CarryDisk

Portable SSDs have tended to force a choice between speed, capacity and size. CarryDisk is the CarryDisk team's attempt to sidestep that compromise. According to the campaign, the drive is closer in size to a USB flash drive than to the smartphone-sized enclosures common among external SSDs, with a form likened to a small key, yet it offers up to 2TB of storage.

Speed and video support

The maker quotes a transfer speed of 10Gbps, in line with the theoretical maximum of USB 3.2 Gen2. The campaign also states support for Apple ProRes 4K 120fps recording, positioning the drive for high-bandwidth video work alongside RAW photos and 3D files. The project page includes benchmark results and video demonstrations published by the team.

Design and connectivity

• Up to 2TB capacity, offered in 1TB and 2TB models on Kickstarter
• 10Gbps transfer speed, according to the maker
• Type-C port
• Plug-and-play with Mac, Windows and Linux, plus tablets and smartphones, with no drivers or setup required, per the campaign
• Aluminium alloy housing that the maker says is designed for shock resistance and heat dissipation
• Optional encryption for file access

The intended uses are broad: backing up footage on location and passing it to an editing team, carrying work between cafés and coworking spaces without relying on cloud connections, and acting as external storage for iPhone- or iPad-based photo and video editing so internal storage stays free.

Whether CarryDisk's quoted figures hold up across real-world workloads, and how its compact body manages sustained heat, are questions independent testing would need to answer. As presented by the campaign, it is a notably small take on the fast external drive.