The Best USB Drives, SD Cards, and External Hard Drives for DJs | Tips and Tricks

Mojaxx looks at the best USB drives, SD cards, and external hard drives for DJs. Subscribe to DJcityTV: bit.ly/127fT8P
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[@frnzvrgsmusic]

Good thing I made the right choice, *SanDisk & Western Digital* storage drives are *REALLY the BEST!* I have also a WD drive for almost 3 years and still works just fine! 1 person who disliked a video is a *Seagate fan* LOL

[@Mojaxx]

FrnzVrgs [N4VR!] Official I actually use Seagate externals on my desktop, got nothing against them at all. With these things I actually find myself a little superstitious - Sandisk sticks and SD cards have worked for me so I buy more. I suspect the reality is that no big manufacturer is more or less reliable than any other. It’s just down to luck.

[@frnzvrgsmusic]

For me, I don't trust Seagate anymore regarding to data reliability, back in 2016 I read some issues that some people complain about Seagate drives (e.g. drive cannot recognize anymore from PC within *3 days* after they bought them, or data become corrupted)

[@francdollar163]

WD is total shit. They install junk software into your comp and hide that shit way deep in the code, I had to literally go into terminal and change code so I could remove software that said it was deleted via their uninstaller, but was actually still running monitoring crap in the background and taking up CPU and memory. Then on top of all that the hard drive, I had shit out 1 month after the warranty was up and I've had this happen to others I know. SanDisk is great, I've never had a Seagate issue as long as it's not a travel HD, Lacie is solid too. Maybe WD got better since 2013 but don't want to test it and chance that nightmare again.

[@witness3rd]

seagate and WD have let me down in the past - whereas SanDisk has never (hopefully ever) this is over 12 yrs

[@akaTRAPxx]

No lies were told in this video. Period.

[@nickwarwick1784]

Love the Tandy Realistic Stereo disco mixer in the background, no cross fader but my first ever mixer

[@MightyMidgetLifts]

Your videos are priceless! Always bringing great info. Thank you

[@DJkautionNY]

I’ve replaced hard drives in laptops with SSDs from crucial, but never thought to use them as an external. Awesome idea Mo. Great video.

[@ReboyGTR]

I use Sandisk Extreme USB’s. Does the work and, thankfully, have never been stolen.

[@breadthehead]

Thank you DJ City and​ Mojaxx GREAT content!

[@richau9058]

whish i saw this a long time ago, i have ended up ditching my kingstons and now i use cheap sandisks, time to subscribe to this channel

[@dj-peterofficial2753]

I've been using Samsung Evo 250 GB SSD in external cases for almost three years now. My first 2 are still my primary drives and about a year ago I got myself a third as a backup. They have a 5 year warranty and I don't believe they would have that unless Samsung themselves believe they will last that long. Their pro version will give you a 10 year warranty, but i believe I will swap them after 3-4 years of use anyway to be on the safe side, so the Evo will be just fine, and is half the price. Every time I go back to my spare USB-sticks, once top of the line (Patriot Supersonic Rage), I swear to myself when updating because I keep forgetting how much longer it takes to update them, but sometimes they are still the better choice for me. I'm doing about 170-180 gigs/year, so my drives are used and updated on almost a daily basis, and my older SSD drives are just as fast now as when they were new. I will continue to use external SSD's. Very reliable and time saving, and for under a 100 buck a piece I think it's unbeatable.

[@DJOutkast]

Yo that music promo at the end was golden! 😂😂

[@markarca6360]

That's why I see mainly Sandisk USB drives plugged into CDJs used in big-name electronic music festivals (if you watch a liveset online and manage to look closer at scenes shot at the stage/behind the stage).

[@dannyjamz23]

SSD are def the way to go !

