Expert’s Rating
Pros
Cons
Our Verdict
If you like the concept of storing projects and backups on discrete media , it does n’t get any better - sounding or convenient than the Sandisk Pro - Blade Transport dockage and NVMe storage modules . That said , it ’s only 10Gbps on your Mac .
Best Prices Today: Sandisk Pro-Blade Transport
Although tape and optical medium seem quaint by today ’s standards , they had some huge advantages : cartridges and discs were removable , well movable , could be stored off - site , and rather than everything dumped into a unmarried repository , allow disjoined data sets to be physically isolated .
Those same advantage are leverage by Sandisk ’s Pro - Blade Transport : a slim , handsome USB dock that accepts even svelter NVMe SSD module .
The caveat for Mac users is that while the Pro - Blade Transport stomach 20Gbps USB 3.2 , current Macs only support 10Gbps USB 3.1 . Even those with USB4 are n’t compatible . This throttle the Transport system to 10Gbps on Macs . ( What ’s with that , Apple ? )
A 2TB Pro-Blade mag sitting in front of its dock. Note the the colors are far more similar than this photo makes it appear. My poor lighting skills.
SanDisk Professional Pro-Blade Transport: Features
With the major cats out of the travelling bag , I ’ll get into the specific of both the wharf and the module . The handsome , Type - C connected dock , a.k.a . Transport is approximately 5.1 - inch long , by 2.8 - in all-inclusive , by a little over 0.6 - inches gamy , and weighs in at a tad under 6 oz. .
There ’s a individual slim bay / port that accepts the “ Mags ” or NVMe modules , which evaluate 4.3 column inch long , by 1.1 inches extensive , by 0.3 in compact . There ’s a tiny , albeit still satisfying , mechanical “ thunk ” as they are seated or removed .
The Pro - Blade Mags SanDisk sent were initialise to APFS , which is a jumbo suggestion as to who the company is marketing this to . That makes it a moment of a stumper as to why they did n’t prefer for USB4 . Especially as there ’s a “ Pro ” in the name . Likely it was n’t available – we’ve only escort one USB4 SSD to date , OWC ’s excellent 1M2 .
A 2TB Pro-Blade mag sitting in front of its dock. Note the the colors are far more similar than this photo makes it appear. My poor lighting skills.
To be honest , turn over that Mac users are the target interview , I ’d guess a USB4 version might next . Just sayin ’ .
SanDisk Professional Pro-Blade Transport: Performance
The unforesightful sum for this plane section is , like a 10Gbps outside SSD or roughly 1 GB per second consecutive . But glib ballpark quotes are not why I get the bragging bucks so read on .
I prove the Pro - Blade Transport with 2 TB mags on an M1 Max Mac Studio via a Thunderbolt 4 / USB porthole with both AmorphousDiskMark and Blackmagic Design ’s Disk Speed Test and the results were as follow .
Disk Speed Test come back slightly lower numbers that AmorphousDiskMark , but they are right on target for this trial with 10Gbps USB SSDs .
While these are hardly shoddy numbers for external storage, if the Pro-Blade Transport’s and Mac’s USB protocols meshed properly, you’d get twice this performance. See the second image below for proof of that.
Just in case you wanted substantiation of what I ’ve been on about concerning 10Gbps versus 20Gbps , I ’ve also included one of the PCWorld exam results to show what the Pro - Blade Transport is in reality capable of .
If you want more information about the Pro - Blade Transport ’s performance under Windows , as well as some issues I experienced , read myPCWorld reexamination .
SanDisk Professional Pro-Blade Transport: Price
As I ab initio set out writing this , WD was offering the wharfage and module up for some rather tempt prices : $ 50 for the wharf and $ 120/$180/$300 for the 1TB/2TB/4 TB module . Far more appealing than the MSRP ’s of $ 70 , and $ 180/$300/$600 that they were at two weeks into this review . By the time I twist this in , they were back on discount . Go figure .
Some might be thinking , “ But Jon , you could simply use disjoined USB enclosure and meretricious NVMe SSDs to fulfill the same thing for a whole lot less than those MSRPs . ”
No argument from me . The Pro - Blade Transport ’s appeal is largely cosmetic and tactile , with a feeling of convenience thrown in . If that ’s what you want , give for it . Otherwise , roll your own or wait until they go back on sale , then buy in up .
These numbers are on par for a 10Gbs USB SSD tested on Disk Speed.
mark that there were mickle far nigher to WD ’s sale priceson Amazonduring the entire review unconscious process .
Should you buy the SanDisk Professional Pro-Blade Transport?
The resolution to the purchase dilemma my friends , depends completely what you appraise . I love the look of the Pro - Blade Transport as it sits on my Mac Studio ; the fulfil picayune thunk as I insert or remove a module ; and the way said modules look and line up nicely when salt away . I also find it generally fast enough for everyday work even at 10Gbps half - amphetamine .
At full price , you ’re give a rather significant premium for what are fundamentally aliveness ’s little pleasures , so take care for a mass . Fair warning , reckon on your personality , it might continue annoying that you ca n’t use the Pro - Blade Transport at full speed on a Mac . Blame Sandisk , blame Apple , blame the USB forum .
get hold out how the SanDisk Professional Pro - Blade liken to otherSSDs for Macin our stave up of the dependable .
Yup. On an honest to goodness USB 3.2 20Gbps port, you could get twice the performance out of the Pro-Blade Transport as you do on even the latest Macs.
