The Fastest External SSD For Mac: San Disk Pro G40 4TB Thunderbolt 3 SSD Review

This is the best external SSD for video editors. Mac users need to be using Thunderbolt 3 or Thunderbolt 4 SSDs in order to get the top speeds with external SSDs. In this video we review the Sandisk Pro G40 4TB external SSD, do speed tests and talk about why this hard drive is worth the expensive price tag.
1 TB Pro G40 : geni.us/1PSKLe
2 TB Pro G40: geni.us/TXJ3v
4 TB Pro G40: geni.us/vqvBf4
Extreme SSD (Slower than this one): geni.us/9Dq8WNW
My Filmmaking Kit:
A7IV: geni.us/72r3r
Cage: geni.us/N3ayY
Audio Top Handle: geni.us/hmbImGS
Top Handle Plate: geni.us/rAFsan
Top Handle Extender: geni.us/PWVEUdC
Comica Wireless Shotgun Microphone: geni.us/VMqp
Wireless Microphone: geni.us/MtzKXN9 (Amazon)
Audio Technica AT875R: geni.us/XkpHW5
XLR Cable: geni.us/6r9FY9X
Microphone Spacers: geni.us/gzxeuW6
Side Handle: geni.us/QvAUUy
Camera Monitor: geni.us/OKq2DAP
Nato Monitor Mount: geni.us/rAFsan
HDMI Cable: geni.us/y5Hr
Sony 35mm 1.8 Lens: geni.us/5qDi
Sony 24mm 1.4 GM Lens: geni.us/aij2sTV
Tamron 28-75 F2.8 (G1): geni.us/m7VD (Amazon)
Sigma 105mm Macro F2.8: geni.us/NvQb
Lights I like
Govee Lyra Floor Lamp: geni.us/nK0ALR
Nanlite T87X Tube Light: geni.us/QBczAZ
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[@spelisha]

bro - this is a great channel, SUCH A GOOD EXPLANATION, on point man, this should have hundreds of thousands of views

[@adamtalkstech]

Thank you!

[@FilmEngineer77]

Thank you for your review of our Pro-G40.

[@adamtalkstech]

Thank you for watching! I'm sending you an email here in a second.

[@renegadeeats]

I’ve been looking everywhere for an explanation on this SSD thunderbolt is so confusing! Thank you!😅

[@adamtalkstech]

It’s a confusing world of usb and thunderbolt. Do you have any other questions on them??

[@simlinestudios7062]

Dude such a good review thanks!

[@Stealthman42]

Thanks for the review! Great job!

[@adamtalkstech]

Thanks for watching!!

[@marckyokay]

Appreciate your content and insights! Subscribed!

[@adamtalkstech]

Welcome aboard!

[@walth9092]

I just purchased the sandisk Extreme Go portable 4TB SSD, and am wondering if it will handle a Superior Drummer 3 program 2.3TB program. I have a Mac mini M2Pro 32gb memory.

[@Jordan_Belfor]

Nice video! I have a good question what about SLC cash (NAND) -? After how many gigabytes the speed is getting down ??

[@danielfonta4879]

Amazing video brother, love it

[@adamtalkstech]

Thanks for the visit

[@edjerle]

Excellent review sir 👏🏽👏🏽

[@adamtalkstech]

Thanks for watching!!

[@daviddehaas-i7y]

does it work on usb A ports with a usb C to usb A cable?

[@gb4639]

nicely presented, thank you.

[@adamtalkstech]

You are welcome! Thanks for watching

[@alxcarro]

Great review

[@adamtalkstech]

Thanks for watching!!

[@AA-kj4ic]

It would be great if a tear down video can be made, what's important is really what NVME is used inside and what the controller chip is used.

[@adamtalkstech]

Hey the NVME is a WD Black SN750E. Not sure about what the controller is for it.

[@ilovescama]

Does it work with android ?

[@alirm1802]

thank you for your information

[@adamtalkstech]

You are welcome

[@bluegemphotos1614]

Great review! One thing I would've like to see was a full-on side to side size comparison on all sides. I have an extreme pro that fits snug into my SSD holder on top of my BMPCC. I'm afraid the G40 may not fit.

[@adamtalkstech]

I’ll send you a still. The g40 is bigger every direction.

