Best 500GB USB TLC SSDs
There are 6 500GB USB TLC SSDs compared here. The fastest is the ADATA EXTERNO XPG SE900G at 2000 MB/s read. Sequential reads across the group span 450–2000 MB/s at 500GB.
Why this configuration
A 500GB USB TLC 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.
500GB is a sensible OS-plus-a-few-games size.
Usually chosen for: backups, working off an external drive, and console storage overflow.
Good fit: everyday all-rounder use, from OS drive to game library.
Ranked list
Speeds on this page are the manufacturer's 500GB ratings where published (2 of 6 drives), not the family headline figure. Rated writes at 500GB run 450–540 MB/s.
| # | Model | Tier | Controller | Read MB/s (at 500GB) | TBW | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  ADATA EXTERNO XPG SE770G 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | — | 1000* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 2 |  HP Portable HP SSD P700 250GB, 500GB, 1TB | Mid-range | Silicon Motion SM2263EN + SATA-to- | 1000* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 3 |  Samsung T5 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4LN | 540 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 4 |  Kingston EXTERNO HYPER-X SAVAGE EXO 500GB, 960GB | Mid-range | Marvell 88SS1074 + SATA-to-USB Bri | 500* | — | Find on Amazon |
| 5 |  Samsung T3 PORTABLE SSD 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | Mid-range | SAMSUNG 2-core MGX controller(S4LN | 450 | — | Find on Amazon |
| 6 |  ADATA EXTERNO XPG SE900G 500GB, 1TB, 2TB | — | — | 2000* | — | Find on Amazon |
* family rating — the manufacturer does not publish a 500GB figure for this drive.
The parts, explained
500GB is a comfortable OS-and-games starting point.
USB and Thunderbolt portable drives trade peak speed for pocketability and cross-device use.
TLC NAND is the mainstream choice — a solid balance of endurance, speed and cost.