Summary
Perhaps, you need to choose an SSD for your 2018 MacBook Air. But, you don’t know which the best USB-C SSDs are for MacBook Air you can choose to use. Some detailed comparisons can help you make a good selection. Read this post to obtain these comparisons and make your own choice.
The 2018 MacBook Air is a kind of solid entry-level laptop, but there is one exception - the paltry 128GB PCIe-based SSD. Don’t worry. There are some external SSD which can be used on these modern Macs.
Now, in this post, we will introduce some best MacBook Air SSDs which are mainly USB 3.1 SSDs.
Solved Apple Macbook SSD to SATA. I have macbook.i can connect to wifi in mac but i cant connect to wifi in windows.the wireless adapter is not showing; is this adapter compatible with my. The SSD I chose has FireWire 800 to provide a fast-enough connection to my Mac mini, plus USB 3.0, so I can use it with the next Mac I buy. USB 2.0 is too slow, and I lacked USB 3.0.
Every drive mentioned in this post has at least 1TB capacity, can be connected to a Mac via a single USB-C cable directly, supports USB 3.1 gen 2, and be bus-powered and truly portable. And we can say that they are USB-C SSDs for MacBook Air.
All of these mentioned SSDs have a 3-year warranty, and the Seagate and LaCie-branded drives offer a free limited-time Adobe Creative Cloud subscription.
Performance
Performance Ranking:
- LaCie Portable SSD / Seagate Fast SSD
- SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
- Samsung T5
- WD My Passport
All of these SSDs are SATA III drives and they have the similar read/write performance. Glyph Atom SSD, which has the best performance, is better than the worst WD My Passport by 21MB/s read and 13MB/s write.
It means that all of these USB-C SSDs for MacBook Air can perform well and they are all suitable for 4K workflows.
Since the performance of these SSDs is similar, you had better judge them from other factors, like the build quality, portability and price.
Build Quality
Build quality Ranking:
- Glyph Atom SSD
- Samsung T5
- Seagate Fast SSD / LaCie Portable SSD
- WD My Passport
- SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
To be specific, the outer shell of Glyph Atom SSD is composed of dense durable anodized aluminum entirely. And it also includes a rugged protective sleeve.
Then, it is Samsung T5. Its outer shell is also made out of aluminum, but the density is lower.
The next are Seagate Fast SSD and LaCie Portable SSD. They are made of plastic mostly. But they have an aluminum top plate, and the use high quality plastic to maintain the drive under normal usage.
As to WD My Passport, its outer shell is also made up of plastic, but it has a metal-like finish. It weight is light and airy which is not as sturdy as the above mentioned SSDs.
The last one is SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. It comes from the parent company of WD which is the maker the WD My Passport. It is light and portable, but the outer shell is made out of plastic and rubber which means that it is not durable as the other SSDs mentioned in this part.
Activity Lights
Activity light ranking
- Samsung T5
- Seagate Fast SSD
- LaCie Portable SSD
- Glyph Atom SSD
The LED lights of the SSDs can be annoying when you use it in a dark environment. Except WD My Passport and SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD which omit the lights completely, the rest ones always have this issue.
Among these drives, the bright green light of Glyph Atom SSD is the most annoying one. Then, there are Seagate Fast SSD and LaCie Portable SSD, and both of them have bright white lights.
Samsung T5 is using blue LED light which is hidden behind the end cap. It is not as bright as others.
Portability
Portability ranking
- WD My Passport
- SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
- Glyph Atom SSD
- Seagate Fast SSD / LaCie Portable SSD
All of them are small and portable. Besides, they are bus-powered which means that they just need a USB cable to be connected with MacBook Air.
If you care much about the portability of the SSDs, you can consider using Samsung T5, the WD My Passport, or the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. And Samsung T5 is the shortest one.
![Ssd Ssd](/uploads/1/2/5/6/125676104/824836838.jpg)
Price
Price ranking
- WD My Passport SSD
- SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
- Samsung T5
- Seagate Fast SSD
- LaCie Portable SSD
- Glyph Atom SSD
As to 1TB SSD, WD My Passport SSD is the cheapest one followed by SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD. Next comes Samsung T5 which is at least less than $200.
LaCie is expensive than Seagate which probably because you need to find the LaCie version only from the manufacture directly.
Glyph Atom SSD is the most expensive one as $300 which is largely caused by its high quality build materials.
After reading these comparisons, you can make your personal decision now.
FAQs
Here you’ll find frequently asked questions and solutions for your computing life upgraded with Samsung V-NAND SSD.
