How does using an external SSD improve the iPad Pro's performance

1. Storage Expansion: The primary benefit of using an external SSD is to expand the storage capacity of your iPad Pro. iPads, especially older models, often have limited internal storage, which can quickly become insufficient for large files like videos or extensive photo collections. An external SSD provides additional space to store and access these files directly from the iPad, thanks to iPadOS's support for external storage devices[3][9].

2. Faster Data Transfer: External SSDs are generally faster than traditional hard disk drives (HDDs), offering data transfer speeds that can be several times quicker. While the iPad Pro's USB port may limit the maximum speed achievable with an external SSD, it still provides faster transfer rates compared to HDDs. For example, even entry-level SSDs can deliver speeds over 500MB/s, which is much faster than the typical 160MB/s of HDDs[2][3].

3. Portability and Durability: SSDs are more resilient and durable than HDDs due to their lack of moving parts, making them ideal for portable use. This is particularly beneficial for iPad users who often work on the go and may handle their devices more roughly[2][8].

4. Power Efficiency: SSDs consume less power than HDDs, which can be advantageous when using the iPad away from a power source. However, this benefit is more relevant to devices that rely heavily on battery power, like laptops[2].

5. Noise Reduction: SSDs are quieter than HDDs, which can be beneficial in environments where noise needs to be minimized, such as during video conferencing or voiceover work[2].

6. Cost-Effectiveness: NVMe SSDs, in particular, have become more affordable and offer high capacities, making them a cost-effective option for expanding storage. While the iPad Pro may not fully utilize the high speeds of NVMe SSDs due to its USB limitations, they still provide better performance than traditional SATA SSDs and are often competitively priced[1][2].

However, it's important to note that the iPad Pro's USB port speed limitations mean that ultra-fast SSDs may not reach their full potential. For instance, the 2018 iPad Pro's USB 3.1 Gen 2 port limits speeds to around 400-1000 Mbps, which is much slower than what top-performing NVMe SSDs can achieve[1]. Despite this, using an external SSD still offers significant improvements in storage capacity and data transfer speed compared to traditional HDDs.

For users who require faster speeds, newer iPad Pro models with USB 4 or Thunderbolt support can take full advantage of faster SSDs, offering speeds up to 5 GB/s, which is comparable to the internal SSD speeds of powerful computers[7].