Best Portable Ssds · head-to-head

SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD vs Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020)

A sourced, side-by-side comparison. SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD is cheaper at $60. Every spec and price links to its source.

Which is better: the SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD or Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020)?

They split the 4 specs we compare evenly. The SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD is the cheaper at $60.

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Key specs, head to head

The numbers that decide it, drawn to scale — longer bar wins, the accent bar is the stronger figure.

Capacity (GB)
SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 512
Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 500
Read (Mbps)
SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 1050
Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 2000
Write (Mbps)
SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 1000
Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 2000

Full spec sheet

marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.

Spec SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020)
US price $60 $200
BrandSK HynixSeagate
Released20222020
Capacity (GB) 512 500
Read (Mbps) 1050 2000
Write (Mbps) 1000 2000
Interface USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps)
Encryption
IP rating
Weight (g) 53 100
Release 2022 2020

Sources — SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD: ssd.skhynix.com (verified 2026-06-15). Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020): storagereview.com (verified 2026-06-15).

What's the difference between the SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD and Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020)?

Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (5 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.

  • Capacity (GB): SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 512 vs Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 500
  • Read (Mbps): SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 1050 vs Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 2000
  • Write (Mbps): SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 1000 vs Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 2000
  • Interface: SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) vs Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20 Gbps)
  • Weight (g): SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 53 vs Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020) 100

What reviewers say

Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.

SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD

Solid but not class-leading. Three testers benchmarked it hands-on — PCWorld (July 2023) and StorageReview (February 2024) on 1TB, Tom's Hardware (December 2024) on 2TB. All three measured sequential throughput at or near the practical ~1,000 MB/s ceiling of the 10 Gbps interface, and all three note the compact rounded shell with non-slip feet. The two outlets that ran long continuous writes both hit a cache cliff. Pricing is contested rather than agreed: two outlets call it expensive, one calls it market-rate. (3 sourced reviews, 3 lab-tested.)

Praised: Sequential throughput lands at or near the ~1,000 MB/s practical ceiling of the 10 Gbps interface; Compact, rounded pebble-shaped body with non-slip feet on the bottom; Metal shell feels rugged and solid in the hand.

Flagged: Sustained write collapses once the secondary cache is exhausted on large continuous transfers; Priced above competitors that are equally fast or faster; Middling PCMark 10 result — lands in the lower half of the 2024 comparison set.

Seagate FireCuda Gaming SSD (2020)

No sourced tester review yet.

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