[@RaquelFoster]

This inspired me to test the write speed of my drives in Blackmagicdesign on my 2017 MBP. Everything's FAT formatted. The first test is the Apple official USB-C-to-A adapter. The second test is an unpowered USB 3.0 hub. 120GB Samsung 840 EVO 2.5" SATA3 SSD (2013) -> USB 3.0 enclosure = 379.2 MB/s (C-to-A adapter) - 377.9 MB/s (3.0 hub) 128GB SanDisk Ultra Flair USB 3.0 (2019) = 53.1 MB/s (C-to-A adapter) - 47.4 MB/s (3.0 hub) 128GB Samsung BAR Plus USB 3.1 (2019) = 32.5 MB/s (C-to-A adapter) - 29.8 MB/s (3.0 hub) 4GB Micro Center branded Emtek USB 2.0 (ancient) = 7.2 MB/s (C-to-A adapter) - 7.5 MB/s (3.0 hub) 4GB SanDisk Cruzer Micro USB 2.0 (2001) = 3.0 MB/s (C-to-A adapter) - 3.1 MB/s (3.0 hub) 32GB Samsung Duo USB 3.0 (2015) = 1.7 MB/s (C-to-A adapter) - 23.2 MB/s (3.0 hub) I use a 3-port USB hub and it's pretty convenient to export stuff to the SSD and two thumb drives (the BAR and the Ultra Flair). I guess I'll stick with SanDisk Ultra Flairs if I get another one.

[@djstretchtone9851]

That sounds cool and logical. What kind of a USB hub do you use out of your laptop for your external drive plus USB flash drives? Thanks

[@RaquelFoster]

@@djstretchtone9851 There are several $20 USB 3.1 hubs that have a USB-C plug then 3 ports and a gigabit ethernet jack. They look like they're all about the same. I have the Plugable one and use that on my PC. It seems like it's getting the max speed. I have a similar one that's smaller that I use on my laptop, but it's a little bit slower. These days I'm just using 3x Samsung Bar 256GB flash drives. They have about 85 MB/s write and 290 MB/s read. They're super small and durable. I also have a 2 TB SanDisk Extreme Pro drive. That has 300 MB/s write and 300 MB/s read. But even though it's a bit smaller than an SSD enclosure, it's still not that convenient. And the Corsair GTX drives are super fast, but they seem fragile compared to the Samsung drives. I just really like having the Samsung ones. I put a key ring on each one and then carabiner them to something and I'm not very worried about them banging into something.

[@zcal905]

Just ordered a 256gb HyperX Savage not 24 hours ago and now I see this. I’ve heard lots of praise for them, and what you had to say is the first time I’ve heard a negative thing about them, but it does have me a little anxious. Hopefully I’ll have better luck than you with it.

[@Mojaxx]

OV Tings I do know people (like Christian Jackson, check his channel) who swear by Kingston! I just got unlucky with that one and it put me off.

[@DJFREAKYFINGERS1]

I had my LACIE xD for almost 9 years now. It already fell multiple times but it still works till now & no not even a slight problem!

[@icecoldjohnnyy]

Crazy , I started with the ones you talked about years ago and started using the ones you use all the time. Very good advice. I grabbed mine on amazon aswell!

[@xone464]

Good work Mojaxx

[@RaquelFoster]

Note that larger capacity usually means faster write speed. Looking at the average benchmarks of Cruzer Flares, the 128 GB is 60 MB/s, the 64 GB is 45 MB/s, and the 32 GB is 40 MB/s. The best thing I've found is to have a 2.5" SSD enclosure with an old 120GB SSD in it, and then two flash drives for backups. I like the Cruzer Flares and Samsung Bars a lot. Those are big enough that you don't forget you plugged them into something but small enough that they're not going to easily be broken off in a CDJ. The one-piece metal design makes me feel less like the connector is going to break off. Amazon has some nice 2.5" SSD enclosures with permanently-attached USB cables for under $20. I like the "ineo ultra slim" one. I use one of them with an old Samsung 840 EVO 120GB. I'm really surprised that I can't find any thumb-drive-sized SSDs in 2019. Most of these flash drives have been around since 2015 or earlier, and they aren't getting faster. Like the video mentions, some things have USB 3.1 revisions which are actually slower!

[@CONCRETEJUNGLE-be6ic]

What is the best thing to use for your computer to plug extra USBs in?

[@superlazy3355]

Another great video thanks Mojaxx!

[@djrichent97]

The best youtuber for in depth videos on Dj tech love it thank you Mo ....

[@MrRapfanatik]

Do you recommend Western Digital My Password Ultra HDD instead of SSD external disks? Is much cheaper than SSD, and plus I wanna buy 1TB cos ALL the music right now is on my lap top. (no clouds no nothing :( ) Thanks!

