Windows Central Verdict
The Crucial X10 Portable SSD is an ultra-compact external drive with impressive performance and a ridiculously high storage ceiling. Larger sizes get expensive quickly, and I have some concerns about the plastic enclosure, but the Crucial X10 is still an easy recommendation.
Pros
- +
Cute, compact design
- +
Reliable performance over USB
- +
Up to 8TB of storage is crazy
Cons
- -
Can get pricey fast
- -
Plastic case prone to scratches
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A reliable, fast portable SSD can be one of the most important tools in your arsenal, and a lot of people turn to Crucial to fill that need.
The new Crucial X10 Portable SSD is the company's flagship external storage solution, and it checks a lot of boxes: extremely compact design, universal compatibility via USB, consistent performance, and a wide array of sizes.
There's nothing particularly exciting about this portable SSD, but it also doesn't trip anywhere, either. It's a reliable portable SSD that's shockingly small, and those willing to pay a lot can fill that tiny space with an immense 8TB of space — more than enough for all the games, movies, music, photos, and more.
Whether I'm expanding my Xbox's storage or taking my work on the go, having a trustworthy external SSD nearby is invaluable. Any SSD in my setup needs to be fast and reliable, though, and being small certainly doesn't hurt.
This review was made possible thanks to a review sample provided by Crucial. Crucial and Micron had no input nor saw the contents of this review prior to publication.
Crucial X10 review: Cheat sheet
- What is it? A very compact portable SSD with up to 8TB of storage.
- Who is it for? Those who need a fast, ultraportable external storage solution with a lot of space.
- How much does it cost? The Crucial X10 Portable SSD starts from $119.99 at Best Buy for 1TB, and goes all the way to $599.99 at Best Buy for 8TB. You can also get the X10 from $119.99 at Amazon.
- What did I like? The compact dimensions, the reliable performance, and the diverse storage options.
- What did I not like? The high price tag, the scratch-prone plastic case.
Crucial X10 review: Pricing and specifications
The Crucial X10 feels right at home in the larger portable SSD market, nicely competing with the top options — but things do get expensive fast as you go up in size.
The Crucial X10 Portable SSD (1TB) retails for $119.99 at Best Buy, with prices going up to $210 for 2TB, $330 for 4TB, $430 for 6TB, and $600 for 8TB.
You can also find the Crucial X10 from $119.99 at Amazon. I have seen this SSD go on sale already, so look out for those discounts.
Spec | Crucial X10 Portable SSD |
|---|---|
Speeds | Up to 2,100MB/s |
Capacity | Up to 8TB |
Connectivity | USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 (Up to 20GBps) |
Design features | Matte blue enclosure, IP65 dust & water resistance, up to 3m drop resistance |
Dimensions | 65 x 50 x 9.9mm (2.56 x 1.97 x 0.39in) |
Weight | 32g (0.07lbs) |
Warranty | 3-year limited |
In the box, you'll only find the Crucial X10 Portable SSD and a short USB Type-C to USB Type-C data cable. Sadly, there's no USB Type-C to Type-A adapter for older devices in the box.
Crucial X10 review: What I like
A portable SSD isn't worth much if it isn't actually portable, so all of the top-rated external drives boast similarly demure dimensions. The Crucial X10 plays this game a little better, though.
Clad in a relatively sleek, matte blue plastic enclosure, the Crucial X10 is one of the most compact portable SSD's I've seen. It's nearly half the length and thickness of the similarly-specced WD_BLACK P40 Game Drive I reviewed, for example, while being the same width.
Despite being so small, the Crucial X10 one-ups many of the most popular portable SSDs in storage capacity, ranging anywhere from 1TB to a wild 8TB of equally fast space.
This SSD feels solidly built, too, and Crucial upgraded its ingress protection to IP65 dust and water resistance compared to its previous offers, and promises up to 3 meters of drop resistance. There is a tiny slot for a lanyard, if you want that added peace of mind.
The cable included in the box is ridiculously short, but it does firmly click into the Crucial X10 with no sign of wiggle.
The Crucial X10 Portable SSD uses the USB Type-C 3.2 Gen 2x2 interface, meaning it can use up to 20GBps of bandwidth for a maximum theoretical speed of 2,100MB/s.
You'll probably never see those speeds, and write speeds are definitely lower than read speeds, but the Crucial X10 is still a high-performance external SSD in line with the category leaders.
That does mean you'll probably need a USB4 or Thunderbolt 4 port to see the best possible speeds, but there's honestly not a big real-world difference with the 10GBps USB 3.2 Gen 2 ports present on millions of devices.
Performance is consistent, too, making it easy to transfer movies, documents, and games as much as you need to. Even moving larger files of 64GB and up didn't show any decrease in average speeds.
If you're looking for an external SSD to expand your Xbox Series X|S storage (especially for playing Xbox One or older backward compatible titles), the Crucial X10 will give you the best load times possible — but it's also totally overkill, with Xbox using 5GBps USB ports.
Crucial X10 review: What I don't like
As much as Crucial has made plenty of guarantees that the X10 is competitive on the durability front, I have some concerns. This tiny SSD is encased in plastic, after all, and that enclosure has already collected some battle scars in my limited time with the drive.
I don't abuse my tech, either; the Crucial X10 has spent most of its time in my hands moving around my desk, and even that has resulted in scuffs and microscratches, especially on the rear and the glossy sides.
Those unwanted marks are superficial and only affect aesthetics, though, so in no way do I think the Crucial X10 is in any danger of falling apart. Still, there's no denying that the X10's plastic case isn't nearly as reassuring as the metal or rubber-clad enclosures of other portable SSDs.
Crucial X10 review: Also consider
Crucial X10 review: My final thoughts
✅You should buy this if ...
- You need a portable SSD that's as compact as possible.
- You need some of the fastest SSD speeds possible through USB.
- You actually need up to 8TB of portable storage.
❌You should not buy this if ...
- You want the most rugged portable SSD you can find.
- You won't take advantage of these read and write speeds.
Some people need the smallest portable SSD possible; some need the fastest speeds through USB possible; others need to know their external SSD can survive the worst torment and protect their data.
The Crucial X10 Portable SSD at least hits two of those points, and it brings something else to the mix: an absurd amount of storage that's still relatively uncommon in the category.
Do I need 8TB of portable storage? No, but this is likely the SSD I'd choose if I did... and if I also had a whopping $600 to drop on such a thing.
I'm not the biggest fan of the plastic casing protecting the Crucial X10, but ultimately this is a great, premium, and fast portable SSD for those who need a lot of storage in a small package.
The Crucial X10 Portable SSD can be yours from $119.99 at Best Buy or from $119.99 at Amazon.
With up to 8TB of storage in a ridiculously compact shell and some of the fastest speeds for a portable SSD, the Crucial X10 is an excellent option to fulfil your mobile storage needs. Just mind the plastic, it's quick to take offense.
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