I cannot run the Samsung Portable SSD Software.
The Samsung Portable SSD Software can only run on the following OS versions or newer:
- Windows OS: Windows 10 RS2 or higher
- Mac OS: Mac OS X Sierra, High Sierra (10.12 or higher)
For more information, please contact the nearest Service Center, which can be found in the user manual and on Samsung website at (http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/support/cs.html).When my Windows PC goes into the Power Saving Mode or is powered off, the X5's indicator turns on or remains off.
It is normal for an indicator to turn off when the host PC connected to enters the Power Saving Mode or is powered off. However, it may remain on depending on the USB charging settings of the BIOS in the PC.
Please refer to the indicator colors below:
- Solid White: Plug In/Idle
- Blinking White: Read/Write
- LED off: Safety/PC Power Saving ModeI cannot copy files from the Windows OS to the X5.
Occasionally, if the power supply is removed while in use or the cable is unsafely unplugged, copying files to the X5 may be restricted by the Windows OS when you reconnect it. This is a restriction imposed on the exFAT file system by the Windows OS and not an issue with the product itself.
Please follow the troubleshooting steps below before attempting to copy files:
- In the Windows File Explorer window, select and right-click the X5 Drive, open the Properties dialog box, and click the Tools tab. Under Error-checking, click “Check Now”.I cannot use my X5 with some products that run on Mac OS X and also use the SAT SMART Driver.
Such issue occurs when the Samsung Portable SSD Driver, instead of the SAT SMART Driver, is installed on the Mac OS X. Installing the SAT SMART Driver, instead, should allow you to use your X5 with such products. However, your use of the Password Protection feature of the SAMSUNG Portable SSD Software may be restricted.'No Samsung Portable SSD is connected.' message appears even though the Samsung Portable SSD software is installed on the Apple Mac system.
This symptom may occur when you install the Samsung Portable SSD software on the newly released (September, 2017) macOS High Sierra (10.13).
This is due to the new Apple OS's policy that requires the user’s approval when the user installs a third-party software that is not directly distributed by Apple.
Please follow the troubleshooting guideline below:
[Symptom]
In macOS High Sierra(10.13) environment, the 'System Extension Blocked' message appears when installing Samsung Portable SSD Software, and the 'No Samsung Portable SSD is connected' message appears when executing Samsung Portable SSD Software.
[Troubleshooting]
Open 'Security & Privacy' in the 'System Preferences' menu and click the 'Allow' button next to the message ”System software from developer 'Samsung Electronics' was blocked from loading”.
You can use the Samsung Portable SSD after you re-connect the Samsung Portable SSD to your Mac system and execute the Samsung Portable SSD Software.
If the symptom persists even after you follow the troubleshooting guideline, please contact the authorized Samsung service center near your location.Can I use the PSSD X5 product on all systems with USB-C (USB Type C) ports?
No, you cannot. You can only use the product on systems with Thunderbolt 3 USB- C ports with the lightning bolt symbol.
USB-C ports that do not have the Thunderbolt 3 functionality will not work with the product.
Please check if your system supports Thunderbolt 3.I cannot see the data that has been copied when I remove the device.
If you remove the device unsafely after a message is prompted that the data has been copied, the data may have failed to be copied due to the incomplete file system update. Please remove your device safely.When I leave the Power Saving Mode, some parts of the system do not perform properly.
If you leave the Power Saving Mode while the X5 product is still connected, you may experience a blue screen or a kernel panic depending on PC systems. Please remove the X5 product before entering the Power Saving Mode.My PC supports both Thunderbolt 1 and Thunderbolt 2 but does not recognize the X5.
X5 is only recognized on PCs that support Thunderbolt 3.My X5 does not perform well in some Windows 10 OS versions.
There are some decline in the writing performance in some Windows 10 OS versions due to the Write Cache Disable policy. Please enable the Write Cache option in order to improve the Write function.The Samsung Portable SSD Software does not operate properly in Windows 7.
For Windows 7 users who did not install certain security update patches,
the Samsung Portable SSD Software may not operate properly due to digital signature errors.
If you have any problems after installing the newest version of the Samsung Portable SSD Software , please apply proper security update patch through accessing the below link.
(Microsoft Security Advisory 303329, https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/security-updates/securityadvisories/2015/3033929)
The “USB storage unexpectedly removed” message appears on the status bar of my mobile device.
In order to use the Samsung Portable SSD Software, permission to access the USB device is required. This message appears when the access permission is removed from the mobile device. When you launch the mobile Samsung Portable SSD app, you can use the T5 normally again.When I connect the T5 while playing an audio file on my mobile device, it stops playing the file.
