Fastest external SSD gadgets for your Mac in 2021

Looking for a fast SSD for your Mac in 2021? Then check out today's roundup of the fastest external SSD gadgets for your Mac. These devices deliver on speed so that you can keep working, editing, and playing.

Western Digital Call of Duty Black Ops SSD in black

If you use your Mac for photo or video editing, content creation, or entertainment, you know how important it is to have one of the fastest external SSDs. It gives you extra storage space for large projects and is crucial to have as a backup for your most important work. The solid-state drives on this list offer the speeds you need to access files quickly and get your work done. Many of them also have portable designs and safety features that keep your information secure.

Related: 9 MacBook stands for your workspace

If you value speed and convenience, you could go for this fast SSD. It boasts lightning-fast transfer speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s, and you can edit directly on the device for even more convenience. And this portable SSD provides speeds up to 540 MB per second and has up to two terabytes of storage. If you want a fast external SSD for your Mac, have a look at the list below.

SanDisk Extreme Pro Fast SSD

You can edit directly on the SanDisk Extreme Pro Fast SSD for the ultimate in convenience. Even better, this SSD has lightning-fast transfer speeds up to 1,050 MB/s. Best of all, the rugged design and aluminum body keep the solid-state drive core safe and cool.

Western Digital ArmorLock Encrypted NVMe SSD

Get some of the fastest transfer speeds out there with the Western Digital ArmorLock Encrypted NVMe SSD. It maxes out at 1,000 MB/s for reading and writing. It also comes with 256-bit AES-XTS hardware encryption and NIST P-256 elliptic curve-based key management for comprehensive data protection.

Samsung 860 QVO Terabyte SSD

Another zippy option on our list of the fastest external SSDs for your Mac in 2021 is the Samsung 860 QVO Terabyte SSD. It has a maximum data reading speed of 560 MB/s. And it’s writing speeds are close behind at 520 MB/s. Plus, the 1 TB version supports Macs.

Samsung 860 QVO terabyte SSD outdoors

Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD

Great for gamers, the Western Digital WD_Black SN 850 NVMe SSD boasts some breakneck read and write speeds of up to 7,000 MB/s and up to 1,000,000 IOPS. Another cool feature of this fast SSD is that it comes with a downloadable WD_BLACK Dashboard where you can keep an eye on your drive’s health.

Western Digital WD_BLACK SN850 NVMe SSD top view

Western Digital Call of Duty: Black Ops SSD

Another of the fastest external hard drives for your Mac in 2021 is the Western Digital Call of Duty: Black Ops SSD. It has speeds of up to 2,000 MB/s and works with macOS 10.11 and newer.

Western Digital Call of Duty: Black Ops SSD top view

Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD

If you travel frequently and are concerned about security, look no further than the Samsung T7 Touch Portable SSD. It has a reading speed of 1,050 MB/s and a writing speed of 1,000 MB/s for quick file access. Best of all, it features a built-in fingerprint scanner.

Western Digital D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD

Another great option for gamers on this list of the fastest external SSDs for your Mac in 2021 is the Western Digital D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD. It reaches up to a 3,000 MB/s read speed and a 25,000 MB/s write speed thanks to the NVMe performance storage. It also has 87 W of pass-through charging for your laptop.

Western Digital D50 Game Dock NVMe SSD on a desk

Lexar Professional SL 100 Pro Portable SSD

If you’re more of a general Mac user but still want to back up your computer—a very good idea—then the Lexar Professional SL 100 Pro Portable SSD is worth looking into. It’s speedy with up to a 950 MB/s read and write speed.

Lexar Professional SL 100 Pro Portable SSD in use

Western Digital My Passport Ultra Portable Hard Drive

Download the NTFS driver for macOS so you can use the Western Digital My Passport Ultra Portable Hard Drive with your Mac. This SSD makes it easy to retrieve your documents and files with up to 5 TB of capacity. It also offers password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption.

Western Digital My Passport Ultra portable hard drive on a work setup

RavPower Mini External SSD Pro Hard Drive

Another of the fastest external hard drives for your Mac is the RavPower Mini External SSD Pro Hard Drive. This mini SSD offers reading and writing speeds of up to 540 MB/s, which is five times faster than a conventional HDD. It works with macOS 10.12 or higher.

RavPower Mini External SSD Pro Hard Drive with devices

Seagate Barracuda Fast Portable SSD

It’s convenient to access your files on the Seagate Barracuda Fast Portable SSD. It reaches speeds of up to 549 MBps and comes in 500 GB, 1 TB, and 2 TB sizes. The 2 TB SSD can even hold up to 50 movies.

Seagate Barracuda Fast Portable SSD in a person’s hand

No matter which of these fast SSDs for Macs you choose, it’s sure to keep you working, playing, and streaming at top speed. Which of these did you like the most? As always, let us know your thoughts.

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