Looking for a rugged portable USB drive that can not only store terrabytes of data but also handle weather, and fit in your pocket? I bought the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD earlier this year to replace an aging WD USB drive that was not only slow but also caused my mouse pointer to disappear when connected to my laptop.
The SanDisk Extreme has been great so far and honestly, it delivers solid performance with durability features that make it stand out from other portable drives. And it’s smaller than my desktop mouse so it’s very convenient to carry around. I got the 1TB model but it is also available in 4TB and even a massive 8 TB capacity offering you plenty of room for photos, videos, and documents.
- Get NVMe solid state performance with up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds in a portable, high-capacity drive(1) (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device & other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.)
- Up to 3-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance mean this tough drive can take a beating(3) (Previously rated for 2-meter drop protection and IP55 rating. Now qualified for the higher, stated specs.)
- Use the handy carabiner loop to secure it to your belt loop or backpack for extra peace of mind.
SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD Overview
Key Features
- Read speeds up to 1050MB/s and write speeds up to 1000MB/s so you can transfer large files quickly.
- IP65 rating means the drive can withstand water and dirt, better than many other portable devices, and drops up to 3 meters.
- Built-in “carabiner” loop for attaching to your bag – this is quite useful when working outside or traveling.
- Small enough to fit into your shirt pocket or bag and weighs less than 2 ounces.
- Password protection (with 256 bit AES encryption) is also available, should you have to protect files of a sensitive nature.
The drive works immediately after plugging it in.
The included USB-C to USB-A adapter provides flexibility for older devices.
Transfer speeds deliver noticeably better performance compared to traditional external hard drives. Actual speeds depend on your computer’s capabilities, though.
Blazing Fast Transfer Speeds
If you’re tired of waiting an for slow file transfers, then the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD will be an absolute game changer as it has extremely high read speeds (up to 1050MB/s) and write speeds (up to 1000MB/s) which can make transferring large video files, photo libraries, or backups much faster than before. But you will need to use the USB-C cable to reach peak performance. with such high speeds, you’ll spend way less time looking at progress bars and have a lot more time to do what really matters like creating and geting things done.
Some reviews I read indicated the drive getting warm after extended use but I haven’t had any issues in this regard.
Exceptional Durability and Protection
The ruggedness of the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is where it really stands out from other USB drives, as its small but durable aluminum body absorbs impacts well and is capable of withstanding heavy use without sustaining damage. As an added benefit, this unit has been rated as IP65 and thus is resistant to both water and dust — so don’t be concerned about whether it will be able to withstand being left out in the rain lightly or at a dusty location while you are shooting outdoors, or taking it with you on trips.
With a drop protection of up to 3 meters, you will have the confidence to toss it in a backpack with all your camera gear or other equipment you may have, as this unit can endure the day-to-day knocks and bangs associated with commuting or daily moving around.
Key Protection Features:
- IP65 water and dust resistance
- Survives drops up to 3 meters
- Carabiner loop for secure attachment
- Rugged aluminum casing
The included carabiner loop is surprisingly useful for clipping the drive to bags or straps when you need quick access.
You won’t baby this SSD the way you might with more fragile storage solutions.
Advanced Security Features
Physical protection for the SanDisk Extreme is great; however, digital security is equally as important if you are storing sensitive information such as important documents and/or personally identifiable information (PII).
The SanDisk Extreme USB-C drive contains 256-bit AES hardware encryption that can be used in conjunction with password protection to provide an additional layer of security to protect sensitive documents and PII from unauthorized access.
Using SanDisk’s software is required to activate the password protection on the device. This process is relatively easy to accomplish.
After activation, the hardware encryption will operate in the background with little-to-no noticeable impact on the speed at which the data is transferred.
Hardware-based encryption using the SanDisk Extreme provides a superior method of encrypting data compared to the use of software-based encryption. The use of hardware-based encryption results in improved performance and increased security.
