Lexar's new Muse portable SSD is under 4mm thick
Lexar plans to launch its ultra-slim Muse portable SSD later this year in 512GB and 1TB capacities, measuring just 3.8mm at its thickest point. The drive skips a standard USB-C port, requiring a proprietary magnetic cable instead.
Lexar is preparing to release a new portable SSD called Muse later this year, positioning it as one of the thinnest drives available on the market. At its thickest point, the drive measures just 3.8mm, tapering down to only 1mm at the edges. The company achieved this slim profile through high-density NAND stacking and what it describes as a custom ultra-thin PCB architecture.
With this design, Lexar follows other manufacturers such as Xteink that have also dropped standard USB-C ports in pursuit of thinner hardware. The Muse will be offered in 512GB and 1TB capacity options.
Performance holds up
Despite its slim build, Lexar states the drive maintains solid performance, with read speeds reaching up to 1,050MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000MB/s. According to the company, this is fast enough to record 4K Apple ProRes video at up to 120 frames per second when the drive is connected to a compatible iPhone.
Trade-off: a proprietary cable
Because the drive lacks a standard USB-C port, users must rely on Lexar's proprietary SnapLink cable, which attaches magnetically to a pogo-pin connector on the side of the device. Lexar has not disclosed the strength of the magnets, and this design increases the risk of the cable being accidentally dislodged during a file transfer.
For users who want to record video directly from a smartphone, the Muse needs to be placed in an included magnetic sleeve to mount it to the back of the phone — a step that adds noticeable extra thickness to the setup.
