SanDisk 4TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD - Up to 2000MB/s - USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE81-4T00-G25

Compact rocket. This thing is small and fast. Great little unit with great storage capacity. I’ve been using it for several months with no issues whatsoever. Runs cool and it’s easy to store due to its compact size. Because it’s an SSD and enclosed in a durable case, I’m sure it can take its bumps and abuse without issue. Well not cheap, it certainly doesn’t break the bank and its performance as well worth the cost.

TL;DR: This drive personally verified capable of large, sustained reads for hours if needed and had no problem transferring 500GB+ of data (both read and write) without slowing down at all. If you're tired of external SSDs that slow down due to cache outs and/or overheating, this drive will take care of those issues. ------- I've gone through several Samsung and Crucial external SSDs and one common thing is they all "cache out" sooner than later or even overheat and transfer speeds quickly plummet (sub 50-75MB/sec in some instances) when you're doing large (>100GB) transfers or if you're using the drive as an attached active media for real time use like using a replicated database or photo editing. If the job ends up R/W > 75-100GB+ I will always see drive slow downs consistently on those Samsung and Crucial models. They are good for small, quick transfers especially sub 25GB but anything remotely large and sustained and the slowdown happens. After doing a lot of research and reading along with personal recommendation from some fellow developers and editors, I gave the SanDisk 2TB Extreme PRO (you know it's serious when "PRO" is all in caps) a try. It is very compact and nicely built. Excellent external texture with even a corner clip hole. It comes with both USB-A and USB-C USB 3.2 2x2 cables and is ready for data transfers up to 2000MB/s. So how did it fair? I plugged it into my 1000MB/s rated USB-C port to backup over 500GB of data in one sitting and sat there and watched it transfer the entire set of data with zero slowdowns sometimes peaking OVER 1000MB/sec on large contiguous data asset transfers. This is a first among the pile of external drives I've used over the last 10 years. When it came time to copy the information back, the sustained speeds were still there during the entire transfer. I used it even to run some games for testing and it had no problems for Steam or Blizzard games albeit for normal use I use internal storage. I also did a couple of dev projects externally and it worked absolutely fantastic. As with most external drives, it does get warm during heavy use but nothing that is worrisome. I was able to pick up and hold the drive no problem. I tested it on both Windows 10 and 11 and Windows 11 is slightly slower than Windows 10 in data transfers under the same conditions but still peaked over 900MB/sec. It isn't the Sandisk's fault but the OS. Overall, I can't recommend this drive highly enough. It fixed all the issues I had grown used to accepting with my previous Samsung and Crucial models with expected slowdowns (it wasn't an issue of "if" but "when") and 2TB is spacious enough for now. If I end up needing more capacity I will pick up the 4TB version if needed but as for the 2TB model specifically? Highly recommended. 5/5

Doesn't get much more portable than these, unless stooping to a thumb drive; even has a hole to put it on a keychain. Used to use thumb drives, but these SSDs are much faster. After deleting included software (some sort of security stuff, perhaps for password protection), was left with 1.8TB, which seems about right for a 2TB drive (somehow, that's just how the math works with these things). Put it through its paces backing up a TB worth of PC data and copying over some stuff from thumb drives (all at the same time) and it never broke a sweat or had any problem. It gets warm when really busy, but cools right back down. I often leave it connected all day. At under $300, don't imagine I'll ever go back to thumb drives. Fingers crossed that it will last, but it seems very durable, supposedly able to withstand water, dust, drops, etc. Not going to test any of those claims. :) UPDATE: I never had a problem leaving the 2TB model plugged in to the PC for weeks on end, but the 4TB model (have tried a few of them) periodically stops reading and Windows 10 complains that the device is "not ready". Have tried USB 3.0, 2.0 with A connectors, with and without a hub. The only "fix" I've found for this issue is to unplug it and put it back, which sucks. :(

