Are These the Portable SSDs You Are Looking For?

SSDs or solid-state drives have come a long way. From being mostly unaffordable hardware for PC enthusiasts to now being standard equipment in many notebook PCs. Portable SSDs have also become more affordable, and they’re now available in sizes that make them practical for everyday storage. We’re checking out some of the latest models from VAVA, Western Digital (WD) and Lexar.

VAVA is a name that many people are not familiar with. As a name that found success on Kickstarter, their VAVA Touch SSD features a built-in fingerprint reader and a slender profile reminiscent of a USB flash drive. The 500 GB model, as shown, doesn’t give up much ground in terms of performance, touting read speeds of 540 MB/s and write speeds of up to 480 MB/s. Connectivity is via a USB-C connection.

The WD My Passport Go SSD is a 1TB model that makes carrying a solid-state storage device more affordable and practical. The built-in USB cable is convenient but is somewhat held back by the interface compared to the USB-C connections on the other features SSDs. This limits the device to around 400 MB/s read speeds, and we can imagine that write speeds would be lower and aren’t stated. But for everyday storage, it is still faster than a standard spinning hard drive and is far more durable with no moving parts.

Finally, for professional photographers and videographers, the Lexar SL200 SSD should be your first choice in terms of reliability. With a built-in USB-C connection, the drive has read speeds of up to 550 MB/s and write speeds of up to 400 MB/s. A little behind the VAVA in terms of write speeds on paper. The small size is very pocketable and would come in very handy for backing up footage to give to editors after a shoot.

What would be your pick for a portable SSD? Are there any favourites we haven’t covered that you love? Let us know in the comments below!