You have probably recently heard of the term SSD. It stands for Solid-State Drive. Compared to the HDD – the Hard Disk Drive, the SSD comes with no moving parts. It compensates on the size and power consumption while bringing more speed and reliability. Unfortunately, though, not everyone is capable of purchasing or installing an SSD. If you have some of the latest games and they take a while to boot up — you probably need to upgrade your storage. What better way to upgrade your drive than the affordable, fast and reliable best 500GB portable SSD?
Some people may say that there is not really any point in buying an external SSD. That is because you will compensate on transfer speeds because of the old USB ports. That may have been true before, but nowadays with the emergence of the USB 3.0 and USB-C technologies, this is no longer the case. They come with very high transfer speeds that allow you to use nearly the full potential of best 500GB portable SSD.
But what makes the best 500GB portable SSD truly the best?
Many wonder this and it is actually quite simple. The best 500GB portable SSD would come with fast transfer speeds (preferably above 450MB/s). They will feature USB3.0 and/or USB Type C ports for data transfer. The device will also come in a sleek compact design that makes them easily portable. What is great is that you can just unplug your device and switch the computer you are playing from. They provide reliability by protecting your data from corruption.
If you have recently read my review the best HDDs and the best SSDs for your laptop, you are probably well informed why the Solid State drive technology is superior in terms of reliability. No longer you will have to worry about losing a save by accidentally dropping your device. If you cannot install two drives and you want to give your machine an additional one, the best 500GB portable SSD is the way to go. 500GB is more than enough, at least for me, and is easily affordable. SSDs are a relatively new technology that provides a lot of benefits over its predecessor and that makes it more expensive. The difference becomes significant at 1TB and above, so 500GB I believe is the best way to go.
Other devices that match the description of the best 500GB portable SSD, like the G-Technology G-Drive, come with a rugged design that can withstand drops. They are usually tested (about 2-3 meters height) and provide significantly bigger security to your stored information. They usually feature waterproof certification as well. If you travel very often and you want to bring your entertainment with you, everywhere you go — the best 500GB portable SSD can provide.
| # | Image | Brand | Price |
| 1 |  |
Samsung | $128 |
| 2 |  |
SanDisk | $126 |
| 3 |   |
Western Digital | $128 |
| 4 |   |
G-Technology | $163 |
| 5 |  |
Glyph | $200 |
1. Samsung T5 Portable SSD
- 540 MB/s Read/Write speeds
- USB C/2.0/3.0/3.1 Gen 2 Support
- USB C to USB C and USB C to USB cables included
- Shock-resistant metal frame and internal frame
- AES 256-bit encryption support
- Up to 2 meters fall shock-resistant
- 3-Year warranty
As expected, Samsung leads the competition of being the best 500GB portable SSD. It is up to 5 times faster than an external Hard Disk Drive and features Samsung’s V-NAND flash memory technology. With speeds of up to 540 MB/s this device boots even the biggest games in a matter of seconds! The minimalistic matte-blue metal design makes it a perfect addition to any desk environment.
2. SanDisk 500G-G25 SSD
- 550 MB/s Read/Write speeds
- USB C/2.0/3.0/3.1 Support
- USB C to USB C and USB C to USB cables included
- Shock, dust and water-resistant casing
- IP55-rated certificate
- Up to 2 meters fall shock-resistant
- 3-Year warranty
Is 540 MB per second not enough for you? Or maybe you are just not a fan of Samsung. Whatever the case might be, the SanDisk is not much superior to the T5 but definitely doesn’t compensate on quality. Unlike the T5, it comes with water, scratch and dust-resistance features. It comes with a read/write speeds of up to 550 MB per second which makes it one of the fastest on the market right now.
3. WD My Passport 512GB Black-Gray SSD
- 540 MB/s Read/Write speeds
- USB C/2.0/3.0/3.1 Gen 2 Support
- USB C to USB C and USB C to USB cables included.
- Automatic backups featured
- AES 256-bit encryption compatibility
- Up to 2 meters fall shock-resistant
Manufactured by Western Digital, the My Passport drive packs in everything you would expect the best 500GB portable SSD to come with. It has speeds of up to 540 MB per second and comes with the WD app. The app does automatic backups of your SSD while it is connected to your computer. It is perfect for those who do not trust any resistance certification.
4. G-Technology G-Drive R-Series SSD
- 560 MB/s Read/Write speeds
- USB C/2.0/3.0/3.1 Gen 2 Support
- USB C to USB C and USB C to USB cables included
- Shock, vibration, water and dust resistant
- IP67-rated certificate
- Up to 3 meters fall shock-resistant
The G-Drive R-series comes in a beautiful rugged design, making it almost fully scratchproof. It comes with an IP67-rated certificate and is water and dustproof. It packs one of the highest Read/Write speeds of up to 560 MB per second and is perfect for any gamer at heart. The device is fairly new and is an underrated gem.
5. Glyph Atom Black SSD
- 480 MB/s Read/Write speeds
- USB C/2.0/3.0/3.1 Gen 2 Support
- USB C to USB C and USB C to USB cables included
- Special rugged and shock-resistant cover
- Sleek design
- Silver, gold, black and gray color models
And finally is a product for those who prefer design over transfer speeds. Of course, this does not mean that the speed is slow. It is rated at 480 MB per second read/write speeds, enough for even the heaviest games. Its rugged cover provides a non-slip functionality to the device and protects it from the most common shocks. It is so small that it perfectly fits in your pocket — it is smaller than your sunglasses. Except for 500GB, you can also find 250 GB, 1TB, and 2TB variations.
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