Lexar SL500 portable SSD review

Lexar SL500: 30-second review

The Lexar SL500 is part of a new generation of ultra-slim portable SSDs that traditionally appeal to videographers and imaging professionals needing to travel light while maintaining sufficient capacity and speed to edit images and video files on the move. Lexar, a company with a long history in the photographic sector, is known for its flash memory cards, which are popular among professionals. 

This SSD stands out as one of the slimmest and most lightweight options available, and for video editors and photographers pairing it with any of the best video editing laptops or best laptops for photo editing, the small form factor and weight are significant advantages. The key selling point is its lightweight design, and the metal casing, while stylish, is reassuringly tough. 

This makes it an excellent choice for linking to cameras that need additional storage, such as the Blackmagic 6K. In an interesting twist, it can also be linked in with the iPhone 15 Pro and Max and used to store Apple Pro Res recording at up to 4K 60FPS—this takes iPhone filmmaking to a new and interesting level. 

When used on a PC, the speeds with the write cache switched off are impressive. We've tested loads of the best portable SSDs, and and even when reformatted for macOS, the transfer speeds here settle around the 1000MB/s mark. Under sustained load, such as editing 4K video, the drive keeps up with the pace, and the transfer speeds ensure smooth editing with plenty of headroom and storage. Heat is well managed, and considering the compact size, this drive delivers impressive performance.

Lexar SL500: Price & availability

The Lexar SL500 Portable SSD is widely available from retailers and can be purchased directly through the Lexar website, Amazon.com, and many other retail sites.

• Score: 3.5/5

Lexar SL500: Design & build

At 4.8mm thick, the main body of the slim portable SSD features a solid aluminium unibody design, giving the drive a smooth, minimalist look and enhancing its durability. The drive includes only a single USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Type-C connector, with a short cable provided in the box. Due to its size and weight, the drive may not initially sit flat on the desktop, with the cable's strength elevating one end. However, a bit of wiggling and rebending the cable can allow the drive to lay flush. 

The lightweight design means that despite some curvature in the drive's design, velcro can easily be attached, enabling the drive to be affixed to the back of, say, the best video editing monitor. This setup offers a convenient way to move around with your laptop with the drive attached without the concern of it dangling freely from the cable and becoming detached. The slight curve of the casing is also practical, making it easy to grip and remove the drive when needed. 

This SSD is one of the smallest portable SSDs available. It measures 85mm x 54mm x 7.8mm, with the thinnest part curving down to 4.8mm, and weighs 43g (excluding the cable). Impressively, the drive comes in various capacities, including 512GB, 1TB, 2TB, and a large 4TB option.

• Design & build: 4/5

Lexar SL500: Performance

What really stands out about this portable SSD is its size. It can slip into a backpack or jacket's side pocket without adding weight or bulk, although the relatively short cable must still be managed. Once connected, the Type-C cable easily links the drive to a Mac or PC, and the included Lexar DataShield software enables password security, a prudent feature for a portable device that might be lost or stolen.

The drive's out-of-the-box transfer speeds are impressive, and it can be reformatted from the ultra-compatible ExFAT to a more secure format for Mac (APFS) or PC (NTFS). The drive's speed offers excellent performance when it comes to both read and write speeds, making it perfect for use as both a working and storage drive. With write caching turned on (the default setting), transfer speeds reach around 1,000 MB/s, below the advertised speeds, but a significant increase is observed once write caching is switched off.

For general file storage, the drive's performance is outstanding, with a 140GB file transfer completed in about three minutes on the Mac, during which the drive remained cool to the touch. For video and image editing tasks in Photoshop, no issues were encountered when handling large files from cameras like the Canon R5 C and Sony A7 IV. In more demanding video editing scenarios with Final Cut Pro X, the drive maintained impressive performance, keeping up with the application's demands even though it did not match the advertised speed. During these intensive tasks, the drive's temperature increased but not excessively.

One of the most interesting features of this drive is that it is fully compatible with Apple iPhone 15 Pro and Max. This means that you can plug it directly into the USB Type-C port to record Apple Pro Res at up to 4K 60FPS. This feature enables far greater flexibility for iPhone film makers when it comes to grading in post with higher-quality video and far greater potential for the footage. Given this compatibility with Apple devices, it may be one of the best external hard drives for Mac users.

Overall, this compact storage solution delivers outstanding performance. Its small size makes it convenient and easy to mount onto the back of a laptop screen without concern.

• Performance: 4/5

Should you buy the Lexar SL500?

As an all-around portable SSD, its small size and variety of capacity options make this a discreet and easy choice. The minimal size and weight will appeal broadly, as it takes up very little room in the pocket of a jacket or bag, making it an ideal partner for imaging professionals.

The cable's weight influences its position on a desktop, but with a little Velcro, this drive can be perfectly attached to the back of a monitor. This feature is particularly beneficial for those on the move, working in various locations like trains, coffee shops, or hotdesking around an office, as it ensures the safety of the driver's connection during movement.

Although small pen drives with large capacity options are available, this dedicated drive offers sustained performance, making it an ideal choice for activities that require fast transfer speeds and reliable access to data. It is particularly suited for those in the video sector who demand reliable file access and need storage that is safe, secure, and lightweight enough to be easily transported in a busy environment without excessive concern about cables disconnecting.

iPhone 15 Pro and Max users will also benefit from the connection to greater storage when shooting video in the Apple ProRes format. This is a superb, slightly unique feature. There's the issue of how to attach the drive comfortably, but ultimately, it pushes the function and features of the iPhone 15 Pro even further. In real terms, the video that you can store on an iPhone with around 70GB of storage goes from 18 minutes to 1,183 minutes with the 2TB drive attached.

Overall, considering the capacity, size, and speed, this is an outstanding SSD that will suit many uses but will find particular appeal with photographers and videographers. 

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