Best External USB Storage Device (SSD Drive)

By Xah Lee. Date: . Last updated: .

SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD 1TB

Bought this on 2021-02. After some research. Excellent.

2024-08-04 update. After using it for 3 years as backup drive. I still recommend it.

SAMSUNG T7 SSD 20210415 M7dHD-s1000
SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD 1TB Up to 1050MB/s - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive (MU-PC1T0T/AM)
DiskMark64 u0JxNusGhz XJxHN
SAMSUNG T7 Portable SSD 500GB
Up to 1050MB/s - USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive, (MU-PC500H/AM)
Used via USB 3.1
Buy at amazon

SAMSUNG BAR Plus 256GB USB 3.1 Flash Drive

Bought this on 2024-07-29, after checking with a friend lunarus who's expert on gaming devices.

SAMSUNG BAR Plus USB Drive 2024-07-29
SAMSUNG BAR Plus USB Drive 2024-07-29

there is a usb-c version:

samsung usb c drive 2024-07-29
samsung usb c drive 2024-07-29

Seagate Backup Plus Ultra Touch

Why is it Called Drive?

Now, what's the etymology of drive in hard drive?

In the 1990s we have have floppy disks, because it is disk shape and it is floppy. Then, the reader device is a drive, as in drive mechanism, because it needs to spin the disk. Then, comes hard disk, hard cuz it's not floppy. Then, abridgment, we got just hard drive. Then, just drive, as in, external drive. But, today's external drive don't really have spinning disk so actually no drive mechanism. More fitting term today is storage device, and external storage device.

Solid State Drive (SSD) vs Spinning Hard Disk Drive (HDD). Which Store Data Longer?

Am thinking getting a backup drive that won't lose data after 2 years non-use.

After some research on flash drive vs hard disk, for small backup expecting to last at least 3 years, it's kinda mixed bag. No absolute say which is better. Rather, you want to shop for expensive high quality ones, either tech.

Reformat Drive, and Which File System to Use

For a technology nerd, I recommend to always to reformat your drive after you bought it.

As of 2021, i recommend: