External HDD vs. SSD: What are the pros and cons of each drive type?

External SSDs achieve 500 MB/s+ transfer rates, are lightweight, silent, and shock-resistant, but cost more per gigabyte (≈$232 for 1 TB). External HDDs offer larger capacities at lower prices (≈$130 for 2 TB), run around 100 MB/s, are heavier, noisy, consume more power, and are sensitive to drops and extreme temperatures.