Quick Answer
Yes, you can use a portable SSD (solid state drive) as an external hard drive. A portable SSD works similarly to a traditional external hard drive, but offers faster transfer speeds and more durability due to its flash memory design. Portable SSDs connect via USB, Thunderbolt or other interfaces and can supplement or replace a computer’s internal hard drive for storage and backup.
What is a Portable SSD?
A portable solid state drive (SSD) is a type of external storage device that uses flash memory instead of a spinning hard disk. It connects to a computer, laptop or other device via a USB, Thunderbolt or other cable.
Here are some key characteristics of portable SSDs:
– Extremely fast transfer speeds – Portable SSDs can reach transfer speeds of over 500MB/s thanks to their flash memory and interfaces like USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 3/4. This makes them much faster than external hard drives.
– More durable and shock-resistant – With no moving parts, portable SSDs can better withstand accidental drops and bumps. Their flash memory isn’t as prone to damage as the platters in hard drives.
– Compact and lightweight – A typical portable SSD is about the size of a smartphone and weighs just a few ounces. External hard drives are bulkier in comparison. The compact size makes portable SSDs highly portable.
– Less power consumption – Portable SSDs are more power efficient and don’t need to be plugged into a power outlet like many external hard drives. The USB or Thunderbolt cable provides sufficient power.
– Silent operation – There are no noisy spinning disks or movement with a portable SSD. They run silently which is nice when working.
Uses for a Portable SSD
Here are some of the most common uses for a portable SSD:
– External storage and backups – Store or backup photos, videos, documents and other files. The fast speeds make them ideal for transfering large files quickly.
– Transporting data – Easily carry large files with you wherever you go and access them from multiple devices by plugging into the portable SSD.
– Working with high-bandwidth media – The fast data transfer speeds make portable SSDs very well-suited for working with 4K/8K video, high-res photos, and large design files.
– Gaming – Add more high-performance storage for gaming PCs and consoles. Load games faster with an SSD.
– Hardware/system troubleshooting – Use a portable SSD with diagnostic tools to troubleshoot PC issues by booting from the SSD instead of the system drive.
– Encrypted storage – Many portable SSDs offer hardware encryption to securely protect sensitive data.
– Offload internal storage – Supplement ultrabooks, older systems and other devices with limited internal drive capacity by storing data externally in a portable SSD.
Benefits of Using a Portable SSD
Using a portable SSD as external storage or as a replacement/supplementary internal drive has several notable benefits:
– Faster file transfers – The blazing USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Thunderbolt 3 speeds offer up to 2-4x faster transfers compared to external hard drives. Move files in a flash.
– Compact and portable – Roughly the size of a smartphone, portable SSDs slip easily into a bag or pocket for use anywhere. External hard drives are bulkier.
– More durable – With no moving parts, portable SSDs better withstand drops, shocks, vibration and extreme temperatures compared to external HDDs.
– Cool and quiet – Portable SSDs stay cool and silent during operation. External hard drives require more power and ventilation and can get hot.
– Hardware encryption – Many portable SSDs support AES hardware encryption and password protection natively for securing sensitive data.
– Power efficient – Portable SSDs consume less power than external hard drives, which often require dedicated power cables. The USB or Thunderbolt cable is sufficient for power.
– Compatibility – Portable SSDs work with PCs, Macs, tablets, smartphones and gaming consoles via standard interfaces like USB. Some hard drives may have compatibility limitations.
– Small and lightweight – Weighing just 1.8 ounces on average, portable SSDs are designed for travel. Hard drives generally weigh over 6 ounces.
Disadvantages of Portable SSDs
While they offer excellent performance and plenty of benefits, portable SSDs do come with some downsides to consider:
– Higher cost – Portable SSDs carry a price premium over similarly sized external hard drives. However, their prices have dropped significantly over the years.
– Lower capacities – Hard drives are available in larger multi-terabyte capacities. Portable SSD capacities top out at around 4TB currently. Larger SSDs remain more expensive.
– Potential compatibility issues – While portable SSDs work with most computers, some older systems don’t support higher bandwidth USB or Thunderbolt connections required for maximum performance. Always check compatibility.
– No ruggedization – Most portable SSDs lack ruggedized features like water, dust and shock proofing found on some portable hard drives. Users have to be careful not to drop or damage their portable SSD.