[@syazwanali7094]

I use a Sandisk Extreme Pro 128GB SSD 3.2 USB drive formatted to FAT32. Fast & Snappy. I saw a lot of top DJs in the underground house & techno scene use them hence why I got one for myself.

[@qirex9193]

Can't talk up the Sandisk Extreme USBs enough. I've been in a situation where I realised I had accidentally queued up the same track as I had going on the 3rd deck, and because the seek and read speeds are so fast, after selecting the track that I had it playing almost instantly. Without that quick read, I'd have had to wait for the next phrase, and my well-planned mix would have been. That's the single most practical benefit I've experienced playing. Fast exports aren't a big deal - Fast read speeds are.

[@itimmy101]

Lol...that plug (magma/djcity pouch) was funny 😁 You're already a good salesperson!👊

[@Atem_S.]

Samsung MUF USB 3.0! Small, 3.1 USB (backward compatible), lots of storage space and price is decent! My choice!

[@Jonny_Janardhan]

Found the answer to my query. Good informative video. Well done 👏

[@nmn335]

Thanks for the informative video! Really surprised me how well you worked this out.

[@buddafingaz9403]

FAT32's Baby!! Cool man, just picked up the Scandisk Extreme GO USB 3.1 - FAT32. Lol... Literally was the last thing I thought of when setting up my Denon SC-5000M. And when I was reading the booklet, it started talking about what " Supported File Systems " it will only use, wich was specifically... " exFAT, FAT32(Recommended), HFS+(Read Only), NTFS(Read Only), & I was freaking out, cause I didnt even think of that when picking up my Scandisk honestly...lol. I simply grabbed it on Amazon, cause it was a USB-3.1, & it said it was super fast, & had at least 64-GB's, so I thought that should work great, ya know....lol But yea man, I looked up what format my Scandisk was, thinking for the worst, & thank God it said, " FAT32 ", & was super-thrilled that I didnt waste a bunch of time & money, on moving all my digital music to the new Scandisk Extreme GO USB-3.1, & also, on the instruments, & all the necessities..lol...bahaha....Very Humbled rite now, no joke homeslice.....Great video, your wicked appreciated DJ MoJaxx, & absolutely enjoy & love these dope videos, Wicked Respex, Big Upz, & Mad Love to all the devoted, dedicated, & passionate Skratch DJ's worldwide...🔥💯👍💪🙏🎶🌎

[@MuckiMusic]

works it with this card : SanDisk Ultra® microSDXC™ 128 gb ?

[@djsmuru]

Decisions decisions.........Great advice!

[@Priest88]

How do you format the SSD Drive so that it will not keep erasing your library?!?! I can't figure this out I was told it may be because my current Mac Os x may not support formatting my ssd drive don't really think that's true cause it allows me to format it just won't stay formatted. I could be wrong, I'm currently using El Capitan 10.11.6 please if someone could explain you'd be a huge help!!!

[@duboi1475]

a buddy of mine just got a set of 2000 nexus first gen players . he had an idea of having a wifi hard drive connected all the time and uploading new tracks via wifi without having to disconnect and reconnect the drive. was curious if you or any of your viewers knew if this was an option and maybe have a drive suggestion. I'm just not sure how analysis etc would work or if there is a drive out there that allows you to Upload via wifi.

[@muthaphakkin]

Whats the difference between Fat32 and ExFat?, some of the websites I looked at recommended ExFat even though its an older format?

[@Nocluedo]

do sd cards work on pioneer 1000 mk3’s it has the slot for it but you didn’t mention it so wanted to double check?

[@CaptainAmerica001]

Is there a way to put tracked out mixes on a USB or SD card without any gaps in between the tracks to play in car stereos?

[@micodaniels4417]

I read and watch reviews, but I don't make any decisions until I learn what Mojaxx has to say about gear.

[@Waughers]

Have you had a look at the recent landscape of memory? Can't seem to find much on NVMe memory. You or anybody else got some decent advice?

[@RADIANTSLUDGE]

Damm u Mojaxx 😡 Now I’m gonna have to pay more $ when m’ buying sandisk usb because of you review Lool. Good shiznet though. As always keep up the good work.🙌🏾

[@pietras425]

hello I have the mx500 ssd with u green usb c cover it works with XDJ RX2 but CDJs 2000nxs2 and 900nxs havent even recognized them anyone got the same issue?

