G: Here’s a TLDR and then a breakdown:

TLDR: Stick with Samsung, SanDisk, Crucial, WD (Western Digital), or Seagate for reliability. Avoid unrecognizable brands with flashy names, ultra-low prices, or vague product details. Look for SSDs with USB 3.1 or USB-C support, and at least 3-year warranties.

Trusted Brands (Highly Reliable):

Samsung – Best reputation for durability and speed (e.g., T7 or T5 series).
SanDisk – Strong for portability and backup (e.g., Extreme Portable SSD).
WD (Western Digital) – Especially the My Passport SSD line.
Crucial – Often cheaper but still reliable (e.g., X6 and X8 series).
Seagate – Better known for HDDs but their One Touch SSDs are solid.

Middling but Usually OK:

ADATA
PNY
Kingston
(These are legit companies, often slightly cheaper, but quality can vary by model.)

Avoid / Risky (Crap or Unknown Quality Control):

Unknown brands with names like:
- Fanxiang, MFi Certified, Netac, SSK, Sabrent (some exceptions)
- Anything with suspiciously low prices ($20–$40 for 500GB SSD is a red flag)
- Products that use generic USB 3.0 shells with no model number or traceable specs
No-name Amazon sellers with vague descriptions, stock photos, and no company website

Tips:

Check reviews on Tom’s Hardware, Wirecutter, or r/DataHoarder if unsure.
Look for read/write speeds listed: 400MB/s is baseline, good drives hit 1,000MB/s+.
Don’t buy something just because it says “SSD” — some are slow or have poor flash memory inside.
Buy two identical drives if you want a backup — makes syncing and diagnostics easier.

Let me know your price cap or port preference (USB-C vs A), and I can give specific links or picks.

M: That’s part of why I’m getting confused and came here: some of the best names you have listed have one terabyte drives for something around $80, but I can’t find anything from the quality brands in the 500 gig range at all – and while I don’t expect it to be half price for half the size, I would think I would be able to find a $50 one if they’re selling a terabyte for $80. I don’t want to just go with the more expensive one because I’m trying to limit the available space enough that I don’t do what I always do with external hard drives, and have it turned intoyet another pile of files; I needed to be the right size for the job so that I only use it for that job.

G: You're absolutely right—and your logic is sound. Unfortunately, what you're running into is a quirk of the SSD market that isn't your fault at all:

Why 500GB SSDs Are Weirdly Scarce or Not Cheap Right Now

Economies of scale: Manufacturers are producing more 1TB drives than 500GB ones now. That makes the larger drives cheaper per GB, and often only slightly more expensive overall.
Low demand = low supply: Most buyers want 1TB+, so fewer 500GB models get made. Fewer options = higher price per GB.
Retailer pricing tricks: Some sellers inflate 500GB prices to make the 1TB drives look like better deals—pushing you to “upgrade.”

Good 500GB SSDs Still Available (May 2025)

Here are currently reputable 500GB external SSDs that I recommend. These rotate stock a lot, so look for these series names, not just model numbers:

Top Tier (if you can find them for ~$50–$65)

Samsung T5 or T7 (500GB) – Solid, fast, durable.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (500GB) – Rugged, excellent backup choice.
WD My Passport SSD (500GB) – Slim, stylish, fast. Often overlooked.
Crucial X6 or X8 (500GB) – Slightly slower but good reliability and value.

Prices may hover just above $60 due to the market shift, but these are worth it.

What You Can Do Instead

Option A: Get a 500GB Internal SSD + External Enclosure

This is cheaper, especially with SATA drives:

Buy a 500GB 2.5" SATA SSD (Crucial MX500 or Samsung 870 EVO) for ~$30–$40.
Pair it with a USB 3.1 external enclosure (~$10–$15).
Total cost: ~$45–55 — and you get a modular, upgradeable solution.

Option B: Buy a 1TB SSD and Partition It

If $80 doesn't break your budget, buy a trusted 1TB and:

Create a 500GB partition for your project
Leave the other 500GB unallocated, or make it read-only/junkspace
Some drives let you hardware-lock sections with encryption or software

This meets your goal of “limiting available space” without compromising quality.

Would you like me to help you find a live link or SKU that matches these? I can pull one or two from Amazon or Newegg if you want an exact current model.