NVMe SSDs remain the go-to choice for new systems, offering blazing-fast performance far beyond traditional SATA drives.
For capacities up to 4TB, our top recommendation is the Corsair MP600 Pro.
In shorter transfers, it saturates the PCIe 4.0 interface with speeds reaching 7,000 MB/s.
For those needing 8TB of storage, theWD Black SN850Xcurrently provides much better value than the Corsair drive.
Modern SSDs are designed to use a portion of their free space as cache for writing at full speed.
After that, writing speed will be similar to that of the MP600 Pro.
Costing about twice per TB, it’s simply not worth it.
For laptop users, theCrucial T500is a fantastic choice.
It utilizes Micron’s 232-layer flash and a smaller 4-channel controller, delivering exceptional efficiency for aRAM-equipped SSD.
Its main drawback is inconsistent performance in sustained writes.
The Samsung T7 Shield is a great example.
It’s also built to last, with a 3-meter drop rating and IP65 water and dust resistance.
However, if these limitations aren’t a concern, it’s an excellent choice.
WD is more straightforward you might be fairly certain that you’re getting the latest 2023 models.
The best current offers are 4TB for$70, and 8TB for$120.
This approach ensures you won’t lose access to your data due to a broken external connector.
Models range between 4TB and 18TB.
It is also compatible with Apple’s Time Machine.
There are a few minor drawbacks to consider.
The My Book uses a Micro-B USB 3.0 to USB-A connector instead of the more common USB-A/USB-C interfaces.
Overall, the WD My Book is the best budget-friendly external storage option available today.
Smaller 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB options are also available at lower prices.
These days, QNAP seems to offer the best balance of features and ease of use.
With more drives, RAID 5, 6, and 10 become available.
For less, their entry-level two-driveDiskStation DS224+is an excellent choicestarting at $299.
