ACCESSORIES
Angela Nicholson tests an ultra-compact drive for storing your photos and videos
● £65.99-£200.99 ● uk.crucial.com
Metal casing
A robust aluminium casing keeps the SSD safe.
Drop-proof
The Crucial X9 Pro is built to survive drops from 2m and is IP55 water/dust-resistant.
Small and light
The drive weighs just 38g and measures approximately 65x50x5mm at its thickest point.
USB-C cable
Crucial supplies a USB-C to USB-C cable but an optional USB-A is available.
The Crucial X9 Pro Portable SSD comes in three capacities: 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB, and is capable of read and write speeds of up to 1050MB/s. It’s designed to work with USB 3.2 Gen 2 connections and comes with a short USB-C to USB-C cable.
At just 38g in weight and measuring 65x50x5mm, this is one of smaller, lighter portable SSDs available, which combined with its metal casing makes it very attractive for travel. It has a durable feel and there’s soft-touch coating on its base that gives a little grip on a desktop. A small lanyard loop built into one corner could be useful for extra security. When the drive is connected to a computer, the inside of this loop illuminates, which is a nice touch. The drive’s robust design also means it can withstand falls from heights of up to 2 metres. In addition, it has an IP55 rating, so it should take the odd splash of water or short dunk in its stride.
One niggle I have is that the supplied USB cable is fairly short at around 17cm long (excluding the connectors). A longer cable gives more scope to position the drive on a stable surface, whether you’re working with it connected to a laptop on your knee, or plugged into the back of a desktop computer. I connected the drive to a 2022
MacBook Air via one of the USB 4 / Thunderbolt (40G
