Joined in 2023 
82 
63 About this deal
We know that this drive has an SLC cache of 14GB, and so we assume that system caching represented the other 20GB until the PRO ran out of writing steam. One curiosity is that the drive can supposedly handle being dropped 3 metres, but in the fine print, that’s onto concrete covered in carpet. The carpet requirement seems to be something of an odd detail, as the world wasn’t fully carpeted when we looked last. And while it does both those things admirably, it also makes the unit heavy and unsuitable to put in a laptop bag with a computer. With its external PSU, sharp edges and multiple USB cables, this drive needs its own bag for carrying, and it isn’t that portable. On Crystal DiskMark, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive SSD came within striking distance of its rating, delivering 958MBps read and 961MBps write. Only two of our Gen 2 comparison drives exceeded their rated speeds—the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD V2, with 1,072MBps read and 1,044MBps write, and the WD My Passport SSD, which managed a read speed of 1,066MBps. (We tested its write speed at 954MBps.) And, worryingly, where SanDisk previously provided both USB-A and USB-C cables, the new design comes exclusively with a single USB-C cable.
Using the AJA Video Systems test, and a single 64GB file, the test started well enough with a write performance of greater than 2,000MB/s until it wrote around 34GB. As good as this sounds, the fastest drive in this range, the 22TB, has a maximum speed of 280MB/s, which doesn’t come close to exceeding the bandwidth of a Gen 1 interface. Making the Gen 2 interface a largely irrelevant change. That’s a cost reduction from the previous G-DRIVE Desktop design and dramatically cheaper than the PRO model that uses a Thunderbolt connection. In many respects, the My Book Duo looks like a better option than a single drive product, however well made it is or branded, unless you have supreme confidence that the drive won’t die or you’ve layered your disaster recovery plan to accept that possibility. What Western Digital also usually provides with its My Passport drives are some Windows software utilities that copy user files to the drive or install new firmware releases.
The SSD controller and the NAND Flash memory used are unknown; however, we’d assume that it shares some DNA with the SN530, Western Digital’s entry level NVMe platform. As a USB drive, these numbers are solid and equivalent to those that we’ve seen from the Crucial X8 and its like. There are faster USB drives that use the USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 standard, such as the PNY EliteX-PRO and Kingston XS2000. For those curious, Thunderbolt-connected SSDs can be three times these speeds, something to consider for those that have that port and can afford those drives. Therefore, for those with USB 3.0 (USB 3.2 Gen 1) ports, there is little point in purchasing this drive over cheaper options because you will never see its actual performance.
The G-Drive PRO has dual Thunderbolt 3 ports allowing you to daisy-chaining up to another 5 thunderbolt devices, keeping you connected to multiple drives, 4K displays, and more, through a single connection to your computer. For all your demanding workloads and mission-critical content, you can rely on the power and enhanced reliability of the 7200RPM Ultrastar ® enterprise-class hard drives inside. Having it made from metal might have made more sense if the enclosure was designed to be reused, but the maker doesn’t encourage that, confusingly.That they don’t include a USB-A to USB-C cable is a disappointment at this price, although most customers will probably have this item if they need it. Being able to read or write at these high levels is helpful for those that need to get on a plane or train or have other time pressures on them. G-Drive Pro has a solid, anodized aluminum enclosure. Not only does it look good but it offers robust protection for the Enterprise Class Drive inside.
Where this drive is better than the more expensive PRO-G40 is that it at least comes with both the USB cables most customers will need, and they are also a decent length. Overall, this is a very nicely engineered and constructed external drive that looks able to cope with abuse that might be expected to kill those external SSDs that are made mostly of plastic. There is a good selection of Thunderbolt-exclusive drives around that can deliver better than USB 3.2 levels of performance, so how does the PRO compare? With a premium, anodized aluminum enclosure, the G-DRIVE™ PRO pairs beautifully with your high-end computer and gives you durable strength you can feel.
As it comes pre-formatted for Apple APFS, Windows PC owners will need to understand how to use the Management Console and volume management to reformat the drive to a file system that Windows will understand. With dual Thunderbolt 3 ports, you can conveniently daisy-chaining for up to 5 additional devices, keeping you connected to multiple drives, 4K displays, and more, through a single connection to your computer. The G-Drive SSD comes with none of these, regrettably. We can only conclude that those who designed the G-Drive SSD assumed that it would be mostly Apple macOS users purchasing this drive, and they have Time Machine and don’t need any other tools.
Included in the box are two 50cm cables, one each for USB-C and USB-A connections, allowing it to be connected to most computers that support USB.
Thank you!
With no resilience against drive failure in this design, what you’re gambling on is the quality of the mechanism and data recovery if you pay the extra Western Digital wants each year for that potential safety net. However, the problem with quoting those numbers is that the PRO will only sustain those, or specifically the write performance over a short sprint. And for those wondering if this high pricing is Brexit related, it isn’t. The prices for this range in France are equally inflated, being €163.99,€264.99, €410.99 and €769.99. Once the write cache became saturated, the performance declined significantly to an average of 921MB/s when it hit the end of the 64GB file. For all your demanding workloads and mission-critical content, you can rely on the power and enhanced reliability of the Ultrastar™ enterprise-class 7200RPM hard drive inside.
Great Deal 
New Comment