by 19 reviews.
Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD Review: Speed, Portability, and Reliability in One Compact Package
The Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD is a game-changer for anyone in need of fast, reliable, and portable storage. With read speeds of up to 1050MB/s, this SSD is designed to handle large files, 4K video editing, and gaming with ease. Its 1TB capacity offers plenty of space for high-resolution photos, videos, and critical work files, while its lightweight and compact design makes it perfect for on-the-go use.
The Crucial X9 is built to withstand tough conditions, featuring drop protection from up to 7.5 feet and IP55-rated water and dust resistance. It’s compatible with a wide range of devices, including PCs, Macs, gaming consoles, and mobile devices, and comes with a USB-C to C cable for seamless connectivity. Additionally, it includes a 3-month Mylio Photos+ subscription, making it a great choice for photographers and content creators.
But how does it perform in real-world scenarios? Let’s dive into the pros and cons based on customer feedback.
Pros and Cons: What Customers Are Saying
1. Compact and Portable Design
One of the standout features of the Crucial X9 is its small size. Customers have compared it to a book of matches or a credit card, making it incredibly easy to carry around. Its lightweight design ensures it doesn’t add bulk to your bag, whether you’re traveling for work or leisure.
Pros:
- Extremely compact and lightweight.
- Rugged rubberized casing adds durability and confidence during travel.
- IP55-rated protection against water and dust makes it suitable for outdoor use.
Cons:
- The included USB-C cable is short, which can be inconvenient for some setups.
2. Speed and Performance
The Crucial X9 delivers impressive read and write speeds, with many users reporting near-advertised performance. It’s perfect for transferring large files, editing videos, or running games directly from the drive.
Pros:
- Read speeds of up to 1050MB/s and write speeds around 900MB/s (as tested by users).
- Fast file transfers for large files like 4K videos and high-resolution photos.
- Seamless compatibility with Windows, Mac, Android, and gaming consoles.
Cons:
- Real-world write speeds can be slower than advertised, especially during prolonged use.
- Some users reported the drive getting very hot during extended file transfers, which may affect performance.
3. Durability and Build Quality
The Crucial X9 is built to last, with a rugged design that can withstand drops and exposure to water and dust. Customers appreciate its sturdy construction, which makes it a reliable choice for both indoor and outdoor use.
Pros:
- Drop protection from up to 7.5 feet ensures data safety.
- IP55-rated resistance to water and dust adds peace of mind.
- Rubberized casing provides a secure grip and extra durability.
Cons:
- While the drive is durable, some users noted that it heats up significantly during heavy use, which could potentially affect longevity.
4. Compatibility and Ease of Use
The Crucial X9 is designed to work seamlessly across multiple platforms, making it a versatile storage solution. It comes pre-formatted as exFAT, ensuring compatibility with both Windows and macOS.
Pros:
- Plug-and-play functionality with no additional software required.
- Compatible with USB-C and USB 3.2 Gen2 devices for fast data transfer.
- Includes a USB-C to C cable and adapter for older USB ports.
Cons:
- Some users experienced issues when reformatting the drive to APFS on macOS, though HFS+ worked without problems.
5. Value for Money
Customers agree that the Crucial X9 offers excellent value for its price. Its combination of speed, durability, and portability makes it a worthwhile investment for professionals, gamers, and casual users alike.
Pros:
- Affordable pricing compared to other high-performance SSDs.
- 3-month Mylio Photos+ subscription adds extra value for photographers.
- Reliable performance backed by Crucial’s reputation for quality.
Cons:
- The short cable and occasional heating issues are minor drawbacks but don’t overshadow the overall value.
Conclusion: Is the Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD Worth It?
The Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD is a standout choice for anyone seeking a fast, durable, and portable storage solution. Its compact design, impressive speeds, and rugged build quality make it ideal for professionals, gamers, and content creators. While it has a few minor drawbacks, such as occasional heating and a short cable, these are outweighed by its overall performance and reliability.
If you’re looking for an external SSD that delivers on speed, durability, and versatility, the Crucial X9 is a highly recommended option. Whether you’re transferring large files, editing videos, or expanding your gaming console’s storage, this SSD won’t disappoint.
Final Verdict:
- Pros: Compact, fast, durable, excellent value.
- Cons: Short cable, occasional heating during heavy use.
