What external SSDs are you using for libraries with your iPads, iPhones, and laptops?

andowrites

My laptop hard drive is filling up, fed by my iPad music explorations and sample collections, instruments, etc.

What would be my best options for a fast, reliable EXTERNAL SSD, minimum of 1TB, to use to store and read and write my sample and music libraries?

I'm reading this article, recommended to me by Spitfire Audio:
https://spitfireaudio.zendesk.com/hc/en-us/articles/360015608338

I need to find something today or tomorrow, online, for swift delivery. I'm in the UK, so UK product links would be the most helpful. I'm happy to buy an internal SSD and external case etc, and put one together myself. It doesn't currently need to be portable or so tough, although I will likely get a rufty-tufty back up drive later, like one of the Sandisk travel-worthy drives.

Ideally, an SSD that I could hook up to my MacBook Pro, and/or my iPad Air, would be perfect.
I just found this article too, and am reading it, but you can't beat hands-on practical experience from people you trust, so I'm asking here.

https://headphonesproreview.com/best-ssd-for-music-production/

Thanks for reading.

andowrites

So it looks like I'm going to roll with a Samsung SSD T7 Portable External Solid State Drive 1TB, then later in the year, when budget permits, add in a SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable NVMe SSD or a Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD 1 TB, make that my main external library drive, and use the Samsung as a backup.

Does that make sense? Am I missing anything here?

Gratouilli

I'm using the ScanDisk Extreme 1To 1050 mo/s without any issue on both iOS and macOS devices 👍🏻

andowrites

@Gratouilli said:
I'm using the ScanDisk Extreme 1To 1050 mo/s without any issue on both iOS and macOS devices 👍🏻

Great stuff. 😊

ervin

@andowrites said:
So it looks like I'm going to roll with a Samsung SSD T7 Portable External Solid State Drive 1TB, then later in the year, when budget permits, add in a SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable NVMe SSD or a Samsung T7 Shield Portable SSD 1 TB, make that my main external library drive, and use the Samsung as a backup.

Does that make sense? Am I missing anything here?

FWIW I have two T7s for live desktop use, sample storage/use, external libraries etc., one of them that rugged version (just cause it was cheaper at the time, otherwise no difference). I’m absolutely happy with them. They work smoothly with Logic Pro, Kontakt and everything else on an m1 Mac mini. I decided I have no need to go for anything faster (and more expensive) for now.

For backup, I use a somewhat slower but much cheaper portable Seagate hdd because I’m not too concerned about SSD speed there, and its price per TB is dramatically lower.

Good luck with your choice!

piano39

Excuse my ignorance. How do you connect a hard drive to an iPad? Can you transfer audio files back and forth between the hard drive and the iPad?

I use iCloud, which is OK. I bought a Sandisk ios thumb drive, but it can only store photos, not audio files.

Gratouilli

@piano39 said:
Excuse my ignorance. How do you connect a hard drive to an iPad? Can you transfer audio files back and forth between the hard drive and the iPad?

With a simple usb-c cable

richardyot

I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 1TB, it's really fast:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08GTYFC37/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00

richardyot

@piano39 said:
Excuse my ignorance. How do you connect a hard drive to an iPad? Can you transfer audio files back and forth between the hard drive and the iPad?

I use iCloud, which is OK. I bought a Sandisk ios thumb drive, but it can only store photos, not audio files.

Depends on your iPad: a USB-C model will just connect through the USB-C port. The Lightning models will require the CCK and a powered hub - and be aware that the regular CCK will be limited to USB 2 speeds, only the newer and more expensive Lightning to USB adapter supports high-speed data transfers:

https://www.apple.com/uk/shop/product/MK0W2ZM/A/lightning-to-usb-3-camera-adapter

Of course the USB-C iPads don't have this limitation.

Tarekith

I use multiple Samsung T7 hard drives for my iPad and laptop, works great and absolutely tiny.

mtenk

@richardyot said:
I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 1TB, it's really fast:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08GTYFC37/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00

I use this one as well and it works ok. I’ve noticed that every once in a while when I unmount it (just unplugging it) it won’t reconnect the next time I plug it in. I have to plug it into a laptop/desktop to make it recognizable again. If I shut down the iPad and then unplug it, it doesn’t do this though. Have you had any experiences like this @richardyot?

richardyot

@mtenk said:

@richardyot said:
I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 1TB, it's really fast:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08GTYFC37/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00

I use this one as well and it works ok. I’ve noticed that every once in a while when I unmount it (just unplugging it) it won’t reconnect the next time I plug it in. I have to plug it into a laptop/desktop to make it recognizable again. If I shut down the iPad and then unplug it, it doesn’t do this though. Have you had any experiences like this @richardyot?

I've not run into that issue. I can the occasional Files app jankiness but the drive connects reliably on both my iPads (M1 Pro and 2017 Pro).

mtenk

@richardyot said:

@mtenk said:

@richardyot said:
I'm using a Sandisk Extreme 1TB, it's really fast:

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08GTYFC37/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s00

I use this one as well and it works ok. I’ve noticed that every once in a while when I unmount it (just unplugging it) it won’t reconnect the next time I plug it in. I have to plug it into a laptop/desktop to make it recognizable again. If I shut down the iPad and then unplug it, it doesn’t do this though. Have you had any experiences like this @richardyot?

I've not run into that issue. I can the occasional Files app jankiness but the drive connects reliably on both my iPads (M1 Pro and 2017 Pro).

Interesting. To be fair I haven’t tried it since I updated to iOS 16…so maybe it’s an Apple issue that’s been fixed? I’m assuming it has to do with not being able to properly unmount a drive on the iPad. I’ve had zero issues with it on laptops/desktops though.

motmeister

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB.

xor

A few months ago I put together a 2TB TB4 SSD with an Acasis enclosure and a Samsung M.2 SSD. It’s been reliable and scary fast. Now all I’m worrying about is keeping it backed up.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BB74BQVN?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08RK2SR23?psc=1&ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_product_details

LarsDaniel

I just got me a Samsung T7 2TB. So tiny. :-)

mojozart

rheslip

I was using a 500gb Kingston ssd for transferring sample libraries from my PC but it kept getting corrupted when I unplugged it from the iPad. It was formatted fat32. Am I doing something dumb?

taeo

I use a 1 TB WD Passport for Mac and Satechi Hub. Just ordered a Romoss external battery and Tendak usb hub

zzrwood

These things are tiny (much smaller than most USB thumb drives) and blindingly fast. Max 256gb, though…
https://semiconductor.samsung.com/consumer-storage/usb-flash-drive/type-c/

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