Since the Mobile File Manager‘s first priority is to operate the T5, your mobile device may stop playing audio files when the priority changes. Therefore, finish operating the T5 first and then play audio files.I checked the file copy message on the status bar on my mobile device and then reconnected the OTG cable, but I cannot open the copied file.
Please do not remove the OTG cable immediately after copying files. It is recommended that you use the Unmount USB storage option to remove and reconnect the OTG cable safely.When two or more T5s are connected, the mobile Samsung Portable SSD app does not seem to recognize them.
It is the policy of the Samsung Portable SSD app that it should support only one T5.When I connect my T5 while using certain security programs on my mobile device, the OS stops working.
The T5 may not be compatible with certain security programs installed on mobile devices. Samsung does not guarantee compatibility with such security programs. If the OS of your mobile device stops working, restart the mobile device or contact the device‘s manufacturer. (If you use KNOX as your security platform, please update it to the latest version.)I cannot launch the mobile Samsung Portable SSD app.
The Samsung Portable SSD app will operate correctly on Android 4.4 (KitKat) or later. Although it is supported on Android 4.4 or older versions, correct operation cannot be guaranteed. Therefore, it is recommended that you use Android 4.4 (KitKat) or later.
When I connect the T5 to devices other than a PC, they do not recognize the T5.
The T5 was developed for use with Windows OS and Mac OS PCs and mobile devices. When connected to devices other than those, the T5 may not be recognized or use of its features may be restricted depending on their level of support. Moreover, if you have enabled the Password Protection feature of the T5, you cannot enter your password from non-PC or non-mobile devices and thus will be unable to access data stored on the T5. Please disable the Password Protection feature before using the T5 with such devices.
For example, although a majority of the latest TVs allow users to access photo, music, and video files stored on external storage devices via the USB port, some TVs still do not support this feature.
When connecting the T5 to a TV, please check the following:
① Connect the T5 to the TV‘s USB port and open the TV‘s menu to check whether it recognizes the T5.
→ If it fails to recognize the T5, please refer to the TV‘s user manual or contact its manufacturer to check whether USB devices are supported.
② If it recognizes the T5, check whether you can open video, music, and photo files stored on the T5 via the TV.
→ If you cannot open files, check which file systems the TV supports for external storage devices. Note that the T5 is formatted with the exFAT file system before shipment. If your TV supports a different file system, format your T5 accordingly.
※ Formatting the T5 will delete all data stored on it. Please back up your data beforehand.
→ If it meets the file system requirement, but you still cannot open video, music, or photo files, check which file extensions are supported by the TV. Some files cannot be opened if their file extensions are not supported by the TV.
For more information about other devices, please refer to the user manuals of the relevant devices or contact their manufacturers.Can I use the T5 with PCs not running the Windows OS or Mac OS?
It is recommended that you use the T5 with PCs running Windows 7 or later, Mac OS X 10.9 (Mavericks) or later, or mobile devices running the Android OS 4.4 (KitKat) or later. You may be able to use the T5 with an OS and device not specified above if you disable the Password Protection feature. However, your use of the T5 may be restricted depending on how well the OS or device is supported.
I have lost my password. Can I disable the Password Protection feature?
No, the Password Protection feature cannot be disabled.
If you lose your password, you cannot disable the Password Protection feature or access updates.If I lose my password, what do I have to do to use the X5?
If you lose your password, you need to perform a factory reset at a Service Center in order to use the X5. Since restoring the X5 to its factory settings will clear all data stored on it, it isrecommended that you back up any important data you do not wish to lose in advance. Please note that Samsung Electronics does not guarantee any data stored on your X5 under any circumstances.
For more information, please find Service Centers specified in the User Manual or on the Samsung website (http://www.samsung.com/semiconductor/minisite/ssd/support/cs.html) and make an inquiry.Can I change my password?
You can change your password on the Settings screen of the Samsung Portable SSD software as follows:
Click the Set button on the Main screen, move to the Settings screen, click the CHANGE button, enter a new password, and save it.
When setting a password, you may include spaces in your password on a device running the Mac OS, but will not be able to save it; on devices running the Windows OS, you cannot include spaces in your password. You can set a password on PCs running the Windows OS or Mac OS.I am not using the Password Protection feature at the moment. How do I use the feature?
You can enable the Password Protection feature on the Settings screen of the Samsung Portable SSD software as follows:
Click the “Set” button on the Main screen and switch the “Lock” button from OFF to ON, enter a password, and save it.
