Corsair EX400U review: Fast SSD in a small, MagSafe-compatible package

MacworldAt a glanceExpert's RatingProsHigh data transfer rateCompact dimensionsMagSafe ring for iPhoneConsPlastic housingOur Verdict With the EX400U, Corsair has fulfilled the desire of many media professionals for a compact and powerful external SSD. It combines a small housing with USB4 speed.Price When ReviewedThis value will show the geolocated pricing text for product undefinedBest Pricing TodayPrice When Reviewed$119.99 (1TB) | $179.99 (2TB) | $339.99 (4TB)Best Prices Today: Corsair EX400U USB4 SSDRetailerPrice$119.99View DealCorsair$120View DealPrice comparison from over 24,000 stores worldwideProductPricePrice comparison from BackmarketThe Corsair EX400U looks like a simple external SSD. It measures 6.4 by 6.4 by 1.2 centimeters and has a plastic housing. Underneath, however, is a MagSafe-compatible ring for attaching to an iPhone. It connects via USB-C and can also be used with a Mac.We used Ajax System Test Lite to gauge its speed. Its 2709Mbps for writing and 3165Mbps for reading are a convincing performance. In the read/write endurance test, the EX400U slows down by around 300Mbps and the plastic casing also becomes noticeably warm, but not hot.Corsair states that the 2TB model we reviewed has a 500 TBW rating (the number of terabytes it can write over its lifetime); a value of 500 TBW or more indicates an SSD that is suitable for intensive use in video editing. It has a MFBF (Mean Time Between Failures) of 1.4 million hours. The temperature range in practice even extends to 70 degrees Celsius.Corsair offers a three-year warranty on the EX400U. A very robust USB4 cable is included.Should you buy the Corsair EX400U?With the EX400U, Corsair has fulfilled the desire of many media professionals for a compact and powerful external SSD. It combines a small housing with USB4 speed.