I tested this pocket-sized SSD for a week and now I take it everywhere with me

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: 30-second review

Today's ultra-compact USB flash drives resemble standard USB stick drives, but with the capacity and speed of portable SSDs, it's no wonder they're becoming increasingly popular. These drives due to their size are easy to slip into a pocket or attach to a keyring, and they're robust enough to carry with you at all times, meaning you'll always have storage when needed. The big difference with this new generation of USB flash drives are the transfer speeds of up to 1000MB/s, with capacities up to 2TB; as is the case with the review sample. It does make you wonder if there's any place for a more traditional portable SSD.

I put the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD 2TB through its paces on photo and video shoots, backing up data files as I went. Because of the small size and compact design, it was perfect to keep in a jacket pocket, ready to go whenever needed. With the added bonus that with the small tether, it was easy to secure onto a loop into a bag or jacket so it wouldn't get lost.

The design is tough, with a solid aluminium build for the main drive, plus a rubber sleeve for added durability. While it isn't fully waterproof, it comes with a decent IP54 water rating and is drop-resistant up to 3m, so it can survive most things short of full submersion.

Through testing, it was dropped, thrown, and caught in light seasonal spring drizzle. It handled everything well, needing only a quick wipe when damp. Overall, the design is good, with my only reservation being the rubber cap protecting the USB Type-C contact. It's fully removable, and although I tried to keep it with the drive during use, I did leave it behind a couple of times by mistake, and I had to return it to collect it to keep the connector clean and safe.

Another point is that, unlike a portable SSD that utilises a USB Type-C cable, which is very slim, this drive is more than twice the width. If your laptop has closely spaced connectors, the drive will block adjacent ports.

Design aside, the performance was exceptional. Although it didn't hit the 1000MB/s claimed when tested on the MacBook Pro M1 Max via Thunderbolt 4, it still managed high 800s and low 900s without issue.

Used as a working drive with Premiere Pro and Adobe Photoshop, it handled HD and 4K footage on edits up to 15 minutes long without issue. I did remove the rubber sleeve during intense tasks to keep it cool.

Transferring files from a shoot was quick, and moving images and video from a CFexpress card showed how fast the drive really was. So overall, this compact USB flash drive is ideal for carrying around, making sure you've always got storage ready to go. The design is nice, though the cap could be easier to keep track of. But in terms of performance and physical design, as well as the software that comes bundled with it, it's one of the best portable SSDs for business creatives and anyone needing to move large files on a compact drive.

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? £189/$189
• When is it out? Now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Seagate.com

The Seagate ultra-compact SSD is widely available and can be purchased directly through the seagate.com website or alternatively through many online retailers, including Amazon.

• Value: 4/5

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: Specs

Capacity: 1TB and 2TB
Connector: USB 3.2 Gen 2
Transfer speeds up to: 1000MB/s
Dimensions: 70mm x 20.4mm x 12.5mm
Weight: 24g

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: Design

The Seagate Ultra Compact SSD takes on the USB stick design, which means it's got a very simple rectangular body with a USB Type-C connector on the end that plugs directly into your laptop or computer. It utilises a USB 3.2 Gen 2 connection, enabling transfer rates up to 1000MB/s—more than most people will need on a compact drive like this.

Along with that speed comes a huge capacity. The review sample I'm looking at is the 2TB version, though there's also a 1TB version available.

The physical design of the drive is small and compact, measuring 70mm x 20.4mm x 12.5mm and weighing a very light 24g. It's worth pointing out that these are the dimensions and weight quoted by Seagate, and it's nice to see that they include the rubber sleeve in those measurements rather than just the drive itself. If, for whatever reason, you did want to remove the rubber sleeve, the drive then measures 66mm x 8mm x 18mm and weighs just 18g.

However, if you use it like that, there's nothing to protect the delicate connector at the end—so at the very least, you can pop on the little rubber cap to keep that connector protected, in which case the whole thing weighs 20g.

One odd thing about the design is the rubber cap. First, it's not attached to the rubber sleeve, which makes sense if you want to use the USB drive without the sleeve, but I'm not sure why you would want to do that. Then there's the fact that oddly the rubber cap only fits onto the connector one way. I only realised this after a bit of use. If you quickly grab the drive and pop the cap on the wrong way round, it will fit on the connector—but if it's in your bag, it will work loose. Likewise, if you've got the sleeve on and do the same, it won't sit properly and can fall off.

Once you've done this a couple of times, you get used to it, and it's not really an issue again. There's also a lanyard loop on the base, with a short cord in the box which feeds neatly through the rubber sleeve and out through a slot at the bottom. This enables you to tether it in a jacket pocket or bag, which is a feature I really like, just adding that extra bit of protection to what is already a solid drive.

With the rubber sleeve, cap, and lanyard all in place, it makes an extremely light and neat unit. When it comes to design, although I do worry slightly about losing the rubber cap, I have to say it's one of the better premium USB flash drives I've looked at so far.

• Design: 4 / 5

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: Features

When it comes to pure simplicity, the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD is essentially a long bar with a USB Type-C connector at the end. Likewise for features, while limited, it does pack in a few more than many other flash drives of this type.

Firstly, it's compact and light, which means that when it's in the rubber sleeve, it'll easily attach to a keyring, tether, jacket pocket or backpack—so it's always there when you need it. To show that the drive is tough, it comes with IP54 dust and rain resistance, and with the rubber sleeve, you also get durable 3-metre drop resistance. I have to say, the rubber sleeve also makes it much more tactile and easy to handle.

