Apple pulled back the curtains on its 2023 iPhone lineup last September, and as you probably know, the 15th-generation iPhones finally ditched the Lightning cable in favor of USB-C. That's welcome news for many people, as it allows for broader device compatibility (and one fewer cable to carry around). And, if you're looking for external storage for your iPhone 15 Pro, the switch to USB-C means that you're no longer limited to flash drives and SSDs explicitly made for the Lightning interface.

You also now have many more options than before, but that doesn't mean you can just use any old USB-C drive for iPhone 15 video capture. For recording video directly to external storage using the iPhone 15 Pro, you need at least 200MB/s transfer speeds and a USB-3 cable capable of at least 10GB/s wired transfer speeds. To help you out, we've already done the research to select the best external storage options for iPhone 15 Pro video capture. Our picks offer enough space for storing larger files such as videos, but they're also good for anything else you may need to back up.

  • Source: iDiskk
    iDiskk 128 GB Photo Stick
    Multi-device compatibility
  • LaCie Rugged SSD Pro
    Rugged storage
  • SSK 1TB Portable NAS External Wireless SSD
    Wireless backup
  • Editor's choice
    SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

    The Sandisk Extreme has long been one of our favorite portable SSDs for its speed, reliability, and ruggedness. It delivers transfer speeds of up to 1GB per second via USB-C and USB 3.2, making it a good choice for transferring large files quickly. Either the 500GB or 1TB sizes are good to go for iPhone 15 Pro video capture.

  • Best value
    Crucial X6 Portable SSD

    Looking for an external storage solution for iPhone 15 Pro video capture that won't break the bank? Crucial is a leading name in the market for budget-friendly storage devices, and the X6 Portable SSD is a great example. Like our top pick, it combines impressive USB 3.2 transfer speeds with USB-C connectivity and is slim enough to fit right in your pocket.

  • Premium pick
    SanDisk Professional PRO-G40

    For power users looking for a professional-grade portable SSD, the SanDisk PRO-G40 has a lot to offer. It delivers fantastic write speeds of up to 2500MB/s and can transfer 50GB of data in one minute. Its shock-resistant aluminum housing also offers excellent built quality, giving you peace of mind when you're on the go.

  • Thumb drive
    Samsung USB Type-C Flash Drive
    $26 $38 Save $12

    The Samsung USB Type-C Flash Drive is a storage device that's small enough to keep on your keychain. Despite its diminutive size, it still offers write speeds of up to 300MB/s thanks to its USB 3.2 capabilities, although it is limited to 256GB of storage, as you'd expect from such a small thumb drive. Nonetheless, that's still enough for up to 12 hours of 4K video footage.

  • Super portable
    Kingston XS2000
    $95 $115 Save $20

    If you want the smallest portable SSD for iPhone 15 Pro video capture, the Kingston XS2000 is our top recommendation. It measures less than 3 inches long and only 1.5 inches wide, but don't let its size fool you: This USB-C storage device delivers read/write speeds of up to 2GB/s. It also includes a handy rubber sleeve for extra protection.

  • Multi-device compatibility
    iDiskk 128 GB Photo Stick

    The iDissk Photo Stick is an excellent device if you frequently transfer files between multiple devices and don't like to rely on cloud services like iCloud. It features USB-C, USB-A, and Lightning connections, so it can save and transfer files between the new iPhone 15 series and devices such as iPads or last-gen iPhones. It's also available with up to 512GB of storage, which is impressive for a pocket-friendly device.

  • Rugged storage
    LaCie Rugged SSD Pro

    If durability is a significant concern, the Lacie Rugged SSD Pro is a tough external storage device suitable for direct iPhone 15 Pro video capture. Along with its sturdy rubber housing that protects the drive against drops, shocks, dust, and water, the LaCie Rugged SSD Pro delivers transfer rates of up to 2,800MB/s via USB-C. It's the perfect SSD for adventurers and outdoorsy techies.

  • Wireless backup
    SSK 1TB Portable NAS External Wireless SSD

    Want to ditch the cable altogether? The SSK wireless portable SSD is an external network-attached storage (NAS) solution you can take virtually anywhere. It can up to 10MB/s wireless transfer speeds and offers one-click backup via the companion mobile app. It also supports direct USB 3.0 connections for wired file transfers up to 300MB/s.

What to consider when choosing external storage for iPhone 15 Pro video capture

With the iPhone 15 lineup, Apple ditched the Lightning port and joined the 2020s with USB-C, a welcome and long-overdue update. The iPhone 15 family's USB-C connection opens up a world of possibilities for external devices, such as storage drives. However, you can't necessarily use any USB-C drive for direct video capture. There are some particulars you need to keep in mind.

Apple states that external storage for iPhone 15 pro video capture must have a write speed of at least 220MB per second and use a USB 3.0 cable with 10GB per second transfer speeds. There are also limitations regarding capacity: Direct video capture is compatible with 128GB, 256GB, 512GB, and 1TB external storage devices. These aren't high bars to clear, admittedly. Most modern USB-C external storage devices meet these criteria. Our two top picks, the SanDisk Extreme and Crucial X6 portable SSDs, check those boxes while also offering excellent transfer speeds, reliability, and durability. If money's no object, then the SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 is a superb portable SSD for professionals and other power users.

However, you may not need external storage specifically capable of direct iPhone 15 Pro video capture, so we also included a couple of picks that are useful for simply backing up files. The iDiskk Photo Stick is great for quickly backing up and transferring data between various devices, especially if you still have a Lightning device such as an iPad or last-gen iPhone and don't want to rely on iCloud. The SSK Portable NAS SSD is another handy solution for wirelessly storing files without fussing with cables.