TechRadar Verdict
Blindingly fast for external storage, the Nextorage NX-PS1PRO delivers what we’ve been missing with USB 3.2 Gen 2 or even Gen 2x2. However, it’s not cheap, lacks an 8TB model and its cooling mechanism is passive.
Pros
- +
Backwards compatibility
- +
Epic transfer rates
Cons
- -
Gets warm in use
- -
Needs caching mode set to achieve speed
- -
Not inexpensive
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30-second review
USB 4.0 has been around for a while, but relatively few devices use it, annoyingly
The Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series aims to remedy those missed opportunities by offering an external SSD that performs much better than an internally mounted M.2 NVMe.
In theory, this device should be compatible with laptops that have USB 4.0 or Thunderbolt, delivering speeds up to 3,900 MB/s reads and 3,800 MB/s writing from a PC with these interfaces. Surely a candidate for our Best portable SSDs?
It can be used with a USB 3.2 port (USB-C), but it will only offer roughly a quarter of that speed since USB 3.2 Gen 2 only offers 10Gbps, whereas USB 4.0 can achieve 40Gbps.
The shape and scale of the Nextorage NX-PS1PRO are greater than many less rapid designs, as it needs to dissipate the heat generated by such high-speed transfers. But it's still small enough to fit in a jacket pocket or for accessories on a laptop bag.
The only issues with this drive are that you must have USB 4.0 to make it worthwhile, and you need to have access to the device manager to set Enable write caching to get the true speed.
With those exceptions and a bit more care removing the drive due to the write caching, this is the same as using a conventional USB 3.2 Gen 1 or 2 drive, but significantly faster.
Hopefully, all external USB SSDs will be like this in the future, where they are more accurately matched to the internal storage performance.
Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series: Pricing and availability
- How much does it cost? From $250 for 1TB model
- When is it out? On pre-order
- Where can you get it? Sold through online retailers, including B&H Photo
This product is on pre-order with a number of online retailers, including B&H Photo in the USA.
Nextorage has three models with 1TB, 2TB and 4TB of capacity. For American customers, these are priced at $249.99, $349.99 and $599.99. In Europe, those numbers translate into
€238.52, €333.93 and €572.45, or £197.02, £275.83 and £472.85 in the UK.
The obvious conclusion from these numbers is that the larger models offer a better cost-per-TB deal, with the 1TB model being the worst value.
There are relatively few alternative options using USB 4.0, forcing a comparison with Thunderbolt external drives, which were never cheap.
For example, the OCW Enoy Pro FX has the same capacities and is priced at $279.99, $348, and $549.99, making it cheaper at the 4TB level. To get the most from the Envoy Pro FX, you need a Thunderbolt 3 port, but it will also work with USB 3.2.
One cheap alternative is the Ugreen 40Gpbs Hard Drive Enclosure with Cooling Fan, which I'll be covering soon. It costs only $129.99, and it can be used with any M.2 NVMe storage you have handy.
A 4TB M.2 NVMe costs around $210-$260, combined with the Ugreen enclosure, should deliver a 4TB drive for less than $390.
It's understandable that with Nextorage NX-PS1PRO being so new and with relatively few options for customers, there would be a price premium for it. However, given how cheaply you can get a USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive these days, these costs should come down in 2025.
Cost is the biggest issue with this product.
- Value: 3.5 / 5
Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series: Specs
| Model No. | Nextorage NX-PS1PRO |
|---|---|
| Capacities | 1TB/2TB/4TB |
| Capacity tested | 2TB |
| Tested sequential performance (Read/Write) | 3753/3221 MB/s |
| Connection | USB 4.0 using Type-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2 or Gen 1 on USB-C |
| Encryption | Software |
| Dimensions | 59 x 128 x 15 mm (WxHxD) |
| Weight | 190g |
| Power source | USB-bus power |
| Warranty | 1-year |
Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series: Design
- Designed by thermodynamics
- Mostly plastic
- USB-C Cable
Nextorage designers made a choice with the NX-PS1PRO that entirely dictated many things about it, and that was to make it passively cooled.
While PCIe 3.0 NVMe drives didn't get especially hot, Gen 4 and Gen 5 drives need cooling support to prevent them from overheating under duress. The Nextorage NX-PS1PRO contains a Gen 4 drive, and the enclosure is designed to provide maximum cooling without a fan.
Therefore, nearly one whole side is a slotted vent to allow warmed air to escape from the SSD sandwiched between heatsinks.
It is a bit disconcerting that the outer case is entirely made of plastic, probably a reinforced variety. However, Nextorage claims that it was drop-tested from 4.2ft and that it is shock- and vibration-resistant and compliant with IEC 60068-2-27 and IEC 60068-2-6, respectively.
