8 Best SSD for Video Editing 4K (SATA, NVMe)

A seamless 4K editing experience relies on the hardware you are using to do the deed. Everything required for the video edit needs to be huge. Whether it is hardware capacity or the performance it can deliver.

Storage devices play an important role in content creation and video editing. What can be the best device apart from a super-fast SSD drive for your data storage and transfer? An SSD is the top storage device right now because:

• It is highly reliable than a traditional HDD
• Faster writing, reading, and transfer rates
• Your data can be stored longer without any corruption
• Has a longer life than HDD

With these benefits in mind, we have brought you a list of top-performing SSDs in the market to give you a blazing-fast editing experience with 4K videos.

Best SSD for Video Editing

We Found 8 SSD which includes SATA and NVMe. We tested all the SSDs and selected 3 best SSDs according to its Speed, price and durability. We Presented our Verdict, review and opinion with Pros and Cons of Each product

Samsung T7 SSD

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 500GB
• SSD Connectivity: USB 3.2 Gen2
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops, Mini PCs
• SSD Type: SATA
• Colors : Gray, Blue, Red
• Weight: 60 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 1,050 MB/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC, Linux

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Verdict – Best External SSD for 4K Editing
Some content creators are usually on the move and they require an external drive for storing their videos and edits. Being a pioneer in the field of electronics, this external SSD gives you the ultimate storage solution on the go. Simply plug and store all your 4K videos in no time. You can also access the videos and edit them without transferring them to the PC or Laptop.

Our Expert Review

Everything is great with this SSD. The size is very compact and sleek. The 1TB storage helps you to store an ample amount of 4K videos. Especially if you are creating short and medium-length videos, it is more than sufficient. 

The data transfer rates are blazingly fast with 1050 MB/s of read speed and 1000 MB/s of write speed. To aid the faster transfer speed, the drive is equipped with USB 3.2 of the latest Gen2. If you use a USB C to C cable, you can achieve the said speed rates.

The build quality is one of the top features of this device. The outer case of the drive is made shock resistant and can withstand accidental drops without any issues. 

A major issue with SSDs is that they can be considerably damaged with excessive heat generated. But in this drive, you get Dynamic Thermal Guard which automatically slows down the data transfer rate when there is overheating. 

When we tested this device, we did multiple heavy data transfers and there wasn’t much difference in the transfer rate or performance. 

Expert Opinion

You cannot complain anything about this device. Everything is on par and you can expect a little more speed for this higher price point. Otherwise, the storage, build quality, and features are very much useful for a 4K edit even on the go. Works great with laptops and desktops. Must have external SSD for content creators.

Crucial BX500

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 480GB, 240GB
• SSD Connectivity: SATA
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops, Mini PCs
• Colors : Grey
• Weight: 42 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 540MB/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC, Linux

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Verdict – Best SATA SSD for Desktop
When you run out of M.2 slots on your desktop and you need to upgrade your storage on your PC, this SATA SSD is the best way to do it. It has a perfect size and all the necessary features to support a desktop PC for 4K editing. Instead of getting an additional HDD, you can go for this SSD and get a more reliable storage solution.

Our Expert Review

This 2.5-inch SATA drive is readily usable with any desktop that has installation holes on the case. Even if there isn’t a provision, you can simply use it like an external SSD with the help of an enclosure. 

The build quality is good and there aren’t any exposed internals. The drive has a read speed of 540 MB/s which is quite good for a SATA drive. The writing speed is 500 MB/s and lets you accomplish copying of files within a shorter time. 

Although you don’t get the performance like an NVMe M.2 SSD, this can perfectly serve as an additional storage device when you are doing 4K video edits. 

Since 4K videos consume large spaces with their huge data, this drive can be a reliable and faster storage solution with your editing PC.

We tested the SSD with several repeated file transfers and there wasn’t any heating issue. The writing speeds slightly dropped after several iterations but it is not a considerable drop. 

Expert Opinion

This 1TB SATA drive from Crucial serves the purpose effectively and considering a SATA drive, it performs more than good. It can be suitable for beginners as well as professional video editors.

Kingston A400

• Storage Capacity: 1.92TB, 960TB, 480GB, 240GB
• SSD Connectivity: SATA3
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops
• Colors : Black
• Weight: 40 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 450 MB/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC, Linux

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Verdict – Best SATA SSD for Laptops
In the lineup of SATA SSDs, this product is very efficient for use with laptops. The thickness and build quality are great for using it as an internal SSD for laptops. It can also be used with some notebooks that have room for a 2.5-inch drive. 

Our Expert Review

Laptops are one of the devices in which the room for upgradability is highly limited (except gaming laptops). Especially upgrading the storage can be sometimes impossible with certain models. 

But laptops that are specially made for multitasking and content creation, have more room for upgradation. If you are into 4K editing, then you might definitely own such devices. 

