Portable solid-state drives (SSDs) have surged in popularity thanks to their fast speeds, compact size, and durability. When external storage is necessary, they can seem like the obvious solution for safely transporting large amounts of data. However, there are some downsides to portable SSDs that give even the savviest of technology enthusiasts pause.
I‘ve done deep research into the pros and cons so you can make an informed decision before choosing a portable SSD. There are viable alternatives that may actually be a better fit depending on your needs. Let‘s take an in-depth look at five key drawbacks and see if a portable SSD purchase truly makes sense for you right now.
Why Portable SSDs Are So Popular
Unlike traditional hard disk drives (HDDs) with spinning platters, SSDs store data on instantly-accessible flash memory chips. By removing the mechanical bottleneck, SSDs achieve much faster read and write speeds. Their solid state construction also makes them smaller and more durable since they don‘t risk head crashes or platter damage.
When packaged into a portable enclosure equipped with a USB interface, external SSDs provide a compact, high-performance solution for external storage and backups. Whether for a creative professional editing video on location or simply a college student transporting large files between home and dorm, portable SSDs have become a popular choice.
But the equation isn‘t as simple as just choosing the portable SSD with the fastest speeds. There are some other variables to be aware of.
Reason 1: Real-World Speed Limitations
Marketed maximum read/write speeds up to 2,000+ MB/s sound great on paper. However, multiple factors determine your real-world speeds:
| Factor | Impact on Speed |
|---|---|
| USB Generation | USB 3.2 Gen2 > Gen1 > USB 2.0 |
| Cable Quality | Poor cables unable to support high data rates |
| File Transfers | Small transfers much slower than sequential |
| Power Delivery | Insufficient power can cause thermal throttling |
Independent tests find that for short file transfers under 50GB, some portable SSDs drop to hard drive speeds around 100 MB/s rather than advertised ratings over 1,000 MB/s. Power limitations are also routinely identified, with temperatures spiking as high as 60°C during writes before drives throttle.
So if you anticipate short burst file transfers rather than smoothly copying large media files from point A to B, your real-world experience may fall well short of marketed maximums.
Reason 2: Longevity and Ruggedness Concerns
While portable SSDs lack moving parts and can withstand reasonable shocks, their NAND flash memory does have limitations:
- Total Bytes Written – Continual writes wear down cells after hundreds of terabytes
- Temperature – Heat degrades SSD components over time
- Physical Damage – Impacts can rupture chips leading to data loss
- Humidity – Corrosion can cause electrical shorts
In testing, heavy usage degrades speeds after as little as 6 months. Without proper airflow, temperatures regularly spike high enough during writes to trigger throttling that hampers performance. Compared to desktop drives, real-world failure rates also run higher for portable SSDs as shown below:
If your data requires long term archiving or the SSD will be subjected to environmental extremes, exercise caution – portable SSDs have a higher risk profile compared to desktop options.
Reason 3: Compatibility Headaches
While most SSDs work seamlessly with Windows, that‘s not always true for other operating systems:
| OS | SSD Support | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | Yes | Plug & play |
| MacOS | Constrained | Strict technical requirements |
| Linux | Moderate | Manual formatting needed |
| Chrome OS | Limited | External storage support lacking |
Older systems may also lack SATA ports required for SSD connectivity. And if storing important documents or photos, you‘ll want to verify your files are compatible with the SSD‘s default format (likely exFAT or FAT32) to avoid nasty surprises.
Savvy technical users can work through the hurdles above, but casual users may find themselves frustrated by OS limitations or recovering from catastrophes caused by formatting mismatches.
Reason 4: Limited Storage Capacities
Hard drives offer far higher maximum capacities compared to SSDs. The largest portable HDDs now provide a whopping 22TB of storage compared to just 8TB for portable SSDs.
As you can see, you pay a steep premium in dollars-per-gigabyte for the speed boost of an SSD. If max capacity is your top priority for things like photo libraries or movie collections, sticking with a conventional HDD likely makes more financial sense. Be prepared to shell out for multiple expensive portable SSD drives to reach storage levels a single HDD can offer.
Reason 5: Easy to Lose or Have Stolen
Don‘t underestimate how easy portable drives are to lose or have stolen compared to a desktop drive tucked under your desk. Their compact size lets them slip to the bottom of bags and prevents most physical security deterrents.
If someone gains access to your device, they immediately have access to all your data. Independent surveys have found over 12% of respondents reporting a portable drive being lost, stolen or failing resulting in data loss.
Protect yourself by enabling built-in 256-bit AES hardware encryption available on drives like the Samsung T7 Touch with fingerprint unlock. Dedicated password manager apps also provide an extra layer of protection limiting the damage from lost or stolen devices.
What Are the Alternatives?
Portable SSDs offer a compelling bundle of speed, size and reliability. But depending on your specific needs, competing options could be a better fit:
Cloud Storage – Services like Google Drive allow access to terabytes of online storage. Latency makes cloud services less suitable for active file usage, but the geo-distributed redundancy excels for backup and disaster recovery thanks to reduced risk of hardware failure or theft.
Internal Drives – A faster option is to replace the existing hard drive or SSD inside your laptop with a higher capacity model. Retains the same quick access of internal storage without the USB interface bottlenecks. Downside is limited external portability and requires technical expertise to swap components.
USB Flash Drives – The classic budget-friendly option. Maximum capacities top out around 2TB but generally much lower than portable SSDs in the same price range. Performance is also slower but may suffice for lightweight usage like documents.
Do Portable SSDs Still Have a Place?
There are clearly some notable compromises and downsides to be aware of with portable SSD storage. But many of the performance pitfalls can be avoided by matching your usage patterns accordingly. The ruggedness limitations only apply under extreme environmental conditions or when high storage endurance over many years is required. And capacity ceilings are only an issue for the most demanding storage hoarders.
So if you value portability, moderate capacity needs, storage future-proofed for tomorrow‘s USB standards and Thunderbolt interfaces, SSDs can still deliver. Enabling encryption and protective cases alleviate most physical theft and loss risks. Within reason, portable SSDs can serve you well for years as long as you align requirements properly by being an informed buyer.
Hopefully exploring common portable SSD pitfalls in detail helps you make the right storage decision tailored to your needs! Let me know if any questions come up while researching options.
