SK hynixBeetle X31 2TB Portable SSD with DRAM, up to 1050MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen2, External Hard Drive Compatible with PC, Mac, Laptop, PS5 (Dark Grey)

I use this portable SSD exclusively as a game drive for my MiSTer FPGA and when I first transferred around 400GB of data onto the drive, it was able to finish the task in less than 5 minutes and the transfer speeds kept a pretty fast and consistent speed throughout. While the drive got a little bit warm while transferring a large amount of files, when running off the MiSTer, it stays cool to the touch. The drive automatically is formatted to exFAT so there was no need to do any sort of formatting beforehand for use with my MiSTer, it was just a simple drag-and-drop job.The X31 Beetle's aluminum case feels like a good quality enclosure and it even comes with a nice silicone case that should prevent any damage from accidental drops if you carry it with you. The two included cables are USB-C to USB-C & USB-C to USB-A cables that, while a bit on the short side, are thick and of great quality. Inside, the unit contains a 2242 M.2 drive with DRAM cache and could probably be removed for use with something like a Steam Deck if needed.I'd recommend this drive to anyone looking for a small, easy-to-carry storage drive that won't break and doesn't rely on cheap flash storage.

Best purchase I can say I’ve made. Small in size & can be used on multiple devices, plus the speed is fast compared to other storage devices I’ve used. Easy to use for persons who are not tech savvy The only issue is the usb cables (USB A-C & USB C-C) are limited to certain devices.

Works great so far. Fast. So little and cute! Got it on sale, was the best price for quality I could find by far for an external SSD. Very Quiet. Easy to use. Had zero issues with mine so far.

I bought this SSD and another at the same time from another brand. Comparing the two side by side both are the same TB both run the same speed as far as my use. But this one just somehow seems smoother. The other ones case gets so hot that it could burn me. But the case on this stays cool to the touch. I would buy this product again.

In this review I will leave it to others, many others, to argue things like speed. I don’t see the point – everyone’s going to get completely different real life speeds compared to those who glower over bench tests which seem to never exactly agree with each other anyway. My rule when considering any memory is to buy it, install it, try it and if it works for you keep it, if not try something else. In today’s world most memory devices are capable of near real-time speeds and the average user doesn’t need the maximum theoretical on-paper speeds for their everyday home computing, or even business needs. My focus is based more on two things – does the company who makes the memory device know what they are doing and is what they make reliable. Let’s start with the first, if you were to walk down any average street and ask a thousand people to name a brand of computer memory the chances that even one of them would name SK Hynix, yet this company is the second largest maker of memory in the world. Many of the most famous brands of electronic devices use this brand exclusively and have for many years. It is only recently that they have come out of their cocoon and started to sell under their own, albeit awkward, name.IS IT RELIABLEIf someone answers yes or no to that question, move on, they are giving you the wrong answer. No computer memory manufacturer sets out to make a memory device that purposely fails. Buying any brand, repeat that, any brand is a gamble. Sooner or later you will run into a product that messes up. Some will immediately suggest that the entire brand name is a bad choice. Again, move on. If I am playing the law of averages my choice would be to choose the biggest or second biggest manufacturer of memory devices in the world – I’m guessing they know what they are doing. Related to reliability is connectivity – many drives I own have loose ports which can result in lost data. The two included cables with this one are very substantial and lock in place with a satisfying click. I should say that this company’s entire presentation is first rate, with the minor exception of what I mention below.MAKING A DECISIONChoosing which one to buy, assuming we are talking about portable SSD’s now, really comes down to which one is on sale, which one looks prettiest and which one has the longest warranty. One the first score I chose this one on a whim, fully knowing who SSK Hynix is, because it was on a Black Friday sale and I bought it with my own money, and I liked the soft rounded corners because I actually did plan on using it as a mobile storage media and it feels good in my jeans pocket. The gold color was a plus to immediately make it identifiable in a drawer full of other devices. And I liked their choice of connectivity, which fit into every one of my devices without having to carry an adapter. And the 3 year warranty is definitely a big plus.SURPRISESMuch of the product page is written in Chinese, I’m surprised that they have never translated it for our domestic market. Although they mention it I was surprised that they include a thick silicone case which is clear so it doesn’t hide the beauty of the design. Unfortunately that beautiful design is only on one side of the product itself, the other side is bland silver and totally filled with written text. Another surprise is that although they say that they provide customized SK Hynix edition Macrium cloning software for data transfers and OS migration. Along with our Easy Kit software, so you can check the performance and status of your SSD at a glance. Neither of those apps is on the drive, in the box nor referred to in the brief instruction sheet. That is a disappointment and dropped them down a notch.YES NO MAYBEBased on my own criteria this was an easy decision and I like that it arrived without being loaded with bloatware. It seems rugged and it does not get unreasonably warm in use. And yes it is fast but everything I own is new generation. The everyday price is a bit high so if that were my only criterion I might have thought twice but I bet it goes on sale fairly often. Overall I am happy.

I have been "Test Driving" this device for a couple of months and have not had any issues. Data transfer using the USB-C to USB-C has very quick and reliable. Even the USB-A to USB-C has a faster transfer rate than most. I would definitely recommend this as backup device.