A portable SSD is the easiest way to back up photos, carry big projects between computers or add fast storage to a laptop or games console. Compared with old spinning hard drives, they’re many times faster, much smaller and far more resistant to knocks.
One thing has changed in 2026: storage prices. Ongoing memory-chip shortages have pushed SSD prices up, and in October 2026 popular 2 TB portable drives commonly cost around €300 or more in Germany. Below are the portable SSDs that TechRadar and Tom’s Hardware rate most highly, with euro prices where we could verify them in October 2026 — and tips on not overpaying.
Our picks at a glance
- Best overallSamsung T9
- Best ruggedSanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2
- Best USB4 valueCorsair EX400U
- Best for Thunderbolt laptopsSanDisk Pro-G40
- Fastest (Thunderbolt 5)LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5
- Best for securitySamsung T7 Touch
- SmallestKingston XS2000
Prices are approximate and change often. Ad
1. Samsung T9 — best overall
TechRadar names the T9 the best portable SSD overall. On a 20 Gb/s (USB 3.2 Gen 2×2) port it reaches up to 2,000 MB/s, it comes in 1, 2 and 4 TB and Samsung includes both USB-C and USB-A cables. The shell is tough, though there’s no official IP rating.
In Germany the 2 TB model was on offer for about €310 in early October 2026, against a reference price of around €350. Note that many laptops only have 10 Gb/s ports, where the T9 tops out around 1,000 MB/s — still quick.
Samsung T9
TechRadar's best portable SSD: fast 20 Gb/s performance, a tough shell and up to 4 TB.
- Interface
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s)
- Speed
- Up to 2,000 MB/s
- Capacities
- 1, 2, 4 TB
- Cables
- USB-C and USB-A included
Pros
- Fast on 20 Gb/s ports
- Durable exterior
- Both cable types included
Cons
- No IP rating
- Pricier than the T7
2. SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2 — best rugged
TechRadar recommends the SanDisk Extreme for gamers and travellers. It weighs about 50 g, has a rubberised IP55-rated shell and comes in capacities up to 8 TB, and there’s an officially licensed PlayStation version. Reviewers weren’t keen on the bundled cable, and it isn’t the fastest drive here, but it’s a safe, sturdy choice.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2
A light, rubber-armoured IP55 drive with capacities up to 8 TB — a safe bet for travel and consoles.
- Interface
- USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Capacities
- 500 GB to 8 TB
- Protection
- IP55, rubberised shell
- Weight
- ~50 g
Pros
- Compact and rugged
- Huge capacity range
- Good value at 1 TB
Cons
- Not the fastest
- Reviewers weren't keen on the cable
3. Corsair EX400U — best USB4 value
Tom’s Hardware calls the EX400U the best USB4 SSD. It reads at up to 4,000 MB/s on USB4 or Thunderbolt 4/5 ports, sustained writes of about 1,600–1,700 MB/s for 15 minutes, and it has a compact, MagSafe-compatible shell. The metal top gets hot during long transfers. If your laptop has USB4, this is a big speed jump for the money.
Corsair EX400U
Tom's Hardware's best USB4 SSD: up to 4,000 MB/s reads in a compact, MagSafe-compatible shell.
- Interface
- USB4
- Speed
- Up to 4,000 MB/s read
- Sustained write
- ~1,600–1,700 MB/s (15 min)
- Capacities
- 1, 2, 4 TB
- Warranty
- 3 years
Pros
- Strong USB4 speed for the price
- Compact, MagSafe-compatible
- 1 TB option
Cons
- Gets hot during long writes
- Exterior looks a bit cheap
4. SanDisk Pro-G40 — best for Thunderbolt laptops
Tom’s Hardware’s favourite portable SSD connects over Thunderbolt 3 for up to 2,700 MB/s reads, but falls back to USB on other computers. Reviewers praise its consistent sustained writes and the 5-year warranty. It’s expensive and you may need an adapter for older USB-A computers.
SanDisk Pro-G40
Thunderbolt 3 speed with USB fallback, consistent sustained writes and a 5-year warranty.
- Interface
- Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Speed
- Up to 2,700 MB/s read, 1,900 MB/s write (TB)
- Capacities
- 1, 2 TB
- Warranty
- 5 years
Pros
- Thunderbolt speed with USB fallback
- Excellent write consistency
- Long warranty
Cons
- Expensive
- May need a USB-A adapter
5. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5 — fastest
For Thunderbolt 5 users, Tom’s Hardware measured about 6 GB/s reads and 5 GB/s writes from the Rugged SSD Pro5 — the fastest single drive it has tested on a Thunderbolt 5 Mac. It has LaCie’s rugged shell and a 5-year warranty with data recovery. On USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 it’s slower than native USB4 drives, so only buy it if you have Thunderbolt 5.
LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5
The fastest single drive Tom's Hardware has tested on a Thunderbolt 5 Mac, in LaCie's rugged shell with data recovery.
- Interface
- Thunderbolt 5
- Speed
- ~6,000 MB/s read, ~5,000 MB/s write (tested)
- Capacities
- 2, 4 TB
- Warranty
- 5 years incl. data recovery
Pros
- Blazing Thunderbolt 5 speed
- Rugged build
- Data recovery service included
Cons
- Slower on USB4/TB4 than native USB4 drives
- Expensive
6. Samsung T7 Touch — best for security
TechRadar’s business pick adds a fingerprint reader and AES 256-bit hardware encryption, so your files stay locked if you lose the drive. It’s fast on 10 Gb/s ports and well built, though the cables are short and there’s no IP rating.