OK, so I read many of the reviews of this drive, and I believe that people who are saying this doesn't give them the speeds that it's rated at, may not be testing it correctly. There are MANY factors that go into properly testing the speed of an HD ... OS file buffering/caching being a HUGE one. The drive that I bought, SDSSDE81-1T00-G25 - SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD - Up to 2000MB/s, boasts speeds up to 2000MB/s (read/write). If you plug this drive into your computer and you use the blue USB 3.0 cable, you will not get the maximum speed out of this device because the max speed for USB 3.0 is 625MB/s. If your computer happens to truly have a USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 port, and you have a cable that supports that, then you could theoretically get the max speed out of this drive. Next, if your computer has a USB-C port, is it truly a USB 3.1 or better (or a Thunderbolt) port, or just a USB-C 3.0 port. Finally you have all of the OS file buffering stuff to deal with. Once you plug this drive in, you'll need to make sure you've set your OS's file buffering/caching to it's highest performance settings. Even with that, testing may not reveal the correct speeds because your OS may not buffer enough of the files being transferred to accurately test the read/write speeds of the drive. Another area for potential speed (and max file size) issues is the file system. You'll most likely want to format (keep) this SanDisk external SSD with exFAT (what it comes formatted in) unless you're going to use it 100% exclusively with your own computer (exFAT is readable/writeable in most OSes). If that's the case, it might be faster performing in your OS's native file system format, but that's not a for sure thing. It'll depend on the size and number of files that you're planning on using it to read/write. Several large files compared to thousands of small files makes a difference in performance too (you may want to look into this further yourself if it is a concern to you). I have a WIndows PC. After doing the stuff I mentioned above, when I do a large file transfer to the drive, it starts out at 1.7GB/s and then begins to drop to a steady 915MB/s or so. This reflects close to the drive's specs at the start, but Windows file buffering doesn't cache enough of the file to get a continual accurate reading, hence the speed drop in write speed. In testing out the read speed, I was only able to get around 700MB/s, but that is because I am copying a file from a super fast HD (this Sandisk drive) to a much slower HD (my internal PC HD), so it can't transfer any faster than this. I also tested reading and writing just from this Sandisk drive and got around the same 700MB/s, however, this is not a fair nor accurate test, because the same drive is doing the reading AND the writing. Finally, I ran the Blackmagic Disk Speed Test that everyone else seems to be using to test drive speeds, and got only 915MB/s read and write speeds. We know this is not accurate since I got 1.73GB/s in my own testing. So all of this to say that I believe this drive is probably fully capable of its advertised speeds, but you will likely not see speeds that fast due to OS limitations, other drive limitations, hardware limitations (your cable and/or port), etc. I'm happy with it because it averages about 1sec/GB throughput, and for files that Windows can buffer completely, I'm getting much closer to the spec's speeds. Hopefully all of this info. is helpful. Just remember, you get the best possible speed out of this drive by connecting it to a true Thunderbolt 3 port on your computer and by setting your OS's caching/buffering settings to maximize the performance (even a USB-C 3.1 or better port will get you the best speed out of this drive).

My experience is a breach of trust in the WD brand. I'm a macOS user working with large files for photography and videography. I've been a WD customer since the first My Passport and My Book HDDs. I bought the 4TB Extreme PRO V2 because I enjoyed using the 2TB Extreme V2. I figured the faster R/W speed and storage space would mean an even better user experience. Right? Wrong. After only six months of storing over 2TB of data, my system no longer recognized the disk. The only actions my system allowed me to take were to either Eject, Initialize or Ignore the disk. None of these were optimal. Yet the hurdles to hunting for a solution frustrated me even more. That's when I learned about the firmware issue from WD's response to another reviewer's comments. The device impact checker confirmed my disk "may have been impacted." Discovering that my only options were to use a PC to download and install the firmware update or contact customer support infuriated me. WD must not value its macOS customers for it not to offer an easy way for us to update the firmware. We are Mac users for a reason. Instead of having it done the easy way, I get a complicated set of instructions to download and install a third-party program called RescuePRO Deluxe. Now here's where I got super angry with this experience. Customer support told me that though the program might be able to preview in evaluation mode, I would need to pay for it to back them up to my local hard disk. In other words, the customer MUST PAY for WD's negligence to address this issue before they shipped these drives. On top of that, I learned that if this program failed to retrieve my files, my last line of defense was to pay for third-party hardware data recovery. I think WD should pay for this, not the customer they failed. At the very least, WD should replace my bricked SSD with a working one and include shipping costs. I ran RescuePRO Deluxe overnight and returned to find that it could not produce a preview of any recoverable files. Not one byte of my more than 2TB of data was retrievable. Incredible. I cannot recover my files and am too cash-strapped to pay for hardware data recovery. I can't believe I spent $400 for a bricked SSD. This event prompted me to write this review to steer others clear of this debacle and look elsewhere for portable storage solutions.

