SanDisk Professional Pro Blade Station Review: Modular Storage for Content Creators
SanDisk's Pro Blade system offers a unique solution for content creators who need fast, modular storage. With compact NVMe drives in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB configurations, and the Pro Blade Station allowing access to four drives simultaneously at blazing Thunderbolt speeds, this system is designed for professionals who demand the best.
Pro Blade Magazines: Compact and Flexible
The heart of the system lies in the Pro Blade magazines. These are essentially NVMe M.2 drives housed in a special enclosure featuring a proprietary SanDisk connector. This design allows for quick and easy transfer between the Pro Blade Transport (a portable reader) and the Pro Blade Station (a dock). This flexibility makes it ideal for workflows where you're constantly shooting, ingesting, and editing content.
Pro Blade Station: Unleashing the Power
This sleek and minimal dock allows you to connect up to four Pro Blade magazines simultaneously, giving you massive storage capacity and incredible transfer speeds.
Key Features of the Pro Blade Station:
Blazing Speed: Thunderbolt 3 delivers transfer speeds of up to 3,000MB/s read and 2,600MB/s write, perfect for demanding workflows. I got around 2500MB/s speeds on my 2021 MacBook Pro
Modular Design: Add or remove Pro Blade magazines as needed, making it easy to scale your storage capacity.
Daisy Chain Capability: Connect multiple Pro Blade Stations or other Thunderbolt devices for even more flexibility.
Built-in Fan: Keeps your drives cool even under heavy workloads.
Minimal Design: Matches other SanDisk Professional products for a clean and professional look.
Easy Setup: Includes everything you need to get started, including a Thunderbolt cable, power adapter, and USBC cable.
Ideal for Professional Workflows
The Pro Blade system shines in professional workflows. These are fantastic drives for recording directly from a Blackmagic or Lumix cameras. You can use the Kondor Blue SSD handle or a Pro Blade Transport to film and then use the station to offload and edit. Whether you are a videographer with huge file sizes, a photographer shooting high-resolution images, or a content creator working with large files, this system offers the speed, flexibility, and reliability you need.
Pros:
Modular design allows for scaling storage needs.
Blazing fast Thunderbolt 3 transfer speeds.
Cool and quiet operation.
Easy to set up and use.
Professional design and build quality.
Cons:
Expensive compared to other storage solutions.
Requires additional Pro Blade magazines to be purchased separately.
Limited portability.
Is it worth it?
Whether the Pro Blade system is right for you depends on your specific needs and budget. If you're a professional content creator who regularly works with large files and needs maximum performance and flexibility, then the Pro Blade system is an excellent investment. However, if you're a casual user or only need basic storage, then other options may be better suited for your needs. The Station comes in at $500 and 1TB Magazines start at around $100, and the 4TB Magazines are typically around $300.
Alternatives to Consider:
SanDisk Professional G40: This portable SSD offers Thunderbolt 3 speeds at a more affordable price point. Not as good for scalability.
OWC Express 4M2: This dock offers similar functionality to the Pro Blade Station but with a wider range of compatible NVMe drives. In order to change drives you do have to take the enclosure apart so it isn’t as modular.
Conclusion:
The Pro Blade system shows a lot of promise for content creators who demand the best. If you plan on building up a large collection of files and need a modular system that can support a lot of drives, then this system could be a great option for you. Otherwise, the Pro G40 or a cheaper drive may be a more practical choice. The system comes with a 5-year warranty on both the enclosure and the drives. Overall, the Pro Blade system is a powerful and innovative storage solution for content creators. Its modular design, blazing speed, and professional build quality make it a compelling choice for those who demand the best.
