SSD around instead of HDD while traveling.

Energy-Efficient

Traditional hard drives are composed of read-write heads. They come in moving parts that consume huge amounts of electric power to spin their magnetic platters which are then responsible for reading, writing, and storing data. Unlike HDD, SSD requires no mechanical manipulation to function.

They use flash memory, which basically means that no moving parts are involved. Hence, HDD gets heated up after consuming all that power and needs time to cool down to start working efficiently again, while SSD experiences no such thing and stays cool as ever. Also, they are super light on electricity consumption which means reduced electric bills and an increased battery life of the laptop.

Storage Capacity

In terms of storage and capacity, SSDs have taken over HDDs by a storm. Although HDDs with large chunks of storage have been introduced, for example, Toshiba came up with a 14TB 3.5-inch form factor HDD that is based on conventional magnetic recording; it still amounts to putting tons of your data at risk in case of any harm to the physical form of drive.

And of course, more data in an HDD means that a greater time is required for the read/write head to spin the platters and fetch the data, ultimately slowing down the entire processing of your computer system. SSD, on the other hand, is known for its flash memory storage and efficient speed.

One of the vendors named Nimbus offers a 100TB 3D NAND flash SSD with a 3.5-inch form factor. This means having capacity 7 times more than that of an HDD, and an unbeatable efficiency with great speed for processing data, without having the risk of putting the data at risk.

Is An SSD External Hard Drive Worth It?

Technology has come a long way since the advent of this century. Technology and gadgets are the envy of every eye, as it makes an unforgettable mark on our lives. Amidst this frenzy, our data storage capabilities need to be strengthened as well. This results from the fact that modern smartphones can effortlessly record 4K videos and with the advent of 4G and 5G technologies, our storage needs will only grow.

SSDs look to fulfill the burgeoning needs of the time. Not only does the modern user require increased data storage, but he also lives for speed. This speed is the need of the hour and the world we operate in.  SSDs provide users with fast speed and offer additional benefits including those of durability, the ability to multitask, and above all unmatched portability.

These features make the SSD external hard drives a worthwhile investment. Provided the right conditions, the interface, and compatibility, SSDs can easily achieve access speeds a hundred times faster than mechanical drives. This makes them the perfect candidate for being your reliable data-storage assistant.

SSD vs. Traditional Rivals

SSD external hard drives easily outperform their traditional rivals: the mechanical hard drives. This is because these external SSDs are faster, more durable, and efficient and have higher portability. They even manufacture external SSD for gaming now. SSDs rely on flash memory to store data instead of the magnetic platters employed by hard-disk drives (HDD). Moreover, due to no moving parts SSDs make no noise, are not affected by magnetism, and are not affected by heat.

SSDs provide the ease of multitasking to the end-user. This is especially true for video editors, graphic designers, and users of high-end software. Rendering videos in software such as AutoDesk Revit and Adobe Premiere Pro can be done simultaneously with other tasks; a feat impossible with a normal storage device. This results in a lot of time saved by professionals as the data transfer rate varies between 300mb/s to 40Gb/s depending on other hardware.

Flexibility 

Probably the most important factor in procuring an SSD is the flexibility it provides. Students, professionals, and gamers can all benefit from the immense portability and on-the-go feature SSD’s provide. You can carry around your operating system along with all your required data, safely tucked in your pocket.

This flexibility is a must-have in today’s fast-paced world. Students can easily store their assignments and projects, professionals need not carry heavy notebooks with themselves everywhere and photographers can easily view and edit their photos on the go. All these tasks would have been impossible without the super-fast SSDs.

An SSD external hard drive can increase your system’s performance, give you flexibility, and is a durable option. Its versatility is evident by its varying uses that can be performed at an immensely fast speed. Easy to fit in a pocket, they also come with protective casings making it even more wear-resistant. Buying a 1TB external hard drive would be an optimum choice as it mixes affordability with all other benefits of SSDs.

But Are They Really Worth The Money?

Having visited all the pros of buying an external SSD, the only question left is whether it fits the price. On average a 1TB external hard drive SSD sets you back 85USD, which is a bargain, given its benefits. If the price is everything then sure, the traditional hard-disk drive is almost half that of SSD, but the benefits that can be attained by the latter are immense.

Having an external SSD can breathe new life into your system, providing you with the mobility you desire without compromising on speed and reliability, and the added ingredient of durability.

Top SSD External Hard Drives

1. Portable SSD

Samsung has always been ahead of its competitors when it comes to technological advancements. It has launched a number of portable SSDs but the T5 SSD 1 TB external hard drive is a game-changer. With its sturdy metallic body and a sleek design, it can easily slide in your pocket or purse, and you can get your entertainment package anywhere on any device. It uses Samsung V-NAND flash memory and a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface, and has a transfer speed of up to 540 MB/s with a USB Type-C connection. This makes T5 4.9 times faster than any external HDDs. Transfer of large data files including 4K videos and high-resolution images would be easier than ever.

2. Fast SSD

 

 

Seagate (STCM1000400) 1TB External Solid State Drive

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Another best external hard drive on our list is the Seagate Fast SSD. Seagate is known for its amazing storage devices and this time it has brought up this impressively slim SSD which is only 9mm thick with a footprint of 94 x 79mm.

For an ever-amazing gaming experience, this best SSD takes the lead with BarraCuda Fast SSD combined with the boosted solid-state speed of up to 540 MB/s, which is perfect for seamless ultra-fast installing and booting of games. It is one of the best 1 TB external hard drives which makes it a suitable choice for external Playstation or Xbox storage. Moreover, with its reversible USB-C cable, one can interchangeably use it with Windows and Mac devices.

3. SuperSpeed External SSD

Crafted for ultimate mobility, the SE800 External SSD by ADATA is an evolution in speed. It has a super-fast read/write speed of up to 1000 MB/s which is significantly great for gamers and those who have to carry out operations with giant chunks of data on a daily basis.

It has a 40-gram lightweight form factor which makes it easier to carry around and supports various operating systems. So it’s like entertainment on the go with the best SSD that is ADATA SE800.

4. Wireless SSD

The WD My Passport Wireless SSD is a perfect choice for all those traveling fanatics who love capturing their adventures. It comes with a built-in card reader so you don’t need a computer or any software to transfer videos and pictures from the SD card to the SSD.

The one-touch copy button is all you need for a quick backup. It has a highly durable shock-resistant body is destined to protect your content from any sort of drops, vibrations or shock. It provides an access speed of 390 MB/s which is great for fast transferring the visual content.

Final Thoughts 

Now that we have explored the best external hard drives in the market and their numerous benefits, it will be easier for you to choose your device. From the versatility of function to durability based on superior technology, and speed that gives you an unmatched experience; the best SSDs are here to stay. These versatile devices can be used as a primary boot-up device, a backup for all your data needs as well as a fast data transferring hub.

The best external hard drives have come a long way in their technological journeys. They ensure a hundred-fold speed improvement on their traditional counterparts, improved data-transfer rates with the advent of USB 3.1 technology, and portability which is admired by every user. The benefits of these best SSDs are the need for modern lives.

They may make a dent on your wallet but rest assured the wholesale benefits they bring along themselves are truly worth every penny. Used and loved by students, professionals, and gamers alike; they represent the best that technology has to offer us. With it also, they offer peace of mind, reliability, and the knowledge that these devices are our best storage companions.