This small and works well.

Right now, the only computer equipment that I have is an ASUS 15 inch Vivobook Laptop PC. My desktop self destructed and I gave my Dell laptop to my daughter. Compared to similar portable SSD's, I was impressed by how durable this Sandisk SSD is (water resistant & dust resistant and survives ordinary drops). I have not dropped it or placed it in water (yet) but it is nice to know that this Sandisk will survive through harsh conditions. I read several negative reviews about how super HOT this SSD gets. So I decided to purchase the Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD 2 TB New Generation (which is a lot more SSD than I really need). Why? The SanDisk Extreme PRO® Portable SSD is housed in a forged aluminum chassis that also acts as a heatsink, saving you time through higher sustained speeds (it is less likely to overheat). The Extreme Pro is slightly larger than the regular Extreme - which also helps it to dissipate heat (although both models are very portable). In other words, this model promises to never slow down due to overheating. In my experience: My Extreme Pro NEVER gets hot, in fact, it seldom gets warm. My Extreme Pro is cool to the touch except the rare times when it is slightly warm. Note: I am not extremely demanding. I read and write small files to my Sandisk from time to to time during the day. Otherwise, I leave the Sandisk plugged to my ASUS laptop all day One thing I noticed about my Sandisk Extreme Pro. If there is zero read-write activity for an extended period, my Extreme Pro goes to sleep. And it drops to room temperature. This situation can prevail for minutes or 24-7 with my setup. My Extreme Pro Portable NEVER gets hot. As you read other reviews by other buyers, it appears (I am guessing here) that some users are in a situation where their Extreme Pro or Extreme never goes to sleep (and their device gets SUPER HOT). In my situation, if I attempt to write to my Extreme Pro after it has not experienced any read-write activity for an extended period, it takes a moment to "wake-up" my Extreme Pro. Not a problem because I know this feature allows my Extreme Pro to stay nice and cool (resulting in a longer life). I have not read anything about this feature. If you are interested in how this "sleep" feature works or if your Sandisk portable SSD gets SUPER HOT, contact Sandisk and ask for further details. I did encounter one problem. I have no idea what causes this and neither does Sandisk Technical Support. When I connect this device to the single USB C port in my laptop, Windows OS cannot "see" this SSD. Yet, my PC works just fine with another external HDD that I connect to this same USB C port. So, I connect my Sandisk to a Type A USB 3.0 port (and the Sandisk works just fine). I do not have another PC to connect my Sandisk SSD to (which might give me a clue what is going on). It is entirely possible that something is strange with the USB C port on my laptop, so I cannot blame the Sandisk SSD. This is a revision written weeks later: I purchased a new laptop. Exactly the same kind as I already had, a ASUS Vivobook 15.6" laptop. Because I really like the keyboard on the ASUS. The USB C port on my new laptop works just fine with my Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD. So the problem lies with my older ASUS Vivobook (read above). My Sandisk Extreme Pro SSD works perfectly. I am happy with my Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD 2 TB New Generation and I intend to keep it long after my ASUS Vivobooks die. My only negative: I wish the Sandisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD had an activity light (so I could tell [at a glance] when it is reading-writing). Note that this device is totally silent and warm to the touch, so not always obvious when it is reading-writing data. Not a big enough negative for me to deduct a star. update: 8 months after purchase. My Sandisk Extreme Pro performing well, going strong. Zero problems. Connected to my ASUS laptop all the time using the USB C port, a laptop I use about 12 hours a day, my Extreme Pro gets warm but not hot.