SanDisk’s Memory Zone app allows you to easily manage your files and organize them based on how they are stored on the device.
While the Memory Zone app does provide some basic file management and file organization functions, its features are limited. However, it does provide enough functionality to allow users to organize their files and free-up available storage on the device as needed.
Pros and Cons
You should buy this drive if you need reliable storage that can handle rough conditions while delivering consistently fast transfer speeds.
Pros
- Transfer speeds handle large video files and photo libraries without noticeable lag
- Built-in protection against drops and weather makes it suitable for outdoor use
- Compact size with carabiner loop allows easy attachment to bags or gear
Cons
- Performance depends on your device supporting the latest USB standards
- Hardware encryption requires software download and setup on compatible systems
- Price point sits higher than standard portable hard drives
Drawbacks
- You are going to have to use the USB-C to get the claimed speeds.
- Performance will be noticeably slower when using USB-A adapter for an older computer.
- Price per terabyte is more than typical external hard drives.
- The drive will get very warm if transferring files for an extended period of time.
- While being small is great for travel convenience, its smallness makes it easy to lose.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD perform in speed tests compared to similar SSDs?
- The SanDisk Extreme Portable delivers a read speed of 1050 MB per second and a write speed of 1000 MB per second. This places Extreme Portable in the high end of USB 3.2 Gen 2 drive performance levels.
- Performance was also sufficient for real world application when moving large collections of video and photo files from desktop computers to laptop computers.
- If you are using an older model computer or a computer with no USB-C port, you can expect to see much slower than the highest speeds possible.
- In comparison to many other portable SSDs available at similar prices, the Extreme Portable performs similarly as others in its class.
- Because of the NVMe solid state technology used internally, extreme portable has speeds consistently higher than most traditional external hard drives.
What makes the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD stand out from other portable SSDs on the market?
The IP65 rating for water and dust resistance has made this drive a real stand-out. If you want to carry the drive with you while traveling by car (or backpack), you can do so without worrying that the rain or dust will ruin your day.
There’s a carabiner loop at the top of the drive, which I feel was an added touch. It makes clipping this onto your backpack, belt, etc., pretty simple; especially if you are always moving from one place to another.
Firmware updates have increased drop protection from two-meters to three-meters. This gives you a bit more comfort when using the drive to capture photos while hiking, or any other activity where dropping the unit may be a possibility.
How does the durability of the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD compare to other rugged storage devices?
Three-meter drop protection is nothing to sneeze at for daily use. Its compact size and rubberized shell really help soak up bumps better than those bulky, hard-edged drives.
With the IP65 rating, it can handle water jets at 30 kPa for three minutes and keeps dust at bay. It’s not going to survive a swim, but rain and splashes? Not a problem.
If you stack it up against drives with full military-grade certifications, the Extreme Portable strikes a nice middle ground. It’s not indestructible, but it handles the rough-and-tumble of travel and the occasional drop just fine.
Are there any capacity variations available for the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD, and how do they differ in performance?
You can pick this drive up in several capacities, from 1TB all the way up to 8TB. The advertised speeds are pretty much the same no matter which size you go for.
Larger capacities don’t really take a performance hit in this line. So, you can just focus on how much space you actually need.
Usually, the price per gigabyte gets a bit better as you go bigger. If you’re juggling a lot of large media files, going for 2TB or above just makes more sense in the long run.
How user-friendly is the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD for non-technical consumers?
You don’t have to do anything else once you take it out of the box except attach it to your computer via the USB slot, it will show up as an external drive.
SanDisk offers a Memory Zone app for managing files. However, using this app is completely optional and you can manage your files by using your computers standard file system.
Password protection on the memory stick requires you to download additional software from the SanDisk web site and then follow the simple instructions.
The USB-C connector along with the provided USB-A connector ensures compatibility with all computers whether they are new or old; therefore, determining which cable to use is simply a matter of choosing one.
