Testing Summary
The SanDisk Extreme portable SSD is rugged, water and dust resistant due to IP55 rating, shock resistant, and durable due to the rubberized layer on the mainframe to offer consistent performance in every condition. It comes with a high-speed transfer of around 550 MB/s as reading speed, 10Gbps data transfer rate, and protection with 256-bit AES encryption to suit the needs of professionals. Inching forward, its compact, pocket-sized design and compatibility with both PC and MAC make it an excellent choice for many.
Introduction
The SanDisk Extreme is one of the best portable SSD drives that can make a connection with both new and old USB ports to let you take the advantage of both worlds. In term of compact size, speed, and solid-state storage, no other model can compete it in this price range.
The excellent portability option along with the incorporated lanyard hole allows you to fit in at any place even to fix it with your belt-loop or simply slip in smart pockets. Amazingly, it works well with both MAC and PCs and is available in four models from 250GB to 2TB to perfectly suit the needs of almost all. Moreover, this SSD doesn’t come with moving parts which makes it tolerant and more robust compared to traditional mechanical drives.
To get excellent mileage out of it, SanDisk has introduced an IP55 rating in this drive which permit it to shrug off a limited level of splashes or water drops and the lightness clearly means that it can sway from the short length cables without imparting any damage to the ports, and hence ideal for laptop users who need to get up or move around.
Another most impressive factor is the speed, when you will connect it to the port that can support USB 3.1 Generation 2, you will be able to achieve the quoted rates of up to 550 MB/s. This excellent speed would not only allow you to swiftly backup your data but also let you quickly free up the space to complete bigger projects that are packed on the internal drive.
Coming to the performance, SanDisk Extreme is exceptionally fast for anyone who wants to use it in storing active projects, common personal assets, or some final renders to let you take advantage of both worlds while video editing. Practically, almost everyone must have a portable external drive, and if you are searching for excellent speed, value, robustness, size, and handsome storage capacity at one place then this SanDisk extreme portable SSD is perfect for you!
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD
Specifications
| Brand Name | SanDisk |
| Manufacturer | Western Digital Technologies, Inc. |
| Color | Black |
| Digital Storage Capacity | 250GB, 500GB, 1TB, 2TB |
| Hardware Interface | USB 3.1 Type-C |
| Compatibility | Smart Phones |
| Read Speed | 1050 Megabytes Per Second |
| Write Speed | 1000 Megabytes Per Second |
| Transfer Speed | 170 MB/s |
| Processor Count | 04 |
| Hardware Platform | MAC |
| Carabiner Loop | YES |
| Water Withstand | YES (Up to 3-minutes) |
| Security Protection | YES (256-bit AES Encryption) |
| IP Rating | IPEC 60529 IP 55 |
| Warranty | 5 Year Warranty |
| Weight | 1.76 Ounces |
| Dimensions | 0.38 x 2.07 x 3.97 inches |
Make-up Design
Hit the nail on the head, SanDisk extreme portable SSD is carved using Aluminum chassis with an ABS-based top. An orange-colored carabiner loop is incorporated at the top-right corner to let you securely attach it to any items like to secure it with a belt loop or backpack to save some space. Additionally, the top and bottom surfaces are textured and the edges are smooth, which lets you handle it with ease.
To make it suitable for portability, Western Digital Technologies designed it in compact dimensions of 0.38 x 2.07 x 3.97 inches, and it way only 1.76 Ounces to let you carry it anywhere with ease. All in all, SanDisk extreme portable SSD is a tiny slab in a classy black shade with beveled sides and rounded corners, and an integrated orange-rimmed lanyard hole in the corner. Plus, a USB Type-C port is incorporated on one of the short edges.
To dig deep, SanDisk SSD carries an IP55 rating to make it resistant to water and dust, and the Type-C ports are excellently sealed to secure it while any improper handlings. But keep in mind that the IP rating remains functional when the drive is disconnected, if you drop liquid when electricity is flowing in the cable connection, it can short cable pins to cause electronic damage.
Furthermore, try to keep it clean from things that can potentially be lodged in the USB Type-C connector, because it can limit you from connecting it with any other device. Additionally, it can withstand a drop of around 2-meters on a solid surface. Overall, the case design of SanDisk Extreme is far more attractive than the traditional models which came with a perforated matte finish.
Features
To saunter through the secure world, SanDisk Extreme comes with 256-bit AES password-based encryption to let you feel more secure and to prevent sneaky people from poking and peeking inside around. Although it lacks the fingerprint reader, it does support SanDisk’s Secure Access Software as a security solution, you are free to install it on any device from where you want to access your data.
Overall, SanDisk has used novel 3D flash technology to create this high-speed portable drive that suits best the photographers on the go. Indeed, it’s regarded as the swiftest portable non-RAID SSD available these days in the market.
To get good mileage out of this drive, it’s leveraged with an IP-55 rating to make it dust rain, spill, and splash resistant which means it can bear low-pressure water jets from any side and endures limited dust ingress. Additionally, it can bear a drop of around 2-meter on a solid floor without getting any damage, and it can land comfortably on wood or grass even from a higher distance.
