NAND Flash devices tend to be smaller and lighter in comparison to HDD, but most importantly, the performance of NAND Flash devices is considerably larger than the one from HDD ones. NAND holds several advantages over HDD, for instance it has no moving parts, thus in theory data won’t be affected by accidental drops or falls.

In contrast to hard disk drives (HDD), NAND Flash isn’t a magnetic technology, instead it makes use of electric circuits and a number of memory cells to store data. The ability to retain data after turning off the power makes NAND a great option for external on-the-go storage devices. Non-volatile simply means that NAND, unlike DRAM (or system memory), does not require power to retain data.

'NAND Flash is a type of non-volatile storage technology. Kingston also includes a rubber sleeve to further protect this water resistant, dust resistant and shockproof drive.Īnthony Spence, from SSD and memory specialist Silicon Power, answers this question. In addition to being fast, the Kingston XS2000 is also light at just 29g and quite compact. Keep in mind though that your hardware will need to be compatible with the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 protocol to take full advantage of this portable drive. As a result, the device has impressive speeds with Kingston claiming it can reach up to 20000MBps read/write. The Kingston XS2000 is one of the first and maybe only portable SSDs to feature USB 3.2 Gen 2x2. Requires the right hardware to maintain USP -Expensive if you just want plenty of fast storage

Read our full Adata SE730H External SSD review.

If you shop around, you can also get it for less than its RRP. The stringent MIL-STD-810G 516.6 impact resistance test so it should survive accidental drops and shocks without much damage.

While it is pricey compared to some of the other external SSDs we have on this list, remember that it comes with military-certified protection. It's not the fastest drive out there - as it's still reliant on the aging SATA technology, rather than the newer - and faster - NVMe tech, but for the money you're still getting a brilliant performer.Īdata claims this is the most compact external SSD, and with dimensions of 72.7 x 44 x 12.2mm and weighing only 37g excluding the cable, it is smaller and lighter than Samsung’s T3 and T5 drives - which are also on this list of the best portable SSDs. This small and compact external hard drive offers very decent speeds, as well as a rugged body that keeps it safe from water - as well as drops and knocks.

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