The benefits of a portable SSD for data storage

A portable SSD (Solid State Drive) is an external storage device that is much faster than traditional hard drives. Whether you record a lot of videos or take photos all day, a portable SSD can help you work efficiently and keep your data safe. There are also a number of other benefits why an SSD is such a valuable tool for creatives and professionals.

What is an SSD?

An SSD drive stores data in small memory blocks that can be read and written quickly. There are no rotating parts in an SSD, as there are in an ordinary hard disk drive (HDD). That works with spinning disks and a moving arm to read data. An SSD has direct access to the stored information. This means you can access and store files much faster with an SSD.

Combat Camera - Lexar
SL500

What are the benefits of a portable SSD?

An SSD offers several advantages over a traditional HDD. A good example are the Lexar SL500 and the Lexar ARMOR 700, which are portable SSDs with impressive specifications. Both devices clearly show why an SSD is superior: among other things, they are faster, more reliable and more compact than an HDD.

Speed

The Lexar SL500 portable SSD can achieve maximum read speeds of 2000MB/s and maximum write speeds of 1800MB/s. The ARMOR 700 has even a slightly higher write speed of 2000MB/s. This means faster file transfers, faster file opening and shorter load times when working with large files such as videos and games. With these speeds, the SL500 portable SSD is almost 2x faster than comparable products and about 16x faster than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs).

Reliability

SSDs have no moving parts, making them less vulnerable to physical damage. This makes them more reliable for safely storing important or sensitive data, especially if you move around often. For extra ruggedness, choose a rugged SSD like the Lexar ARMOR 700. Keep sensitive files safe with Lexar DataShield™, a 256-bit AES encryption that protects your data.

Slim and solid

Portable SSDs are popular because they are small, light and easy to carry. This is ideal for people who are on the move a lot or already have a heavy camera bag. For example, the Lexar SL500 weighs just 43 grams and has a slim aluminium body that is 4.8 mm thick. This is about the size of a credit card. It fits easily in your palm or pocket. With a magnetic holder, you can even attach the SL500 to the back of your iPhone. Ideal if you film directly from your Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max in ProRes. The ARMOR 700 offers extra protection with IP66 certification, making it resistant to water, dust and even a 3-metre drop.

Energy-efficient

SSDs consume less power than HDDs. This saves your battery life when working on your laptop's battery, without mains power. Your battery will also last longer when recording videos in Apple ProRes on your iPhone 15 Pro Max. The Lexar SL500 and ARMOR 700 use technology from Silicon Motion. This technology gives you stable performance with less power consumption and less heat. This makes your laptop or iPhone last longer without recharging.

Future-proof

With the Lexar SL500 and ARMOR 700 SSD, you'll be ready for future developments. This SSD is iPhone-friendly and supports Apple ProRes recording, allowing you to record directly in 4K 60FPS with your iPhone 15 Pro or iPhone 15 Pro Max. Moreover, the Lexar SL500 and ARMOR 700 is compatible with all kinds of devices, including PCs, Macs, Android devices, gaming consoles, cameras, and video cameras. This allows you to work efficiently anytime, anywhere.

SL500
AR700

When do you use a portable SSD?

We need more and more external storage, especially as we more often take high-quality photos and videos with our cameras or even an iPhone 15. These files are often large and the phone's internal storage is limited. So extra storage space is needed to safely store your videos and easily carry them with you. The advantages of portable SSDs come in handy then.

Temporary storage

A portable SSD is ideal for temporary storage if you record a lot of content in high resolution for social media. For example, when you create a video for TikTok, Instagram or YouTube, the file can be large and take up a lot of space. With a portable SSD, you can quickly and easily store these large video files while you work. You can even connect the SSD to your camera or phone to save the video directly if your device supports it. That way, you don't have to worry about running out of storage space.

In addition, you can quickly transfer your videos from the SSD to your computer for further editing if necessary. Although this is not necessary as you can also work directly from the SSD. Thanks to the high speed of an SSD, this is much faster than with a traditional hard disk. If there is a fast M.2 SSD on your motherboard and you are going to mount from here, the high transfer speed will help you with this too.

On-site backup

An on-site temporary backup ensures you don't have to worry about losing important files. Some cameras, such as the Sony A7 series and certain Canon and Nikon cameras, allow you to backup directly from the camera to a portable SSD. This means you have a secure copy of your files immediately after recording.

We refer to this as a ‘temporary’ backup because SSDs are not usually used for long-term archiving. Although SSDs are fast and reliable, a traditional HDD is better suited for storing data over a very long period of time without use. HDDs are therefore a better solution for long-term archiving of your recordings. However good your drive is, always make sure you have at least one preferably two good backups. Preferably keep one backup in another location.

Work directly from the external SSD

You can also use an SSD as a workstation. With an external SSD, you can open and edit projects without having to move them to your computer or laptop's internal storage first. By working directly from the SSD, you save a lot of time. It also frees up space on your internal storage and makes it easy to take your work with you and continue it on different devices.

AR700 rugged SSD
Magnetic SSD

Using portable SSD with the iPhone 15 Pro Max

The iPhone 15 (STD model and the Pro and Pro Max) has a USB-C port, making it easy to transfer files to a portable SSD. The iPhone 15 lets you dump videos directly to an SSD via USB-C, which is particularly handy for dealing with large video files. The iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max can additionally record in the ProRes format, which can generate up to 1.7GB per minute of files. You can only film in 4K 10-bit Apple ProRes if you have a fast external SSD connected to your iPhone 15 Pro / Pro Max. If you don't have this then the choice is not available in your iPhone's menu, as the internal storage is simply not enough when it comes to capacity and speed.