Thanks to the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, you can transfer large files up to 1000MB/s. The drive also offers great compatibility with Windows, Mac, and mobile devices—including Android, iOS, most tablets, and gaming consoles.

One drive feature that really stood out is the Seagate Toolkit; this incorporates backup, sync, and image management software. While there are some subscription costs for some features, it is still a great addition. Part of the tool kit is a six-month Dropbox Backup plan and Mylio Photos subscription. These are also the Rescue Data Recovery Services, which are there to help recover the drive if the worst happens; the service is limited, but it's far more than most manufacturers offer and gives you peace of mind.

The only obvious omission from this tool kit is a proper security application, although you can still rely on your OS's default options.

• Features: 4.5 / 5

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: Performance

The drive has been designed to be ultra-portable, so a large part of the test I carried out was to see how durable it was when attached to a set of keys and carried around in a pocket. On this front, the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD impressed.

Testing durability—I had to see if it would survive being dropped? And if it could withstand a bit of precipitation? On both counts, there were absolutely no worries. I started off the test by keeping the SSD attached to my keys in my pocket so that I had the drive ready and available whenever I needed it. I don't travel with too many keys, and having the SSD weighing just 24g didn't add much. Over the week of having it in my pocket, there were no issues with the durability, but it did highlight that you do need to be careful with that rubber cap.

In real-world use—attached to a keyring or inside a jacket or bag—the drive performed perfectly well with no issues. The next test was to push it further: throwing it around, dropping it on the floor, and even stepping on it. The solid metal build held up well, and even when kicked around in the dirt and exposed to a bit of drizzle, it only needed a quick wipe down before being inserted back into my machine. Transfer speed and reliability were completely unaffected.

The final test was to check how fast the drive's full capacity could be accessed. I plugged it into my MacBook Pro M1 Max and transferred files from an Lexar CFexpress Type B card, that had been used with a Canon EOS R5 C. The transfer speed was exceptionally fast—I was able to move 6GB of data in less than 10 seconds.

As a standard drive, there isn't a great deal that's different from many others, but what I really like is the bundled software. This is the extra step some manufacturers take to make their products stand out, and Seagate has done this well. On the drive, you get a launcher application to access Seagate's Toolkit software, enabling you to back up your data easily. If you want to mirror folders from your Mac or PC and automatically download them to the drive, then the simple-to-use sync application enables you to do this.

There's also the Mylio Photos app, which enables you to organise, create, and protect your images using the Seagate drive. There's also cloud backup via Dropbox, with a six-month free trial. This lets you back up all your drive files to Dropbox, so if you lose the physical drive, you've still got your files stored in the cloud—which is something I really like.

The only thing missing is built-in encryption. It doesn't need to be more than what's already offered by your OS, but better integration with the included software would have been a useful step forward.

The drive itself is exceptionally good. I realise the rubber cap could get lost if you're not careful, but when it's in place, it fits securely and won't easily come loose.

Overall, this is one of the best USB flash drives I've used, and the convenience of being able to plug it directly into your machine without a cable cannot be underestimated.

The bundled software, especially the sync tool that enables you to back up your folders, is also a great addition and just helps to make this drive stand out against the competition.

• Performance: 5 / 5

Seagate Ultra Compact SSD: Final verdict

I really like the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD. The drive itself is very simple, with a clean, stylish design, and the rubber sleeve adds that extra element of protection. My only slight issue, as mentioned a few times in this review, is that the cap is fully removable. This means you need to be a bit more mindful to avoid losing it and also make sure it's put on the correct way—otherwise, it could come off if you're particularly unlucky.

However, for most people, this design strikes a good balance. You can use the rubber sleeve if you want to, or if not; you still have the rubber cap to protect the drive on its own. There's also the lanyard loop at the base, which lets you tether it to jackets, pockets, or a key fob—so it's always with you, and that tough build means it's robust enough to withstand everyday use.

Yes, it's good, and yes, it offers a solid amount of storage—but in terms of performance, it's much the same as many other compact flash SSDs out there at the moment. So, while it does perform well, it doesn't stand out massively in that respect. Archiving large files is quick, with transfer rates around 800–900MB per second, which is consistently maintained until the drive is full during testing. I used it to back up the image and video files on the Canon EOS R5 C, and it handled this reliably. I also pushed the internal SSD further by using it as a working drive for editing in Premiere Pro and CapCut. In both cases, it handled the files with no issues. I edited a 15-minute 4K video in Premiere Pro—while the drive did get warm, it remained perfectly usable. So, for most people, if you're looking for a fast working drive that won't set you back a huge amount, this will do the job perfectly well. It's also a strong option if you need a large-capacity drive while out on site.

Where it does stand out is the bundled software. As it stands, this is one of the most comprehensive offerings I've come across, giving you sync, cloud backup, and photo organisation in one place. The only thing I feel is missing is built-in encryption.

When it comes to USB flash drives, they're exceptionally handy—especially if you're a creative working with large files that are sometimes just too big to transfer over Wi-Fi or the internet quickly. In that case, this is a solid option, and with all the included software extras—even if you do need to pay a little extra for some of the subscription services—it's a great choice.

Should I buy the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

For more storage solutions we reviewed the best external HDDs around.