SanDisk Extreme vs. SanDisk Extreme Pro – What are the differences?

Memory cards and external storage drives have become an indispensable accessory for many people today. The total digitization of our work environment and, in general, of all the communications we carry out, mean that we always need to have more storage space. Of course, without neglecting the security and protection of information. Therefore, we wanted to compare the performance of two of the most popular external drives on the market: SanDisk Extreme vs SanDisk Extreme Pro.

Surely you will know the SanDisk brand, since it is one of the most popular in our market. But are you aware of what all the differences are between your own devices? As a preview, we can assure you that the main difference between our two protagonists lies in speed, both reading and writing. This aspect is also one of the most important, because the performance of the external memory depends on it.

And, of course, capacity is just as relevant. In this regard, it should be noted that both cards have several storage options. Of course, the difference is that the SanDisk Extreme has a minimum capacity of 500 GB, while the minimum capacity of the Extreme Pro model is 1 TB. Therefore, if you want to check which of the two external storage units best meets your search needs and preferences, pay close attention to our review!

SanDisk Extreme vs SanDisk Extreme Pro – Comparison Table

In this table, we summarize the main technical specifications of both, so you can compare them at a quick glance:

Aesthetic differences

The first thing we usually do is compare the design and visual line of the two protagonists of the review, because it is the first thing we usually look at. And, in this case, there is not much doubt that we are dealing with two external units that belong to the same brand. Not only that, but it is very clear that they are from the same range, because both the shape and the colors and the arrangement of the design elements are identical.

The SanDisk Extreme Pro is slightly larger and therefore heavier, although it can be justified by the higher capacity it has. On the other hand, the small opening to introduce a carabiner that they have in the upper right part also changes. In the SanDisk Extreme it has a trapezoidal shape, while the hole that we see in the Extreme Pro version is triangular.

When it comes to the casing, keep in mind that the SanDisk Extreme has a very resistant silicone casing, but it does not reach the degree of protection offered by the aluminum chassis of the SanDisk Extreme Pro. Furthermore, this design is finished with an orange finish that gives it a much more modern touch.

What capacity do they have?

When we buy an external storage unit, one of the purchase criteria that most influences our decision is capacity. It is obvious to think that the more capacity the unit has, the higher its price will be, and therefore it is convenient to know what capacity we will need, so as not to buy a model that has too much and that supposes a waste of money.

In this sense, the SanDisk Extreme is available in four options: 500 GB, 1 TB, 2 TB or 4 TB. For its part, the SanDisk Extreme Pro can be purchased with a minimum capacity of 1 TB, and you also have options to purchase it with 2 or 4 TB. In other words, the Pro model is designed and intended for more professional use, for profiles that need to store more files. Or, also, for those who work mainly with audiovisual content, which usually requires more storage space.

Read and write speed, key difference

In addition to capacity, reading and writing speed are the two factors that, from our point of view, are most important. It is easy to understand why. The read speed determines how quickly the memory unit accesses and decrypts files; that is, to read its content. Instead, write speed indicates how fast it is to “write” a file to the drive for storage.

In the case of the two units we are talking about, it is one of the most relevant differences. The SanDisk Extreme has a read speed of 1050 MB/s and a write speed of 1000 MB/s. On the other hand, the Pro version almost doubles this data, since its speed is, in both cases (reading and writing), 2000 MB/S. That is to say, the SanDisk Extreme Pro is almost twice as fast in processing the information and recording it internally.

Compatibilities: different transfer speed

As you can see in the comparison table, the SanDisk Extreme is compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2, while the SanDisk Extreme Pro is compatible with the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 version. The difference lies in the transfer speed, which in the first case is 10 Gb/s, and in the second, 20 Gb/s. In other words, the SanDisk Extreme Pro, by transferring the data faster, can complete the upload and procedure in less time.

From experience, this difference is usually more noticeable when storing audiovisual content, since videos and audios tend to weigh more than documents, and this is where it is most noticeable if a storage unit is fast loading files or not.

Same resistance

Both the SanDisk Extreme and the Extreme Pro enjoy the IP55 resistance level, which reveals that it has a good ability to resist dust, and an average ability to tolerate water splashes. To contextualize this information, you should know that the highest number that we can find in the first case is 6 (first digit), while water resistance is measured on a scale of 8 (second digit). Now this depends on the amount of water or dust we are talking about. It is not the same that a few drops fall on the card, than that a glass of water spills on top, for example.

How is hardware encryption?

If you are a fan of the world of cybersecurity, you will know that 256-bit AES is the most common hardware encryption on the market. That is, most devices have it, including those of multiple offices and public institutions. In any device intended to store data, it is essential to verify that it has a strengthened and robust data protection system.

Processors and USB ports: more similarities

The external memory units that we have chosen have the same number of internal processors, 4, and they also share the number of USB ports, 3.

SanDisk Extreme vs SanDisk Extreme Pro: What is our conclusion?

If you want to get a device with which to store important information and files for you and, in this way, free up storage space on your computer, either of the two units is a good alternative. To begin with, because both are from SanDisk, one of the brands that offers the most confidence to users in this sector. And, furthermore, because in both cases we see more than enough qualities and capacities for daily use.

Now, if you are going to use the external memory unit for professional or corporate use of a company that has a large number of documents, or if you usually store many videos and audio files, which weigh more, we recommend you opt for the SanDisk Extreme Pro. Mainly, because it has a read and write speed twice as fast as the Extreme version, and this helps a lot to optimize the data transfer and load time.

Regarding capacity, it should be borne in mind that the difference is in the minimum that each external drive supports, but if you are going to buy it to store this type of file we are talking about, you will surely need at least 1 TB. Now, it may be the case that you need less capacity, in which case your option would be the SanDisk Extreme.

Therefore, the differences that we see between the two units lead us to think that the SanDisk Extreme is an option more designed for private or domestic use, while the SanDisk Extreme has a more corporate and professional background.