Top 4 Thunderbolt 3 SSDs for Apple MacBooks

The Thunderbolt port is one of the strongest points of the Apple MacBooks. If the internal storage isn’t enough, you can buy an external SSD (Solid State Drive) for your Mac. Investing in a Thunderbolt SSD is an ideal solution for transferring and syncing data at faster speeds.

This is especially true if you are a creator and need to edit your files across multiple systems. Aside from that, these portable SSDs let you access your video and photo library almost anywhere.

So if you want a fast lightning-fast speed, here are our top recommendations for the best Thunderbolt 3 SSDs for Apple MacBooks.

But before that,

• Here are the best USB-C hubs for Apple MacBooks
• Don’t let the cable be the bottleneck. Take a look at these Thunderbolt 3 cables that you can buy

1. Samsung X5 Portable SSD

Of course, the speed goes down in real life, but you do get a fast device on your hands. At the same time, the device comes formatted in ex-FAT and has AES 256-bit protection.

The speed is much less in the real world. This is partly due to Dynamic Thermal Guard (DTG) tech. This tech is responsible for keeping the system cool. However, it does so by throttling the system speed, especially during long transfer processes. That said, the speed is still on the faster side. The folks at Tech Radar could transfer a 100GB file in just 83 seconds.

The build is fairly decent and it should last you a long time. However, unlike LaCie SSDs, the Samsung X5 SSD doesn’t have any IP rating or a weatherproof casing.

2. Sabrent Rocket SB-XTMQ-2TB

Like the one above, this SSD comes formatted in exFAT file format. The folks at Toms Hardware were able to get a read speed of 2.7GBps and write speed of 1.8GBps. The best part is that it maintains high speed on standard USB-C devices. On USB 3.2 Gen 2 devices, you will still be able to get up to 1GBps in speed.

The in-box content is another area where the Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q SSD TB3 SSD truly shines. While Samsung provides just a 45cm Thunderbolt cable, Sabrent goes ahead and packs two long cables. One of these cables is a 68 cm (27-inch) long Thunderbolt cable, while the other is a standard 50 cm (20-inch) USB-C to USB-A cable.

This Sabrent Thunderbolt 3 SSD comes with a 1-year warranty.

3. Glyph Atom EV SSD

It has almost the same read/write speed and form factor as the Samsung X5 mentioned above. If we talk numbers, it delivers upwards of 2700MBps read speed and 2500 MBps write speed. The main hero is the performance during long read/write sessions. Unlike the Samsung X5, there’s no speed throttling.

It also features a solid build and sports a MIL-Standard 810F exterior. It can withstand its share of bumps against door frames and tabletops and falls & drops. The small form factor means it’s easy to carry. And the rubber exterior ensures better grip.

The only niggle is the short cable compared to the Sabrent Thunderbolt 3 SSD. The one provided with the Atom Pro measures just 10-inches, and the short length can be a bit limiting at times. You can tuck it inside the rubber casing when traveling on the upside.

4. LaCie Rugged SSD Pro

And there’s more to the story. The rugged cover can easily bear the brunt of accidental falls and drops. Plus, the silicone outer cover adds a grippy texture.

The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is based on the PCIe NVMe tech and has an impressive read/write speed. The Thunderbolt SSD Pro can go up to theoretical speeds of 2,800MB/s for disk read/write when it comes to numbers.

The company does provide a single USB-C-to-USB-C cable. However, the length of 8-inches can be a tad limiting if you want greater flexibility.

Compared to the ones above, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro is expensive and costs a lot more than its counterparts for almost the same capacity.

Lightning Fast

Thunderbolt is becoming a universal standard for most laptops, so Thunderbolt-based SSDs are more common now. They offer almost triple the amount of speed compared to USB-based SSDs. However, they are costly. But the fact that they offer faster access speed and a solid design makes them a clear winner.