Even after having loads of storage features, with 4K videos, you can easily run out of options in a laptop. This is where the Kingston 960GB SATA SSD comes in for the rescue. This sleek and compact drive can be easily installed with your laptop to increase storage. 

The read speed on this device is 500 MB/s and the write speed is about 450 MB/s. You can achieve the said transfer rates if you have a good machine. 

When we tested this product on a gaming laptop, it was able to reach the speeds without any issues. Also, the type of application you are using will also affect the speed. 

Expert Opinion

If you are out of options to buy a new laptop or increase the storage with an M.2 slot, then you can easily go for this product and fill the void. It is reliable, fast, and can last for a long period even with heavy usage. A great choice for editing laptops.

Samsung 870 QVO

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4GB, 8GB
• SSD Connectivity: SATA
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops
• Colors : Grey
• Weight: 91 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 560 MB per second
• Operating System: Windows, MAC

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Verdict – Overall Best SATA SSD for 4K Editing
Whether you have a laptop or desktop and are in dire need of a high-performing SSD, then you must go for the Samsung 870 QVO SATA SSD. This is the best SATA drive you can get for your system with excellent durability and reliability. If you are out of options for an NVMe, then you may blindly choose this product for all your systems.

Our Expert Review

There is no doubt that Samsung is the industry leader in SSD technology and they have proved it time and again with several devices. This QVO 870 is also a great product in that line up offering up to 8TB of storage. 

The product we have chosen here is the 1TB variant because it gives the best value for money considering a SATA drive. It works great with MacBooks, laptops, and PC desktops without any issues. 

The build quality and size are perfect for internal installation. But you need to buy relevant cables for the drive as it doesn’t come with the box. 

The drive has an enormous life with 2880 TBW cycles which makes it a highly reliable and durable storage device than any other drive. As for the speeds, it has a reading speed of 560 MB/s and a writing speed of 540 MB/s which is better than many SATA drives.

Expert Opinion

We tested it and found it to be the overall best for all devices and systems. You can store, write, erase, and repeat it an infinite number of times and find the device to be working perfectly. The device performs very well despite being a SATA drive.

Western Digital Blue SA510

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 250GB, 500GB
• SSD Connectivity: SATA
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops
• Colors : Black
• Weight: 35 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 560 MB/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC

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Verdict – Affordable SATA SSD for 4K editing
For those who are looking for a minor update with their storage as well as for a cheaper price point, then this device from Western Digital is a great choice. It performs well and has an excellent build. If you want to just assist your existing storage, then this drive suits you best.

Our Expert Review

You may wonder why we have chosen a 500GB variant for this category of usage. But most of the time, you just need an additional storage device that can help you save temporary edit files or just store the final edits.

For such use cases, you don’t have to spend a lot of money on larger capacities. Western Digital is known for its HDDs and their SSDs are also good in performance and durability. 

It has read speeds up to 560 MB/s while the write speeds are about 500 MB/s. We recommend it for laptops although it can be used for PCs too.

It is very light in weight, and the form factor is optimized for easy installation. You can very well use it for storing your 4K edits without any issues. It is reliable and can last longer than HDDs. Therefore, you get a minor storage upgrade with this efficient drive.

Expert Opinion

One of the most affordable SSDs you can get on the market right now. Very reliable and has great performance for this price point. Although it has 500 GB of storage, it can aid you by being a secondary storage space for saving your interstitial edits.

Samsung(MZ-V7E1T0BW) 970 EVO

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 250GB, 500GB
• SSD Connectivity: NVMe
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops
• Colors : Black
• Weight: 50 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 3,500 MB/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC

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Verdict – Overall Best NVME SSD for 4K Editing
We have entered into the realm of NVMe SSDs and have straight away brought you the top-performing SSD you can get at the price point. Highly efficient, very low latency, and very much capable of handling intense data transfer and reads. Must buy product for 4K video editors despite the device they use to perform the edits. 

Our Expert Review

Except for the 1TB storage (which is sufficient for general users) there is nothing short in this drive. You get exceptional read and write speeds which aren’t available on many NVMe devices. 

The drive can read up to 3500 MB/s and has a writing speed up to 2500 MB/s. Although the manufacturer mentions 600 TBW, which itself is very huge, the drive is more capable than it. You get a 5-year limited warranty with the device and probably you may never have to use it. 

It houses Samsung’s magician software which ensures data security and automatically gets updated with regular firmware updates. The performance is also monitored and optimized with this software. 

The device doesn’t lag or show any signs of latency because of its thermal management. It dissipates heat more efficiently and when combined with a heat sink (which is not required) you can get the ultimate performance. It has a dynamic thermal guard which enables better management.

Expert Opinion

Video editors with an enthusiasm for 4K edits must choose this drive for expanding their primary storage. There are higher storage options too but we have chosen this 1 TB version which is optimal for all kinds of editing. 

