I love the pocket-friendly Addlink P50 - a portable SSD with a USB flash drive style that delivered fast speeds
· TechRadarTechRadar Verdict
Compact, dual-connector portable SSD that offers a simple, durable design, and exceptional compatibility with Mac, PC and Linux systems. As you’d expect from today's compact storage devices, it provides a decent 1TB capacity and transfer rates of up to 1050 MB/s, making it perfect for transporting large files. The USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface enables consistent transfer rates across devices like computers, laptops, smartphones, and consoles. Equipped with USB-A and USB-C connectors, the simple design with durable aluminium body makes this drive a great option for anyone needing to transfer files on the move.
Pros
- +Fast file transfers
- +Durable design
- +Large capacity storage
Cons
- -Transfer rates are dependent on the machine
- -No bundled software
- -No lanyard loop
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addlink P50 Portable SSD: 30-second review
USB key-style portable SSDs are incredibly handy, offering a compact, easy-to-use, and lightweight option for transferring and transporting large files. The Addlink P50 Portable SSD is an extremely neat portable SSD with an aluminium casing and dual connectors at either end. At the heart of the SSD is a 1TB drive that can be accessed by plugging the drive into almost any device that’s able to recognise an external drive.
The two connectors, a USB-A at one end and USB-C at the other, are both covered by removable caps that are held in place by a simple push-fit design. As the drive comes pre-formatted in the exFAT file format and with those two connector choices, the drive is instantly recognised by Mac, PC, Linux, smartphones and consoles with no re-formatting or other adjustments needed.
Overall compatibility is excellent, and the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface is one of the most recognised on the market. As long as your system is USB 3.2 Gen 2 or newer, then you’re going to see those transfer speeds. However, if you’re using an older interface, then that USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface is fully backward compatible, so while the transfer speeds will be slower, the drive itself will work absolutely fine.
Overall, the design, capacity and speed are all as advertised and while the design of the drive is functional, and I liked the graphic and aesthetic style, it doesn’t offer the high-end finish that I’ve seen with other drives of this type, such as the PNY DUO Link V3. The main factor here about the design is that while those connector caps are solid and well designed, they can be completely removed, and in the long run, could get lost. The body of the drive is also smooth, with no ability to attach a lanyard to securely tether it into a bag.
These issues are small, however, and what you have with the Addlink P50 is one of the best portable SSD in terms of compact style, durability - it's fast and offers exceptional compatibility.
Addlink P50 portable SSD: Price and availability
- How much does it cost? From $67 / £67
- When is it out? Available now
- Where can you get it? Directly from Amazon and other online retailers
The Addlink P50 portable SSD starts at $67 / £67 for the 500GB model at Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk. It's also available with 1TB storage space ($105 / £105) and 2TB ($189 / £189).
- Value: 3.5 / 5
Addlink P50 portable SSD: Specs
Interface: USB 3.2 Gen2
Connectors: USB Type-C and Type-A
Read speed (max): 1050 MB/s
Write speed (max): 850 MB/s
Capacities: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB
Build: aluminium alloy shell, shock/vibration-resistant
Size: 7.6 × 2.1 cm
Weight: 12 g
File system: exFAT
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