On the front there is the G-Technology logo, but this SanDisk G-Drive SSD is part of the new SanDisk Professional line, part of the reorganization of the Western Digital lines (which perhaps will sooner or later see the whole G-DRIVE line pass under the SanDisk brand).
Small, fast and shockproof, we tested it for a couple of weeks in the studio and on the go.
Professional even in the look
The new SanDisk G-Drive SSD proposal is a fairly small unit, the dimensions speak of 95 x 50 x 15 mm, therefore more minute than the older brother G-Technology G-Drive Mobile SSD. The design, however, remains the same, decidedly original despite the transition to the SanDisk wing.
A parallelepiped with irregular and rounded corners with a surface in black soft-touch pleasant and fine to the touch.
The whole is belted on one side in metal where the USB-C 3.2 connector stops while on the other side, a small white LED is used to indicate power on and activity.
In the two larger surfaces there is a grid, which is not clear if it serves to contain the heat or just for beauty, but on balance the disk heats less, for example, than the SanDisk Extreme V2 portable SSD to which it can very well be compared, even if the dimensions are a little larger and with a less iconic design.
In addition to the disk itself, the box also contains two USB-C / USB-C and USB-C / USB-A cables and a small instruction manual for the first operations.
Inside the box the disk, a small brochure and the two USB cables, depending on the computer to which it is connected
APFS or ExFAT? It depends on the use even if …
The unit that arrived for the review promises 2 TB of capacity, but there is also a cheaper version with 1 TB of space and even a 500 TB one.
Connected to a MacBook Pro, this immediately showed itself by favoring the installation of the software for macOS and Windows 10, SanDisk Security (in common with all the disks of the same brand) which allows locking with a password.
It should be emphasized that the App is not necessary for correct operation and that the disk also responds perfectly to the operating system tools, obviously apart from the part relating to the password.
For our use we have formatted the disk in ExFAT, which made it perfectly usable with both Mac and Windows and, recently, also with the new NAS Asustor, at least those with the new ADM 4 operating system, and remember that even with many Linux distros are not difficult to implement at all.
And since it tests the performance differences between APFS and ExFAT, the two ways of formatting the disk (APFS for macOS, ExFAT for macOS and Windows) are really minimal, ExFAT aims to become the best file system for those with large compatibility (and best of all, except for boot disks).
At home and around
We used the SanDisk G-Drive SSD as a fixed drive, alongside our WD My Book Duo, a unit with much more capacity but obviously also much less fast, for the use of our photo archive, but here and there also as a temporary drive for the transport of documents when we went out and about.
In our backpack the unit fits us well, because the dimensions are such that a pocket can always be found without problems and, in the case, the disc will easily stop even in the pockets of jeans or in a pouch.
The available software allows you to encrypt the device with a password and is obviously compatible with all SanDisk drives
The shape is blunt enough not to be a problem, but at the same time safe from accidental damage (SanDisk claims the unit can withstand a 2 meter drop).
The transfer speed is very good, stopping just under 1,000 MB / s, which puts it in competition, as we said before, with the SanDisk Extreme V2 portable SSD and promising a very interesting platform also for those who do video editing. being able to use the disk also as a direct reservoir for files.
Obviously the drive was very quiet during operation (as expected from an SSD) and also quite attentive to heat, as it heats less than the SanDisk Extreme V2 portable SSD (perhaps due to the larger size).
Good speed, here obtained with a Mac mini via USB-C on Thunderbolt 3 port
Considerations
SanDisk G-Drive SSD is a truly versatile unit, which as mentioned numbers in hand lends itself very well as an archive for the use of high-resolution files for those who make video editing, for those who manage many photos in RAW or in any case complex files that they need a high reading and writing value to be used correctly.
Yet, at the same time, it's great for on-the-road use for quick transfer with a MacBook Pro during an out-of-office photo session or as a second copy for a video archive to use at a later time (or, even, for on-the-fly editing for a quick check to see if you need to re-shoot some scenes).
The price is in line with what is the market and only in the 2 TB cut more expensive than the other SanDisk drive with which it competes directly.
Pro:
• Fast and silent unit • Robust and ready for anything • Good temperature management
Cons:
• the 2 TB denomination is proportionally expensive
Price:
• 159.99 Euros (500 GB) • 260.99 Euros (1 TB) • 411.99 Euros (2 TB)
Readers can find SanDisk G-Drive SSD starting from the Italian website of the parent company or you can find it more conveniently also at Amazon.it
