SK Hynix Tube T31 External SSD: Who is this for?

External SSD has been part of our workflow for the past few years. It all started with a simple 2.5-inch SATA SSD in an enclosure, then we move on to M.2 2280 form factor and even dedicated small form factor external SSDs.

The main benefit of switching to external SSD is all about speed and stability. Back then you’re either risking damaging your external hard drive due to the sensitive read/write header scratching the disk while you travel, or you have to resort to slow USB flash drive.

An external SSD as simple as a 2.5-inch SSD housed in an USB3 enclosure is more than enough to escalate the user experience, let alone a NVMe-based SSD that could go as fast as 10/20/40Gbps depending on the configuration.

Today what we have in the studio is something reminiscence to a USB flash drive but with way speedier read/write capabilities. Introducing the SK Hynix Tube T31 external SSD.

Video Review

The SSD itself is just like a conventional USB flash drive with a USB-A connector right on the unit. Making it one of the most pocketable external SSD. The Tube T31 only comes in one connector form – USB-A. That should spark some questions on why not a USB-C in the current age.

Well, turns out that there are still plenty of users who are in the middle of transition from the USB-A, and SK Hynix aims to capture this market with this particular product.

Side by side comparison with a USB flash drive shows how bulky the Tube T31 is. It is unavoidable due to the internals that requires the use of a 2242 form factor SSD and a controller board.

The SK Hynix Tube T31 houses a SK Hynix BC711 M.2 2242 NVMe SSD with JMicron JMS583 controller. As such the Tube T31 only offers in two storage capacity configuration – 512GB and 1TB.

Nonetheless, the read/write speed is very impressive. Through the USB 3.2 Gen 2 protocol, the Tube T31 would perform up to 1000MBps read and write. This is more than enough for all sorts of use cases. That brings us to the next question, who is this for?

• Gamers: Games for PC or console
• Creators: Photo or video raw footages
• Movie-aficionados: Great for 4K movies that takes up space and time for transfer
• IT admins: Potentially use it as a bootable external SSD for quick troubleshooting systems

Pricing & Conclusion

• $79.99 for 512GB
• $99.99 for 1TB

The SK Hynix Tube T31 is a unique offering at this current era. The conventional stick form factor easily establishes a bridge for non-tech-savvy users. For most cases, an external SSD is an excellent choice for external storage. While traditional external hard disk drives (HDDs) are cheaper, SSDs offer significantly faster performance and improved stability over the long term. This translates to quicker file transfers, smoother application loading, and overall better responsiveness. I’ve personally switched to using SSDs exclusively for external storage, and the performance boost and peace of mind are well worth the investment.

Where to buy (affiliate links):

• Amazon US: https://amzn.to/3RULJFF
• Lazada: https://invol.co/cllcsqe
• Shopee: https://invl.io/cllcsqj