The Best NVMe Portable SSDs

It is the only 1TB drive in this guide, and it needs a USB4 or Thunderbolt port to reach those speeds. It reads at up to 4,000MB/s over USB 40Gbps and Thunderbolt, and it is IP54-rated with 3-metre drop and 1-ton crush resistance. It suits fieldwork with large video files.

It matches the X10 Pro on capacity (1TB). Its 4,000MB/s rated read speed is the fastest here; the X10 Pro comes next at 2,100MB/s. It also offers compatibility with Thunderbolt 3, 4 and 5 as well as 5-20Gbps USB and a three-year warranty with Rescue data recovery. On price it sat fourth of 5, between the cheaper T7 2TB and the pricier T7 Shield 2TB, at the time of writing.

It suits creators with a 20Gbps port. It reads at up to 2,100MB/s and writes at 2,000MB/s, and it is rated IP55 with 7.5-foot drop resistance. Full speed needs a 20Gbps USB port.

It matches the Rugged SSD4 on capacity (1TB). Its 2,100MB/s rated read speed ranks second of 5 here, behind the Rugged SSD4 (4,000MB/s) and ahead of the T7 Shield 2TB (1,050MB/s). You get a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (USB-C) connection here, which sets it apart from the SanDisk Extreme 2TB and its a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) connection.

You also get Acronis True Image and Mylio Photos+ trials. Its top speed needs a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps) port; most laptops and all Macs run it at 10Gbps speeds instead. It undercut the SanDisk Extreme 2TB and every other pick on price at the time of writing. The trade-off is capacity; for more, the SanDisk Extreme 2TB is rated for 2TB.

The 2TB size suits games and video. SanDisk rates it for 3-metre drops and IP65 water and dust resistance, up from the earlier 2-metre and IP55 ratings. A carabiner loop lets you clip it to a bag.

Password protection uses 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and the Memory Zone app helps manage files. It matches the T7 2TB and the T7 Shield 2TB on capacity (2TB). It matches the T7 2TB and the T7 Shield 2TB on rated read speed (1,050MB/s).

It shares a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) connection with the T7 2TB; the T7 Shield 2TB goes with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection. You also get NVMe performance in a small body. On price it sat second of 5, between the cheaper X10 Pro and the pricier T7 2TB, at the time of writing.

The extra space suits a larger game library. It matches the SanDisk Extreme 2TB and the T7 Shield 2TB on capacity (2TB). It matches the SanDisk Extreme 2TB and the T7 Shield 2TB on rated read speed (1,050MB/s).

It shares a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (USB-C) connection with the SanDisk Extreme 2TB; the T7 Shield 2TB goes with a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection. It also comes with PCIe NVMe inside and drop protection up to 6ft. On price it sat third of 5, between the cheaper SanDisk Extreme 2TB and the pricier Rugged SSD4, at the time of writing.

Its IP65 rating and 9.8ft drop protection suit a drive that lives in a camera bag. It uses an internal PCIe NVMe drive for reads up to 1,050MB/s and writes up to 1,000MB/s over USB 3.2 Gen 2. The rubber shell adds water, dust and drop resistance.

It matches the SanDisk Extreme 2TB and the T7 2TB on capacity (2TB). It matches the SanDisk Extreme 2TB and the T7 2TB on rated read speed (1,050MB/s). It also offers Magician software for drive health and firmware updates.

It was the most expensive pick when we checked, so weigh what it adds over the Rugged SSD4. If rated read speed is your priority, the Rugged SSD4 (4,000MB/s) is the stronger choice.