The best 1TB SSD you can buy in 2023

Solid State Drives can be a huge game changer. Not only do they help you say goodbye to days of waiting for backups and file transfers, but they can also speed up load times and experience more games and apps.

There are some variations of external SSDs on the market, but we feel that 1TB is usually a safe place for people to settle.

This money provides more storage space for data, videos and photos, and the amount that people can use, instead of yawning space that can’t be filled. To help narrow down the top choices, we’ve rounded up the best 1TB SSDs on the market for you.

That’s why we’ve collected the best 1TB SSDs on the market, below, after testing their speed, durability and price – all as part of our review.

Our Top Picks

Samsung external drives are already known as some of the most reliable ones in the market, add to that IP65 water and dust resistance as well as rubberised drop protection, and you have the T7 Shield. A drive that gives you peace of mind, whether on your daily commute or out into the wilderness.

When it comes to data protection, the T7 Shield excels, too. It may not have the biometric security of the T7 Touch, but it does have AES 256-bit hardware encryption, you just need to type in the password instead. On the performance front, it’s no slouch either, offering speeds up to 1050 Mbps on USB 3.2 Gen 2.

The SE900G is a super fast SSD with speeds of up to 2000MB/s when used with a USB 3.2 Gen2x2 port. It will connect well with a PC racing games set it up because of its bright RGB color on the top panel.

You must have the light on, though, because there doesn’t seem to be a way to turn it off. If you’re a fitness enthusiast, or if you just want to stand out from the crowd, the SE900G may be right up your alley.

This speedy drive from the good folks at Western Digital offers performance at speeds up to 2000MBs transferred via USB 3.2. It has a sleek and sturdy metal housing that looks battle-ready and is paired with a shockproof design for peace of mind.

In addition, it is designed to work with the latest consoles without hindering load times, so you can expand your game library without worry. A very strong choice for players and non-players alike.

When the condition of External SSD means it’s unlikely to be too heavy and bulky, especially at 1TB in size, there’s still something to be said for a drive that’s clearly designed around it. That’s where the Sandisk drive excels – it’s water and dust resistant, although not at a high level, and it’s very light and has a handy hook for building or carrying.

On top of that, you get excellent read and write speeds, meaning transfers can reach up to 550MB/s, which isn’t the fastest on the list, but still fast enough to satisfy most users. In fact, it’s the standard that was the industry leader until the latest generation of SSDs arrived.

For those who don’t want a lot of extras on their car, this Essential Option is a great value option, making it a great budget option.

It may not be the most durable for cars, but it still has the right amount of vibration and is compact and lightweight making it easy to store or travel with.

How to choose a 1TB SSD

There are many things you’ll want to consider when choosing the right 1TB SSD for your needs – here are some important questions to ask yourself:

Do you need a full terabyte?

How much storage do you need? If you’re looking at the list of options we’ve collected and feel like they’re all a bit out of your price range, a quick way to lower these prices is to drop down to 500GB of space instead. It’s worth your time to figure out how much data you need to store to determine if 1TB is really necessary.

Do you care about durability?

Some of the SSDs we’ve tested have rated for impressive penalties. You can drop them in the ocean, out of windows, or leave them out in the rain, and your data will be safe. However, if you know for sure that your SSD will be in the cabinet for the rest of its life, you can ignore this kind of detail.

What speed is enough?

Even the best drives out there have varying transfer speeds at this point. Our list has several options that can move faster than others, and the last option is the fastest. If you move files often, it may be an issue for you. Again, if you only want to back up your photos once a year, you don’t care about speed, which means you can save quite a bit of money.

Is security important?

Samsung’s latest SSDs offer interesting features like biometric security, allowing you to lock your drive with a fingerprint. Don’t be fooled, though – most SSD options come with encryption software. This means you have a number of options when it comes to keeping things safe, but it’s important to check each provider’s plan to make sure you’re getting what you’re happy with.