We all know someone who’s done it. They’ve left their laptop on the train or had it stolen, and on top of losing the device itself, they’ve lost a precious creative project or some important work or university essay. And they kick themselves because it’s so easy to avoid this kind of catastrophe by having up-to-date backups.
Don’t be that person! All you need to keep your data safe and sound is a good portable storage device. While a standard external hard drive will do the trick, there are a couple of reasons why a portable SSD (solid-state drive) is the better option.
First of all - and the clue is in the name - a solid-state drive is an unmoving hunk of stuff. A hard drive, on the other hand, contains spinning disks that are read by a moving head, not dissimilar to an old record player - which is why you can hear it whizzing and whirring away when you plug it in. That’s fine if it’s just sitting in your drawer at home, but if you’re carrying it around, the moving parts make a hard drive more vulnerable to damage than an SSD.
The second massive benefit of choosing solid-state is speed. This is especially true if you are working with very large files such as raw video, high resolution photography or 3D models. Solid-state drives read and write data many times faster than hard drives, which will make a big difference to your workflow if you regularly need to transfer big files.
Faster, stronger
For those who tend to give their tech a hard time, the SanDisk Extreme Portable External SSD is a good pick because it’s built to be durable. It is said to be strong enough to withstand being dropped from up to three metres, and can even cope with getting wet. For extra safety and mishap-prevention, the chassis has a silicon-lined carabiner loop for tethering the drive to your belt or bag.
It’s also fast. With this drive, you’ll see 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds. A folder that might take minutes to copy to a hard drive will reach the SanDisk in a fraction of the time - maybe just seconds.
As well as speed and strength, the SanDisk also has great security. Should you lose it, your data is protected by 256‐bit AES hardware encryption. There is also an app that lets you access and back up your phone's files.
And there are other little things that make this drive fun to own. Its silicon and aluminium shell is stylishly designed. The textural contrast between the two materials gives the drive an interesting look and feel, so it’s satisfying to handle.
If you’re a student about to embark on a new academic year, now is a great time to consider buying a drive like this one, so that you can get your important backup routine established before the mayhem of exams and coursework gets underway.
For anyone looking for a new portable drive, it’s well worth considering a fast and sturdy SSD over a traditional hard drive. The dinky SanDisk is a solid, secure and speedy option.
