SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.2 Solid State Flash Drive - Up to 420MB/s, Durable Aluminum Metal Casting - SDCZ880-256G-GAM46,Black

This SanDisk 1TB Extreme PRO USB 3.2 flash drive has completely transformed how I manage and transport large files. As someone who regularly works with high-resolution video footage, large photo libraries, and substantial data backups, having reliable portable storage with massive capacity and blazing speed is essential. After months of heavy use, I'm thoroughly impressed with this drive and want to share my comprehensive experience. The 1TB capacity is genuinely game-changing. For years, I juggled multiple smaller flash drives, constantly running out of space and trying to remember which files were on which drive. Having a full terabyte in a single compact flash drive eliminates all that frustration. I can carry my entire working file library, complete backup sets, and still have room for more. The freedom of not worrying about storage space on a portable drive is liberating. The read and write speeds are absolutely phenomenal. SanDisk rates this drive at up to 420MB/s read speeds, and in real-world use, it delivers on that promise. Transferring large 4K video files that would take ages with older USB drives happens in minutes with this one. I recently moved a 50GB folder, and it completed faster than I expected. The USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface ensures you're getting maximum performance when connected to compatible ports, though it works perfectly fine with older USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports as well, just at their respective speeds. Build quality is solid and confidence-inspiring. The drive has an aluminum metal casing that feels premium and substantial. Unlike plastic drives that feel fragile, this has real heft and durability. The metal construction also helps with heat dissipation during intensive data transfers. I've dropped it a few times accidentally and it's completely unfazed. The retractable USB connector is a great design choice - it stays protected when not in use, eliminating the need for a cap that you can lose. The slider mechanism feels robust and operates smoothly even after hundreds of uses. Reliability has been flawless. I've used this drive for critical file transfers, backup storage, and as bootable media for system repairs. Every single time, it has performed without errors or corruption. When you're dealing with important data, reliability is paramount, and this drive has earned my complete trust. I've used it across Windows, Mac, and Linux systems without any compatibility issues. The form factor strikes an excellent balance between portability and usability. It's small enough to easily fit in a pocket or laptop bag without adding bulk, yet large enough that it doesn't feel like it could easily get lost. The loop attachment point is convenient for adding a lanyard or keychain, though I find the drive substantial enough that losing it isn't a concern like it is with tiny micro-drives. Performance consistency is impressive even with the drive nearly full. Some drives slow down significantly as they fill up, but this SanDisk maintains excellent performance even when I'm using 800GB+ of the capacity. Write speeds remain fast, and file operations stay responsive. The included SanDisk SecureAccess software provides password protection and encryption capabilities if you need to secure sensitive data. While I don't use this feature constantly, it's nice to have the option for transporting confidential files.

Awesome drive! File transfers are very fast, heat dissipates well during big file transfers. Excellent compatibility. The Extreme pro series are my go to for USB storage.

I’ve been using the SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB Flash Drive for a few weeks now, and I’m seriously impressed. The speed is incredible—transferring large files is so fast, and the read/write speeds are consistently smooth, even with large video files and high-resolution images. I’ve used a few other flash drives in the past, but none compare to this one when it comes to performance. The 256GB storage is perfect for storing all my essential files, media, and backups, and I love that I don’t have to worry about running out of space anytime soon. The USB 3.2 compatibility ensures that it works seamlessly with my devices, and I’ve had no issues plugging it into my laptop, desktop, or even my smart TV. The build quality is also top-notch. The aluminum metal casing feels durable and solid, which gives me confidence that it will last for years. It’s also sleek and compact, so it fits easily in my pocket or laptop bag. Overall, this flash drive is an excellent investment for anyone who needs fast, reliable, and high-capacity storage. Whether you’re using it for work, travel, or personal use, I highly recommend the SanDisk Extreme PRO!

Reliable, Fast, and Surprisingly Durable I bought two of these drives in 2023, and both have been working flawlessly ever since. One of them has shown a single reassigned block in CrystalDiskInfo, but it’s been stable like that for over a year—no performance issues at all. These drives are reasonably priced, very fast, and seem to be built with quality in mind. They do run a bit warm, and CrystalDiskInfo sometimes flags them as “overheating,” but I reached out to SanDisk support and they assured me that’s normal for this model. The real surprise? One drive accidentally went through a full washer and dryer cycle. After letting it air dry for a day, it still worked perfectly—and all the data was intact. (It even came out clean!) Highly recommended.

Great Product. Casing is a lot more sturdy than common USB drives. The space is amazing for saving large files. You can transfer 4K movies and the transfer speed is under 20 seconds for a 6gb file. Would definitely recommend.

This seems to be the first decent speed flash drive I have used from SanDisk. Their claims of up to 420mb are actually valid and copying items to and from this drive are fast. The drive gets a bit toasty running at that speed for too ling, but seems to be just fine and keeps working. It works on my desktop, laptop, chromebook, and my sister's smartTV at school to play videos off of when she needs it once in a while.

I've been using it for about 3 to 4 weeks now, and it's performance is not disappointing for me. I'm a software engineer and I backup many customer projects on this device, projects that contain thousands of tiny node.js files, and the speed of backing up 100 megs of PHP 8, with assets such as JavaScript and Node.js files takes 7 minutes now, where before with older technology it took 1 hour and 15 minutes. Restoring the files from this device to my Dell Precision 7865 takes 6 minutes now. Perhaps the AMD Threadripper Pro technology gives that 1 minute edge over my Intel technology at the office. I also have a new Kingston Data Traveler Max 1TB with USB Type C connector, that was given to me last week for evaluation from Kingston to compare against this SanDisk. The Kingston is quicker using the same PHP project, by about 10% to 15% in both directions. It takes about 5.5 minutes to backup the same project, and about 4.5 minutes to restore it. So far I like the packaging of the SanDisk Extreme Pro better now, well until the slider stops sliding and locking into position, so when that day comes I will like the Kingston Data Traveler Max packaging better. The Kingston packaging is simpler and cheaper looking, not so flashy or complex. I like both, this SanDisk and the Kingston, and won't take sides or say one is better than the other. If I had to choose one, I would cheat and get both, and not tell anyone. For some weird reason, I can't let go of the SanDisk and I keep using it, not shifting to the Kingston because it's faster. So that must say something. As far as heat goes, I read some reviews where they said the units were very hot after use. Both the Sandisk and Kingston didn't get hot on me from actual use. There was one time the SanDisk was very warm, but I had left it plugged in the computer while not using it for about 4 hours as I was writing code. I usually eject and unplug after use as habit. Back to the Sandisk ... I haven't had anything with the name SanDisk on it fail on me yet, but I haven't used these really hard yet either, so time will tell. They all seem to have generous warranties even after expiration, so that's not a concern either. I don't work directly off these devices, which I think is a bad idea and no matter what brand it is, it will not be immortal and live forever.

Great USB thumb drive. Fast and high capacity.