Silicon Power NVMe M.2 PCIe Gen3

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 4GB, 500GB, 512GB
• SSD Connectivity: NVMe
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops
• Colors : Black
• Weight: 45 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 2200 Mb/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC, Mini PCs

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Verdict – Affordable NVME SSD for 4K editing
People who are beginning their journey with content creation might be just intermediates with their editing skills. So, we are recommending this most affordable SSD for them. Better suited for laptops, you can mess around with your editing skills and try out some 4K videos.

Our Expert Review

This is a very basic device with just the right amount of storage space and data transfer rates required for an editing PC. This NVMe SSD has a read speed of 2200 MB/s and the write speed can go up to 1600 MB/s. 

It has a TBW of 300 which is quite good considering the price point. We tested the device with both laptop and desktop and as usual, it performed well with a desktop. But you can use it for both laptops and desktops without any issues. 

Might get slightly hot when doing intense data transfers like gaming or editing. Not much to complain but can affect the drive long term. You can use it as a secondary data storage device if you have higher-capacity SSDs. 

So, apart from these, there is nothing much to brag about with this device. A pretty basic device with only the right amount of capacity and speed.

Expert Opinion

Beginners and amateurs can absolutely try this device to get used to video editing and content creation. It will be an affordable choice and a standard device to perform the deed. Can be used as a secondary storage device or to back up your edits.

Western Digital Green SN350 NVMe

• Storage Capacity: 1TB, 2TB, 960GB, 480GB, 240GB
• SSD Connectivity: NVMe, PCIe
• Compatible Devices: Laptop, Desktops
• Colors : Black
• Weight: 25 Grams
• Maximum Speed: Up to 2200 Mb/s
• Operating System: Windows, MAC, Mini PCs

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Verdict – Best Value for Money 
You can always get affordable yet high-quality products from Western Digital. This SSD doesn’t deceive us with its lower price. Rather gives great value for what it’s worth. It checks much high quality and features like a premium device. 

Our Expert Review

Good products don’t need to be costly. This device is an example of this statement and performs extremely well. It has a read speed of 3200 MB/s and its writing speed can go up to 3000 MB/s. This is actually great speed for this price point. 

It has 1 TB storage and it is sufficient for 4K edits. We tested this device and found it to be high performing and most importantly power efficient. 

This drive didn’t take much power and was very energy efficient. You can get higher storage capacities with the same product and get better storage performance. 

As for laptop compatibility, it is also good and you can easily use it for editing laptops as well. It has a slight dip in performance, but if you use a higher-end laptop, you can very well get near to the ideal performance.

Expert Opinion

We are recommending this product since it has more value for the money. It provides the optimal storage and the data transfer speeds you require for your editing PC. A must-try for new content creators who would like to try some 4K video editing.

Our Recommended SSD

Because of the following reasons, we strongly encourage all video editors and content producers to purchase this external solid-state drive:

• Portable external SSD
• Sufficient Storage Capacity
• Optimal transfer speeds
• Shockproof Build
• Good thermal management

This device comes highly recommended for editing 4K video on both laptops and desktops due to the following reasons:

• Higher TBW
• More Reliable
• Data security
• Faster data transfer rates
• Best thermal management
• Better performance

Because of these factors, we highly recommend this program to content creators who are just starting out or are at an intermediate level:

• Has more value for the money
• Optimal storage capacity
• Faster data transfer rates
• Shock resistant
• Better power efficiency

How to choose an SSD for 4K Video Editing?

Data storage is very important for any kind of task. For highly intense tasks like 4K video editing, you need a reliable drive. Here is a simple guide for you to choose the right type of product for your editing needs:

• NVMe Better than SATA – The technology you are choosing for connecting the drive with your PC is very important. Because the transfer rates and reliability are highly dependent on it. NVMe technology provides higher performance and is more reliable. It is connected through a PCIe interface which is best for faster data transfers. Therefore, choose an NVMe M.2 SSD.
• Data transfer rate – SSDs usually have higher data transfer speeds whether it is for reading or writing. If you choose an NVMe SSD, you can even get more than 7000 MB/s speed. So, if you are doing 4K edits, then you need to choose at least 3000 MB/s speed capacity SSD.
• TBW – Actually this is not a major concern with SSDs but it can help you to determine the minimum life of an SSD. Tera Bytes Written (TBW) tells you the lifecycle of an SSD and the higher the number is better. Getting a drive with more than 300 TBW is better. 

Read these posts:

• NVMe drives – Heatsink Required?
• How Can I Get My Internal Hard Drive to Show Up?
• How can SSD and HDD merge in a PC?

Conclusion

With this useful list of SSDs, you can choose the best one for your requirement. We have listed one product for every use case and have recommended some prominent ones too. Get them right away and start creating content without any delay. 

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