At a look
Expert’s Rating
Pros
- Both Type-A and TypeC connectors (captive)
- Good 10Gbps efficiency with smaller quantities of information
- Solid Construction
Cons
- Sustained writes gradual to 600MBps after solely 20GB
Our Verdict
Though not a improbable author with bigger quantities of information, the SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual is an on-par 10Gbps reader, and its captive Type-A/Type-C connectors make for no-hassle connection to any gadget.
Price When Reviewed
This worth will present the geolocated pricing textual content for product undefined
Best Pricing Today
Price When Reviewed
256GB: $55 I 512GB: $73 I 1TB: $110 I 2TB: $180
Best Prices Today: SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual flash drive
It’s a irritating expertise when the one port on the gadget you wish to connect with is Type-A, and your connecting gadget is Type-C. Or vice versa. Hope you introduced an adapter.
Yeah, it’s a fiddling drawback, however is usually a actual time-waster and it’s one which many distributors have addressed with twin Type-A/Type-C drives such because the SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual that’s reviewed right here.
Read on to study extra, then see our roundup of the best external drives for comparability.
What are the SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual’s options?
The Extreme Pro Dual measures roughly 3.2 inches lengthy (together with connector), 0.65-inches huge, and 0.4-inches thick. It weighs a bit greater than most at 1.2 ounces — largely due to the sturdy steel housing that the drive portion rotates inside. The weight provides it a nice, strong heft.
You swivel the drive inside mentioned housing to show both the Type-A or Type-C (one is at all times out within the open). The drive clicks into place if you happen to orient the connectors parallel to the housing, however you possibly can have each uncovered (see the lead picture) if you happen to select.
Jon L. Jacobi
The Extreme Pro Dual is 10Gbps 3.x Gen 2 USB (round 1GBps transfers optimally) and the NAND is late technology if my exams are correct. While the write charge drops, it’s solely to round 350MBps.
SanDisk warranties the Extreme Pro Dual for all times (restricted). That’s a little bit of a shocker, as most exterior drives carry a three-year, or extra not often, a five-year guarantee. I’m assuming the “limited” is predicated on the variety of writes doable and never operating it over with a Zamboni.
But the corporate rightly figures there’s no approach you possibly can write sufficient knowledge to exceed the NAND’s write-cycle restrict. Whatever the logic, I prefer it and it does warrant the “Pro” within the moniker.
How a lot is the SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual?
At the time of this writing the Extreme Pro Dual was accessible on Amazon in 256GB/$55, 512GB/$73, and 2TB/$180 capacities. The 1TB model I examined was $110 on SanDisk’s website, and as the remainder of the costs have been the identical, I might anticipate Amazon to promote 1TB for that value as effectively, when it’s accessible.
How are these costs comparatively? A tad excessive really, particularly when probably the most glorious Teamgroup X2 Max is cheaper.
How quick is the SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual?
While not on par with Teamgroup’s X2 Max, the Extreme Pro Dual put in a reputable efficiency — generally. It’s really able to higher write numbers than these proven for CrystalDiskMark 8 (over 900MBps), however solely when utilizing a 32GiB or smaller knowledge set. Our check unit was 1TB. The 2TB unit would little doubt have put in higher numbers, although possible nonetheless inferior to the X2 Max’s.
As we check all drives with the 64GiB knowledge set, these are the numbers you see under. Sorry SanDisk.
The Extreme Pro Dual’s random efficiency underneath CrystalDiskMark was significantly better than what you see under, however solely, once more, with 32GiB and smaller knowledge units.
With the 1TB model of the drive I examined, writing 48GB went past the allotted secondary cache. The numbers are instantly under, adopted by a screenshot of the drive slowing down throughout the 48GB write course of.
There’s simply not loads of secondary cache on board the Extreme Pro Dual, as you possibly can see on this display screen seize of the Windows Explorer copy course of.
Compared to any drive however the PNY Duo Link V3, the Extreme Pro Dual would charge as gradual writing 450GB. But whereas it misplaced out to the wonderful Teamgroup X2 Max, 20 minutes isn’t horrible for a thumb drive. The native write charge is over 350MBps, which isn’t comedically tragic just like the PNY’s 15MBps.
The PNY was additionally a 1TB drive, whereas the X2 Max was 2TB which supplies is extra NAND for secondary caching. However, the X2 Max’s native write charge was double the Extreme Pro Dual’s and would’ve cleaned its clock regardless.
The NAND contained in the Extreme Pro Dual is comparatively new if it may well maintain 350MBps or so. Note that the native write charge kicks in fairly rapidly at round 20GB.
A fast be aware: I put these drives via the wringer. Few customers write the quantity of information required to expertise a slowdown on any form of common foundation.
Should you purchase the SanDisk Extreme Pro Dual?
If your regular write knowledge units are small, the comfort of the twin captive USB connectors makes the Extreme Pro Dual a good selection. Especially in gentle of its super-solid building. But there are loads of choices on the market. Shop correctly.
How we check
Drive exams at present make the most of Windows 11 24H2, 64-bit operating off of a PCIe 4.0 Samsung 990 Pro in an Asus Z890-Creator WiFi (PCIe 4.0/5.0) motherboard. The CPU is a Core Ultra i5 225 feeding/fed by two Crucial 64GB DDR5 5600MHz modules (128GB of reminiscence whole).
Both 20Gbps USB and Thunderbolt 5 are built-in into the motherboard and Intel CPU/GPU graphics are used. Internal PCIe 5.0 SSDs concerned in testing are mounted in an Asus Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 adapter card sitting in a PCIe 5.0 slot.
We run the CrystalDiskMark 8.04 (and 9), AS SSD 2, and ATTO 4 artificial benchmarks (to maintain article size down, we report solely the previous) to seek out the storage gadget’s potential efficiency. Then we run a sequence of 48GB switch and 450GB write exams utilizing Windows Explorer drag and drop to indicate what customers will see throughout routine copy operations, in addition to the far sooner FastCopy run as administrator to indicate what’s doable.
A 25GBps two-SSD RAID 0 array on the aforementioned Asus Hyper M.2 x16 Gen5 is used because the second drive in our switch exams. Formerly the 48GB exams have been completed with a RAM disk serving that objective.
Each check is carried out on a NTFS-formatted and newly TRIM’d drive so the outcomes are optimum. Note that in regular use, as a drive fills up, efficiency might lower as a result of much less NAND for secondary caching, in addition to different elements. This problem has abated considerably with the present crop of SSDs using extra mature controllers and much sooner, late-generation NAND.
Our testing MO always evolves and these outcomes might not match these from earlier articles. Only comparisons contained in the article are 100% legitimate as these are gathered utilizing the present {hardware} and MO.