This is an external SSD and so is this and this and after 5 years of using this one right here is it worth it? This is the SanDisk Extreme SSD 5 years later, let’s talk about it.
Why Choose External Storage?
When you look on Apple’s website you’ll notice that storage is incredibly expensive. If you want to go beyond the starter configuration it costs an arm and a leg. So what I did and what many of you are likely considering is I got an external SSD. This cost-effective option is portable, weather-resistant, and best of all, upgradeable.
General Pros of the SanDisk Extreme SSD
Starting off with the general pros of this device, we’ll get to the con shortly. The SanDisk external SSD is incredibly easy to carry. It’s light, it fits nicely in a small carrying sleeve and it can literally fit into the palm of your hand. It’s an accessory that doesn’t take a lot to bring around.
Durability and Portability
It’s weather-resistant, just like some other external SSDs. The SanDisk Extreme doesn’t need to be baby too much; it can survive bumps, bruises, and even some light rain, although I would never recommend doing that as this thing stores your important files on it. The point is that it’s not a liability, so it won’t be a nuisance in that sense while you’re traveling or in school.
Scalability
Lastly, it’s also upgradeable. Not in the sense that you can just add more storage to the one that you already have, but you can purchase another once you fill the first one up. External SSDs are literally like the computer equivalent to storage sheds. They can detach from the main house, meaning a little less convenient to access, but they are fairly cost-effective and you can always get more of them.
The Challenges of External Storage
Now that we’ve gone over the general pros of this device and external SSDs in general, let’s talk about the cons, which from my experience there are two: namely, it’s mildly less convenient for some and it’s potentially prone to mishaps.
Look, I love external SSDs; I recommend them all the time. But if you’re lying down with that external SSD, this cable can be a problem. It juts out, so it might make it a little bit more difficult if you want to lounge about more comfortably. Now, you can purchase a flush USBC cable linked down below, which is a great option, but for some of you, having the external storage outside of the laptop being something just dangling there can be a mild pain point.
In addition to needing to whip out an extra device on top of getting your laptop out, that is less convenient than having everything being built into the laptop. After working on my Mac literally everywhere, from my experience, every small thing you need to take out and even remember to bring with you can be a small hassle. To help with this, I recommend getting a case sleeve or something to keep all of your tech in one spot to never forget this thing.
Risk of Data Mishaps
The number two con of this external SSD is its potential for mistakes and this is a two-fold con. Firstly, because it’s plugged into your device, especially for something portable like a laptop, when you’re moving you can easily knock this thing down or unplug it, closing out all of your work, which has happened a few times for me. Usually, I just lean my laptop forward while I’m moving so to not bump the SSD.
The other thing is this one’s important: there is the potential for SSDs to crash and fail. One of the things about external SSDs is that they can crash from your PC and/or fail and corrupt. This is rare; I’ve experienced small crashes a few times where I just need to replug the device in and it works perfectly fine and I haven’t experienced any failures with the three I use nor any of my friends who I recommended this device to.
However, for your peace of mind, I suggest instead of purchasing one high-capacity external SanDisk SSD, get multiple smaller ones. That way if one ever fails you don’t lose everything, like the phrase “don’t put all of your eggs in one basket”.
My 5-Year Experience
Going to my experience with this device 5 years later, this is my personal Extreme SSD. I’ve used this one since I started college and for almost the entire time I’ve had no issues with it. Sometimes yes, I’d forget to safely remove the device which would essentially shock it I guess, and then it would take a second to reboot once I reattach it to my laptop, but nothing major.
Recently, like I stated in one of the two cons, having an external SSD that juts out can be prone to mishaps and I think I had one when I was sitting on the couch editing. I bumped into the device like I usually do but with a tiny bit more force. Now this thing has been dropped and tapped many times but this time it bruised. So now when I push the device too far down or let it dangle, it sometimes disconnects. This honestly might not even be due to the device itself; it’s probably the cable which is super easily fixable.
Final Thoughts
After 5 years, I’ve only had one issue with this thing due to my own human error and I still use this SSD just fine. Now I don’t let it dangle off my laptop and I treat it with way more care, but it’s still perfectly usable even after 5 years of college, going through rain, snow, drops, bumps, the whole nine yards; this thing has survived it all.
For you, I think this is a great option to consider for any device, not just Apple. I use one for my gaming laptop too and this one has been used to store, edit, and upload every YouTube video. It’s truly never failed me and I consider it to be a fantastic accessory. In my experience, it’s an incredibly durable and solid device, a must-have if you need to access more storage. I adore this thing.
I’ll keep you updated on the new one I just purchased, the Extreme Pro, and will let you know if there are any extreme changes. Before you buy one though, make sure to do your research on if this is the right SSD for you. so let me know in the comment section down below. My name is Cirus; it’s spelled like Cyrus but that’s like SE rooster, just take out the T. Thank you very much for reading and have a wonderful day.
