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Performance Rankings
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 external SSDs ranked by speed - 20Gbps interface performance for prosumers and creators.
USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 doubles standard USB-C bandwidth to 20 Gbps. These drives offer Thunderbolt-like speeds at a more accessible price point, making them ideal for content creators and power users.
Crucial
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 4:11 AM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Crucial
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 5:43 AM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Samsung
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 4:11 AM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Samsung
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 5:43 AM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
SanDisk
Price as of Jul 3, 2026, 5:43 AM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
Samsung
Price as of Aug 3, 2026, 6:33 PM. Prices and availability are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
We benchmarked 6 drives to find the fastest fastest usb 3.2 gen 2x2 external ssds. The Crucial X10 Pro tops the charts at 2.1 GB/s.
Interface bandwidth determines the theoretical ceiling, but real-world speed depends on controller efficiency, thermal management, and NAND quality. The Crucial X10 Pro achieves 2.1 GB/s reads and 2.0 GB/s writes over USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 — enough for direct 4K/8K video editing, massive file transfers, and demanding creative workflows.
At these speeds, thermal management becomes a bottleneck. Sustained transfers can push controller temperatures past 70°C, triggering throttling that drops throughput by 30-40%. Look for drives with aluminum enclosures or thermal pads.
Multi-terabyte SSDs carry a significant premium. If your workflow demands fast access to large datasets, the investment pays off. For archival use, consider pairing a smaller SSD with a larger HDD.
| Drive | Read Speed | Write Speed | Interface |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crucial X10 Pro | 2.1 GB/s read | 2.0 GB/s write | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 |
| Crucial X10 Pro 4TB | 2.1 GB/s read | 2.0 GB/s write | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 |
| Samsung T9 Portable SSD | 2.0 GB/s read | 1.9 GB/s write | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 |
| Samsung T9 Portable 4TB | 2.0 GB/s read | 1.9 GB/s write | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 |
| SanDisk Extreme Pro 4TB | 2.0 GB/s read | 2.0 GB/s write | USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 |
Few ultrabooks include true Gen 2x2 ports. If your laptop does not have one, this drive behaves like a fast 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive.
Find the best bang for your buck — the same drives sorted by price-to-performance ratio in our Cheapest 2TB External SSDs or Cheapest 1TB External SSDs value guide.
Value
The most affordable 2TB external SSDs ranked by price. Compare cost-per-gigabyte and find the best value.
Value
Budget-friendly 1TB external SSDs ranked by price. Find the best value 1TB portable storage.
Value
High-capacity 4TB external SSDs with the lowest cost per gigabyte. Max storage for minimal spend.
Buying Guide
Top-rated external SSDs for PS5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC gaming. Fast USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 and high-capacity options.
Buying Guide
Professional Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, and USB4 external SSDs validated for Mac workflow compatibility and APFS performance.
Buying Guide
Durable, weather-resistant external SSDs with IP65-IP67 ratings. Drop-proof and dust-proof for field work and travel.
Visit our spec comparison tool to compare drives side-by-side, or browse our full library of buying guides and rankings.
Pair this guide with our value-focused Cheapest 2TB External SSDs or Cheapest 1TB External SSDs.