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Tech head-to-head

Crucial X9 ProvsSK hynix Beetle X31

8.1 against 8.0 overall, which settles nothing. Crucial X9 Pro takes Value 8.8 to 7.8, and that is the axis to decide on.

Crucial X9 Pro

Crucial

8.1

First-party Micron flash in a plain aluminum slab, priced below the names people recognize.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

SK hynix Beetle X31

SK hynix

8.0

A DRAM-equipped drive from a flash maker, with a shorter warranty and a lower ceiling than rivals.

Price and availability change constantly, so we don't quote them here — the link opens the current Amazon listing.

Where they diverge

The widest gap is Value, Crucial X9 Pro ahead 8.8 to 7.8. They come closest on Performance, 8.4 to 8.2. Left of center is Crucial X9 Pro, right is SK hynix Beetle X31.

Crucial X9 Pro versus SK hynix Beetle X31 — axis scores out of 10Horizontal bar chart of editorial scores out of 10 across 5 axes. Bars for Crucial X9 Pro run left from the axis labels, bars for SK hynix Beetle X31 run right. Crucial X9 Pro: Performance 8.4, Value 8.8, Durability 8.0, Ease of use 7.8, Design 7.4. SK hynix Beetle X31: Performance 8.2, Value 7.8, Durability 7.4, Ease of use 8.4, Design 8.4.Crucial X9 Pro (left)SK hynix Beetle X31 (right)PerformanceCrucial X9 Pro — Performance 8.4 out of 108.4SK hynix Beetle X31 — Performance 8.2 out of 108.2ValueCrucial X9 Pro — Value 8.8 out of 108.8SK hynix Beetle X31 — Value 7.8 out of 107.8DurabilityCrucial X9 Pro — Durability 8.0 out of 108.0SK hynix Beetle X31 — Durability 7.4 out of 107.4Ease of useCrucial X9 Pro — Ease of use 7.8 out of 107.8SK hynix Beetle X31 — Ease of use 8.4 out of 108.4DesignCrucial X9 Pro — Design 7.4 out of 107.4SK hynix Beetle X31 — Design 8.4 out of 108.4Editorial score out of 10 — higher is better

Which one to pick

Take the Crucial X9 Pro

Leads on Performance, Value and Durability.

  • You want the storage rather than the branding
  • An aluminum body that sheds heat without a fan
  • Mac and Windows both in daily use

Take the SK hynix Beetle X31

Leads on Ease of use and Design.

  • Copying thousands of small files rather than a few enormous ones
  • A mixed household of newer and older machines, plus a console
  • You want first-party flash without the armored-drive bulk

What each one gets wrong

Crucial X9 Pro

  • Scheduled backups and managed encryption should come in the box
  • The unremarkable design matters to you

SK hynix Beetle X31

  • You need more than the capacity ceiling of this line
  • A three-year warranty is short for what you keep on it
  • The drive will be carried anywhere dusty or wet

Specs, side by side

SpecCrucial X9 ProSK hynix Beetle X31
InterfaceUSB 3.2 Gen 2USB 3.2 Gen 2
ShellAluminum, IP55 ratedAluminum, no ingress rating
Capacities1 TB to 4 TB512 GB to 2 TB
Warranty—3 years limited

Rankings they both appear in

Questions

Only 0.1 separates them. What breaks the tie?
Value does, at 8.8 against 7.8. That axis covers what the same money buys elsewhere. Crucial X9 Pro leads on Performance, Value and Durability. If Ease of use and Design matter more to you, take the SK hynix Beetle X31 instead.
Why are the totals this close?
The total is the plain average of the 5 Tech axes, so opposite results cancel. Crucial X9 Pro averages 8.1 and SK hynix Beetle X31 averages 8.0, a gap of 0.1, while the individual axes run as far apart as 1.0.
Which one ranks higher in "No Mac has the port the fastest drives need"?
Crucial X9 Pro sits at #2 in "No Mac has the port the fastest drives need", SK hynix Beetle X31 at #3.