[@adamtalkstech]

Hey sorry for the delay on this. Here's a few photos I took: drive.google.com/drive/folders/1kd7Ub4pJFindIfvPo97G3tSGUI9Icmnt?usp=share_link

[@bluegemphotos1614]

@@adamtalkstech fantastic. Thanks! Now I know for sure I’ll need a bigger holster.

[@Dgdrew]

Hello Adam, I just got my mbp m2pro and Im thinking of buying an SSD, is the extreme pro's transfer speed enough? or will I notice using the difference when using San Disk Pro G40? Im planning on gaming and putting my steam files to the SSD.

[@adamtalkstech]

Depends what the games need to play efficiently. I’m not a gamer but this drive is designed to be used for long periods Of time with no issues

[@kinocchio]

I have 2 silly questions. Will this work if connected to iPad Pro and does the cable need to be thunderbolt 3 cable or will any usb-c cable do? Thanks!

[@AussieAdventurer]

I have the same question 🙋‍♂️

[@Mr.Mahalo_808]

I know this is a older video, but I’m looking to pick up a 4TB for my newly acquired MacBook Pro. However I wanna load some of my files from my PC with this drive and move it to my Mac, will there be any issues with doing that?

[@adamtalkstech]

you just will need format this in exfat. I believe it comes in apfs stock. This drive is awesome and you will love it.

[@Coldgecko]

I just bought one because it has the IP68 case and I travel for photography is crappy places... But I keep reading online about issues with the drive... Any insight?

[@adamtalkstech]

Still rocking it loving it. I talked to a contact at San Disk pro and they deny any issues.

[@raupavaldes5382]

Hii, please, recently i have this ssd disk, but my 2015 old Macbook pro Retina tells me that is not enough power to run this accessory (don't understand)... recently discover that doesn't work for shoot on Iphone 15 pro Max... do you have any advice to me?... I'm very sad for that

[@jeremias.lindner]

That because they don’t have thunderbolt 3 port to read the ssd

[@UdegbunamChuks]

Will have to save up for this if the Samsung T7 Shield doesn't measure up 😊 Thanks for the review 👌🏾

[@adamtalkstech]

Thanks for watching! Subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any upcoming content!

[@UdegbunamChuks]

@@adamtalkstech Done 👌🏾😊

[@Jeffronomicon]

Is this drive good for running a steam library game on a base model m1 Mac mini from 2020?

[@adamtalkstech]

Yes would be a great choice for that!

[@kendrickjarias]

hello 👋 how do I know if I have thunderbolt compatibility ? I bought my MacBook Pro in 2021, it just has 2 USB C ports, that's it and a headphone jack

[@adamtalkstech]

Yes that one has Thunderbolt ports. You can always go to about your mac and it should tell you the specs from one of those menus

[@Sam-nb1rm]

1. I have exactly the same motive of purchase with you 2. I don't want to buy the overcharged built-in SSD upgrade from Mac 3. Like you, I use Apple products mostly 4. I need a fast external SSD 5. I want something more than a Samsung T7 This video is EXACTLY what I wanted and directly solves my concerns! Thanks a lot and you earned a sub! Just one more thing, does it work as well as in iPad Pro? I mean I do use MacBook but iPad Pro is for my daily use. Thanks! Also the editing is great and professional❤😊

[@adamtalkstech]

Thank you so much!!! I just use iPad pro for typing notes, so I"m not really sure. I'm all MacBook for video editing/photo editing stuff.

[@Sam-nb1rm]

@@adamtalkstech Thanks for the reply! Anyways, I just bought the SSD last night after watching your videos 😄 I'm ready to switch to MacBook for my work. Cheers!

[@justadropable]

Have Macbook 16" 2021, will this work in thunderbolt 3 speeds out of the box?

[@adamtalkstech]

Yes! Works great with thunderbolt 3 and 4. Super fast and still loving it.

[@shootingquarterly]

Will it perform at top speed if it is connected to a satechi adapter on MBpro M2?

[@adamtalkstech]

As long as it’s a thunderbolt port this is plugged into

[@chandranaraparaju]

Hi, is it good to use as an external ssd to load virtual machines from ssd and have sustain speeds? Does this has any advantage over T7 for this purpose?

