We have different things to protect in our lives, and data is as precious as everything else. It holds anything from documents to memories. Though the digital space for all of our data is expansive enough, we should also consider protecting them. Your personal data may include critical information like financial matters and identity, which when accessed by unscrupulous people, may be used for fraud or other relevant crimes.
Local storage devices continue to evolve throughout these years, and now, we have HDDs and SSDs. The latter is more advanced, in terms of capacity, writing/reading speed, and ruggedness. SSDs or Solid State Drives are more reliable in terms of protecting and transferring data from the digital space to itself. Its capacity is also huge, with a 4TB external SSD being at the forefront now.
Another advantage of using a portable SSD is compactness. These drives can easily fit a pouch or your bag, making it easy to carry along when traveling. Solid state external hard drives are also plug-and-play devices that are compatible with many laptop models.
A 4TB external SSD is also slimmer and more rugged than its HDD counterparts. It does not use moving mechanisms like spinning metal platters. Aside from making it compact and lightweight, the absence of the mechanisms also made it more durable against accidental falls, reducing the risk of damage or data corruption.
Meanwhile, a 4TB external SSD provides the right size for all of your photos and videos. As cameras become more sophisticated, just like the emergence of 4K and 8K resolution videos and HDR photos, their file sizes increase alongside. A 4TB external SSD can safely localize your storage for all your memories and make them all accessible from a single external SSD.
An SSD external hard drive is one hefty investment. Thus, it is important to understand what you are exactly paying a premium for. To culminate the benefits with an external SSD drive, your data is more protected, writing/reading speed is faster, and a 4TB external SSD is more compact and lightweight in general than its HDD counterpart.
Now comes the big dilemma, what is the best portable SSD in the market today? Since it requires a huge investment on your end, you have to take due diligence in buying. Thus, we came up with our top 3 list based on user feedback and our team’s own research.
Best 4TB External SSD – (Comparison)
| Name | Key Feature | |
| SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD – (Editor’s Choice) | Solid state device with reading/writing speeds at up to 2,000 MBPS; Comes with a sleek, forged aluminum casing that also acts as a heat sink | Check Price |
| WD 4TB My Passport SSD External Portable Solid State Drive | Exhibits up to 1,050 MBPS read speed and 1,000 MBPS write speed | Check Price |
| Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD | Compact, slim, and lightweight design; measures 2.5 by 2.7 inches only and weighs less than your car keys | Check Price |
SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD – Editor’s Choice
This 4TB external SSD features a solid construction and powerful internal mechanism that protects your precious data at the same time that it boosts its accessibility. It is slim and compact to fit your bag so you can easily bring it with you during business trips or just about anywhere when you foresee needing it while on the go.
The SanDisk Extreme Pro portable SSD provides an outstanding 2,000 MBPS read and write speeds, which is possible in an NVMe solid state based device like it. However, bear in mind that this rating is its maximum performance and the actual speed is also dependent on the host device (your laptop or computer) you will be using it with. But again, if you have a powerful device, to begin with, that’s one outstanding speed you will definitely appreciate.
This 4TB external SSD comes with a sleek, forged aluminum casing so it can withstand external factors like scratches and corrosion. Meanwhile, the material of the casing itself can also act as a heat sink that can help improve performance and prolong the lifetime of your drive. In the same way, it enables your 4TB SSD external hard drive to deliver despite the condition of your environment, that is, it remains stable in transferring and writing data at lightning-fast speeds.
Meanwhile, the SanDisk extreme portable SSD is a rugged device that is essentially dust and rust-resistant. It can also withstand drops of up to 2 meters high. This 4TB external SSD is also water-resistant, bearing the IP55 rating. It also comes with a carabiner loop so you can hang it on your bag zipper or on a lanyard to wear it.
As an additional protection for unauthorized access, this 4TB external SSD comes with 256-bit AES encryption that allows you to add a password. This 4TB external SSD is compatible with both Windows and Mac devices. It also offers a limited 5-year warranty.
Pros
- Solid state device with reading/writing speeds at up to 2,000 MBPS
- Comes with a sleek, forged aluminum casing that also acts as a heat sink
- IP55 water and dust resistance rating
- Can withstand a 2-meter drop
- Equipped with 256-bit AES encryption
Cons
- Expensive
Conclusion
The SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD is one reliable 4TB external SSD that boasts performance and durability.
