The Lexar Muse is being billed as the world’s thinnest portable SSD, arriving as the brand marks its 30th anniversary. Designed for creators who shoot video or back up files on the move, the drive aims to solve the bulk problem that comes with strapping large magnetic accessories to the back of a compatible Android phone or iPhone.
Measuring just 80 x 48 x 3.8 mm (3.15 x 1.89 x 0.15 inches), the Muse features tapered edges that make it feel even slimmer than its numbers suggest. Compared with mainstream external SSDs, its footprint stands out for its remarkably compact size.
How Lexar Achieved the Slim Profile
To reach that thickness, Lexar relies on a proprietary snap-on cable called SnapLink, which connects to the back of the drive magnetically using pogo pins. The pogo-pin connector appears noticeably bulkier than the drive itself. To attach the Muse magnetically to a phone, users slide the drive into an included sleeve, which could also function as a card wallet.
Those design choices represent functional trade-offs made in pursuit of the slim-storage record. Even so, the Muse takes up considerably less space on the back of a phone than alternatives such as Orico’s BookDrive P10Plus.
Performance and Compatibility
Beyond its slim build and accessories, the Muse looks like a fairly standard 10 Gbps drive. Lexar lists read speeds up to 1,050 MB/s and write speeds up to 1,000 MB/s. Sustained write performance inside such a thin enclosure remains to be seen.
As a USB-C storage device, the Muse works with Macs, Android devices, and PCs, though users may need to format the drive first to support other operating systems. Lexar also notes app support for automatically backing up footage from iPhones.
Availability and Capacities
The Lexar Muse portable SSD will be offered in 512GB and 1TB capacities, with availability expected in the final quarter of 2026. Lexar has not announced pricing.
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Image: tomshardware.com
