Sabrent ROCKET XTRM 500GB Thunderbolt 3 External SSD (Up to 2400 MBs / 2400 MBs R/W) (SB-XTRM-500) Thunderbolt 3: Yes; Color: Silver; Max Sequential Read: Up to 2400 MBps; Max Sequential Write: Up to 2400 MBps; Model #: SB-XTRM-500; Item #: 9SIAME8ARN5022; Return Policy: View Return Policy $. Need a portable SSD for your Thunderbolt 3 MacBook or PC? These SSDs are the BEST of the BEST! Let's Compare & Test 4 of them! This SSD is the Overall Winner.
Online content production requires a lot of storage. Video and photo files can very quickly fill the limited internal SSD storage of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, making an external drive of some description an essential purchase.
While an external hard drive may be sufficient for storing larger files, the speed is just too slow for working with gigabytes of photos, or for video editing, especially at higher resolutions. For that, you really need an SSD. Cura 15 04 6 download.
Although the majority of external SSD's are USB drives, the fastest external SSD's currently available use Thunderbolt 3 for read and write speeds several times several times faster than USB, often even approaching the performance of internal PCIe drives.
In this article, we'll be taking a look at the best external Thunderbolt 3 SSD's you can buy today in 2021 for your Mac.
The best Thunderbolt 3 SSD's for the Mac
Speed comparison
The speed test results listed below were calculated using BlackMagic Desk Speed Test, from an average of multiple runs over a 5 minute period.
| SSD | Read (MB/s) | Write (MB/s) |
|---|---|---|
| Glyph Atom Pro | 2470 | 2304 |
| G-Drive Mobile Pro | 2545 | 2300 |
| Samsung X5 | 2560 | 1998 |
| Lacie Rugged SSD Pro | 2442 | 1928 |
| OWC Envoy Pro EX | 2430 | 1918 |
| Plugable Thunderbolt 3 | 1470 | 1250 |
Glyph Atom Pro NVME SSD
Best Thunderbolt 3 External Ssd Drive
Read speed: 2,470MB/s, Write speed: 2,304 MB/s
The Glyph Atom Pro is our choice for the best external Thunderbolt 3 SSD. While the write speed is not quite as fast as the Samsung X5, the read speed is significantly faster, offering more balanced performance. The aluminium enclosure acts as a heatsink, helping to reduce temperatures and maintain performance without throttling. The sleek dark grey aesthetics look right at home next to the space gray MacBook Pro or MacBook Air, and it includes a removable rubber bumper for shock protection from drops or falls.
G-Technology G-Drive Mobile Pro
Read speed: 2,445MB/s, Write speed: 2,300 MB/s
While the transfer speeds of this drive are right up there among the best, in our tests the G-Drive Mobile Pro has an unfortunate tendency to spontaneously disconnect at random. Judging by the Amazon reviews, this is an experience shared by many owners of this drive,
Very close in performance to the Glyph drive. Doom rts download.
Samsung X5 Thunderbolt 3 SSD
Read speed: 2,560MB/s, Write speed: 1,998 MB/s
With its glossy, bright red and grey appearance, the X5 would appear to be more at home next to a flash gaming PC than a MacBook Pro. If you're comfortable with that, for your money you'll be getting top notch performance and stability. It's only let down by the write speed, which is somewhat slower than most of the other drives tested.
Best Thunderbolt 3 External Ssd Hdd
Lacie Rugged SSD Pro
Read speed: 2,442MB/s, Write speed: 1,928 MB/s
Lacie's Rugged SSD Pro is encased entirely in rubber for protection from drops or falls of up to 3 metres and it also features an IP67 waterproof rating for use in tough environments. 3d character creator free download for pc. The speed and reliability are excellent, with no connection issues and performance on a par with the other drives tested.
OWC Envoy Pro EX
Read speed: 2,430MB/s, Write speed: 1,918 MB/s
OWC have a long history of producing high quality peripherals for Mac computers, and the Envoy Pro EX is no exception. The drive features a fully aluminium enclosure, finished in grey to match the space grey MacBook Pro and MacBook Air, and also includes a removable rubberised bumper for drop protection from up to four feet.
Plugable Thunderbolt 3 NVMe External SSD
Read speed: 1,470MB/s, Write speed: 1,250 MB/s
The most competitively priced drive out of all those tested, Plugable's Thunderbolt 3 NVMe SSD offers excellent performance without decimating your bank balance.
