Best external SSDs for gaming: Portable performance for any budget

Perhaps your gaming laptop doesn’t have enough storage. Or perhaps you simply want your game library to be portable so you can move between systems. A speedy external SSD can solve both of these problems. Not only will it provide you with a lot more fast storage for your games, you can use it on any system you wish.

Choosing the external SSD that’s right for your needs means sorting through a dizzying array of protocol and speed options. Making the wrong choice could leave you disappointed, either financially or performance-wise. Luckily for you, we’ve tested a bunch of these wee beasties and can offer recommendations guaranteed to leave you satisfied.

PROMOTION

Fortify your games and moments of glory

Built for gamers and streamers, FireCuda X Vault offers massive capacity and convenient bus-powered single-cable connectivity. Vault’s striking design with customizable RGB illumination and Windows Dynamic Lighting keeps your vibe in check and syncs to your rig’s energy.

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Below are recommendations for drives from 80Gbps down to 10Gbps; scroll below those to learn more about our evaluation process and what to look for when buying an external SSD for gaming.