[@madscientist06]

Great video! Thanks.

[@DJRickDawson]

what about an update on what you think of the streaming platforms, compared to previous videos etc. ?

[@leozebiosthor6242]

I ve been using the Corsair Survivor for ages now, probably have a dozen around... Had very few security loops, but apart from that they work great.Also, I ve noticed that, a common mistake done by many of my Dj friends is the fact that they completely ignore how to format your usb... I use a Mac and I ve noticed that when you use a stick that has been formatted to work both on windows and os x, they tend to be a lot slower. Peace

[@Sheriffvlogs]

I have a question I order the Corsair survivors usb stick would u recommend it for cdjs or I'll need to cancel my order I was trying to avoid the sandisk usb the plastic one breaking I allso brought a metal one from Amazon and it didn't work plug it into the computer didn't work. I'm allso using Windows.

[@leozebiosthor6242]

@@Sheriffvlogs I still use Corsairs and they still perform wonderfully. Personally, I can t complain about them. Hope it helps. Peace

[@Sheriffvlogs]

@@leozebiosthor6242 ill test mine on Friday when it comes if it doesn't work I'll just return it and get the sandisk pro if I can

[@nestorartola]

I want to store around 64GB of documents, videos and photos. I don't want them to keep them in my computer since files make it slower and I dont need them there. So my dilema is what shoudl I buy? a sd card or a external hardrive

[@rey71319977]

What’s everyone using in 2022? For gigs and for music backup.

[@djmutzang8242]

BUY NOW!!! That was funny 😂😂😂

[@jackaljyve]

😂 agreed

[@lvstra33]

thanks man!

[@MovieCaveDave]

I use a Macbook Pro 15” 16gb ram, with my DDJSX2 I have my tunes on a Samsung SSD external drive...But can I use a USB to do the same thing, use that as a external drive ? Any help would be great

[@Mojaxx]

MovieCaveDave On the whole USB sticks and cards are not as fast or as durable as a proper SSD. So it can certainly be done, but I wouldn’t particularly recommend it.

[@kvs1031]

Great information.

[@DJEllEss]

Thanks DJCITY

[@MrInternationalSound]

Ooooh this was great info 📽📽📽📽📽

[@martinforstner5265]

Mojaxx, any tipps on how to improve the Data write speed from Rekordbox on an 2011 MacBook would be great. Although i use kingston HyperX sticks, speed is super super slow. It takes ages to synchronize stuff. I Tried different drives from all kinds of manufactures and no luck so far.

[@kennymester]

I think it's a flaw of Rekordbox. I've done extensive testing. I don't think it's due to transfer speed I think it's because it's updating some kind of library file.

[@Mojaxx]

I’m afraid with the USB 2 ports on a 2011 you’re never gonna get great speeds with any media. That’s why my RB and Engine libraries live on my desktop, which has USB 3.

[@corywilliams458]

Guess its time to back up my music!,.....got a good stick!,....Whn I started bck DJ'n(at home),It was a quick go 2!,...stuck with those!

[@djla4558]

You rock mo jack!

[@LuisRodriguez-jn5cr]

Samsung 1TB T5 SSD is the business I've had zero issues

[@emmaharrison01]

this is dead helpful thank you!

[@basmeskers]

I want to note that the silver version of the Corsair Flash Survivor is full of bugs and is really terrible for DJ usage. Load and read speeds are horrible. So if u intend to buy this one in the near Future. DON'T! With the Black Stealth version i've had no problems whatsoever. (write speeds aren't that great either though)

[@Sheriffvlogs]

I have a question I order the Corsair survivors usb stick would u recommend it for cdjs or I'll need to cancel my order I was trying to avoid the sandisk usb the plastic one breaking I allso brought a metal one from Amazon and it didn't work plug it into the computer didn't work. I'm allso using Windows.

[@Gavlar04]

I know this review is a little old now, but can Mo or anyone confirm if the Sandisk Cruzer Flairs and Sandisk Ultra Flairs are the same thing? I ask because I cannot find the cruzers but on inspection the ultra's look identical to the ones in the review. Thanks

[@upstarter]

Sony sd cards are mad expensive but 300mb read/write and regardless usb/sd like Sandisk haven’t died even when bent.