WD 4TB My Passport SSD External Portable Solid State Drive
A solid state drive itself is already an upgraded technology that guarantees performance. However, not all models can provide fast data processing as much as the others. This 4TB external SSD belongs to the faster class of SSD drives that can boost your productivity in ways you might not realize right away.
The WD 4TB My Passport SSD External Portable Solid State Drive exhibits up to 1,050 MBPS read speed and 1,000 MBPS write speed. But then again, the actual speed may vary as the host device you are using or the 4TB external SSD’s condition such as storage capacity, usage condition, and other factors.
This portable SSD drive adds additional internal protection against unauthorized access and hacking with its 256-bit AES hardware encryption wherein it requires a password prior to access.
Meanwhile, it is also equipped with its own backup software that allows you to backup files from your 4TB external SSD directly to your cloud accounts (require pre-registration or subscription at your own expense). It is also compatible with Apple’s Time Machine.
The portable SSD 4 TB comes in a sleek and modern metal design and is also shock and vibration resistant. It also remains durable within a drop of up to a height of 6.5 feet.
Another aspect of accessibility is its cross-compatibility with 2 different USB port versions. This 4TB external SSD can work on legacy systems like the USB-C (or USB-A) with the included cable and adaptor and the more advanced USB 3.2 Gen-2.
Pros
- Exhibits up to 1,050 MBPS read speed and 1,000 MBPS write speed
- 256-bit AES hardware encryption wherein it requires a password
- Comes with the WD Backup Software; also compatible with Apple Time Machine
- Drop resistance of up to 6.5 feet; shock and vibration resistant
- Cross-compatibility with legacy systems like the USB-C (or USB-A) with the included cable and adaptor and USB 3.2 Gen-2
Cons
- It sometimes gets hot when being used
Conclusion
The WD 4TB My Passport SSD External Portable Solid State Drive is compact, lightweight, and reliable to meet your storage and transfer needs.
Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD
This 4TB external SSD is a flexible device that can meet your business, personal, and gaming storage needs. It provides read and write speeds of up to 800 MBPS, which is about 5.6 times faster than what HDDs can deliver. Its huge capacity is enough storage for an average of 100 hours of video, 20,000 photos, or about 6,000 songs.
This solid state drive external is the smallest on this list, having a dimension of 2.5 by 2.7 inches. It only weighs less than your car keys and can definitely fit your pocket.
Its compact size does not mean it scrimps on performance. Aside from fast read and write speeds, this 4TB external SSD is also compatible to use with a lot of host devices like desktop computers, laptops, PS4, Xbox One, and a host of other Android devices. Aside from its USB-C port, you can also use it with legacy devices; just use an adaptor to convert it to USB-A
This external SSD PS4 provides a fast loading speed that does not interfere with your gaming. It also has a huge storage capacity for a collection of games you can access anytime.
The Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD is backed up by Micron, one of the reliable and industry leaders in the field of flash storage devices in the world.
Pros
- Provides read and write speeds of up to 800 MBPS
- Compact, slim, and lightweight design; measures 2.5 by 2.7 inches only and weighs less than your car keys
- Compatible with a variety of host devices and can work with legacy devices with the use of an adaptor
Cons
- Slower read/write speeds than the other products on this list
Conclusion
If you need something more portable that can fit pockets or pouches, this tiny yet powerful 4TB external SSD can provide you with the convenience and performance you need. The Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD allows you to bring along a handy and reliable device anywhere you are.
Final Verdict
The best SSD external hard drive is not a declarative label but still depends on anyone’s needs. As you see, it requires a huge upfront investment so you really have to think hard enough about buying one and see to it that it fits your expectations and needs.
However, a premium device like this supports the hefty price tag with impressive features. Since you are dealing with years of memories and other critical data, it is just apt to protect them at all costs.
With that in mind, the best external SSD on this list is the SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD.
The SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD is your compact and reliable 4TB external SSD that provides you with lightning-speed transfer rates. The casing does not just protect it from outside factors but the inside as well. It acts as a heat sink so that the drive works more efficiently and at the same time, prolongs its lifetime.