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SSDs Radar

Updated Nov 6, 2026

Data from Nov 6, 2026. First edition of this segment.

Best external drives today

71 models, median of $260.

Not sure where to start choosing?

We compare the 71 models on sale today. See where each one stands on price and score.

See today’s picks

Today’s picks

Today’s price, Nov 6, 2026. We searched 1 store: Amazon. Below, the lowest price we found today at the stores above.

We don't score SSDs: store listings don't carry data worth measuring. We sort by price.

Partner store links: the Radar may earn a commission, at no extra cost to you. How we make money

How we choose: the score is the spec score (0 to 10) and the price is the lowest we found today, using the upfront-payment price when the store offers a discount for it. See how we pick.

All models: External drives

See the 24 highest-scoring modelsHide the list
Models in the segment, from highest score to lowest
ModelPriceScoreBuy
Sandisk 500GB Portable DriveExternal · 500 GB$90at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 500GB Portable SSDExternal · 500 GB$110at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 500GB Pokémon Portable SSDExternal · 500 GB$120at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate Portable 1TB External Hard Drive HDDExternal$120at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 1TB Portable DriveExternal$130at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate 2TB Portable Hard DriveExternal$146at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Western Digital Elements SE WDBEPK0020BBK-WESN 2 TB Portable Hard DriveExternal$147at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate 2TB Expansion Portable Hard DriveExternal$150at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Lexar D70E 512GB Dual Drive External SSD up to 2000MB/s Read 1300MB/s WriteExternal · 512 GB$150at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate One Touch 2TB Portable External Hard Drive HDD USB-CExternal$157at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 1TB Portable SSDExternal$160at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 500GB Extreme Portable SSDExternal · 500 GB$160at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Kingston XS2000 500G High Performance Portable SSDExternal$160at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 500GB Extreme Portable External SSDExternal · 500 GB$180at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate 4TB Expansion Portable Hard DriveExternal$190at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate Expansion DesktopExternal$194at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Sandisk 1TB Pokémon Portable SSDExternal$200at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate One Touch 4TB Portable External Hard Drive HDD USB-CExternal$200at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Lexar ES3 1TB Portable SSD BlueExternal$210at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate MOVE SPEED 1TB SSD External Hard Drive USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 Up to 1000MB/sExternal$212at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Seagate Expansion 6TB External Hard Drive HDDExternal$215at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Crucial X10 Pro 1TB Portable SSDExternal$215at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Crucial X10 Pro USB 3.2 Type-C Portable External SSDExternal$215at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon
Western Digital WD 5TB Elements Portable External Hard DriveExternal$217at Amazonno scoreBuy on Amazon

External drives in numbers

How much it costs

Half of the 71 SSDs cost up to $260; the range with the most models is from $0 to $250, with 34.

How many models there are in each price range, from $0 to $2,000. Half cost up to $260; across the whole catalog, the median is $240.34 models between $0 and $25020 models between $250 and $5009 models between $500 and $7504 models between $750 and $1,0001 model between $1,000 and $1,2502 models between $1,250 and $1,5001 model between $1,750 and $2,0003420941201$0$500$1,000$1,500$2,000
  • half cost up to $260
  • whole catalog: $240

Cheapest $90 Sandisk 500GB Portable Drive

Most expensive $2,000 Sandisk SSD, External 8 TB USB3.2 Gen2, Read Up to 1050MB/s, Splashproof and

See the table by price range
External drives by price range, against the whole catalog
Price rangeModels in the segmentIn the catalogMedian score of the segmentMedian score of the catalog
Up to $100114
$100 to $2001768
$200 to $3002146
$300 to $5001546
Over $5001738
See these models on the price and score map

What changed

This is the first check with history for this segment. Radar checks prices every day: from the next one on, this section shows what got cheaper, what got more expensive and what came in or left.

Against the whole catalog

  • +8%median price above the catalog’s
  • 33%of the catalog: 71 of 212 models
See the full table
External drives against the whole catalog
IndicatorExternal drivesWhole catalogDifference
Models7121233% of the catalog
Median price$260$240+8%
Median scoreno scoreno score
Lowest price$90$46+$44
Highest price$2,000$2,300−$300

How to read these numbers

On November 6, 2026, the Radar tracks 71 models of SSD of type external: median price of $260, 8% above the catalog’s ($240). Prices range from $90 to $2,000.

How we choose
  • The picks combine a high rating and a price in line with the list: each one fits a way of spending, a use, or the brand that shows up most. The pros and cons come from each model’s spec sheet.
  • Stores: Amazon. We include stores we read every day through an open source or an affiliate program: the Radar collection, the Amazon catalog and the factory price database. A store that failed to load today is left out.
  • The same model in two stores is only merged with a catalog code, GTIN or the manufacturer’s full code. When in doubt, only one store is kept. A price far from the collected one (below 60% or above 150%) is left out.
  • Amazon appears without a price, only with the link: we don’t read Amazon prices in bulk.

Next step

See each SSD on the chart

Open the chart already filtered to External drives.

See on the chart

Frequently asked questions

How much does a SSD of type external cost?

In the Nov 6, 2026 catalog, the median price of the 71 models in the segment is $260, and prices range from $90 to $2,000. The final price is the one at the store.

How does the Radar count the models in this segment?

Includes models whose title or listing states the type external. Listings without the data stay out. Each model counts once: if it has more than one version within the rule, the price is that of the cheapest version and the others show on the card.

How does the Radar choose the SSDs on the "best score for the price" line?

From cheapest to most expensive, the SSD that has a higher spec score than all the cheaper ones in the segment makes the line. Anything that costs more and has an equal or lower score is left out. The line doesn’t say which SSD to buy: it only shows which ones don’t lose on both score and price at once.

How often does this page change?

Every day, with each collection: numbers, chart, ranking and the "What changed" section are rebuilt with the day’s catalog. This edition is from November 6, 2026.

Read next

NVMe SSDs: median of $286SATA SSDs: median of $199Internal hard drives: median of $195External drives up to $250: 34 models, median of $200External drives up to $300: 39 models, median of $212External drives up to $400: 51 models, median of $220External drives up to $500: 54 models, median of $225External drives up to $600: 60 models, median of $230External drives up to $700: 63 models, median of $238External drives up to $800: 65 models, median of $240External drives up to $1,000: 67 models, median of $245External drives up to $1,500: 70 models, median of $257All Radar overviewsOverview of new SSDs: price, score and brandSee on the chart
Where the numbers come from

Lowest price seen for the product in the stores we read, on the day it was read, before sales tax.

The price is the one recorded on the date shown. The spec score doesn’t measure real speed or durability or durability.

Data from Nov 6, 2026.