Upgrade your storage game with the Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD – it’s a purchase you won’t regret!
Specification Crucial X9 1TB Portable SSD – Up to 1050MB/s Read, PC and Mac, Lightweight and Small with 3-Month Mylio Photos+ Offer – USB 3.2 External Solid State Drive – CT1000X9SSD902:
Comments from Amazon:
The Crucial X9 Pro 2TB Portable SSD turned out to be an excellent choice for work and data storage. Its compact size — slightly larger than a credit card — makes it incredibly convenient for everyday use. This SSD not only takes up minimal space but also offers reliability with its IP55 dust and water resistance. The data transfer speed is impressive: I tested it using CrystalDiskMark, and it showed up to 1050 MB/s for reading and around 900 MB/s for writing, which is almost in line with the advertised specs. This greatly speeds up working with large files like videos and photos. The device’s sturdy rubberized casing adds confidence when traveling or using it in challenging conditions. However, the included cable is short, and you need a certified USB 3.2 Gen2 cable to achieve maximum speeds. Overall, this device is perfect for backup, storage, and data transfer. Small drawbacks like the short cable do not overshadow its overall performance. I highly recommend the Crucial X9 Pro to anyone looking for a portable and fast SSD
This device is very easy to use with USB-C or basic USB interface. - Speed is excellent and storage is robust as well as universally usable on my Windows, Android and Linux systems. A very convenient and small device for backup, travelling and inter-device transfers.
Super small and fast. There's no noise with this little guy and it was super easy to setup. I've had it for a while now and it still works great. Very happy with it!
I have purchased lots of Crucial memory, SSDs, and the like over the years. My experience has been that they are a good company that stands behind their products. So when they came out this new SSD drive, I thought I'd give it a go. My principal use is as an archive device for family photos. As such, speed wasn't that big of a consideration but was one of the points I considered. Source were about 420 GB of photos. Device a MacBook Pro 2018 15" with TB3 ports, i9 CPU, 32 GB memory, 2 TB SSD storage. Target was, of course, the Crucial SSD. Transfers were to and from the Mac's SSD drive. Here are my experiences using it as the destination for several thousand photos. Note that I did reformat the Crucial drive as HFS+ to be more compatible within the macOS environment. I tried APFS but the disk utility kept failing part way thru so I gave up on that format. macOS Catalina version 10.15.4. Pros: - Sleek design. Just a comfortable, rugged form factor. - Came with a cable and adapter so that it works on both TB3 ports and on the older USB 3.2 ports. - Price was very reasonable for the capacity. Cons: - It got VERY hot during the writing of all the photos. It was so hot, in fact, that I could not hold it in my hand. - Write speed was abysmally slow in the real world: 420 GB in 1:02 or about 113 MB/sec. Did this via both a Finder copy and via rsync within Carbon Copy Cloner. - Read speed was better: 420 GB in 23 min or about 304 MB/sec. This is about 1/3rd the max rated read speed. Bottom Line: - Good device - Well made - Realistic real world speed will be less than advertised
The only game that didn't run as efficiently from this external SSD than from the internal was Call of Duty. Because of course that diva of a game would require an install on the local SSD. I mean, it still worked, but texture buffering took a lot longer which was pretty annoying. Everything else ran great. Like 30 other games I tested, including some Playstation 5 ports.
Excellent storage for the price. It’s very small and can easily fit in your pocket if needed. Fast data transfer. I’m very happy with this purchase.
I can't believe how small this SSD drive is, barely larger than a book of matches. I use this to store and access approximately 11,000 songs stored in uncompressed .flac and .wav format. This SSD is attached via USB to a desktop computer on my home network, and I access it as a shared drive for my Sonos system. It is always visible on the network (unlike the SSD it replaced, which would disappear if not accessed for a while). I have had no issues with speed or file access, although I am certainly not stressing it for its reading and writing capabilities or speeds. The drive came formatted as exFat, which works with all versions of Windows and modern versions of macOS. It can be formatted as Fat32 or NTFS if necessary. I have used Crucial memory and storage drives for years and have always found them to have rock solid reliability, and the pricing is competitive with other less reliable or no name brands. They are a division of Micron, and were the first company to sell memory directly to the consumer. I cannot speak to the longevity as I have not had the drive very long, but based on my past experience with Crucial I am confident it will last.