[@adamtalkstech]

This drive is designed for good sustained performance and it uses thunderbolt to offer top speeds if you have those ports available. Virtual machines will be better from a built in mac drive, but this is the next best thing

[@chandranaraparaju]

@@adamtalkstech thank you Adam.

[@TheFandangovideoguy]

my Sandisk extreme SSDs would get extremely hot...I stopped using them and went the Samsung way but I can see that this pro G40 may be different. For sure faster..half as fast as the SSD inside my m1pro mbp...but does it overheat? Really much better for video editing than the SamsungT7s? I need to edit on the go with my laptop...nothing too extreme but 4 k 60 fps mostly from Sony FX30. Would a crucial X9pro be fast enough? I can't use the T9 or Crucial X10pro- I guess this Sandisk with Thunderbolt 3 is the way to get the most out of my m1pro...is this the only brand? Thanks

[@adamtalkstech]

Just now saw this comment after your other one… yes this is the one I would get. The x9 pro is nice and compact but the g40,is meant for sustained workloads and the thunderbolt interface is how to take advantage of your Mac and the ssds top speeds

[@erickperdomo277]

@@adamtalkstechsorry for the multiple comments. Ok. So far editing on the go with samsung T7 has been ok but i was hoping to do better with faster usb-c ssds, but i can see now that we mac users must still pay more for faster drives! Ok. As long as the sandisk doesnt get overly hot im ok. For comparison, are there any other thunderbolt 3 ssds for video editing? Thanks

[@trexpeditiongotravel]

Hello, I have the 2TB SSD. I use a 16” Macbook pro M2, have you had issues of the drive “hanging-up” when not using it for sometime?

[@adamtalkstech]

No, but I typically eject drives when I'm not using them.

[@trexpeditiongotravel]

@@adamtalkstech I should start doing that! LOL!! Thanks!

[@clarrisse813]

Greetings from Germany, I need advice on SSD, I just bought Mac and not sure which brand of SSD I need to buy if I'd like to use both for Mac and Windows? Thank you

[@adamtalkstech]

Still get the Pro G40, just format it for EXFAT instead of APFS

[@moesabry]

Would it work with USB-A 3.2 gen 2 or it has to be USB-C 3.2 gen 2?

[@adamtalkstech]

I would've thought USB A Would work but none of the cords I just tested it with worked using USB A. I may have the wrong cords though. I used the USB C To USB C that came with my San Disk Extreme Portable and the USB A Adapter for it and no luck on my Thunderbolt 4 dock. Just kept getting "Accessory needs more power" So I guess the answer is no USB A support.

[@johnchristiancaldwell4403]

Thank you for your discussion. Trusting APFS format makes sense for M3 Max MBP?

[@adamtalkstech]

Yeah apfs will be the best but exfat gets close

[@johnchristiancaldwell4403]

@@adamtalkstech Thank you. Is it the case that a 'Thunderbolt 4-capable' cable should be used with a Thunderbolt 4 machine to harness full read and write speeds? Thanks again, Adam. John-

[@adamtalkstech]

Nope, thunderbolt 3 cable is just fine :)

[@johnchristiancaldwell4403]

@@adamtalkstech Thank you

[@imichael.]

Do you think the performance is the same if all data in the drive is in an encrypted volume? Anything portable needs to be encrypted.

[@adamtalkstech]

Encrypted slows things down by about 10% usually.

[@MrMoviePhoneEx]

Quick Note - I think HFS+ is actually faster than APFS, just not as secure as the new standard. I run a combo of APFS and HFS+ drives all the time and the new standard with their extra security always runs just a bit slower.

[@adamtalkstech]

Interesting, I haven't tried HFS on any of these drives since Apple recomends APFS now.

[@phengchaokhio4904]

So would I be able to play games straight from the ssd on a MacBook?

[@adamtalkstech]

Absolutely! This would be one of the b best options for that

[@phengchaokhio4904]

@@adamtalkstech thank you for the quick reply I really appreciate it. I needed to know right away haha.

[@NickPage]

bought one .. failed after a month and a half... ugh. I wont be buying another

[@adamtalkstech]

Ugh sorry. Maybe a lemon? But that is frustrating.

