Best 250GB USB SSDs
There are 4 250GB USB SSDs compared here. The fastest is the HP Portable HP SSD P700 at 1000 MB/s read. Sequential reads across the group span 450–1000 MB/s at 250GB.
Why this configuration
A 250GB USB SSD is a portable, take-anywhere configuration. External SSDs trade a little peak speed for the freedom to move data between a PC, console and laptop without opening anything up.
250GB covers an OS and core apps with little room for a large game library.
Usually chosen for: backups, working off an external drive, and console storage overflow.
Good fit: mainstream desktop and laptop builds.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 250GB ratings where published (3 of 4 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 250GB run 450–540 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 250GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  HP Portable HP SSD P700 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2263EN + SATA-to- | 1000* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  Samsung T5 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4LN | 540 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Samsung T1 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4L0 | 450 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Samsung T3 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4LN | 450 | — | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 250GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
250GB fits an OS plus core apps.
USB and Thunderbolt portable drives trade peak speed for pocketability and cross-device use.