Best External SSDs in India (October 2023), 500GB, 1TB, 2TB

The first SSD on our list would be from everyone’s favorite brand, Samsung, and is known as Samsung T7 Touch. It is based on the USB 3.2 Gen 2, which is said to be the fastest interface right now. The T7 Touch can offer a max data transfer speed of up to 1050 MBps, close to 10x faster than an external HDD. You also get a fingerprint scanner and password protection, meaning the user needs to enter a password before accessing your important files.

The frame is made shock resistant, allowing it to withstand falls from up to 2 meters easily. It is quite compact and weighs only 58 grams, making it highly portable. Samsung has made it compatible with most common devices like Android, Windows, Mac, and some other devices like gaming consoles. You also get management software for Windows and Mac users and an app for Android users to set up their passwords and fingerprints. The Samsung T7 Touch 500 GB variant can be easily purchased at around Rs. 8,500 in the Indian market.

The next portable SSD on our list is the SanDisk Extreme Pro, and SanDisk is one of my personal favorite brands that I have been using since my early days. It comes with 256-bit AES hardware encryption to ensure an unauthorized user cannot access your files. The Extreme Pro offers a max data transfer speed of about 2000 MBps and comes with a year’s limited warranty, which is more than most of the other brands in the market.

The Extreme Pro is IP55 rated, which makes it water and dust-resistant. It can easily withstand a drop from about 2 meters and weighs nearly 50 grams. You can get the 500 GB variant for about Rs. 8,000 in the Indian market, and it even has a 4 TB variant in case you want to store many files on your drive. Some of the few SSDs in the market offer an IP55 rating, so if you have a rough usage, this is a good pick for you.

Moving on to the next SSD on our list of best external SSDs in India, we have the Samsung T7. This portable SSD is based on the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface and offers a maximum data transfer speed of up to 1050 MBps. You get the same 256-bit AES hardware encryption to keep your files from strangers. It is compact and weighs only 58 grams, making it highly portable. Despite its compact size, the T7 still manages to withstand falls from up to 2 meters.

The T7 comes with management software and is compatible with Windows, Mac, Android, and gaming consoles. You can easily get the 500 GB variant for about Rs. 6,500 in the Indian market. You can go with it if you want to save a few thousand bucks and don’t care much about prolonged warranties.

The next portable SSD on our list of best external SSDs is the Crucial X8, one of the most affordable SSD. You can get the 1 TB variant for less than Rs. 10,000 in the Indian market, which is quite inexpensive compared to other makers offering a 500 GB variant at the same price. It can provide the same max transfer speed of up to 1050 MBps.

One good thing about this SSD is that it has a little wider compatibility with devices like Chromebooks and even Linux, which is a plus point over others, as not all SSDs are that much compatible. Another good thing is that it can withstand falls up to 7.5 feet, which is a little more than other competitors. The Crucial X8 is a good option if you are looking for a 1 TB portable SSD at a good price.

Our next portable SSD is the Seagate Firecuda External Gaming SSD, which is slightly different from the other SSDs on our list. Of course, you will get a good-looking gaming-inspired design and RGB lighting, but is that all you get in this? The answer is no. This gaming SSD has a whole metal body that is sturdier than any other SSD on our list and offers better heat dissipation.

The RGB lighting is customizable, and Seagate offers three years of Rescue data services. It is based on the USB 3.2 Gen 2X2, which offers a max transfer speed of up to 2000 MBps. If you are looking for an external SSD to play and store your games on, then the Seagate Firecuda gaming SSD is perfect. The 500 GB variant is available for around Rs. 12,500 in the Indian market.

Moving on to our next portable SSD, we have the Seagate One Touch 500 GB, which is usually available at around Rs. 6,500 in the Indian market. This compact-sized device is based on the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface and can offer a max transfer speed of up to 1030 MBps. The interesting thing is that you get an included Android app that can be used to easily back up your photos and videos on an Android, making it quite useful for those who want to use it primarily for storing pictures and videos.

You also get a year of Mylio Create subscription and four months of complimentary Adobe Creative Cloud Photography plan membership, making it an even better deal. If you are a photographer or a videographer looking for an external SSD to keep your pictures backed up, this portable SSD is a perfect choice for you.

Finally, we have the Western Digital My Passport SSD, another USB 3.2 Gen 2-based portable SSD. This SSD can easily offer a max transfer rate of up to 1050 MBps and offers 256-bit AES hardware encryption. It is compatible with Windows and Mac devices and has a 5-year limited warranty. 

The SSD has a metal design and is sturdy enough to withstand drops from up to 6.5 feet. It is quite sleek and only weighs 46 grams, making it one of the lightest on our list. The Western Digital My Passport is a good external SSD that you can pick if you want an extremely lightweight SSD with a few extra years of warranty.