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How to easily connect an internal SSD to a USB-C port on your PC or Mac

Here's a great way to attach lots of fast storage to your desktop or laptop system, perfect for photographers and videographers.
Written by Adrian Kingsley-Hughes, Senior Contributing Editor

There are times when USB flash drives aren't enough, and you need something a bit bigger or a bit faster. This is when using an SSD is the way forward.

While you can buy specific external SSDs, I find it better and more convenient to use internal SSDs.

They're cheap, lightweight, and durable.

And all you need is an SSD (my current favorite is the 1TB Samsung 870 EVO SSD) and a SATA to USB-C adapter.

I've been testing a number of SATA to USB-C adapters, and I've settled on the UGREEN SATA to USB-C adapter cable for 2.5-inch SSD and HDD drives.

I like this adapter for a number of reasons. It's small and lightweight, fast, comes with a cable attached, and it's very reasonably priced at $12.99.

In terms of speed, the UGREEN adapter features USB C 3.1 Gen 1 data transfer speed of 5Gbps, so it's a no-compromise way of attaching external storage.

  • USB-bus powered, no need for extra power supply for 2.5-inch SATA HDD/SSD
  • Plug and play, no driver needed
  • Support hot-swapping the drives (no need to disconnect)
  • Built-in LED indicator
  • Supports UASP (USB Attached SCSI Protocol) and TRIM

Pros:

  • Small
  • Lightweight
  • Cheap
  • Built-in cable

Cons:

  • If the built-in cable gets damaged, the whole adapter is junk

Also: The best Macs: Is the Mac Studio or MacBook Pro right for you?

UGREEN SATA to USB-C adapter performance with Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SATA SSD

UGREEN SATA to USB-C adapter performance with Samsung 870 EVO 1TB SATA SSD

For a professional photographer or videographer, being able to use cheap internal SSDs is a great way to have an abundance of storage on the cheap.

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