Since SSD manufacturers don’t report durability ratings for external drives (only for internal models), we keep an eye on buyer reviews for reliability information. But better endurance is a bonus, especially if you’re using your drive for high-intensity tasks such as 4K video editing. You’d have to write hundreds of terabytes of data to even begin to wear out most SSDs, though, and few people approach that limit. Endurance: Flash-memory cells can be written to only so many times before wearing out.A portable SSD should also be sturdily built and not feel creaky or hollow. Since portable SSDs lack moving parts, they are less susceptible than mechanical drives to total failure when dropped, jostled, or subjected to changes in temperature or vibration. Reliability and toughness: A portable SSD must keep your data safe.
