Crucial has launched a new portable SSD series. The X10 portable SSDs are available in capacities up to 8TB.
X10 form factor
Crucial’s new X10 external SSD seems to be a replacement for the company’s previous X9 model. Somewhat confusingly, there are also X9 Pro and X10 Pro external SSDs, which were introduced before the X10. All of these drives use the same tiny form factor. The X10 measures 2.5 inches (63.5 mm) by 1.9 inches (48.3 mm) by 0.3 inches (7.6 mm) and weighs just 1.1 ounces (32g). This makes it a little smaller and lighter than the X10 Pro drives. The X10 comes in a matte blue finish.
Transfer speeds
The Crucial X10 external SSD features a USB 3.2 Gen-2 2×2 interface. This delivers read speeds up to 2,100 MB/s, which is twice as fast as its predecessor, the X9. However, Crucial hasn’t published write speeds for the X10, either in the launch press release or on the product’s web page. The X10 Pro model uses the same fast USB 3.2 interface and has read and write speeds of 2,000 MB/s. As such, it’s a little confusing that Crucial hasn’t quoted write speeds for the X10.
Capacities
One area where the Crucial X10 external SSD wins out over the previous models is the available capacities. You can get the new drive in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, as with the X9 Pro and X10 Pro. However, the X10 also comes in larger 6TB and 8TB capacities.
Durability
The Crucial X10 external SSD is rated IP65 for dust and water resistance. It’s also drop-resistant up to 9.8 feet (3 meters). In addition, you get a three-year warranty with the drive.
What we think
You can never have too much hard drive space when working with video. With the Crucial X10, you can add much-needed terabytes of storage without having to open up your computer. You could also use the X10 with some cameras to record longer than an internal card would permit. However, it’s not clear why you should choose the X10 over the X10 Pro if you need a drive up to 4TB. The X10 Pro offers a stated write speed, which Crucial hasn’t shared yet for the X10. In addition, the X10 Pro drive is currently cheaper than the X10 at some retailers. If you need a 6TB or 8TB drive, though, the X10 could be the solution.
Availability
The Crucial X10 external SSD is available now. Prices range from $162.99 for the 1TB version up to $815.99 for the 8TB model.
