Lexar Rolls Out Two Affordable, High-Capacity, Portable SSDs

Lexar announced two new portable SSDs today, each with a maximum 2TB capacity and the promise of high-speed transfer speeds via USB 3.2 Gen 2. Both are also under $200, making them a compelling option for the traveling photographer or as an on-site backup option.

These SSDs — the Lexar ES3 and SL300 — are small, thin, and lightweight while also sporting high capacity and the promise of some pretty swift transfer speeds. Lexar says that they both are equipped with built-in, double-layer graphite sheets that conduct heat and help keep the external drives cool during long data transfer or high-intensity loads.

Lexar quotes both the ES3 and the SL300 as reaching up to 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write speeds via a USB-C connection (using the aforementioned USB 3.2 Gen 2 protocol). Both SSDs ship with a 2-in-1 USB-C/USB-A cable which allows them to work easily with just about any computer a user might have.

Lexar SL300

Given Lexar’s marketing, which states this performance is 9.5 times faster than a hard drive (HDD), the target user is obvious: those who are still using external single-drive HDDs for backup, which were the most popular option between seven and 10 years ago. SSDs have fallen dramatically in price since then, however, and now it is possible to get a faster, more compact, and higher capacity SSD for the cost those HDDs used to retail for.

The ES3 and SL300 both use what Lexar describes as a “sleek and sturdy design” that is durable and drop-resistant, in both cases providing protection against accidental falls of up to two meters.

Lexar ES3

The pitch for both of these SSD options is pretty much the same, which means it might not be immediately obvious what separates the ES3 from the SL300. On the surface, the answer there is “nothing” from a performance perspective but a “not much” when it comes to durability. The ES3 is only drop-resistant and has no other durability or protection features. The SL300, on the other hand, is IP54-rated, adding a bit of water and dust resistance on top of the drop protection. It’s not much, but any user who intends to take the SSD out of their office might be better served picking up the SL300 over the ES3.

Luckily, that additional protection doesn’t cost anything extra. Both the SL300 and ES3 are available in a 2TB capacity for $180. The SL300 is also available in a 1TB option for $110. The SL300 will be available by “mid December” while the ES3 is available starting today — both already appear significantly discounted from Lexar’s MSRP.

Image credits: Lexar