[@DjDubStak]

So, u can purchase a SSD drive and casing separately?

[@AnonIllumi]

Totally, it is the best option as either can be replaced if either breaks, the only issue that is not mentioned is that if you have TBs of music mechanical is the way forward, SSD just is not quite not cheap enough in the TB range yet but it is coming down. You could pay a couple of hundred in 1TB SSD at the mo.

[@djbis]

I dont recommend a cheap case. electronics on cheap cases can mean the difference between reliable and/or glitching, USB problems. I've had really good luck with Oyen Digital brand products in the past. Highly recommended for their quality electronics and drivers.

[@djbis]

Crucial Blows. The price reflects their quality and customer support.

[@Mojaxx]

DJ BIS Always been 100% reliable for me, they’ve been my go-to for SSDs since my first 64gb one, way back. That’s why I was careful to not definitively say ‘brand X is the best’ because everyone has different histories of what has worked for them. And that’s fine.

[@djbis]

Yeah, i had terrible experience with their second generation cheaper SSD's. Two of them died. within a month. totally unrecoverable, unusable self damage. Then followed by terrible support. But hey, I am glad it's working for you now.

[@David-ib8ek]

Fucking Dope Video!! THANKS!!

[@jbucku324]

That's a false statement about not being able to format anything over 32 gigs in Windows on FAT32 without third party software. U do not need third party software to format any size no matter what

[@zcal905]

Justin B you’re a false statement. Just kidding. But seriously, you do need a 3rd party application to format anything larger than 32gb to Fat32 if you are using Windows 10. Huge pain in the ass, but it has to be done. Mac definitely comes out on top with the whole formatting thing. I can’t remember what their format for USBs is called but it is so much freaking faster than any PC when it comes to exporting tracks through Rekordbox.

[@jbucku324]

@@zcal905 bro I've done it though. With 64gb flash drive and a 128 ssd just a couple of weeks ago. Right click on the drive and hit format. I've done the 128gb to FAT32 several times on Windows 10

[@superlazy3355]

@@jbucku324 I have always had issues formatting my 2tb, 1tb and 500g in Windows 7 and 10. And have always had 3rd party software to do it.... 🤔 *GUIFormat

[@jbucku324]

@@superlazy3355 we're talking about FAT32. I'm advanced user so I must know my way around Windows better than most. I don't care what anybody says windows is the last operating system you will have to use a third party app to format over 32gb. It's just not the case. Period

[@superlazy3355]

@@jbucku324 no need to have a period mate. Yeah deffo fat32 that's why I have to download GUIFormat to format all my stuff into fat32 coz that's the format most widely accepted by media players. And the click box option of format NEVER WORKS. lol instead of being abit of a cock about it why don't you share the tactics you use so us lesser knowledgeable mortals can not have to simply download a small app to get a 100% success rate?

[@armand_v_cpt]

yeah, those HyperX drives are awful. (Had the blue and the red versions, super slow export speeds with Rekordbox) Upgraded to Sandisk Extreme Pro 3.1 and they are fantastic.

[@Sheriffvlogs]

I have a question I order the Corsair survivors usb stick would u recommend it for cdjs or I'll need to cancel my order I was trying to avoid the sandisk usb the plastic one breaking I allso brought a metal one from Amazon and it didn't work plug it into the computer didn't work. I'm allso using Windows.

[@MichaelRoehr]

Sadly as a video DJ, I do need a good platter drive until 2/4TB SSDs become more reasonable :(

[@Mojaxx]

Michael Roehr They’re getting there... slowly. A 2tb is now what my 1tb cost four years ago. But those 4tbs are going to be expensive for a lonnnng time I suspect!

[@sascha.2001]

Notification Crew where are you?

[@DJ.Kvn_]

Buy one now and you get 2 FREEEEE

[@user-mg7yh3nk7n]

OH MAN! He spoke too fast, can anyone tell me the content?

[@djanishanand]

Mojaxx you really need some gyming :-p

[@SubLowForty]

shameless plug lol

[@omgaruda1674]

MP3 dj LMFAO!!

[@fnk101]

Im 2nd.. lol