External storage (2TB+)?

Nod

Nod

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I've started shooting more video using a GoPro so am building up a fair few GB of files needing storage. Not sure what's best these days - SSD, HDD etc.. Even a USB stick can be had.

Any brands/models to look for or (perhaps more importantly!) avoid? Transfer speed not too important; reliability much more so.

TIA for any help.
 
If you do not want to go the NVMe plus enclosre route the Crucial X9 gets good reports and it's really SMALL, (although there are smaller) - I am pleased with the 2TB one I bought .......the (better) NVMe thing is faster but you need an enclosure and it's bigger
 
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I used a Seagate 5tb extrnl SSD drive
link

This I have for backup to a couple of internal SSD drives and only use as storage and add more videos/stills. The internal ones I use if I want to edit with and then only on copies,
 
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Thanks for the replies so far.

Currently leaning towards the Crucial option but will continue the search in the hope that Bleak Freda might bring price drops...
 
I would recommend the NVMe plus enclosure route. Not expensive unless you go for something really fast.
 
I have the following, external
WD Black 2TB NVMe SSD in a ZIKE enclosure
a Crucial 2TB X9 SSD, (which is quite impressive) for the type that it is .......... I also have the "slower" X8 SSD
another External 2TB SSD in a Transend StoreJet
and a couple of 4TB older external disks
etc.,

I can go through the speeds etc.,
on a iMac 27" Retina
an M4 Mac Mini
and an M1 MacBook Air
but I am not sure if the Black Magic Speed disk really tell you that much ........ as I'm not an expert

but from what you have said I would go for the Crucial X9 because of it's size, portability and reasonable speed ........ transfer speed depends on the kit you have and how compatible it is with the storage you use......... some quoted transfer speeds of the latest stuff, e,g. the Crucial X10 ? are only achievable with the latest kit, (say computer)
 
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I tend to take speed claims with a tablespoon of salt TBH - rarely achieved and often not for long. The transfers are usually done while I'm doing other "housekeeping" like charging batteries, cleaning cases etc. so ultimate speed isn't that important (and I remember using cradles for phone transfer of data...) but reliability and a certain amount of ruggedness is, hence leaning towards SSD rather than HDD. I've even toyed with the idea of a couple of 1TB SD cards but worry about losing them.
 
Nod said:
I tend to take speed claims with a tablespoon of salt TBH - rarely achieved and often not for long. The transfers are usually done while I'm doing other "housekeeping" like charging batteries, cleaning cases etc. so ultimate speed isn't that important (and I remember using cradles for phone transfer of data...) but reliability and a certain amount of ruggedness is, hence leaning towards SSD rather than HDD. I've even toyed with the idea of a couple of 1TB SD cards but worry about losing them.
Click to expand...

Sustained transfer rate is one area where the Crucial X9 and X10 drives score particularly wel, so you don't see that kind of drop-off. They keep up their maximum transfer rate even if you write 300 GB in one go and it seems to be impossible to exhaust their pSLC cache.

https://ssd-tester.co.uk/crucial_x9_2tb.html [see other benchmarks there also]

Tom's Hardware has a nice graph comparing sustained write performance of a selection of external drives

www.tomshardware.com

Crucial X10 Pro Portable SSD Review: USB Speed King

Crucial's X10 Pro achieves impressive speeds over a USB 3.2 Gen 2 2x2 port and is reasonably priced when you can find it on sale. But its bandwidth is cut in half when plugged into most ports (including TB4), so be sure your devices have the right connection.
www.tomshardware.com www.tomshardware.com

I have a couple of Crucial drives and a 2TB Samsung T7; the T7 does bog down a bit on larger transfers while the Crucials never do.

They are pretty rugged too. If you don't need top end speed from the X10, the X9 offers very good VFM and GB/£.
 
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Since it seems that memory prices are about to rise, I've ordered a 2TB Crucial X9. IF prices fall on the relevant friday, I might get another as an extra back-up drive.
 
FWIW
I have some Samsung T7 tough ones (the ones with the rubberised coating

To date I have found them very good, read/write speeds on a USB 3 connection are good. Plus I like that it comes with a password protection (hidden partition?) so if lost the finder cannot get to the data
 
Passwords are a problem for me - I have so many that I can't remember them!
 
The X-9 is TINY! I did look at the dimensions before ordering it but didn't really take in just how small it is - about 2 1/2 " x 2 " x 3/8 ".
 
Nod said:
The X-9 is TINY! I did look at the dimensions before ordering it but didn't really take in just how small it is - about 2 1/2 " x 2 " x 3/8 ".
Click to expand...

I know, it surprised me but I have run my LR 50K+ images from one with no problem and the speed was acceptable
 
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