WD launches two new portable SSDs designed for photographers and drone users

In addition to revealing the world's smallest 1TB USB-C flash drive, Western Digital has launched two new portable SSDs specifically designed for "avid photographers and drone enthusiasts" at this year's Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas.

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD offers both high performance and durability in an extremely portable package, while the My Passport Wireless SSD gives photographers a solid state version of WD's popular My Wireless Pro, which features built-in WiFi, an SD card slot, and other convenient features for photographers on-the-go.

SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD

The SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is a lightweight (79g / .17lbs) pocket-sized USB-C drive encased in a durable housing with an IP55 dust- and water-resistant rating. Thanks to the housing, the drive can withstand operating temperatures ranging from 0°C to 45°C (32°F to 113°F), as well as storage temperatures ranging from -20°C to 70°C (-4°F to 158°F).

The Extreme Portable SSD drive has a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface, read speeds up to 550MB/s, and out-of-the-box compatibility with Windows and macOS.

The drives are currently listed on SanDisk's website as "not in stock" at the following capacities and price points: 250GB for $100, 500GB for $170, 1TB for $350, and 2TB for $700.

WD My Passport Wireless SSD

The My Passport Wireless SSD, as the name suggests, is a solid state version/update to the original My Passport Wireless Pro that we reviewed and actually quite liked.

Housed in an enclosure with an integrated 802.11ac wireless connection, this drive allows users to access content on the drive over WiFi, including streaming 4K videos to a computer or mobile device. The wireless feature works with the My Cloud mobile app, as well as some third-party apps including LumaFusion and FiLMiC Pro.

In addition to wireless access, this My Passport product also has an integrated SD card reader so that photos and videos can be copied onto the SSD directly from the media card at speeds up to 65MB/s. For other types of media cards, the Wireless SSD supports direct transfers via a cable and connected media card adapter. Finally, the drive also features a USB port for transferring content to a computer via USB 3.0 at speeds up to 390MB/s.

Because this model has built-in wireless, Western Digital has packed a 6700mAh battery into the drive case, enabling the WiFi feature to be used for up to 10 hours before it needs to be recharged. And for convenience' sake, the device's built-in battery doubles as a power bank for charging other USB devices, such as a smartphone.

The My Passport Wireless SSD will be available in 250GB ($230), 500GB ($300), 1TB ($500), and 2TB ($800) capacities. Pre-orders are available now, with shipping estimated to start on February 15th.

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WD launches two new portable SSDs designed for photographers and drone users was originally posted by proton T2a