External drives · Speed, cables and hardware
Does the cable matter for my external SSD's speed?
Short answer: Yes. Many USB-C charging cables carry only slow data, so a fast SSD tests slow on them. Use the drive's own cable or a proper Thunderbolt/USB4/high-speed USB-C data cable, then re-run the benchmark.
Yes, a lot. Many USB-C cables — especially ones that came with phones or chargers — only carry slow data speeds, so a fast SSD on such a cable tests slow. Use the cable that came with the drive, or a cable made for the drive's connection (Thunderbolt, USB4 or a 10 Gbps-or-faster USB-C data cable).
After changing the cable, open Choose Drive (or Transfer Drive) and click Run benchmark to see the difference.