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CORSAIR EX300U vs EX400U: What’s the Difference?

We have a few external storage solutions here at CORSAIR, and the EX300U is one of our new ones. But how does it compare to the EX400U? Which one should you get? Well, we’re going to break it down right here, so you can make the choice.

EX300U Portable SSD_Render_12

CORSAIR EX300U vs EX400U: Specs Compared

  EX300U EX400U
Interface 1x USB Type-C 1x USB Type-C
Dimensions (DxWxH) 64.3 x 64 x 12mm / 2.53 x 2.52 x 0.47" 64.3 x 64 x 12mm / 2.53 x 2.52 x 0.47"
Weight 376g / 13.2oz 382g / 13.4oz
Included cables USB-C to USB-C cable 0.3m / 1ft, USB-C to USB-C (90 deg) cable 7cm / 2.7" USB-C to USB-C cable 0.3m / 1ft (USB4, 60W)
Supported USB Modes USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gb), backward compatible to USB 3.0 and 2.0 USB4 (40Gb),
USB 3.2 Gen2 2x2 
(20Gb), 
USB 3.2 Gen2 (10Gb) backward compatible to USB 3.0 and 2.0 - (USB4 40Gb 
connection required 
for maximum rated 
performance)
Performance Up to 1100MB/s read, up to 1100MB/s write Up to 4000MB/s read, up to 3500MB/s write
Controller Phison PS2251-17 Phison PS2251-21
Available Capacities 1TB, 2TB, 4TB 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
Power Active Read 3.5W 4.5W
Power Active Write 3.5W 4.0W
Power Idle <12.5mW <12.5mW
SMART Yes Yes
TRIM Yes Yes
Garbage Collection Yes Yes
Bad Block Management Yes Yes
Warranty 3 Years 3 Years
Software CORSAIR SSD Toolbox CORSAIR SSD Toolbox
CORSAIR EX300U vs EX400U

Transfer Speeds

This is main differentiating factor here. The EX400U performs a lot faster than the EX300U, owing to full USB4 compatibility and the use of the Phison PS2251-21 controller, compared to the Phison PS2251-17 utilized in the EX300U. This makes the EX400U around 263% faster for reading data and about 218% faster when it comes to write speeds.

EX300U Portable SSD_Render_10

Of course, this upgrade in performance necessitates a higher price point, which is why we provide both products. Those who do not need the extreme speed of the EX400U can opt to save some cash and go with the EX300U, which is still plenty fast for most use cases.

EX400U Portable SSD_Render_03@0.5x
EX400U_Portable_SSD_Render_08

Additionally, multi-platform users will be glad to know that both drives are compatible with Windows, macOS, iOS, iPadOS, and Android out of the box. So, if you work with multiple devices and operating systems, you won’t run into any issues with these drives.

MagSafe

Outside of the speed and controller differences, these two drives are largely identical, with both using the same housing complete with the MagSafe ring, which allows you to attach either of these to the back of iPhone 15 or later models.

EX300U Portable SSD_Render_13

(USB-C to USB-C 90-degree 7cm / 2.7" cable only included with EX300U)

This is particularly handy for social media content creators, as this makes it possible to record videos on iPhone straight to the SSD, significantly upgrading your storage and therefore shoot time. With the Maximum built-in storage of iPhones still limited to 2TB, you can upgrade this capacity 3x by adding a 4TB CORSAIR EX300U or EX400U. Speaking of which, both products are available in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB variants, so you have options across price and storage capacities when it comes to expanding your iPhone’s filmmaking capabilities

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