Actually, this is made possible by the forged aluminum frame protected by a silicon rubberized bumper that is surrounding the edge to sustain much of the shocks. Overall, the repeated drops, dust, and hair attraction with the bumper wouldn’t affect the inner functionalities of this drive. Above all, this SanDisk is incredibly able to withstand any conditions that a user may encounter at any stage of operation or storage.
And its interface suitability with USB.1 Generation 2 can allow you to perform speedy transfers in addition to maximizing compatibility with various platforms. Moreover, this portable SSD uses BiCS FLASH which is a vertical layered 3D flash to offer extended endurance and performance. This new flash boosts uphold elevated write performance, which permits you to move your multi-media files to the drive at a much faster rate than ever.
Furthermore, this SSD comes with 550 MB/s read speeds which allow you to offload and manipulate files in a snap. Plus, up to 2TB of storage capacities for high-res photos, sound files, and videos, which make it perfect for almost all creative pursuits.
Once in a blue moon, SanDisk extreme portable SSD comes with two USB cables, from which one is USB Type-C to USB Type-C and the second is USB Type-C to USB Type-A to make it more compatible with numerous devices. Mainly due to its rugged surface, there is no need for an external protective carry case. Interestingly, you don’t need any setup to make it operational with any operating system, as it’s a kind of plug-and-play drive.
The fastest speed of this drive will never let you neglect backups performing, and its small size makes it easily accessible everywhere, and the robust nature means you are free to even throw it in a bag or slip it in the small pocket with no worries of damage.
Performance
Spill the beans, the SanDisk extreme portable SSD is designed well to support the USB 3.1 Generation 2 protocol and USB 3.1 Type-C connector enable it to execute 550 Megabytes Per Second of sequential read speed and it can transfer data optimally at the rate of 10 Gbps. This excellent read speed makes it ideal for storing and editing hi-res videos and photos.
Moreover, this drive is proved to bear 1500 G shock and 5 gRAMS at around 1000-2000Hz of vibration ratings. The equal performance of this SSD is aided by IP55 ratings for water and dust protection. Additionally, it can work well on the wide temperature range of 32 to 113o F and the passive storage temperature range of -4 to 160 o F.
On the clear ground, SanDisk Extreme delivered pre-formatted in exFAT to ensure maximum compatibility across Windows and MAC platforms. But you can format it to NTFS if you wish to use this SSD on windows only. Amazingly, this activates the TRIM feature to deliver and maintain high performance by clearing previously deleted data from your drive. In the long run, this will tend to improve overall performance and your associated experience.
To take the benefit of the whole nine yards, SanDisk extreme portable SSD uses BiCS Flash which is designed by Western Digital and Toshiba in a 64-layered version, this helps to lower the heat dissipation and enhances the performance even on excessive use. As we discussed that you will be provided with SanDisk’s Secure Access 3.02 Software which permits you to put passwords on sensitive folders by using 256-bit AES encryption, this software comes in a clear interface to ensure no drop in performance at any stage.
If you accidentally put it in a shallow puddle of water for just a few minutes, the water wouldn’t enter the interior and you just need to wipe the case down a step before plugging it in, and then it will start transferring files without bearing any performance change.
The two tests Blackmagic software and IOMeter showed that SanDisk’s extreme portable SSD cuts the mustard by showing 520 MB/s of reading and 490 MB/s of write speed. Moreover, similar to Samsung T7, the SanDisk Extreme has also passed the Crystal Disk Mark-6 test and rated as an excellent performer compared to previous models available in the market.
To revolve around the speed, this SSD is more like expanding the internal storage than merely connecting an external drive. Stunningly, you will be free to work directly from the SSD whether storing personal assets, any project, or output renders. Plus, the low space warning is no longer means that you can’t feed tiny files anymore.
When it comes to photographic performance, SanDisk’s Extreme Portable SSD is proved as a compact, robust, and quick backup drive. After the shot, you can swiftly copy files into this SSD and can encrypt it with a password within seconds to keep your data safe and secured. As far as video editing is concerned, the giant folders of footage can consume massive space on your internal drive, and you might need to delete previous projects to feed the newer ones.
Some previously existing SSDs tried to solve this issue by providing ample space, but they were quite slow in transferring heavy files. The SanDisk Extreme portable SSD is now taking the heart of video editors by serving them with the fastest larger-sized files within seconds, and the provided massive storage capacity frees you to delete the existing files which might be beneficial in the future.
Testing Results
Grounded in fact, SanDisk’s Extreme portable SSD is a marvelous NVMe storage solution for prosumers, gamers, and designers who wish to hold an extremely fast, rugged, portable, and offline backup solution for all their needs. Stunningly, this drive stood high in the competition with similar products due to the availability of USB 3.1 Type-C cables. It also supports multi-device compatibility along with 256-bit AES hardware encryption, and available capacities up to 2TB.
With a read speed of 1050 MB/s, this drive is taking the heart of many. Above all, SanDisk extreme SSD is an excellent portable drive with the incorporated excellent features to save and secure your all data.
Reasons to Buy
Reasons to Avoid
