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Top 5 External SSDs for Faster Game Load Times

By / Tech / July 15, 2025

Here are the Top 5 external SSDs you can buy in 2025, with key considerations such as R/W speeds, connectivity, and capacity.

Top 5 External SSDs for Faster Game Load Times
Two external SSDs (Image via Amazon)

Ran out of internal storage slots? No worries. External SSDs have become significantly faster due to updated USB standards and can be used for a wide range of applications. For starters, if your portable handheld gaming device, apart from proper consoles like the Switch, falls short on space, you can easily expand it via an external SSD.

Previously, these drives used to cost a fortune, but gradually, they are priced identically to their internal counterparts. That said, here are the top 5 options you can consider, keeping your NVMe superfast load times as standard.

Note: The pricing data mentioned here is provided for reference purposes only. Actual prices may vary due to various factors, including availability, taxes, and other relevant considerations.

Top 5 External SSDs

5. HP P500 Portable SSD

An image showing the HP external SSD
The HP external SSD (Image via Amazon)

Considering cheaper options, the HP P500 operates on a USB 3.2 interface but is essentially a SATA SSD drive. The read-write speeds are nothing to write home about, but yes, the difference in load times, provided your games are stored, will be hardly 2–3 seconds slower than your NVMe SSD. Mind you, it is still faster than the abysmally slow load times of those external hard drives using a USB 3 port. 

Specifications:

  • Read Speed: Up to 420 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 420 MB/s
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 1 Type-C
  • Capacity: 120GB, 250GB, 500GB, 1TB
  • Price: ~$80-110 for 1TB
  • Warranty: 3 years

4. Crucial X9 Pro

An image showing the crucial ssd
The crucial SSD (Image via Amazon)

Stepping up the cost a bit, the Crucial X9 Pro is also another affordable drive, but way faster than SATA interface ones. It utilizes the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface and achieves speeds that approach those of NVMe. For gaming, this one is perfect, as your load times, compared to those of your NVMe internal drive, won’t be noticeably slower.

Specifications:

  • Read Speed: Up to 1,050 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 1,050 MB/s
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
  • Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
  • Price: ~$65-110 for 1TB
  • Warranty: 5 years

3. Samsung T7 Shield

An image showing the Samsung SSD
The Samsung SSD (Image via Amazon)

If you particularly prefer Samsung drives for their reliability, then the T7 Shield is an excellent option. Like the X9 Pro, your in-game load times won’t be noticeable. Depending on your preference and budget, you can pick either option.

Specifications:

  • Read Speed: Up to 1,050 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 1,000 MB/s
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2
  • Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
  • Price: ~$90-110 for 1TB
  • Warranty: 3 years

2. Kingston XS2000

An image showing the Kingston SSD
The Kingston SSD (Image via Amazon)

This one from Kingston is much faster than the Crucial and the Samsung. In terms of in-game load times, apart from the transfer speed, which utilizes 2×2 PCIe lanes, in-game load times will tell the same story: barely noticeable to the human eye. That said, if you have the budget for a drive that offers nearly 2x transfer speeds, you can go for it.

Specifications:

  • Read Speed: Up to 2,000 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 2,000 MB/s
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
  • Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
  • Price: ~$76-140 for 1TB
  • Warranty: 5 years

1. ADATA SE880

An image showing the ADATA SSD (Image via Amazon)
The ADATA SSD (Image via Amazon)

Much like the Kingston, this particular drive also features the same 2×2 PCIe lanes alongside identical read and write speeds. If you prefer ADATA drives, you can go for them. These drives look cool too.

Specifications:

  • Read Speed: Up to 2,000 MB/s
  • Write Speed: Up to 2,000 MB/s
  • Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2×2
  • Capacity: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB (some markets)
  • Price: ~$79-130 for 1TB
  • Warranty: 5 years

Verdict

All of the drives here are incredibly capable and will offer snappy in-game load times. Even if you opt for the cheaper SATA interface option, such as the HP, you won’t notice much of the sloppiness within your games. If you are looking for the fastest transfer speeds, for example, when transferring your library from internal to external storage, then these NVMe options, preferably with the 2×2 PCIe interface, will be better choices. That said, if you want a 2×2 interface alongside Samsung branding, then pick the T9 drive.

We provide the latest news and “How To’s” for Tech content. Meanwhile, you can check out the following articles related to PC GPUs, CPU and GPU comparisons, mobile phones, and more:

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