For more information, please refer to the User Manual for the product.How do I disable the Password Protection feature?
You can disable the Password Protection feature on the Settings screen of the Samsung Portable SSD software as follows:
Click the “Set” button on the Main screen, switch the “Lock” button from ON to OFF, enter a password, and save it.
For more information, please refer to the User Manual for the product.The password input screen does not appear.
If the password input screen does not appear automatically, select the “X5_SETUP” drive recognized on your PC, then open the SamsungPortableSSD_Setup_Win.exe for Windows OS or SamsungPortableSSD_Setup_Mac.pkg for Mac OS file to display the password input screen.Can I update the firmware and software using the Samsung Portable SSD Software?
You can only update the firmware and software on X5 from a PC. If you see a number on the “UPDATE” button in the bottom left side of the main screen of the Samsung Portable SSD Software, click the “UPDATE” button, and move to the “UPDATE” screen. Click the Refresh button on the “UPDATE” screen and update the items that are marked Update Available. If you do not wish to check automatic updates, switch the button located next to the “Check for updates automatically” dialog from ON to OFF, and disable the Automatic Update feature. However, it is recommended that you use the Automatic Update feature.Can I uninstall the Samsung Portable SSD Software?
Yes, it can be uninstalled as follows:
On a Windows PC, open the PSSD_Cleanup.bat file from the directory where the software is installed (e.g., OS Installation DriveProgramDataSamsung AppsPortable SSD) and proceed with uninstallation, or go to Control Panel → Programs and Features → Samsung Portable SSD Software to uninstall.
On a Mac PC, remove the Portable SSD from the Thunderbolt port and use the CleanupAll.scpt from the directory where the software is installed (e.g., Home/Library/Application Support/PortableSSD) with osascript to uninstall it (osascript CleanupAll.scpt).
For more information, please refer to the User Manual.I cannot enter the character '€' for my password.
Characters that are allowed for a password are as follows:abcdefghijklmnopqrstuvwxyzABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ`1234567890-=~!@#$%^&*()_+[];',./{}:<>?|
The capacity of X5 is displayed as 42MB or less.
When you set and use a password before activating the X5, the default setting is to display the Security space and spaces that take up less than 42 MB, including the Samsung Portable SSD Software.
Once you open the SamsungPortableSSD_Setup_Win.exe for Windows OS or SamsungPortableSSD_Setup_Mac.pkg for Mac OS file on the X5_SETUP drive and activate it, you will be able to see the capacity specified for the product. To learn more about how to activate the X5, please refer to the “Using X5” section of the User Manual.I just purchased a X5 and some files are already stored on it.
The Samsung Portable SSD Software is stored on the X5 so that you can use the Password Protection feature. To learn more about the X5, please refer to the “Using X5” section of the User Manual.The recognized capacity of my X5 is smaller than the specified capacity.
The capacity displayed on your PC may be different from the capacity specified on the product, depending on the format method, the partitioning of the drive as well as your computer system.
※ The capacity specified on the product is calculated as follows:
1 MB = 1,000,000 bytes.
1 GB = 1,000,000,000 bytes.
1 TB = 1,000,000,000,000 bytes.The data transfer speed of my X5 is slow.
The maximum transfer speed that can be achieved by the X5 is 2,800 MB/s on a PC that supports Thunderbolt 3, but the speed may vary depending on the user‘s PC environment and the types of data being transferred. If you use cables other than the one included in the product package, the X5 may not achieve the target performance.Do I need to format the X5 before use?
PSSD X5 is formatted with the exFAT file system (compatible with macOS/Windows).
You do not need to reset the X5 before use. The system will recognize the X5 automatically.Do I need to install the Thunderbolt Driver before using X5?
For a system that does not come with a Thunderbolt Bus Driver, it is recommended to install the latest version of Thunderbolt Bus Driver that can be found from Support Home - Driver & Software - Thunderbolt Bus Driver in the Intel Download Center.(https://downloadcenter.intel.com/search?keyword=Thunderbolt)What is the difference between Thunderbolt 3 Type C and USB Type C?
Thunderbolt 3 Type C supports speed up to 40 Gbps while USB Type C support speed up to 10 Gbps.
PCs with Thunderbolt 3 Type-C ports support USB Type-C devices, but PCs with USB Type-C ports do not support Thunderbolt Type-C devices.
The X5 is formatted with the exFAT file system before shipment, in order to support both the Windows OS and Mac OS. If you are using the X5 with certain devices that require the NTFS file system, format your X5 with the NTFS file system before use.
Here you can find answers to questions about Consumer SSD.