SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD 8TB — 1,050 MB/s, IP65, Eight Terabytes in a Pocket
8TB capacityUp to 1,050 MB/s readIP65, 3 m drop256-bit AES hardware
This is the largest drive in SanDisk’s rugged portable range: 8TB in a body that still clips to a bag, running over USB 3.2 Gen 2 at up to 1,050 MB/s read and up to 1,000 MB/s write. Part number SDSSDE61-8T00-G25 is the 8TB model. Everything that makes the Extreme line what it is comes with it — IP65 against dust and water jets, a three-metre drop rating, hardware AES-256 encryption and a carabiner loop moulded into the corner — but at eight terabytes it stops being a drive you carry a project on and becomes one you carry an archive on.
Compatibility — check before buying:
Three things worth knowing before you order. First, the speed figures: SanDisk publishes 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000 MB/s write for the line as a whole rather than for the 8TB capacity specifically — its Extreme USB 3.2 datasheet does not yet carry an 8TB row at all, and the 8TB body is very slightly thicker than the one that datasheet describes. We publish the line figures and say so. Second, the box: it contains a USB-C to USB-C cable and a USB-C to USB-A adapter, not a second cable. That adapter only reaches 10 Gbps if the USB-A port it goes into is itself USB 3.2 Gen 2 — on an older USB-A port the drive will be considerably slower. Third, and this is the honest one for an 8TB drive: a single drive is not a backup strategy. Eight terabytes in one enclosure is a lot to lose at once, and the encryption protects the data from a thief, not from a failure. If this is going to hold your only copy of anything, tell us and we will talk about the second copy.
Best For
✓ Whole archives carried between locations
✓ Video work where a project fills terabytes
✓ Photographers consolidating years of shoots
✓ Location work in rain, dust or rough handling
✓ Anyone who wants capacity without a desktop drive
✓ Carrying sensitive material that needs a password
Key Features
8TB in a pocket drive
100.8 × 52.55 × 9.6 mm. For most of the last decade eight terabytes meant a mains-powered desktop enclosure with a spinning disk in it; this does it silently, with no moving parts, from a single USB-C cable.
IP65 and a three-metre drop rating
Dust-tight and resistant to water jets — rain, spray, a hose down — plus a three-metre drop rating. That is the difference between the Extreme line and an ordinary portable SSD, and it is why this one clips to the outside of a bag rather than living inside it.
256-bit AES hardware encryption
Password protection performed by the drive itself, so the contents cannot be read by whoever finds it and no software has to be installed on the machine that opens it. On a drive holding eight terabytes of someone’s work, that is not a luxury.
Silicone shell and a carabiner loop
A rubberised shell that takes the impact, and a loop moulded into the corner so the drive hangs off a bag or a belt rather than rolling around in a pocket.
Technical Specifications
| Identification |
| Brand |
SanDisk |
| Series |
Extreme Portable SSD (USB 3.2 Gen 2) |
| Part Number |
SDSSDE61-8T00-G25 |
| EAN / GTIN |
0619659208998 |
| MPN |
SDSSDE61-8T00-G25 |
| Drive |
| Capacity |
8TB |
| Type |
Portable external SSD |
| Interface |
USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gbps) |
| Connector |
USB Type-C on the drive |
| Colour |
Black |
| Performance |
| Sequential read |
Up to 1,050 MB/s |
| Sequential write |
Up to 1,000 MB/s |
| Source note |
SanDisk publishes these as line-level figures; its Extreme USB 3.2 datasheet lists 500GB to 4TB and carries no 8TB row, so no 8TB-specific figure exists |
| Host requirement |
A USB 3.2 Gen 2 port is needed for full speed; on USB-A the port itself must be Gen 2 |
| Durability and security |
| IP rating |
IP65 — dust-tight and protected against water jets |
| Drop resistance |
Up to 3 m |
| Encryption |
256-bit AES hardware encryption with password protection |
| Operating temperature |
0 °C to 45 °C; storage −20 °C to 85 °C |
| Physical |
| Dimensions |
100.8 × 52.55 × 9.6 mm |
| Weight |
Not published for the 8TB model |
| Housing |
Silicone shell with a carabiner loop |
| In the box |
| Contents |
Extreme Portable SSD, USB Type-C to Type-C cable, USB Type-C to Type-A adapter, Safety and Warranty Guide |
| Note |
The USB-A part is an adapter rather than a second cable |
| Cable length |
Not published |
| System requirements |
| Supported |
iOS 13 and later, Android 11 and later, macOS 11 and later, Windows 10 and later |
| Consoles |
SanDisk does not list PlayStation or Xbox in this model’s system requirements |
| Warranty |
| Warranty |
1-Year Warranty (Singular) |
| Manufacturer Term |
SanDisk publishes a 5-Year Limited Warranty on this model. Singular’s direct warranty is 1 year; beyond that we assist you with the manufacturer’s warranty process for its full duration. Terms vary by region. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the 8TB slower than the smaller capacities?
SanDisk publishes the same 1,050 / 1,000 MB/s across the line and does not break the 8TB out separately — its datasheet stops at 4TB. So the honest answer is that no 8TB-specific figure has been published, and we print the line figures rather than invent one. In practice the larger capacities in a family are usually at least as fast as the smaller ones.
What is the difference between this and the Extreme PRO?
Speed and encryption class. The Extreme PRO reaches 2,000 MB/s over USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 — but only on a 20 Gbps port, which no Mac has. This Extreme is a 10 Gbps drive at 1,050 MB/s, which is what most machines can actually deliver anyway. Both are IP65 with a three-metre rating and both use hardware AES-256.
Can I use it with a USB-A port?
Yes, using the adapter in the box — but the speed then depends on the port. A USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A port keeps most of the performance; an older USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 port will be much slower. Tell us the machine and we will tell you what to expect.
Is 8TB in one drive sensible?
It depends what is on it. As a working drive or a second copy, yes — it replaces a desk full of smaller drives. As the only copy of eight terabytes of irreplaceable work, no: any single drive can fail, and encryption protects against theft rather than failure. We would rather say that than sell you a single point of failure.
Singular Expert Insight
Eight terabytes is the point at which the question changes from “which portable drive” to “what is this drive for”. As a working or travelling archive it is excellent, and the IP65 and three-metre ratings are what justify carrying it rather than a cheaper drive. As the only copy of a large library it is a risk no specification can remove, and the sensible pairing is a desktop drive at home — our
external hard drives cost a fraction per terabyte for exactly that job. Within the Extreme family the split is simple: this is the 10 Gbps drive, the Extreme PRO is the 20 Gbps one that only a rare port can feed, and both carry the same IP65 rating and hardware encryption. If your machines are Macs, note that none of them reach the PRO’s 20 Gbps mode at all, which makes this the more honest purchase there. Our full range is in
external SSDs.
Buyer’s Guide
Buy it if
You need serious capacity that travels and survives — 8TB, IP65, a three-metre drop rating and hardware AES-256, at speeds any modern USB-C port can actually deliver.
Skip it if
This would be the only copy of work you cannot lose — one drive is not a backup, whatever its rating. Skip it too if you need 2,000 MB/s and have a 20 Gbps port, where the Extreme PRO is the drive.
Also consider
An Extreme PRO Portable SSD if your machine has a 20 Gbps port. A desktop external hard drive as the second copy, at a fraction of the price per terabyte. A smaller Extreme if 8TB is more than the job needs.