[@nikelau10]

Also disappointed here. Speed was as advertised. But it will freeze the system (both Apple and windows) until you unplug it. Returning to Amazon. Not quite a Pro SSD.

[@krishaanmodi5769]

THE problem​ with wd SSDs@@adamtalkstech

[@sniperv]

Purchased a 2TB version on 07/02/24 based on this review and overlooked the recent troubles SanDisk was going through with SSD and specifically the Extreme models. Drive failed on me 07/10/24. The drive is seems nicely made exterior construction wise and it was very fast but not for long. Also have a friend who currently has a 4TB for a few months and disconnects and freezes up often. I do not recommend and lesson learned.

[@adamtalkstech]

Sorry to hear that. Mine is still working fine 🤷‍♀️

[@adamtalkstech]

Also definitely reach out to San disk professional and let them know. If they don’t make it right let me know and I will reach out to my contacts there

[@sniperv]

@@adamtalkstech From SD: Please accept my sincere apologies to inform you that the drive got corrupt and we will try need to reformat it but the process is data destructive. As you have important data in the drive, I would recommend you to contact third party data recovery services in order to recover the data first.

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

Does the g40 suffer from the issue that the extreme pro was? The one where they would just go dead

[@adamtalkstech]

Not that I am aware of. I haven't had that issue with the extreme pro but I have heard there were bad batches of those.

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

@@adamtalkstech thanks for the reply

[@Sochanus]

The latest news is that it does suffer from the same issue

[@Lucy-dk5cz]

@@Sochanus thanks

[@adamtalkstech]

​@@Sochanus Read my latest response

[@ifyubzy]

Hey bro is this portable? was thinking of getting the LaCie's now from apple now that I've heard the bad news about the T90's true performance on 2021 MacPro... but now I've seen this I think ill go for this on Black Friday (hopefully they go on sale on the WD website), I already know Apple doesn't celebrate black Friday🤣💀

[@adamtalkstech]

Very portable. These are newer than the lacie. Lacie one has been hard to come by.

[@joaoramos32]

Did you end up getting it? I was able to get a 4TB one for 299€ on Amazon during Black Friday. Probably one of the best purchases of the year for me

[@ImDeathSpank]

I've been searching for a new external SSD and came across your video, among others, suggesting that the fastest external Thunderbolt 4/USB4 SSD seems to be a DIY solution involving an NVME SSD with a TB4 enclosure, as demonstrated in a video at a specific timestamp - kzbin.info/www/bejne/qYecdneBmJqtps0. The benchmarks indicate write speeds of 2.5k-2.7k in both videos, yours and the one above, but real-world tests show the SanDisk taking 4.5 minutes for 452Gb, whereas the custom-built SSD completed in 2m53s for 491Gb. @adam-talks-tech, do you think constructing one myself is more beneficial than purchasing the SanDisk model?

[@adamtalkstech]

I haven't built one, but I would be worried about heat buildup and how well it would perform overtime. The G40 is rock solid even under sustained workload.

[@ImDeathSpank]

​@@adamtalkstech, thank you for the prompt response and update. I'm just curious to know how the G40 compares to other 4TB brands like WD Black, Seagate, or Samsung PCI-E 4.0, that's the reason behind my question

[@adamtalkstech]

Right on, it has a WD Black in it.@@ImDeathSpank

[@DJShellingz]

so basically if i buy a thunderbold 4 wire i can get full potential of the fastest external

[@adamtalkstech]

Thunderbolt 3 cable that's included is the same speed as if you would buy a thunderbolt 4 cable.

[@PaulGrantDesigns]

What good is a 5 yr warranty if all it covers is drive replacement? Don't trust your data to SanDisk.

[@adamtalkstech]

Great question.

[@uonadtehrrocks]

Damn... So I do need to spend the extra $100, thanks lmao

[@adamtalkstech]

Yes you do :)

[@PaulGrantDesigns]

I've had so many SanDisk fails, I will never trust them again. Stick with Samsung.

[@adamtalkstech]

All companies have drive failures. Sorry you’ve had issue with San disk.

[@FujiXH1]

Expensive and not the fastest. you're wrong

[@adamtalkstech]

What is the fastest and cheaper then?a thunderbolt enclosure + a 4TB NVME is still about $400 Also as of the time of filming this video it was the fastest.