SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB Review: Speed, Ruggedness and the 2023 Firmware Issue

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB is rated for 1050MB/s reads, IP65 and 3m drops. Here is what the specs, published reviews and the 2023 firmware reports mean for buyers in India.

By Gadget Soch·17 Oct 2026·Updated 19 Oct 2026·10 min read

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB is a pocket-sized external NVMe drive rated by SanDisk for up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write over USB 3.2 Gen 2, with IP65 water and dust resistance and up to 3-metre drop protection. For photographers, video creators, students and laptop users in India who need fast, rugged backup storage, it is one of the most sensible 1TB portable SSDs to consider, provided you connect it to a 10Gbps USB port and keep a second copy of anything important.

That last point matters here. In 2023, several publications reported data-loss complaints involving some SanDisk Extreme-series portable SSDs, and Western Digital (SanDisk’s parent company at the time) released a firmware update. We cover what was officially said below.

How this review was put together: this article is based on SanDisk’s official product information and published reviews from independent outlets, checked on 17 October 2026. It is not a hands-on test, and we do not quote any speed figure that a named source did not publish.

Quick verdict

Best for: photographers and videographers offloading cards on the move, laptop users who need fast external storage, and anyone who wants a drive that can survive rain and the occasional fall
Skip if: your laptop or desktop only has 5Gbps USB ports, or you need more than about 1,000MB/s, in which case a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt drive makes more sense
Key strengths: rated 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write, IP65 rating, up to 3m drop protection, 256-bit AES hardware encryption, USB-C with a USB-A adapter in the box, and a 5-year limited warranty
Key limitations: top speed needs a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port, the bundled cable is short, and the 2023 firmware and data-loss reports mean you should update firmware and never treat it as your only copy

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD key specs at a glance — SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD key specifications, summarised from the table in this review.

Specification	SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB
Capacity (this listing)	1TB (the drive is also sold in 500GB, 2TB, 4TB and 8TB)
Rated read speed	Up to 1050MB/s
Rated write speed	Up to 1000MB/s
Interface	USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps), USB-C port on the drive
Storage type	NVMe solid-state
Water and dust	IP65
Drop protection	Up to 3 metres
Encryption	256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection
In the box	Drive, USB-C to USB-C cable, USB-C to USB-A adapter
Dimensions	About 100 x 53 x 10 mm (retailer spec sheet)
Operating temperature	0 to 45 degrees C
Model family	SDSSDE61 (1TB black is SDSSDE61-1T00-G25)
Warranty	5-year limited (per SanDisk and the Amazon listing title)

The Amazon.in listing behind our link is titled for the 1TB model with 1050MB/s read, 1000MB/s write, 3m drop protection, IP65 and a 5-year warranty. Amazon sometimes shows a default colour or capacity first, so confirm that 1TB is selected before you order. Check the current price of the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB on Amazon.in.

What 1050MB/s actually means for your files

SanDisk’s speed claim is for sequential transfers, which is the kind of work you do when you copy large video clips, RAW photo folders or a disk image. At roughly 1GB per second, moving a 50GB folder of 4K footage is a matter of a minute or so in ideal conditions, compared with several minutes on a typical portable hard drive.

Independent tests from the drive’s launch period line up with the rating. StorageReview tested the 1TB V2 model in September 2020 and recorded 920.6MB/s read and 950.4MB/s write in Blackmagic Disk Speed Test, and about 1.04GB/s read and 1.02GB/s write in a four-thread IOMeter sequential test. Tech Advisor, reviewing the 1TB model in December 2020, reported 1,027MB/s read and 958MB/s write in CrystalDiskMark.

The catch is your port. These numbers need a USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) connection. Tech Advisor pointed out that on a computer without Gen 2 ports, the drive is no faster than SanDisk’s older 550MB/s Extreme model. Many budget laptops label their ports only as “USB 3.2” or “USB-C”, so check your laptop’s spec sheet for “10Gbps” or “Gen 2” before paying for this level of speed. If you are pairing the drive with a new machine, such as the Lenovo LOQ Ryzen 7 RTX 4050, look up the exact USB port specification of that configuration first.

The 2023 data-loss reports and SanDisk firmware: what was officially said

In mid-2023, users and several technology publications reported that some SanDisk Extreme-series portable SSDs were disconnecting, becoming unreadable or losing data. Here is what the reliable record shows, without speculation.

Western Digital’s firmware notice: Western Digital’s support page says a firmware issue “can cause” the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2, SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD V2 and WD My Passport SSD to unexpectedly disconnect from a computer, offers a firmware updater for Windows and macOS, and recommends updating affected devices.
Models named in May 2023: according to The Register, the May 2023 firmware update covered specific models including the SanDisk Extreme Portable 4TB (SDSSDE61-4T00) and Extreme Pro Portable 1TB, 2TB and 4TB units, plus the WD My Passport 4TB. The 1TB Extreme Portable sold on this listing was not in that named list.
The lawsuit: The Register reported that a proposed class action was filed in San Jose, California, on 15 August 2023, alleging a defect across Extreme, Extreme Pro and My Passport SSDs that persisted after updates. These are allegations by the plaintiffs, not findings.
Hardware or firmware? Blocks and Files reported in November 2023 that Western Digital said it had fixed the problem with a firmware update and did not believe hardware issues played a role, while a managing director of data-recovery firm Attingo argued the cause was a hardware design weakness.

