PNY EliteX-Pro SSD review: Small but mighty

PNY’s EliteX-Pro SSD is a powerful portable drive that fits in the palm of your hand.

Storage may not be the most exciting thing to think about, but as SSDs keep getting faster and faster, it can be tough to keep up.

While internal drives like those found on the PS5 or Xbox consoles, or the likes you’d put into your PC are incredibly efficient, external SSDs perhaps don’t get the love they deserve. Step forward PNY’s EliteX-Pro, then, which offers a small form factor, and has lightning-fast speeds.

Key Specs:

• Connectivity: USB-C
• Storage Options: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 4TB
• Maximum Read Speed: 1,600 MB/s
• Maximum Write Speed: 1,500 MB/s
• Compatability: USB 3.2 Gen 2×2, backwards compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0 and USB 1.1
• Price: $69.99 (500GB version) to $489.99 (4TB version)
• Where to buy: Amazon US, B&H

Design

It’d be fair to say that while an SSD, even an external one, doesn’t need to look good, the PNY EliteX-Pro still looks professional enough to be seen on your desk.

Measuring at 2.5-inches by 2.25-inches and with a depth of 0.43-inches, it’s easily small enough to be thrown into a bag and forgotten about until you need it, but if you do keep it nearby the brushed metal finish and simple one-port setup mean it’s the kind of device that’s handy for just plugging straight into a laptop, desktop, or docking station.

That port is USB-C, but if your PC doesn’t also have a USB-C connection then PNY has you covered with a USB-C to USB-A cable within the PNY EliteX-Pro’s packaging.

Performance

PNY/Dexerto

Let’s get one thing clear before we jump into the performance of the drive here — no, the PNY EliteX-Pro isn’t fast enough for your PS5 to consider it able to play games off of.

You can, however, connect it as an external drive and ferry content between it and your console. It’s worth noting that it’s not the priciest drive, either, meaning this may be a solid middle-ground option for those that don’t want to spend hundreds on an M.2 SSD for their console.

When it comes to usage on a computer, though, the PNY EliteX-Pro really sings. With the right port setup, the drive gets consistently above 1,300 MB/s for read and write speeds, meaning it’s ideal for storing large files that are too big for your internal drive — particularly helpful for laptop users.

Speaking of, we tested the drive on a Windows desktop and a 2021 MacBook Pro, and on the latter, it makes an ideal Time Machine backup drive. It also performed well connected to an iPad Pro for ferrying documents and files between the two.

Is it good for gaming?

Over on consoles, the PNY EliteX-Pro SSD would be excellent for storing older titles, but do not expect the access speeds to work on current-gen titles. However, if you are using it over on your PC, or other devices, it becomes an excellent storage drive for bringing games with you on the go, especially if you need to quickly swap between multiple systems and do not want the hassle of redownloading them on a new device.

8/10

With a small size that makes it endlessly portable, as well as impressive read/write speeds, the PNY EliteX-Pro is well worth a look for anyone looking for a solid laptop backup drive or something to connect to a desktop setup.

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