The SanDisk Desk Drive isn’t very portable compared to other external SSDs, but then again, most other external SSDs aren’t stable, high-capacity backup solutions that offer an experience usually reserved for a NAS setup. This desktop drive is, however, and that’s why it stands out from most other external SSDs.
SanDisk (i.e. Western Digital) is not targeting the popular portable SSD target market with this product. No, it is intended for those who need a wide range of reliable external storage for their desktop computer. And it does exceptionally well in this department.
A desktop drive works well as a backup drive. That’s probably why SanDisk is available Acronis True Image backup software, which can be downloaded from the link in the QR code on the packaging or from the link to the executable file on disk.
In other words, for an external drive, it’s as far away as you can get from something like the TeamGroup PD20, as it’s more of a “desktop” drive than a portable drive. It’s a powerful puck that should stay on your desk, plugged in and turned on. I mean, it’s in the name, right? “Desk To lead.”
SanDisk desktop drive specifications
Capacity: 4TB / 8TB (tested)
USB Generation: 3.2 generation 2×1
Rated Performance: 1000 MB/s (read) / 900 MB/s (write)
Flash memory: 3D NAND
Price: $630 / 600 pounds
It’s priced at $630 for the 8TB version, but it’s a powerful, high-capacity drive. Most external SSDs have a maximum capacity of 4TB – because really, who uses more on a portable drive?
The answer to this question, as stated, is for those looking for a backup solution. And therefore no Just mean full system backups, although this is one good exploit case. I’m also talking about editors and content creators who want to back up all their media and projects. And also those who have a huge game library and want to keep copies of their games or even run games on an external SSD.
I probably shouldn’t overestimate the size and weight of the SanDisk Desk Drive either, lest it give the impression that it’s completely unwieldy. It’s certainly diminutive and featherlight enough to be carried around in a backpack without any problems, just don’t expect anything like a flash drive with a keychain. Note that you will also need to carry the power brick.
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Now, what could you possibly want in a backup solution and does Desk Drive cover these basics? Well, it certainly has enough capacity. Reliability is probably the most crucial thing, though, which is probably why SanDisk designed this drive for external power rather than USB. This should mean there’s less risk of something going wrong if the USB connection fails.
Yes, this means that it must be plugged into a socket (incl 2024? I know), but with this drive I have to take my mind off the portable way of thinking and focus on a semi-permanent addition to my desk. Which isn’t such a bad thing, because it actually looks quite impressive sitting on my desk.
You can also expect that it should provide consistent transfer speeds, and in this regard, the Desk Drive does not disappoint. During my testing, I found that the SanDisk Desk Drive offered the most consistent speeds of all the drives I tested. Just look how sleek that line is in the IOMeter test – it’s almost completely straight!
The Desk Drive achieved an almost impossibly consistent transfer speed of 930-935 MB/s – which, I might add, is actually 30 MB faster than its rated write speed. This persisted for the entire 30 minutes I ran it through, although I cut the last 15 minutes off the chart so it would compare nicely with others I tested.
At this speed, you can expect to backup over 800GB of data every 15 minutes, or well over 3TB of data every hour. Yes, most newer drives (USB 3.2 Gen 2×2) can be faster in diminutive bursts, but if you’re using it for the long haul, the Desk Drive will get you there faster. For example, while Adata SD810 performs transfers up to 260 GB much faster, it slows down significantly after that. The SD810 won’t even handle 400GB in 15 minutes, and then, with a transfer rate of just 150MB/s, this discrepancy will only get worse.
The desktop drive’s main competition on this front is the Samsung T9, which I found in my tests to achieve slightly faster sustained transfer speeds overall and a gigantic boost within the first minute or two. However, the T9 has a maximum capacity of 4TB and is powered by USB. It’s a choice between a more classic portable drive with slightly better transfer performance or a more capacious, externally powered drive.
What may tip the scales in favor of the Desk Drive is its gaming performance. During my testing, I was very surprised to find that in the gaming department it beats not only USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 drives like the Crucial X9, but also powerful Gen 2×2 drives like the SD810 and premium drives like the T9. I first noticed this when I noticed that the CrystalDiskMark 7 RND4k Q1T1’s read speeds were ahead of other drives, and I later discovered that this translated into game drops in the 3DMark Storage and FFXIV benchmarks.
Buy if…
✅ You need a lot of reliable storage: If you’re backing up your entire system, storing crucial media for professional exploit, or keeping a huge game library off-system, this SSD will be perfect.
Don’t buy if…
❌ You want an easily portable drive: Yes, the desktop drive can be easily carried in a bag with a power supply, but it takes up much more space than other external SSDs.
❌ You don’t have a free power socket: This drive requires external power, so if you don’t have a spare outlet, you’ll be out of luck.
In practice, this should mean that games load from disk a bit faster. As a quick, hands-on exploit case test, I used Steam to transfer my 1.7GB Crab Champions installation to an external SSD, which took just a few seconds. I then flew my shooting crab without much enthusiasm as the levels loaded immediately and the gameplay remained sleek – a win for both Crab Champions and Desk Drive.
However, keep in mind that most current external drives offer pretty decent gaming performance, so the Desk Drive doesn’t offer anything special there. (Side note: If you want the best of the best gaming performance and don’t care about the expense, the Adata SE920 may be a good choice.)
However, if we’re talking about realistic exploit cases for the SanDisk Desk Drive, the most obvious ones involve full system backups and media storage for professionals. For PC gaming, there are cheaper options that should satisfy most people, as cheaper drives should be broad and reliable enough to meet the needs of most gamers.
However, if you have a huge game library and want to run games from an external drive, this may be your best choice – especially if you want to combine it with media or system backup space. SanDisk’s office drives may be aimed at the somewhat niche target market of backup and mass media storage, but in this market they are quite close to perfect.
