Truth be told, I probably didn’t need another SSD.  Last year at this time, I wrote about acquiring the SandDisk Extreme Pro SSD which supports USB 3.2 Gen 2×2.  It was better than 3x faster than the previous SandDisk Extreme SSD I had.  I brought it with me on all my travels during 2025 and it worked fantastically well for offloading photos and videos safely until I got back home.  Great size.  Plenty fast.  And an extremely robust design for use while traveling.  So when January rolled around I seriously considered picking up another one – if no other reason because the global growth in AI during 2026 has started creating shortages in IT infrastructure components – including SSDs.  Scarcity is causing prices to increase.  That’s when I discovered that not long after I purchased my SanDisk Extreme Pro, SanDisk had released a USB4 version:

The SanDisk Extreme Pro USB4 comes with a USB-C cable capable of USB4 transfer speeds

As you might imagine, the new model is a bit more expensive than the predecessor I have –$479 for the USB4 version, and $419 for the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 model (as of this writing).  But having upgraded last year to an M4 MacBook Pro, I’ve been trying to upgrade my various storage and backup drives to the fastest available.  So I decided to order – it helped that I discovered I could get a bit of a discount as an NRA Certified Pistol Instructor (go figure).

IS THE USB4 VERSION FASTER?

I decided to compare the previous USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 version on the Black Magic Speed Test application for Apple Mac.  I direct connected the drive to my M4 MacBook Pro with a Thunderbolt 5 cable and consistently did so for these tests:

Black Magic Speed Test: Extreme Pro USB 3.2 Gen 2×2

I was a bit surprised by the ~ 1000mb/sec read/write speed of this drive (versus the ~2000mb/sec advertised).  As it turns out, the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 runs optimally on Windows, and not on Mac – a fact I didn’t quite grasp when I purchased the drive.  All these ever changing USB specifications  (let’s face it, USB 3.2 is a mess) – not to mention the different Thunderbolt specs – can get a bit confusing.  Apple skipped supporting USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 entirely, which I why I’m not seeing the maximum available read/write on my M4 MacBook Pro.

Next I tested the USB4 version of the Extreme Pro:

Black Magic Disk Speed Test: USB4 Extreme Pro

Now this is more like it – better than 3x the speed of the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 version.  For giggles, I decided to compare the USB4 Extreme Pro with my DIY Thunderbolt 5 SSD:

Black Magic Disk Speed Test: My Trebleet Thunderbolt 5 enclosure with a SAMSUNG 990 PRO 4TB SSD

Thunderbolt 5 is still king and my Thunderbolt 5 drive is blazing fast, but the SanDisk Extreme Pro USB4 is only ~50% slower.  So you could still easily edit 4k video on this drive with no need for proxies.

WHY IS USB4 SO MUCH FASTER?

USB4 (especially on Apple Silicon):

• Supports PCIe tunneling

• Uses NVMe more efficiently

• Has dramatically higher bandwidth headroom

So the USB4 Extreme Pro isn’t just a faster USB drive — it’s an external NVMe SSD that happens to use USB.  So if you have the hardware that supports USB4, this drive is plenty fast for even the most demanding road warrior.

FASTER BUT BIGGER

The Extreme Pro USB4 (right) it’s a bit larger than the previous generation

The higher transfer speeds of this new SSD comes at the cost of size and weight.  140×69×12 mm and 172g for the USB4 version versus 110×57×10 mm and 77.5g for the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 version.  The weight more than doubled in the size of the new version is roughly about the same as a cell phone.  Both the older drive and the newer model share the same IP65 rating for resisting dust and water – which is great.  Both drives also share a forged aluminum core and silicone-rubber overmold.  But because the USB4 version is heavier, it has lower drop distance survivability – ~2m for the USB4 version versus ~3m for the previous generation.  Both models carry a five year warranty from SanDisk.

THE CASE FOR A CASE

One of the big reasons why someone would choose one of these SanDisk Extreme SSDs over other options in the marketplace is because they are designing to be more robust.  But I still like using a case with my drives – if for no other reason, a case provides a handy pocket to keep the appropriate data transfer cable (included with the drive) with it at all times.  I can just grab the case and throw it in a bag and don’t have to worry about whether or not I have the right data cable with me.  It’s also just another layer of protection, which never hurts, And they’re cheap.  This GLCON was just 8 bucks and comes in a variety of colors:

DIRECT CONNECT ONLY?

There’s one little caveat that I should mention that I ran across in my testing – it’s possible that the only way to get USB4 speeds with this SSD is to direct connect to your computer.  Again, I have a M4 MacBook Pro.  My current dock is a CalDigit TS4 which has three Thunderbolt 4 ports that support USB4.  I tried connecting the SanDisk Extreme Pro USB4 to all three Thunderbolt 4 ports and use different cables (including the included USB4 cable that comes with the drive).  Each time I only got ~USB 3.2 read/write speeds when tested with the Black Magic Speed Test application.  It wasn’t until I direct connected the SanDisk Extreme Pro USB4  to my MacBook Pro that I realized it’s USB4 read/write speeds.  Obviously I can’t test this drive with every computer and dock so this issue MIGHT be unique to my setup.  But I thought it was worth mentioning because I have other USB4 devices that I run through the Thunderbolt 4 ports on my dock that do not experience this issue.

DO I RECOMMEND THE SANDISK EXTREME PRO USB4?

Whether or not this SSD is the right choice for you really hinges on whether or not your workflow will support USB4  level speeds.  I say “workflow” because it often isn’t just about whether or not your computer supports USB4.  After there are Other devices between the computer and the drive, which also need to be able to support USB4 to ensure you’re enjoying the speed you’re paying for with this SSD.  You may for example have a hub or docking station in your setup (as I do).  If you’re a Mac user and looking for a fast, robust portable SSD, I think the SanDisk Extreme Pro USB4 is a no-brainer.  If you’re a Windows user, the choice isn’t so clean cut.  The USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 is only 30% slower, but is smaller, lighter and a bit more drop resistant – not to mention cheaper.  Even as a Mac user, I may still end up traveling with the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2  version.  Smaller and lighter means a lot when you’re traveling.  If it takes me a few extra minutes to copy off photos and videos I took during the day while I’m getting ready for bed in the hotel, no big deal.  Either way you can’t go wrong.

Here’s my video review: