SANDISK 4TB Extreme Portable SSD (Old Model) (SDSSDE61-4T00-G25)
Bottom line: The SANDISK 4TB Extreme Portable SSD ($749.00 on Amazon as of 2026-10-21 12:20 UTC): Up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write, fast enough to edit 4K video off the drive; main trade-off: listed as the Old Model, so a newer revision of the line exists.
As an Amazon Associate, SpecPicks earns from qualifying purchases. Full disclosure →
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-21. Price and availability subject to change.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- ✓ Up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write, fast enough to edit 4K video off the drive
- ✓ 4TB capacity holds entire RAW photo and video archives without swapping drives
- ✓ IP65 water and dust resistance plus up to 3-meter drop protection
- ✓ 256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection built in
Cons
- ✗ Listed as the Old Model, so a newer revision of the line exists
- ✗ Speeds are SanDisk internal-testing figures and depend on your host device
- ✗ USB 3.2 Gen 2 caps throughput below Thunderbolt or USB4 external drives
- ✗ No included Thunderbolt cable, so Mac users may need their own adapter
Manufacturer description
The SanDisk 4TB Extreme Portable SSD (SDSSDE61-4T00-G25) puts NVMe-class speed in a pocketable shell, hitting up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write over USB-C (USB 3.2 Gen 2). That is enough headroom to offload a full card of RAW photos or edit 4K footage straight off the drive instead of copying it to a workstation first. This updated-firmware revision of the older Extreme Portable model carries SanDisk's higher durability qualification: up to 3-meter drop protection and an IP65 water and dust rating, so rain on a shoot or a fall off a camera bag is survivable. The molded carabiner loop…
SpecPicks Verdict
SpecPicks scored SANDISK 4TB Extreme Portable SSD using a rating × review-volume × price-fit model applied to published specs and reviews across the external storage category. Sandisk's external storage lineup sits within the broader category mid-tier; price and specs are the deciding factors over brand loyalty here. Judge it on the specification table and the price rather than on sentiment: check the figures that decide your use case, then put it side-by-side with two or three close alternatives in the Compare tool before clicking through.
Common buyer scenarios for external storage of this kind: matching it to an existing build, replacing a failing part, or upgrading from a previous-generation equivalent. Check the spec table below against your current setup — particularly socket / form-factor / power-rating fields — and confirm compatibility on the retailer's listing before purchase. Prices and stock are set by the retailer and may have moved since this page was last updated.
Frequently Asked Questions
How fast is the SanDisk 4TB Extreme Portable SSD?
SanDisk rates it at up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write based on internal testing. Real speeds depend on your host device, cable, and port; a USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-C connection is required to approach those numbers.
Is this SSD waterproof and drop-proof?
It carries an IP65 water and dust resistance rating and is qualified for up to 3-meter drop protection. IP65 means it resists dust and low-pressure water jets, not submersion, so do not dunk it.
Does it work with a Mac and with USB-A ports?
It connects over USB-C using USB 3.2 Gen 2. For USB-A ports or older machines you will need the appropriate adapter or cable. Check the product listing for the exact cables included in the box.
Can I password-protect the files on this drive?
Yes. The drive includes password protection with 256-bit AES hardware encryption, so the data is secured on the drive itself rather than by software alone.
Why does the listing say Old Model, and does that matter?
This is the earlier Extreme Portable revision with updated firmware, upgraded from the original 2-meter drop and IP55 ratings to 3-meter drop and IP65. It still delivers the full 1050MB/s rated read speed, so the label refers to the product generation, not reduced performance.
How much storage is actually usable on the 4TB model?
SanDisk counts 1TB as 1,000,000,000,000 bytes, so the capacity your operating system reports will be lower than 4TB. Formatting overhead reduces usable space further.
Key Features
- Get NVMe solid state performance with up to 1050MB/s read and 1000MB/s write speeds in a portable, high-capacity drive(1) (Based on internal testing; performance may be lower depending on host device & other factors. 1MB=1,000,000 bytes.)
- Up to 3-meter drop protection and IP65 water and dust resistance mean this tough drive can take a beating(3) (Previously rated for 2-meter drop protection and IP55 rating. Now qualified for the higher, stated specs.)
- Use the handy carabiner loop to secure it to your belt loop or backpack for extra peace of mind.
