SanDisk today launched its most rugged portable SSD yet, which will survive being immersed in water, dropped from height, and crushed.
The Pro-G40 SSD is referred to as "ultra-rugged" due to its IP68 dust/water resistance rating. It can also handle 4,000lb of crush resistance, and drops of up to 3 meters without your data being at risk. The NVMe SSD contained inside is combined with an aluminum core to pull away heat and a "pro-grade" enclosure for protection.
Dual-mode compatibility allows the Pro-G40 to be accessed using either a Thunderbolt 3 40Gbps connection, or a USB 3.2 Gen 2 10Gbps connection through a single port. SanDisk includes a cable that supports both interfaces so connecting it should never prove problematic.
In terms of data transfer speeds, you can expect to achieve up to 2,700MB/s reads and 1,900MB/s writes using Thunderbolt 3, and 1,050MB/s reads and 1,000MB/s writes using USB 3.2 Gen 2.
The Pro-G40 SSD is available to order now direct from Western Digital in either 1TB or 2TB capacities and measures 4.37-by-2.28-by-0.47 inches. Delivery time is estimated at up to four weeks for both portable drives, though. The 1TB model costs $299.99, while the larger 2TB model is $449.99. Both drives will work with Windows 10/11 and macOS 10.13+ and include a five-year limited warranty.