I am not sure that surviving a fall from 4.2 feet onto a surface that isn't defined is much of a claim. Despite all of these durability ticks, the maker only provides a single year of warranty. Considering that Crucial has a three-year warranty on its X10 Pro series, one year for the NX-PS1PRO doesn't seem enough.
The drive comes with a 50-cm USB 4.0 specification cable, which is much longer than many external drive makers include. This cable is USB-C at both ends, and Nextorage advised the owner to use it only with the drive.
That this cable is detachable and, therefore, replaceable is something that those who break or misplace cables will be happy to see.
A well-positioned activity LED on one edge provides feedback that the drive is powered and working.
For those curious, there is no included adapter for USB-A, though USB 4.0 doesn't support that port standard, which is exclusively USB-C. The drive works with a USB 3.2 port that is USB-C, and it should function with an adapter for USB-A, but only at a maximum of USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds.
It also needs to be said that the connections that can be successfully made in devices marked as having USB 4.0 ports have been variable. Nextorage has a guide that details some requirements that might help you determine if your laptop will work with this device. It might be worth reading before committing to an order.
- Design: 3 / 5
Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series: Software
- There is none
Sometimes, USB SSD makers offer only basic software tools that you must download from the company website. But Nextorage hasn't included any, and at the time of writing, we have yet to see any publicly available firmware updates.
On the Nextorage website, the maker offers a version of Acronis that might be compatible with this product, but it isn't listed in the Application product selection.
- Software: 1 / 5
Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series: Performance
- Needs USB 4.0
- No hardware encryption
| Bench | Test | Nextorage NX-PS1PRO 2TB |
|---|---|---|
| CrystalDiskMark 8.04 | Default Read | 3753 MB/s |
| Row 1 - Cell 0 | Default Write | 3220 MB/s |
| Row 2 - Cell 0 | Real World Read | 2923 MB/s |
| Row 3 - Cell 0 | Real World Write | 2391 MB/s |
| AJA System Test 1GB | Read | 3126 MB/s |
| Row 5 - Cell 0 | Write | 2708 MB/s |
| AS SSD | Read | 2242 MB/s |
| Row 7 - Cell 0 | Write | 1908 MB/s |
| ATTO | Read | 3540 MB/s |
| Row 9 - Cell 0 | Write | 3010 MB/s |
| PCMark Data Drive Bench | Score | 2136 |
The Nextorage NX-PS1PRO is the first USB 4.0 external drive I've tested, so there isn't anything to compare it with.
That said, this performance is dramatically better than that of a typical USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive, and it even outperforms Gen 2x2 drives and the few Thunderbolt-compatible external drives I've seen.
The only caveat to this performance is that to use it at these speeds requires you to use the Device Manager to choose "Better Performance" in the policy tab and then "Enable write caching on this device". Without this set, the write performance of the drive can crash to 300MB/s, disturbingly.
That setting is not an issue if you are technically capable of making that change, but if you take data to a customer who is blocked from accessing the device manager, then it could be a bigger issue.
My only other sticking point is that the NVMe drive Nextorage used does not support hardware encryption, which at this price it should. If Crucial can include hardware-encryptable SSDs in its X10 Pro for around half the price, then Nextorage should be able to use one in this product.
Compared with almost anything else, the Nextorage NX-PS1PRO is incredibly quick and could be ideal for cloning internal laptop or desktop SSDs before they are replaced with a better or faster NVMe.
- Performance: 4.5 / 5
Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series: Verdict
With the slight annoyance that it needs to be configured for write caching, the Nextorage NX-PS1PRO delivers most of what the makers claim, assuming you have a USB 4.0 port.
At this price, some software might have been expected, but so many drive makers have decided it's no longer their responsibility to provide those tools.
As a device, my only concern is how far passive cooling will work if you initiate a 4TB file transfer because the drive inside hits a thermal threshold and decides to throttle.
It's interesting to note that the Ugreen 40Gbps external drive enclosure's designers went with active cooling from the outset.
That point aside, my major issue is the asking price, which reflects how new this is and the limited alternatives. Hopefully, the Nextorage NX-PS1PRO will be cheaper next year, and an 8TB model will be added to the lineup.
Should I buy the Nextorage NX-PS1PRO Series?
| Value | Ground breaking equipment, wallet-busting price | 3.5 / 5 |
| Design | Nicely made and designed but mostly plastic. | 3 / 5 |
| Software | There is none | 1 / 5 |
| Performance | Makes even USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 drives look like they are going backwards | 4,5/ 5 |
| Overall | Delivers what customers have wanted for a while, but the cost over a USB 3.2 drive is more than double. | 4 / 5 |
Buy it if...
Don't buy it if...
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