iPhone storage full? Here’s how to back up your photos on the go

If you encounter slow internet while on the go, backing up large amounts of data—for example, to Apple iCloud or Google Photos—can become a real challenge. Traditional USB sticks often transfer data sluggishly and can quickly reach their limits under heavy use. 

A proper SSD stands out with significantly faster read and write speeds, so even in time-critical situations, you can back up your photos and videos in no time. In addition, an SSD is more robust and durable than a USB stick, as it is less susceptible to shocks and temperature fluctuations. These advantages make it the ideal solution to reliably protect your data even under adverse conditions.

• Higher reliability: SSD chips are more robust than the often cheap and vulnerable memory chips in USB sticks.
• Fast data transfer: You can back up your data quickly and efficiently, saving time especially when you’re on the go.
• Independence from the internet: Unlike the cloud, you do not need an internet connection to access your data.
• Durability: SSDs offer a longer lifespan and lower error rate than conventional USB sticks.
• Security: With an SSD, you minimize the risk of data loss, as it operates stably and reliably.

These advantages make the small SSD the ideal solution if you want to expand your smartphone storage on the go and securely store your important data. Please note that moving your photos to an SSD does not constitute a backup. You should always have multiple copies of your memories, preferably in different locations.

The cloud may seem convenient at first glance, but it can become problematic for vacation photos. Services like Microsoft OneDrive or Google Photos scan your uploaded images for harmful patterns, which can result in harmless shots, such as pictures of children at the beach, being mistakenly classified as problematic content. In some cases, particularly with Microsoft OneDrive, this has already led to irreversible account deletions. Ultimately, you give up control of your valuable memories. If you want to be on the safe side, you should at least back up all your data locally once.

We have compiled a small selection of compact SSDs that have proven themselves in our frequent tests and purchases. We only include manufacturers from which we have already purchased hard drives without discounts. With these SSDs, you can ensure that your data—be it vacation photos or important documents—is reliably stored and quickly accessible at any time. These recommendations offer you an excellent alternative for local data backup on the go.

At SanDisk, there are several ranges of SSDs that can be problematic. In principle, an SSD is more robust than a mechanical hard drive, as it contains no moving parts. However, an SSD can still fail.

It is important to note that an SSD heats up under continuous load, which reduces its write speed. Cheap units (and especially USB sticks) often do not sufficiently lower the write speed, causing the memory chips to overheat. Therefore, it is not a defect in quality if the write speed is slightly reduced during large data transfers.