What does that mean for a buyer in 2026? We could not find an official statement that every unit is affected, and Western Digital’s own position was that a firmware update addressed the issue. We also did not find a final court outcome in the sources we checked, so we are not reporting one. The practical advice is simple: when your drive arrives, run SanDisk or Western Digital’s firmware update tool to see whether your unit needs an update, and keep at least one other copy of anything you cannot afford to lose.

Built for bags, rain and dusty shoots

SanDisk rates the current Extreme Portable SSD at IP65, meaning it is dust-tight and protected against water jets. That covers rain at an outdoor shoot or a spilled glass of water, but it is not a rating for submersion, so do not take it swimming.

The drop rating is up to three metres. Early 2020 reviews of the V2, including StorageReview’s, listed IP55 and a two-metre drop rating, so SanDisk’s current product page reflects an upgraded rating. If ruggedness is a deciding factor, check the box or listing for the IP65 and 3m marking. B&H’s spec sheet notes the drop figure is marked “unrated” in its own table, so treat it as protection against everyday accidents rather than a guarantee.

The body is small, about 10 x 5.3 x 1 cm according to B&H’s spec sheet, and StorageReview pointed to the lanyard hole as a practical touch for clipping it to a camera bag. Tech Advisor did flag that the included USB-C cable is short, at about 20cm, which keeps clutter down but can be awkward with desktop towers.

Compatibility with laptops, Macs and phones

The drive connects through USB-C, and SanDisk includes a USB-C to USB-A adapter, so it works with older laptops and desktops as well as newer USB-C machines. SanDisk says it has been tested with the iPhone 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, and the Amazon listing describes it as compatible with PC, Mac and Type-C smartphones.

B&H’s listing adds an important caveat for iPhone users: it states the drive does not support ProRes video recording on the iPhone 15 Pro. If direct-to-drive ProRes recording is your reason for buying, look elsewhere. For moving photos off a camera such as the Canon EOS R50 via a laptop, it is a natural companion.

Security: hardware encryption

SanDisk includes password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption on this V2 model, a feature Tech Advisor noted was new to the range. If you carry client files, set a password, and remember that a forgotten password effectively locks you out of the data.

Who should buy it, and who should skip it

Who should buy the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD — Who the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD suits, summarised from this review.

Buy it if you want a compact, rugged 1TB drive for fast backups, photo and video offloads, or carrying large project folders between a work laptop and home PC, and your computer has a 10Gbps USB port. Its five-year limited warranty is also longer than the three years Samsung lists for the T7 Shield.

Skip it if your computer only has 5Gbps ports and you do not plan to upgrade soon, because a less expensive drive may perform about the same on that port. And skip it if you want one drive to be your only copy of important work, because no SSD should play that role.

Alternatives worth comparing

Samsung T7 Shield: Samsung India lists up to 1,050MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write over USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 and up to 3m drop resistance, with a 3-year warranty, so it matches this SanDisk on speed and ruggedness but with a shorter warranty.
Crucial X9 Pro: rated up to 1050MB/s read and write over USB 3.2 Gen 2, with IP55 and 2m drop protection according to Amateur Photographer’s review, which gave it a Recommended badge. It ships with a USB-C to USB-C cable only.
SanDisk Extreme PRO Portable SSD: SanDisk rates it up to 2000MB/s read and write over USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, with IP65 and 3m drop protection, but you only get that speed from a Gen 2×2 port, which many laptops lack.

What to check before you order

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD buying checklist — What to check before you buy the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD.

Confirm the capacity selector shows 1TB and note the colour you are actually ordering, since the listing may default to another variant.
Check that the seller is Amazon or an authorised seller so the 5-year limited warranty is honoured in India, and keep the invoice.
Check your laptop’s USB port speed. You need USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) or faster to reach the rated speeds.
Make sure the box includes the USB-C to USB-C cable and the USB-C to USB-A adapter.
After unboxing, run the official firmware update tool and register the drive.
Plan your backup routine: keep a second copy on another drive or in cloud storage.

If those boxes are ticked, see the SanDisk Extreme 1TB Portable SSD listing on Amazon.in and confirm the variant before checkout.

Frequently asked questions

Is the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB safe to buy after the 2023 data-loss reports?

Western Digital said a firmware update addressed the issue, and the models it named in May 2023 did not include the 1TB Extreme Portable. A 2023 lawsuit alleged a wider problem, while Western Digital said it did not believe hardware issues played a role. Update the firmware when you receive the drive and always keep a second backup.

Will I get 1050MB/s on my laptop?

Only if the port supports USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10Gbps) or faster. On a 5Gbps port, speeds will be limited by the port, as Tech Advisor noted in its review.

Is it waterproof?

It is rated IP65, which means dust-tight and protected against water jets. It is water-resistant, not designed to be submerged.

Does it work with Android phones and iPhones?

SanDisk says it is tested with the iPhone 15 Plus, 15 Pro and 15 Pro Max, and the listing describes Type-C smartphone compatibility. B&H states it does not support ProRes recording on the iPhone 15 Pro.

What warranty does it have in India?

SanDisk lists a 5-year limited warranty, and the Amazon.in listing title also mentions five years. Buy from an authorised seller and keep the invoice.

Final word

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB offers published test results close to its 1,000MB/s-class rating, IP65 protection and a long warranty. Pair it with a 10Gbps port, update its firmware, and keep a second copy of your data. Check the current price of the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 1TB on Amazon.in.