Samsung T7 Touch
Adds a fingerprint reader and AES 256-bit hardware encryption to a fast, well-built portable SSD.
- Interface
- USB 3.2 Gen 2
- Speed
- Up to 1,050 MB/s read
- Capacities
- 500 GB, 1, 2 TB
- Security
- Fingerprint + AES 256-bit
Pros
- Fingerprint unlock
- Well built
- Cross-platform
Cons
- Short cables
- No IP rating
7. Kingston XS2000 — smallest
At 29 g the XS2000 is tiny enough to hang on a keyring. TechRadar notes it reaches about 2 GB/s on compatible 20 Gb/s ports, comes with an IP55 protective sleeve and a 5-year warranty. On ordinary 10 Gb/s ports it runs at around 1 GB/s.
Kingston XS2000
A tiny 29 g drive that reaches 2 GB/s on 20 Gb/s ports and ships with an IP55 sleeve and a 5-year warranty.
- Interface
- USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s)
- Speed
- Up to 2,000 MB/s on compatible ports
- Capacities
- 500 GB to 4 TB
- Protection
- IP55 with sleeve
- Weight
- 29 g
Pros
- Very compact
- Fast on compatible hardware
- 5-year warranty
Cons
- Needs a 20 Gb/s port for full speed
Compare the key specs
| Model | Samsung T9Best overall | SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2Best rugged | Corsair EX400UBest USB4 value | SanDisk Pro-G40Best for Thunderbolt laptops | LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5Fastest (Thunderbolt 5) | Samsung T7 TouchBest for security | Kingston XS2000Smallest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| TechHive score | 8.9/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.6/10 | 8.5/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.0/10 | 8.0/10 |
| Approx. price | €310 | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies | Varies |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s) | USB 3.2 Gen 2 | USB4 | Thunderbolt 3 / USB 3.2 Gen 2 | Thunderbolt 5 | USB 3.2 Gen 2 | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gb/s) |
| Speed | Up to 2,000 MB/s | — | Up to 4,000 MB/s read | Up to 2,700 MB/s read, 1,900 MB/s write (TB) | ~6,000 MB/s read, ~5,000 MB/s write (tested) | Up to 1,050 MB/s read | Up to 2,000 MB/s on compatible ports |
| Capacities | 1, 2, 4 TB | 500 GB to 8 TB | 1, 2, 4 TB | 1, 2 TB | 2, 4 TB | 500 GB, 1, 2 TB | 500 GB to 4 TB |
| Cables | USB-C and USB-A included | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| Protection | — | IP55, rubberised shell | — | — | — | — | IP55 with sleeve |
| Weight | — | ~50 g | — | — | — | — | 29 g |
| Sustained write | — | — | ~1,600–1,700 MB/s (15 min) | — | — | — | — |
| Warranty | — | — | 3 years | 5 years | 5 years incl. data recovery | — | — |
| Security | — | — | — | — | — | Fingerprint + AES 256-bit | — |
| Shop Ad | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon | Amazon |
How to choose a portable SSD
Match the drive to your port
Speed depends on both ends of the cable. A 10 Gb/s USB port caps you at roughly 1,000 MB/s; 20 Gb/s (Gen 2×2) ports are rare on laptops; USB4 and Thunderbolt allow 3,000–6,000 MB/s. Paying extra for a USB4 or Thunderbolt 5 drive only makes sense if your computer supports it.
Capacity and price
With prices high in 2026, buy the capacity you need for the next couple of years rather than the biggest drive. Watch for sales — prices for the same model can swing by €50 or more within weeks.
Durability and security
An IP55 rating protects against dust and splashes. Hardware encryption or a fingerprint reader protects your data if the drive is lost. Longer warranties (five years) are a sign of confidence.
Consoles
PS5 and Xbox Series consoles can play or store games from fast USB drives. Check your console’s rules for external storage before buying. See our consoles guide.
Back up properly
A single portable SSD isn’t a full backup strategy. Keep important files in at least two places, for example on a portable SSD and in the cloud.
How we choose
We don’t benchmark drives ourselves. Our picks reflect testing by Tom’s Hardware and TechRadar, combined with current European prices from Geizhals and German deal sites, and we list each drive’s drawbacks. Read more about our method.
FAQ
Why are SSDs so expensive in 2026?
A worldwide shortage of memory chips since late 2025 has pushed up prices of SSDs, RAM and devices that use them. Prices may ease, but it’s hard to predict when.
SSD or hard drive for backups?
Hard drives are still cheaper per terabyte for large, rarely touched archives. SSDs are faster, smaller and more robust for everyday use and travel.
Do portable SSDs work with Mac and Windows?
Yes. You may need to reformat to exFAT to use the same drive on both without extra software.
Is USB4 the same as Thunderbolt?
They’re closely related and often compatible, but not identical. A USB4 drive usually works at full speed on Thunderbolt 4/5 ports; some Thunderbolt-only drives fall back to slower USB speeds on non-Thunderbolt computers.