"The iPhone 15 lets you dump videos directly to an SSD via USB-C."

If you film with the iPhone 15 Pro (Max), the Lexar SL500 Portable SSD Magnetic Set is an excellent solution for extra storage. This SSD comes in a magnetic case that you can easily attach to the back of your iPhone via MagSafe. The set is not only practical and user-friendly, but also won a prestigious Red Dot Award in 2024 for its innovative design.

SSD Using with Game Consoles: PS5 and Xbox Series X and S

You can use an SSD as extra storage for your Xbox Series X and Series S, and for your PS4 or PS5. Connecting an SSD will give you more space for your games and files. This comes in handy when your internal storage is almost full or if you want games to load faster. SSDs provide faster load times and better performance than regular hard drives. This means less waiting and smoother gaming. For consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X, an external SSD helps your games run faster and more efficiently.

portable SSD
Lexar SSD
SSD voor telefoon

Recommended portable SSDs

If you have decided that an SSD is the right choice for you, you might be wondering which one is best to choose. Two excellent options are the Lexar SL500 and the Lexar ARMOR 700. Both SSDs are reliable and offer good performance.

The Lexar SL500 is a slim and portable SSD that can transfer data quickly and is easy to carry around. The Lexar ARMOR 700 is extra rugged and resistant to water, dust and drops. Both models are a safe choice and SSDs that you can no doubt recommend to everyone.

Lexar® SL500 Portable SSDLexar® SL500 Portable SSD Magnetic Set Lexar® ARMOR 700 Portable SSD
Capacity512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB1TB, 2TB, 4TB1TB, 2TB, 4TB
InterfaceUSB 3.2 Gen 2x2USB 3.2 Gen 2x2USB 3.2 Gen 2x2
SpeedUp to 2000 MB/s read, up to 1800 MB/s writeUp to 2000 MB/s read, up to 1800 MB/s writeUp to 2000 MB/s read, up to 2000 MB/s write
Supported systemsMac® OSX 10.6+, Windows® 11/10/7/8, Android 4.4+, iOS17+Mac® OSX 10.6+, Windows® 11/10/7/8, Android 4.4+, iOS17+Mac® OSX 10.6+, Windows® 11/10/7/8, Android 4.4+, iOS17+
AccessoiresType-C and USB-A all-in-one cableMagnetic case, wrist strap, magnetic ring, 30cm USB Type C cableType-C and USB-A all-in-one cable
Weight43 gram43 gram (+ 93 gram case)80 gram
ProductCapacityInterfaceSpeedSupported SystemsAccessoriesWeight
Lexar® SL500 Portable SSD512GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TBUSB 3.2 Gen 2x2Up to 2000 MB/s read, up to 1800 MB/s writeMac® OSX 10.6+, Windows® 11/10/7/8, Android 4.4+, iOS17+Type-C and USB-A all-in-one cable43 gram
Lexar® SL500 Portable SSD Magnetic set1TB, 2TB, 4TBUSB 3.2 Gen 2x2Up to 2000 MB/s read, up to 1800 MB/s writeMac® OSX 10.6+, Windows® 11/10/7/8, Android 4.4+, iOS17+Magnetic case, wrist strap, magnetic ring, 30cm USB Type C cable43 gram (+ 93 gram case)
Lexar® ARMOR 700 Portable SSD 1TB, 2TB, 4TBUSB 3.2 Gen 2x2Up to 2000 MB/s read, up to 2000 MB/s writeMac® OSX 10.6+, Windows® 11/10/7/8, Android 4.4+, iOS17+Type-C and USB-A all-in-one cable80 gram
soldier with Lexar SSD
combat helicopter

Combat photographer Hille James uses the Lexar ARMOR 700, and this is his experience:

‘I am a Combat photographer in Defence. My job is basically to capture everything where Defence is deployed. Whether that's a mission in Mali or Iraq, an exercise in the mountains of Austria or Scotland, I'm there! So my equipment has to be able to take a beating.

During my missions, I carry all my equipment on my back. This quickly goes towards 20 to 25 kilos. And that's not counting food and water. I always try to pack as light as possible. Of course, it also depends on the mission itself and the duration of the mission what I take with me. I took the Lexar ARMOR 700 to Barbados for the first time, a three-week training in the jungle and the sea. This small, super lightweight 2TB external SSD is water and dust resistant and can take a beating!

I often leave my laptop at home and take my iPad Pro with me to edit and send my photos. Upon returning, I empty my cards on the laptop. The beauty of the SSD is that I can put all the photos on it as a backup via my iPad at lightning speed. I now also have the post-processing of photos in the field at hand with the Lexar Armor. This is a powerful and small SSD that is a huge addition to my kit and I now wear it as standard in my bulletproof vest. During helicopter flights, relaying photos on a wild sea and in the desert, it has taken some beating. He has also easily survived all the dust and salt water!’

Brief summary - why you need a portable SSD

A portable SSD is a fast and reliable external storage device, ideal for anyone working with large files, such as videos and photos. Compared to traditional hard drives, an SSD offers significantly faster read and write speeds, making editing and/or transferring files much more efficient. Moreover, SSDs are more compact, energy efficient and less vulnerable to physical damage, making them perfect for creatives and professionals who are often on the move.

Two excellent choices for a portable SSD are the Lexar SL500 and the Lexar ARMOR 700. The Lexar SL500's slim and light shape makes it ideal for everyday use, with impressive read speeds of up to 2000 MB/s. The Lexar ARMOR 700 offers the same speed, but with extra protection against water, dust and shock. This makes it perfect for tougher conditions. Both SSDs offer reliable performance and are compatible with all kinds of devices, from cameras, laptops, smartphones to gaming consoles.

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