I'm considering using a portable SSD as my main drive for gaming since SATA and NVMe SSDs are currently too pricey for me. I found the Transcend ESD270C Portable SSD at a good price, but I want to know about any significant drawbacks I should be aware of, like lower lifespan or risk of data corruption. Additionally, I'm planning to place it outside my PC, near the exhaust fan, to ensure it stays cool. Any advice?
4 Answers
You might face some higher latency and CPU overhead when using USB, but if you're connecting it with a USB 3.0 or newer, it should perform close to SATA speeds. Just ensure it doesn't disconnect while you're gaming because that could ruin your experience. A little airflow, like your fan idea, is also a nice touch.
It wouldn't be my first pick for a main drive because of the potential for unintended disconnects, which can be a hassle while gaming. But for casual use, it should be serviceable as long as you get a reliable USB connection.
Using a portable SSD isn't a bad choice! Just keep in mind that you'll be limited by USB speeds, but for most gaming, that shouldn't be a massive issue as long as you're plugging it into a USB 3.0 port. Games will load pretty well, similar to a SATA SSD.
Keep in mind that most SSDs, whether external or internal, have a limited read/write lifespan. However, for casual gaming, you shouldn't worry too much. Just make sure you're using a good quality drive. I have a T9 3TB external SSD, and it works great for my single-player games. No noticeable speed issues for me!
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