Hardware pick

External NVMe SSD (1TB+)

Portable storage for when your model collection outgrows internal storage - fast enough that load times barely suffer.

Typical price: $160-260

Why bother with external storage

Once you've got more than two or three models installed, or you're building document collections for RAG, internal storage fills up faster than most people expect - the storage guide covers the actual math. An external NVMe drive is the simplest fix: portable, and fast enough that models load from it almost as quickly as internal storage.

A heads-up on price, not just spec: flash storage is caught in the same AI-driven demand spike affecting RAM - NAND production is shifting toward AI server memory, and 1TB drives that cost under $100 not long ago are commonly $160-260 now. This isn't specific to one listing; it's the current market across brands.

What to look for

USB-C with USB 3.2 Gen 2 or better - older USB 3.0 enclosures bottleneck an NVMe drive badly
1TB minimum if you plan to keep more than a couple of models around
An enclosure with at least basic heat dissipation - external NVMe drives can throttle under sustained load without one

Good for: anyone whose internal drive is filling up with models, or who wants to keep a portable, ready-to-go AI setup they can plug into more than one machine.

I don't have one specific drive I'm pinned to here - the external NVMe market moves fast and today's best pick is often replaced within months. This search link goes straight to current options on Amazon:

See current external NVMe SSD options on Amazon →

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