The SanDisk 2TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD is a premium external storage solution for creative professionals and power users who require blazing transfer speeds, substantial capacity, and rugged durability in a portable form factor. With advertised speeds of up to 2000 MB/s via USB-C and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 connectivity, this SSD accelerates workflows such as high-resolution video editing, large file backups, and rapid data transfers. However, while its performance and build quality are strong selling points, some users have reported hardware and software issues worth considering. Key Features • Ultra-Fast Data Transfer: With transfer speeds of up to 2000 MB/s, the drive drastically reduces file transfer times, which is critical for high-bandwidth tasks. • Ample 2TB Capacity: The generous 2TB storage provides enough space for high-resolution media, large project files, and comprehensive backups. • Robust Design & Durability: Rated IP65 for water and dust resistance, the SSD is built to withstand challenging environmental conditions during travel and fieldwork. • Updated Firmware: The drive comes with updated firmware that enhances performance stability, security, and overall drive management. • Modern Connectivity: Compatibility with USB-C and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 ensures the SSD can interface seamlessly with contemporary laptops and desktops. Pros • Exceptional Speed: The advertised 2000 MB/s performance is a significant advantage for professionals dealing with large files and time-sensitive projects. • Solid Build Quality: The rugged, IP65-rated enclosure provides confidence for those using the drive in outdoor or challenging environments. • High Storage Capacity: With 2TB of space, the drive is well-suited for demanding storage needs in creative and professional applications. • Future-Proof Connectivity: USB-C and USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 compatibility means that the drive is ready for next-generation devices and connectivity standards. • Enhanced Firmware: The updated firmware is intended to improve performance consistency and add more data security. Cons & Reported Issues • Hardware Connectivity Issues: • Intermittent Disconnections: Some users have reported occasional drive recognition issues—particularly on systems with older USB-C ports or cables. These intermittent disconnections can interrupt workflow and require re-plugging the device. • Thermal Concerns: A few users observed elevated operating temperatures under heavy and prolonged workloads, which may lead to thermal throttling. Although not widespread, this has been noted in environments with insufficient airflow. • Software & Firmware Challenges: • Firmware Update Process: Although the updated firmware promises enhanced performance, several reports indicate that the update process can be unintuitive. Users sometimes experience temporary instability or reduced performance after attempting a firmware update. • Compatibility Glitches: A few reviews have noted issues with drive recognition on specific operating systems following firmware updates. Users on legacy systems may need to exercise caution or seek technical support to ensure smooth integration. • Premium Price Point: • While the drive offers high performance and robust features, its cost is on the higher side, which may not appeal to budget-conscious buyers, especially when considering potential additional expenses (e.g., certified cables or adapters). Recommendations • For Creative Professionals & Power Users: If you routinely work with large files and require fast, reliable storage on the go, this SSD is an excellent option. However, ensure your system fully supports USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 to fully exploit the drive’s speed potential. Monitor operating temperatures during intensive tasks and consider using cooling accessories if necessary. • Firmware and Software Best Practices: Before performing firmware updates, back up your data and review the manufacturer’s update instructions carefully. For users experiencing post-update compatibility issues, contacting SanDisk support can provide guidance and, if needed, firmware patches. • Hardware Setup Considerations: To avoid connectivity issues, use recommended cables and verify that your system’s ports meet the necessary specifications. Using a certified adapter may help maintain stable connections and maximize performance for users with older devices. • For Field Use: The drive’s IP65 rating is a significant benefit for on-location work. However, remain mindful of potential environmental extremes that could affect thermal performance. In such cases, ensure proper ventilation or avoid prolonged high-intensity operations in confined spaces. Conclusion — The SanDisk 2TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD delivers impressive performance and durability, making it an attractive choice for professionals who need fast and reliable portable storage. Its high-speed data transfer, ample storage capacity, and rugged design are significant advantages. However, the reports of intermittent connectivity issues, thermal concerns under heavy workloads, and challenges associated with the firmware update process suggest that potential buyers should proceed cautiously. You can mitigate many of these concerns and fully leverage the drive's capabilities by ensuring compatibility with your hardware environment, following best practices for firmware updates, and monitoring device performance during heavy use. Overall, suppose you seek a high-end, future-proof storage solution and are prepared to navigate some of these reported issues. The SanDisk 2TB Extreme PRO Portable SSD is a substantial investment in that case.