Fastest External SSD Shatters Speed Records

PCMag has awarded its new Lab Award for the fastest external solid-state drive (SSD) to LaCie's Rugged SSD Pro5. This accolade is reserved for products that set new technical benchmarks in performance testing.

External SSDs are increasingly reliant on fast connectivity, with USB4 and Thunderbolt 4/5 standards offering significantly higher speeds than older USB 3.2 Gen 2. The Rugged SSD Pro5 excels by supporting both USB4 and Thunderbolt 5, demonstrating superior performance across multiple industry-standard benchmarks.

Testing involved rigorous evaluations using Crystal DiskMark, PCMark 10 Storage, and Blackmagic Disk Speed Test. A weighted scoring system, prioritizing real-world performance metrics like 4K speeds and common storage tasks, was employed to rank the drives.

The LaCie Rugged SSD Pro5, available up to 4TB, also features an IP68 rating for durability and a five-year warranty. However, to fully utilize its capabilities, a compatible computer with Thunderbolt 5 support is essential.