Conclusion

And the best portable external SSD is...

Prices of portable external SSDs have fallen quite dramatically, especially for the smaller 250/256GB and 500/512GB capacity drives. Last year, a 250GB and 500GB Samsung Portable SSD T3 would have cost you S$269 and S$329 respectively. Now, a Samsung Portable SSD T5 with similar capacities would set you back S$179 and S$279 respectively - that’s considerable savings. As a result, portable external SSDs today are a lot more compelling especially to users who demand a speedy portable external storage drive.

For readers who demand a tough drive that can stand up to dust and water, the ADATA SE730H is the obvious choice. It is the only drive here that is rated IP68 dust and water resistant. Plus, its aluminum casing feels solid too. Obviously, not everyone is going to be subjecting their portable external SSDs to dust and water, but its good to know that if the situation calls for it (say you are caught in the rain), the drive will do just fine.

For everyone else, the Samsung Portable SSD T5 is the better option simply because it is super compact and super fast. It also comes with two cables so that it works with just about any device and it comes with an easy to use app that secures your drive. Even though it's slightly pricier than its rivals, these attributes make it the ideal portable external SSD for most consumers.

The WD My Passport is a fine portable external SSD and a commendable first showing from WD. However, it suffers from some pretty significant performance issues especially with regards to its performance with high queue depth operations. This can have a negative impact on certain workloads, especially if backup frequently to the drive or intend to run programs off it. On the flip side, the WD My Passport SSD is one of the more affordable options.

Final Ratings

	Click here for rundown of pros/cons
	Click here for rundown of pros/cons
	Click here for rundown of pros/cons