Kingston just took the wraps off the XS1000 External SSD. It’s about the size of pack of gum but holds up to 2 terabytes of data. And it can transfer files at high speed, too.
Or there’s the already announced XS2000, which is twice as fast. Just not for everyone.
Sabrent’s new portable Rocket Nano XTRM External SSD features blazing-fast data-transfer speeds via Thunderbolt 3, the company said Thursday.
★★★★☆
The Kingston IronKey Vault Privacy 80 External SSD includes a touchscreen and hardware encryption to protect user data. Unlock it by tapping in a password or numeric passcode onto the touchscreen.
It’s available in capacities ranging from 480GB to nearly 2TB. And it’s accessible from just about any device with a USB port — no special software needed.
I went hands-on with the secure SSD. Here’s why I like it.
The SanDisk 4TB Extreme Portable SSD cost a jaw-dropping $699 when it launched. You can now pick it up for a third of that original cost: $229. Amazon also offers similar deals on smaller-capacity versions for a limited time.
These external drives promise data-transfer speeds up to 1,050 MBps over a USB-C connection, and work with Mac and iPad.
UPDATE: Published reports indicate this SSD has a high failure rate, which might explain why it’s on sale. Buyer beware.
★★★☆☆
The UGR Tech Portable SSD External Hard Drive 2TB offers a lot of storage for an exceedingly low price — it’s available from Cult of Mac Deals for just $34.99. I could even call that a suspiciously low price, because rival USB-C drives sell for about four times as much. So I ordered one and tested it out.
I discovered why the external SSD is so very cheap, but also that it’s not a scam or a ripoff … as long as you understand the significant speed limitation of this 2TB drive.
Cloud storage is great, but like any technology, it has a time and place. When you want guaranteed storage that doesn’t require an internet connection to access, what you really need is a good external drive. This 2TB portable SSD keeps your data close and your devices unclogged. And for a limited time, it costs just $34.99.
That price is so unbelievably low that this SSD quickly sold out the last few times we offered it. Our vendor just acquired approximately 120 more units, and it’s available again as a Cult of Mac Deals exclusive … while supplies last!
The Samsung T7 Shield is a credit-card-size external SSD designed to survive drops, rain and dust. The 1TB version is currently down to $79.99 on Amazon — half the cost it was when the solid-state drive launched a year ago.
And there are deals on the 2TB and 4TB versions, too.
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Several companies, including Samsung and Western Digital, have cut prices on SSDs and memory cards for World Backup Day. Save up to $80 on the rugged Samsung T7 Shield, while the SSD that’s WD’s closest rival is also on sale.
A 1TB SanDisk microSD card is surprisingly affordable. And the JetDriveLite specially made for MacBooks card readers is available at a discount, too.
Some of the deals are only available on March 31, so don’t procrastinate.
The Samsung T7 Shield rugged SSD launched in 2022 with a maximum of 2TB of capacity and is now available with twice that.
T7 Shield is a a credit-card size external SSD intended for outdoor content creators or travelers. It works with Mac and iPad plus a wide variety of devices.
Apple’s new entry-level M2 Mac mini and 2023 MacBook Pros ship with significantly slower SSDs than their predecessors. This could negatively impact read/write-intensive workflows.
The slowdown is because Apple uses a single flash chip solution on the 2023 models. For comparison, the M1 Mac mini and 2021 MacBook Pros used two flash chips.
