SanDisk has announced a new lineup of portable SSDs, designed for ever-growing storage demands, whether it’s for content creation, professional workflows, or simple day-to-day file backups. The new range offers up to 8TB of storage capacity, along with speeds that go well beyond those of typical external SSDs.
The portfolio includes three main models: Portable SSD, Extreme Portable SSD, and Extreme Pro Portable SSD, each available in multiple capacities. All of them feature a durable build designed to withstand drops, with the higher-tier Extreme and Extreme Pro options able to resist 3m drops and water spills, earning them an IP65 rating.
SanDisk Portable SSD (V3)
Designed for students and office workers, the Portable SSD focuses on providing reliable on-the-go storage for everyday use. It aims to offer a convenient and simple way to back up files, store personal photos and videos, or transfer data from one device to another, in a compact, easy-to-carry format. This model will be available in 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB capacities, reaching speeds up to 1,000MB/s. From personal experience, this is fast enough for most home users, and even sufficient to be used as a permanent extension of your PC’s storage, as it’s even faster than a SATA SSD.
SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (V3)
Going up a notch, the Extreme Portable SSD is made for creatives and enthusiasts looking to store high-quality images and video, or any type of large files. It takes the regular Portable SSD and expands it to higher capacities and speeds, helping you focus on creativity instead of watching transfer bars filling up. To do so, the Extreme Portable SSD gives you a choice between 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, all capable of hitting up to 2,000MB/s. Furthermore, if you work with sensitive data or simply like to protect your work, you can enable 256-bit AES encryption with password protection.
SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD (V3)
The Extreme Pro Portable SSD sits at the top, designed for professional photographers, filmmakers, and designers who run multi-stream workflows or edit directly from their SSD. It offers the strongest combinations of capability and speed in the range, with a choice between 2TB, 4TB, and 8TB options, each reaching up to 4,000MB/s read and 3,800MB/s write speeds. Note that in order to take full advantage of these speeds, you will need a USB 4 40Gb/s port on your PC, as using USB 3.2 Gen2x2 or a slower connection will limit the SSD’s potential. This model also features 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
“As photo and video resolutions continue to increase and AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, users at every level are managing more data across a wider range of devices and environments,” said Susan Park, Vice President of Consumer Products at SanDisk. “With nearly double the speed and a purpose-built, pocket-sized design, our latest portable SSD portfolio can move massive files blazing fast, keeping creativity in motion and under control.”
Now the question is, will these new drives be reliable, or will they suffer from the same issues as their predecessors? As a reminder, the previous generation of SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSDs suffered from sudden data loss and drive failures. The situation was serious enough to trigger community outrage and even lawsuits. Understandably, this eroded confidence among professionals who depend on their SSD’s reliability to keep data safe, with many starting to question the brand’s validation procedures, firmware maturity, and quality control.
Following its separation from Western Digital, the brand shifted its attention to the high-value data centre segment. As a result, SanDisk saw a significant surge in its stock price, fuelled by booming demand for NAND storage. The rally was strong enough that some started speculating whether SanDisk could become the next Nvidia. The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD (V3) lineup will be available globally in the second half of 2026, although only a smattering of prices have been revealed so far, with the Extreme Portable SSD set to cost $259.99 for the 1TB drive, $259.99 for 2TB and $919.99 for 4TB.
SanDisk Portable SSDs will be backed by a three-year warranty, while SanDisk Extreme Portable and SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSDs enjoy a five-year warranty.
