If you are looking for an external hard drive that will primarily be used in your own four walls and ideally should not be removed from where you are standing or lying down, you will find an almost endless selection of suitable models on the market. However, the search for a suitable hard disk becomes much more difficult if it is frequently transported from A to B and should also be able to cope with difficult environmental conditions - because in this case one plays as possible robust processing plays an important role. The SanDisk Professional G-Drive should meet those requirements to the fullest extent - at least that's what the manufacturer promises. We took a closer look at the good piece and will tell you in our following field report whether the purchase is really worthwhile.
- With the mobile ArmorATD hard drive, your recordings are safe...
- The external hard drive has a water and dust resistant Housing...
- With the all-terrain hard drive you transfer your recordings...
What's in the box
The scope of delivery of the Professional G-Drive doesn't contain any big surprises, but we didn't expect them at all. In addition to the external hard drive itself, there is also a modern USB-C-to-USB cable in the packaging, which you can use to connect the drive to a computer or notebook in no time at all.
Another positive aspect is that Sandisk has also included a USB-C-to-USB cable. Anyone who owns a PC that is not quite as up-to-date does not have to buy an additional connection cable, but can also connect their purchased hard drive immediately and get started. On the other hand, the manufacturer completely dispenses with the included software, which can be found in the scope of delivery of some other hard drives.
- SanDisk Professional G-Drive external hard drive
- USB-C to USB-C cable
- USB-C to USB-A cable
Design / Finishing
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive is the successor to the G Technology ArmorATD All-Terrain and comes with basically the same look - with the slight difference that the hard drive is no longer painted blue but gray. However, the clearly visible G for G-Technology is still present, and the protective covering of the plate, which protects it from various dangers during transport, is also on board.
The black rubber coating, which protects all the outer areas of the plate, is well-crafted, but has the disadvantage that it makes the plate look extremely clumsy. The model gives the impression that a simple hard drive has simply been put into a protective rubber cover - in a similar way, this is also known from expensive ones Smartphonesthat you want to protect during various outdoor activities. Unfortunately, we personally don't like the rubber border very much - especially since there hasn't been any attempt to optimize the design compared to the predecessor. Even Sandisk itself proves that an outdoor hard drive can also look elegant with its alternatively offered SanDisk Extreme Portable - here the Professional G-Drive clearly falls short in a purely visual comparison.
that the connection for the included USB cable is protected by a device that can be easily opened and allows access. This ensures that neither water nor dust can get into the sensitive connection and damage it on longer trips.
Hardware
The Professional G-Drive comes with one 2 TB Storage space therefore and thus offers plenty of space for storing different files. If you don't want to store tons of high-resolution films on it, this is a very decent value that should be sufficient for everyday use.
With regard to the connection option, SanDisk has made improvements compared to the previous model: This supported a maximum of one USB 3.0 connection, the Professional G-Drive now scores with USB 3.2 Gen 1. However, it is a bit strange that the writing speed of both models does not differ: Just like its predecessor, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive also achieves a maximum value of 140 MB/ s. This is still a good value for an external HDD - of course only if it can be confirmed in practice and it is not just a utopian top value from the manufacturer.
However, there is no reason to worry here. With the help of our speed test, we were able to certify the SanDisk Professional G-Drive a very good value of 141,3 MB/s when reading, which is even slightly above the maximum value specified by the manufacturer - you don't necessarily see that every day. The writing speed levels off at the same level, so there is no reason for criticism in this area.
The access times of the SanDisk Professional G-Drive are also impressive: the hard drive is ready for use immediately after connection to the PC or to an alternative laptop. Incidentally, it is also worth mentioning that the hard drive can be operated not only via USB, but also via a Thunderbolt connection.
- With the mobile ArmorATD hard drive, your recordings are safe...
- The external hard drive has a waterproof and dustproof housing...
- With the all-terrain hard drive you transfer your recordings...
Specifications
| Size | 2,5 inch |
| Color | Grey black |
| Storage | 1TB, 2TB, 4TB, 5TB |
| Tender | 140MB/s |
| Read | 140MB/s |
| Connection | USB 3.2 |
Test results
USB 3.2 Gen 1
| write speed | 141,3MB/sec |
| reading speed | 141MB/sec |
Other
In addition to the performance of the Professional G-Drive, its robustness also plays an important role - after all, SanDisk praises the model as an excellent choice to take with you on a wide variety of outdoor activities. In fact, SanDisk has upgraded here compared to the manufacturer and given the Professional G-Drive a respectable 1000 lb of pressure resistance. This, combined with three layers of shock resistance, also allows for relatively rough handling of the plate, which allows for accidental hits and bumps - so if the plate is carried in a backpack, for example, which is thrown onto the baggage carousel during baggage check-in at the airport, this leads to no negative effects. In addition, the rubberized housing is of course optimally protected against rain and dust, so that you can carry it with you even in bad weather without additional protection. To be more precise, this is the common protection class IP54. It doesn't have any problems with heavy rain, but the hard drive shouldn't be submerged directly in water.
It is also worth mentioning at this point that SanDisk does not offer the option of installing the Professional G-Drive encode, because a corresponding encryption program is not included in the scope of delivery. Of course, you can still carry sensitive data with you on the hard drive if you first install one of the numerous encryption programs that you can find on the Internet - many of which are also offered free of charge.
Our conclusion:
The SanDisk Professional G-Drive proves itself for one HDD hard drive as extremely fast, as it can read and write data at up to 141 MB/s - that's even slightly faster than specified by the manufacturer. Thanks to three layers of shock resistance and IP54 protection against water and dust, the robust workmanship ensures that you can take it with you without hesitation on longer journeys and excursions in the great outdoors, but at the same time the hard drive loses a little elegance under the rubberized protective border.
There are basically no important differences between the previous model and the SanDisk Professional G-Drive, apart from the new paint job, but the successor now comes with a connection option for USB 3.2 Gen 1. There is no real criticism of this reliable outdoor hard drive either - however, its purchase price of around 120 euros is too high for a hard drive with 2 TB of storage.
- With the mobile ArmorATD hard drive, your recordings are safe...
- The external hard drive has a waterproof and dustproof housing...
- With the all-terrain hard drive you transfer your recordings...