- Help keep private content private with the included password protection featuring 256‐bit AES hardware encryption.(3)
- Easily manage files and automatically free up space with the SanDisk Memory Zone app.(5)
Full Specifications
| Brand | Sandisk |
|---|---|
| Color | Black |
| Model Name | SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD |
| Read Speed | 1050 megabytes_per_second |
| Unit Count | 1 Count |
| Form Factor | Portable |
| Media Speed | 1000 |
| Connectivity | USB-C |
| Model Number | SDSSDE61-4T00-G25 |
| Built-In Media | Saftey and Warranty Guide, USB-C to USB-A Adapter, USB-C to USB-C Cable |
| Item Type Name | External SSD |
| Hard-Drive Size | 4 TB |
| Mfr Part Number | SDSSDE61-4T00-G25 |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Special Feature | Embrace the incredible storage potential with a whopping 4TB capacity, providing ample space to store and organize your vast collection of files, documents, and multimedia content |
| Hardware Platform | Mac, PC |
| Installation Type | Portable |
| Compatible Devices | Tablet |
| Data Transfer Rate | 1050 megabytes_per_second |
| Enclosure Material | Information Not Available |
| Full listing title | SANDISK 4TB Extreme Portable SSD (Old Model) - Up to 1050MB/s, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE61-4T00-G25 |
Ready to buy?
SANDISK 4TB Extreme Portable SSD (Old Model) - Up to 1050MB/s, USB-C, USB 3.2 Gen 2, IP65 Water and Dust Resistance, Updated Firmware - External Solid State Drive - SDSSDE61-4T00-G25 is listed on Amazon. Price, availability, shipping and returns are set by Amazon and its sellers — check the listing for current terms. SpecPicks earns a small commission on qualifying purchases — thank you for supporting independent review work.
*Price sourced from Amazon.com. Last updated 2026-10-21. Price and availability subject to change.
Related External Storage
More guides & deep dives from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all articles & guides →- The Complete Voodoo5 5500 AGP Driver Guide (2026 Edition)
- Emulation Hardware in 2026: FPGA, Software, and Cart-Reader Ecosystems
- Best Retro Handhelds in 2026 — From $35 to $500
- How to Build a Windows 98 Retro PC in 2026
- Best 1440p Gaming GPUs in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming PC Build 2026 — ~$1,000 ($800 on Sale)
- RTX 4070 Super vs RX 7800 XT — Which to Buy in 2026
More reviews from the SpecPicks archive
Browse all reviews →- Open-Weight Models Caught Up on Cyber Benchmarks in Four Months — What That Means for Your Rig
- Open WebUI — self-hosted ChatGPT for your local models
- Ling 2.6 1T on Local Hardware: Can You Actually Run a Trillion-Parameter Model at Home in 2026?
- Best Sim Racing Wheel for Beginners on PS5 & PC (2026)
- Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS vs Aureal Vortex 2: The Last Great Win98 Audio Battle
- HyperX QuadCast 2 vs Blue Yeti: Best Streaming Mic in 2026
- OpenAI Codex Price War vs Running a Local Coding Model on an RTX 3060
- After the Claude Code Malware Scare: Build an Isolated Local Agent Rig
- Best Budget 4K Gaming Monitor for an RTX 3060: KOORUI vs Samsung Odyssey
- CompactFlash-to-IDE Boot Drive: The Silent Win98 Build Upgrade
- Best Raspberry Pi 5 Starter Kits and Accessories for Home Lab Builds (2026)
- Best CPU Cooler for a Ryzen 5800X Under PBO + Manual Overclock in 2026
- Best Budget Gaming CPU Under $250 in 2026
- Blue Yeti vs HyperX QuadCast 2 S: Best USB Mic for Streaming in 2026
- What Non-Gaming Tasks People Actually Run on Steam Deck
- Windows 98 vs Windows 2000 for a GeForce-Era Retro Gaming Build
- 2026 Homelab Stack: OPNsense + Proxmox + TrueNAS + 10GbE
- Training an LLM in Swift, Part 1: Matrix Mult Speed
- Local LLM on Mac: The 2026 Setup Guide
- Add AI Vision to a Raspberry Pi 4 8GB with an AI Accelerator (2026)
- Gemma 4 31B on a 16GB GPU: RTX 5060 Ti vs RX 9060 XT vs Arc A770 Quant Table (2026)
- UT99 OldUnreal 469 Patch in 2026: Migrate Configs, Rejoin Modern Servers, and Tune Mouse Precision
- Best SATA SSD for a 2026 Game Library Drive
- AVX-512 Lifts Linux RAID Up to 41% on AMD Ryzen Chips
Earliest SpecPicks reviews
Browse full archive →- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 8B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 14B (2026)
- Best GPU for Qwen 3 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 70B (2026)
- Best GPU for DeepSeek-R1 32B (2026)
- Best GPU for Llama 3.1 405B (2026)
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 14B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Qwen 3 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 70B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run DeepSeek-R1 32B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 5090
- How to run Llama 3.1 8B on NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4090