Samsung Portable SSD X5

Extremely fast data transfer speeds, thanks to Thunderbolt 3 and PCIe NVMe interfaces. Multiple capacity options. Sleek design.

Expensive. Heavy. No USB support. Difficult to connect to Windows PCs.

Bottom Line: The sleek, expensive Samsung Portable SSD X5 offers the fastest single-drive external storage money can buy, but it's suited mainly to well-heeled content-creation pros using late-model Macs.

Incredibly fast ; Very portable ; Stylish design

Won’t work with regular USB ports ; Hugely expensive ; Not waterproof

But such complaints miss the point of the SSD X5. Yes, it’s a niche product, but it delivers world-beating performance, and the sort of person who wants that won’t baulk at the price, nor the need for a high-end host system. On its own terms,...

Incredibly fast; Very portable; Stylish design

Won’t work with regular USB ports; Hugely expensive; Not waterproof

The Samsung Portable SSD X5 is a niche product, but it's unbeatable on its own terms. if you’re looking for the fastest external drive in the world, this is it.