I’ve been working with video professionally for nearly 20 years, and the longer I do it, the more I appreciate great storage solutions. Don’t worry, one day you’ll be boring too. Seriously, though, nothing ruins a workday faster than an unreliable hard drive – but nothing makes it smoother than having a new tool that streamlines your workflow. That’s why the pint-sized TeamGroup PD20M Mag Portable SSD immediately grabbed my attention. A miniature, mobile-friendly, high-speed drive I capture to and edit from? Sign me up.
To my fellow A/V nerds: I get it. Building a hard drive collection isn’t as glamorous as chasing the latest camera gear, but on the job, it’s far more important. Cheap storage can lead to expensive problems. It doesn’t matter how good your client’s footage looks if it’s gone. That’s a frustration that anyone with photos trapped on a bricked phone will know all too well.
After a few weeks test-driving the PD20M Mag Portable SSD, I can’t imagine working without it. It delivers the performance of a full-sized SSD in a compact, ultralight frame no bigger than two jump drives. With high-speed transfer rates and plug-and-play firmware, it lets you record high-bitrate footage directly to the drive, bypassing your phone’s internal storage. It doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but its well-rounded design makes it a force multiplier for mobile filmmakers and a reliable workhorse for everyday use.
“It delivers the performance of a full-sized SSD in a compact, ultralight frame no bigger than two jump drives.”
Its reasonable price and MagSafe mount also make it a must-have for anyone with an iPhone.
The TeamGroup PD20M Mag Portable SSD is compatible with iOS, iPadOS, macOS, Windows, and Android operating systems. It connects via USB-C or Thunderbolt ports and transfers data using a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface at speeds of up to 20 Gbps. The drive comes with either 1 TB or 2 TB of storage space, but only in one colour: titanium gray. On paper, it’s average specs for a modern hard drive, but in practice, it left me gobsmacked.
What impressed me most was how consistently fast this tiny drive performed. It’s an 8.2mm-thick, 2¾-inch square that weighs just 40 grams. And despite being passively cooled, it never got uncomfortably hot, even during heavy benchmarking. I’ve used full-sized portable drives that turn into space heaters during regular use, and none of them could fit in my wallet.
USB 3.2 isn’t bleeding-edge, but 20 Gbps is still extremely fast for real-world use. Even when handling large media files, Thunderbolt speeds hold up. TeamGroup claims this drive can reach 2000 MB/s for sequential reads and writes on a PC, and 1000 MB/s when connected to an iPhone 15 Pro. In my testing, the iPhone speeds were slightly better than TeamGroup’s claim, hitting 1020 MB/s read and 1010 MB/s write. Benchmarking on PC over USB 4, it reached 2100 MB/s read and 1850 MB/s write in single-pass 4 GB tests—just 150 MB/s shy of the advertised write speed. That’s hardly a dealbreaker on a drive this size. If it weren’t for the technical report, I wouldn’t be able to tell the difference.
On tests using massive data blocks and multiple passes, the read speed stayed consistently above 2000 MB/s, but the write speeds dropped dramatically to around 700 MB/s. This slowdown isn’t unusual for portable drives. Even with solid transfer protocols, the small cache sizes are optimized for moving smaller files, not massive projects.
As a general-purpose hard drive, the PD20M Mag Portable is solid, but it really shines when paired with an iPhone. One of its standout features is the MagSafe mount, which utilizes an internal magnet to securely lock onto compatible phones with a force of 800 grams. Once connected, the iPhone camera app allows you to record footage directly to the drive. The 2 TB version can handle up to 144 minutes of ProRes at 4K 60 FPS. Android phones can also bypass internal storage, though they don’t benefit from the magnetic lock.
Most of my testing wasn’t even done on an iPhone, though. I used a Motorola, and honestly, I think it worked better that way. Without the MagSafe lock dictating my setup, I had more freedom to get creative. I mounted the phone on a tripod bracket with a built-in wireless charger, stuck the SSD to the back using peel-and-stick Velcro, and powered the rig with a small USB battery. The result? A compact, all-in-one recording setup that captured hours of high-quality B-roll.
“In the right setting, and ideally with the right phone, the TeamGroup PD20M Mag Portable SSD can turn your device into a fully fledged camera rig.”
Whatever you shoot on, this drive is going to be a killer option for content creators. The ability to shoot and edit off the same drive eliminates the need for lengthy file transfers. A streamlined workflow saves time and money.
That said, the drive isn’t without its foibles. The included USB-C cord is a run-of-the-mill cable with a bend in it. Even when attached to an iPhone—which is what this drive was primarily designed for—the folded-over cable sticks out well past the bottom of the phone. It’s a surprisingly crude solution for an otherwise elegant drive. Beyond looks, it also makes it impractical to leave the drive connected when you’re on the move. Any jostling could disconnect the cable without you noticing, or worse, damage the port.
Another factor to consider is the lack of environmental protection. There’s no stated water or dust resistance rating, so I’m assuming there isn’t any. This isn’t great. It seems counterintuitive that a device meant to live on the back of your phone, storing your most sensitive data, would be the most vulnerable to damage during regular use. As tempting as it is to rely on the MagSafe mount, I’d be much more comfortable having this drive live in my pocket.
Even with those drawbacks in mind, the TeamGroup PD20M Mag Portable remains one of the best solutions for backing up mobile data or serving as an everyday hard drive. It’s more capable than a jump drive and more portable than a standard-sized SSD. It strikes an outstanding balance between the two, offering the benefits of both without making any meaningful sacrifices.
What makes this drive worth checking out, though, is its potential as a filmmaker’s run-and-gun storage solution. In the right setting, and ideally with the right phone, the TeamGroup PD20M Mag Portable SSD can turn your device into a fully fledged camera rig.
