Introduction

Over the past ten years, external bus-powered storage devices have improved in terms of speed and storage capacity. We now have palm-sized flash-based storage devices that can achieve 3GBps+ rates as a result of the quick development of flash technology (including the introduction of 3D NAND and NVMe) as well as quicker host interfaces (such Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.x). While Thunderbolt 4 can achieve those speeds, mass-market devices must rely on USB. USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) is quickly replacing USB 3.0 as the standard for thumb drives and portable SSDs within the USB ecosystem.

With the SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 Portable SSD, Western Digital is currently jumping on the dual-mode bandwagon. Internally, the PSSD employs a WD_BLACK SN750E M.2 2280 drive. The ASMedia ASM2362 USB 3.2 Gen 2 – NVMe bridge chip is added to the JHL7440 Titan Ridge Thunderbolt 3 controller on the bridge side. The enclosure itself is composed of sturdy metal and is pretty elegant. A silicone base is included on one side. The drive also has a metal-reinforced USB-C port and an LED indicator.

These characteristics enable the PRO-G40 to receive an IP68 classification, which guarantees complete protection against dust infiltration and zero damage from complete and continuous immersion under 1 meter of water. The solid aluminum core supports faster heat dissipation as part of the thermal solution and permits drop- (up to 3m) and crush-resistance (up to 4000 lbs.).

The primary unit of the PRO-G40 PSSD is packaged simply with a 20cm Thunderbolt 3 passive cable. Although the length might be an issue for standard desktops, these dual-mode drives are most commonly used in notebooks or systems that have a Thunderbolt dock integrated into the workspace.

Although the drive is initially formatted for Macs, changing the drive’s OS is a simple process. Their sample was examined using a Windows 10 computer and the exFAT filesystem. The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 has the same “problems” as all Thunderbolt SSDs do under Windows. The write performance of the disk attached to the Thunderbolt connection falls short of expectations and advertised statistics unless write caching is enabled in the volume settings.

Since moving to Windows 10 on their new testbed, their policy has been to evaluate all external storage devices with default OS settings – and this has been for quick removal. They did, however, test the PRO-G40 drive three times: once with a Thunderbolt 3 port and once with a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port enabled by the ASMedia ASM2342 controller. They repeated the evaluation procedure with the write cache settings modified in their final pass, as shown in the image below (default settings on the left, and modified one on the right).

CrystalDiskInfo provides a quick overview of the PSSD as seen by the host system. The interface section is of particular interest – NVM Express over Thunderbolt, and UASP (NVM Express) over USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 Type-C.

The table below presents a comparative view of the specifications of the different PSSDs presented in this review.

Learn more about SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 HERE

Learn more about SanDisk Professional HERE

Tom’s Hardware reviewed the PR-G40 and says “The best portable SSD we’ve tested to date.” For this review the PRO-G40 was tested in both the Thunderbolt and USB modes. All the testing results can be found in the review here!

After testing, the verdict was in. “The 1TB SanDisk Pro-G40 is the best portable SSD we’ve tested, getting strong marks in every performance category.,” Says Tom’s Hardware. “It’s fast and rugged. If you can take advantage of the Thunderbolt capability and overlook the price, it’s hard to beat.”

Check out the full review here!.

Learn more about SanDisk Professional here!

Immerse yourself in the action with the supercharged, ultra-rugged SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 SSD. Built for compatibility with both Thunderbolt 3 and USB 3.2 Gen 2, this versatile drive enables you to efficiently collaborate across devices. Sustaining speeds up to 2700MB/s1 read and 1900MB/s1 write via Thunderbolt 3, the PRO-G40 SSD will power through your most demanding workflows. Bring this ultra-durable drive wherever your vision takes you– its 3m drop and 4000lb. crush resistance2 along with an IP68 dust- and water-resistant rating help withstand the elements in just about every location.

The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 is a portable SSD built with both Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) support via a single port and leverages the speedy NVMe interface. Its ultra-rugged build and performance-drive design make it ideal for a range of use cases, including enthusiasts and professionals in the film and media industry who constantly transfer large files.

The SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 is a portable SSD built with both Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) and USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) support via a single port and leverages the speedy NVMe interface. Its ultra-rugged build and performance-drive design make it ideal for a range of use cases, including enthusiasts and professionals in the film and media industry who constantly transfer large files.

SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 Specifications

Ultimately, the PRO-G40 is meant for users looking for a portable SSD that can not just handle their heavy workloads, but the elements and bumps and bruises as well. The PRO-G40 is available in 1TB and 2TB capacity models

Read the full article HERE

Learn more about SanDisk Professional PRO-G40 HERE

Learn more about SanDisk Professional HERE