– Shorter lifespan – The memory cells in SSDs can wear out after hundreds of thousands to millions of write cycles. Portable hard drives have a longer average lifespan before failure.
– Degraded performance over time – The write speeds of SSDs may start out faster but then degrade over time as memory cells wear out. Hard drives maintain more consistent sustained speeds.
Choosing the Best Portable SSD
With many brands of portable SSDs available, here are the most important factors to consider when choosing one:
– **Interface** – Faster interfaces like USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 and Thunderbolt 3/4 are recommended for peak performance. Avoid older USB 3.0 drives limited to 500MB/s.
– **Storage capacity** – Choose a capacity suitable for your needs and budget. Standard sizes range from 250GB to 4TB. Bigger capacities cost more.
– **Read/write speeds** – A faster SSD will provide quicker file transfers. Look for sequential read/write over 1000MB/s for top speed.
– **Form factor** – Common portable SSD sizes are about 3 x 1.5 inches. M.2 SSDs with enclosures are even more compact but lower capacity.
– **Encryption** – Models with AES 256-bit hardware encryption offer the best security for sensitive data. Software encryption tends to hurt performance.
– **Warranty** – A longer warranty (3-5 years) provides more coverage in case of any manufacturing defects.
– **Brand reputation** – Stick with recognizable brands like Samsung, WD, SanDisk and Seagate that make reliable drives backed by solid warranties.
– **Price per GB** – Calculate the cost per gigabyte to find a good balance of capacity and value. Prices range from around 12 to 50 cents per gigabyte.
Using a Portable SSD as an External Drive
Using a portable SSD as an external storage drive is simple since they work similarly to USB flash drives and external hard drives. Here are the basic steps:
1. Connect the included USB cable from the SSD to your computer, tablet or phone. For fastest speeds, use USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt 3/4 ports if available.
2. The SSD will automatically mount and appear as a new drive letter or external disk on your system. No driver installation is required.
3. You can now access, copy, move and delete files to and from the SSD just like any other drive. Drag and drop files or use copy/paste commands.
4. Right-click on the SSD and choose “Eject” before physically disconnecting the drive. This avoids any potential for data corruption.
5. Depending on your OS, you may want to right-click and choose “Format…” to format the SSD into NTFS, exFAT, or other file system to enhance compatibility.
6. Optionally, you can password protect and encrypt your SSD using the security tools offered by brands like Samsung, WD and SanDisk for extra data protection.
7. To use your SSD to its full potential, move your frequently accessed files and programs over to it. Also use it for your storage-heavy files like videos, photos and games.
Using a Portable SSD as a Boot or Game Drive
For higher performance in demanding scenarios, portable SSDs can also be used as internal boot, application or game storage drives. Here’s how:
### As a Boot Drive
1. Use a SATA-USB adapter or enclosure to connect your portable SSD internally via SATA connection.
2. Backup important data and install the portable SSD in place of your existing boot drive. Clone your old drive if possible.
3. Reconfigure BIOS settings to boot from the new SSD. Set as the first in the boot order priority list.
4. Install Windows or your preferred OS directly onto the portable SSD to make it the primary boot volume.
5. Portable SSDs can run OS and programs very quickly thanks to fast random read/write speeds.
### As a Game Drive
1. Connect your portable SSD externally via USB or Thunderbolt.
2. Copy your game library folders onto the portable SSD. Steam, Origin and other platforms allow you to relocate installations.
3. Ensure your computer reads and loads games from the SSD for optimal load time improvements.
4. Portable SSDs reduce game launch and level load times significantly compared to HDDs.
5. If you play on a gaming laptop, use a portable SSD to expand limited internal storage space for more games.
No matter how you use it, a portable SSD offers great external storage with fast transfer speeds and expanded capacity in a compact, silent unit. With dropping prices, they are becoming very affordable options for boosting PC, Mac and gaming performance.
Conclusion
In summary, portable SSDs provide an excellent storage upgrade over external hard drives. Their blazing speeds, compact size, durability and silent operation make them ideal high-performance solutions for backup, transfering data, travel, gaming and more. While SSDs cost a bit more per gigabyte, their continually lowering prices make the speed boost very accessible. Both USB and Thunderbolt models are available to match your interface needs and budget. So if you need lots of fast external storage, a portable SSD is a smart choice over a conventional portable hard disk.