---
id: external-drives.are-cheap-unbranded-ssds-safe
url: https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/are-cheap-unbranded-ssds-safe
category: "External drives"
subcategory: "Choosing a drive"
question: "Are cheap or unbranded external SSDs safe to use?"
alt_questions:
  - "Fake capacity SSD"
  - "Counterfeit external drive Mac"
  - "Very cheap 2TB SSD too good to be true"
  - "How do I check my SSD's real capacity?"
  - "no-name usb ssd reliable?"
short_answer: "Be wary: some very cheap drives fake their capacity and lose data once they fill, and others use slow, short-lived parts. Buy a reputable brand from a trusted seller, and test a doubtful drive by filling it and checking the files before trusting it."
tags: ["buying", "fake capacity", "reliability"]
related: ["https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/what-kind-of-external-drive-should-i-use-with-storage-studio", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-does-the-drive-speed-test-work", "https://storagestudio.us/faq/external-drives/how-do-i-run-first-aid-on-an-external-drive"]
applies_to: "all"
last_reviewed: 2026-10-01
---

# Are cheap or unbranded external SSDs safe to use?

Be careful. Some very cheap drives report more capacity than they really have — they seem fine until they fill up, then silently lose or corrupt what you copied. Others use slow, low-endurance parts. A reputable brand from a trusted seller is the safer buy for anything that holds your files.

If you already have one:

1. Copy a large amount of data onto it — close to its full size — then check that the files open and match the originals.
2. Run **First Aid** in Disk Utility.
3. Don't make it the only copy of anything until it has passed.

Storage Studio's speed test checks speed, not true capacity, so a fake-capacity drive can pass it — test the capacity yourself before relying on it.