WD
WD My Passport SSD (2022)
$100
Released 2022
Best Portable Ssds · head-to-head
WD My Passport SSD (2022) vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD
A sourced, side-by-side comparison. SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD is cheaper at $60. Every spec and price links to its source.
SK Hynix
SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD
$60Cheaper
Released 2022
Which is better: the WD My Passport SSD (2022) or SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD?
The SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD wins 1 of the 1 specs we compare head to head; the other wins 0. The SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD is the cheaper at $60. The SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD both leads on specs and costs less — the straightforward pick.
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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.
Full spec sheet
✓ marks the stronger figure where "more" — or "less", for price and weight — is unambiguously better.
| Spec | WD My Passport SSD (2022) | SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD |
|---|---|---|
| US price | $100 | $60 |
| Brand | WD | SK Hynix |
| Released | 2022 | 2022 |
| Capacity (GB) | 500 | 512 |
| Read (Mbps) | 1050 | 1050 |
| Write (Mbps) | 1000 | 1000 |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) | USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) |
| Encryption | AES 256-bit hardware | — |
| IP rating | — | — |
| Weight (g) | — | 53 |
| Release | 2022 | 2022 |
Sources — WD My Passport SSD (2022): newegg.com (verified 2026-06-15). SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD: ssd.skhynix.com (verified 2026-06-15).
What's the difference between the WD My Passport SSD (2022) and SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD?
Where the two actually differ on the specs we track (1 of 7). Matching specs are omitted.
- Capacity (GB): WD My Passport SSD (2022) 500 vs SK Hynix Beetle X31 Portable SSD 512
What reviewers say
Sourced tester consensus for each — the "what people who used it think" layer, not just specs.
WD My Passport SSD (2022)
Two whitelisted labs benchmarked the WD My Passport SSD NVMe (1,050/1,000 MB/s, USB 3.2 Gen 2, DRAM-less Blue SN550E): Tom's Hardware (Feb 2021) and StorageReview (Sep 2020). Both call it slim, secure and fast in real-world use but note it falls ~200 MB/s short of its rated speeds and, being DRAM-less, lags DRAM-based rivals like the Crucial X8 in file-copy/moderate-dataset tests. Tom's found a small 12GB SLC cache that drops sustained writes to ~710 MBps once saturated, though the drive stays cool (45C surface). (2 sourced reviews, 2 lab-tested.)
Praised: Slim, light, pocketable design with AES-256 hardware encryption and 5-year warranty; Fast large-file read-back and solid real-world portable-SSD performance; Runs cool under sustained load (45C surface).
Flagged: DRAM-less design; falls behind DRAM-based rivals (Crucial X8) and lags in file-copy tests; Fell short of WD's rated 1,050/1,000 MB/s in real benchmarks (~200 MB/s under); Small SLC cache (12GB) drops sustained write to ~710 MBps once saturated.
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.