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Summary
ThePNY EliteX-PRO SSDis a top-notch, portable storage device that lets you save and share media across a range of devices and OS types. The read and write speeds are impressive, to say the least, and because there’s no software required, you’ll be copying and pasting content in no time!
Design: A Small Physical Footprint
Inside the EliteX-PRO box, you’ll find the SSD itself, two USB cables (one USB-C-to-C and the other USB-C-to-A), and a sticker with registration info for your free Acronis True Image Data Protection download (more on that in a bit).
Wrapped in a no-nonsense aluminum casing, you can tell that the EliteX-PRO is more than capable of taking a ding or two and would probably do alright if you dropped it from a decent height. But speaking of an accidental fall, the aluminum housing can be a little slippery, so do exercise some caution when you’re holding the drive.
The EliteX-PRO includes a single USB-C port, as well as an LED status light. When the drive is plugged into a computer, tablet, or gaming console, the indicator will intermittently flash white to let you know a connection has been made. I was also a big fan of the relatively small form factor. At only 2.50 inches wide and 2.25 inches long, the SSD is the ideal size for those many mesh pockets that go unused in backpacks and laptop sleeves. And no matter what size you choose (the EliteX-PRO is available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, 3TB, and 4TB variations), the dimensions remain the same.
Features: A USB Workaholic
The EliteX-PRO is a solid-state drive (SSD) with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 capabilities. Compared to the Gen 2x1 standard, Gen 2x2 brings faster read and write speeds to the table, with the ability to handle up to 20Gbps at a time. If you find yourself having to download and upload large files on a regular basis, the EliteX-Pro promises some impressive performance. Put this up against an external hard disc drive (HDD), and PNY claims your workflow should be up to 12 times faster.
Conveniently, the EliteX-Pro is also backward-compatible with older USB standards, including 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, and USB 1.1 host devices. Digging a little deeper, I also found some fine print on the box that says the EliteX-Pro performs at USB 3.0 and 2.0 speeds when used with this type of hardware. I suppose that’s not a big surprise, although it would have been nice to get a little more speed from A to B for legacy gear.
If you’re worried about your computer crashing and burning, PNY is also partnered up withAcronis True Image HD, which means you’ll be able to download True Image Data Protection for both Windows and macOS. As mentioned, there’s a sticker in the box with a product registration code and a link toPNY’s registration page.
Using the EliteX-Pro: Faster than Most
I tested the EliteX-PRO using my 2020 MacBook Pro, 55-inch Samsung Smart TV, and PS4. Transferring content couldn’t be easier, and my favorite part of the process? No software is required. Using the supplied USB-C to USB-C cable, I simply plugged the drive into my MacBook, and it immediately appeared on my desktop (as “Untitled,” but you can change this name). Similar to anexternal HDDorUSB flash drive, adding files and other media to the EliteX-PRO is a quick drag-and-drop process. I uploaded several photos, 4K videos, and a few documents to my test unit, and there was little to no delay. In fact, the only files that took a little longer than normal were the 4K/50fps videos I downloaded from YouTube; but in this context, a little longer means two full seconds as opposed to many milliseconds for a big photo transfer.
Once I ejected the EliteX-PRO from my laptop, I wanted to see how things would work when connected to both my Samsung Smart TV and PS4. As for the former, I started things off by using the USB-C to USB-A wire to connect the drive to the TV’s 5V USB-A port. The Samsung’s media-reading tech kicked in right away, and I was able to view every photo, video, and file I uploaded without a hitch. Even the 4K videos (saved as MP4s) looked just as fantastic as they did on YouTube.
When I plugged the drive into my PS4, I head into the system’s “USB Storage” tab and selected the EliteX-PRO. If you’re a big-time gamer that’s always downloading full game files, DLCs, and other downloadable content, the EliteX-PRO is a great investment for off-site storage. That being said, I was prompted by the PS4 to format the EliteX-PRO in order to use it for gaming media, which would delete all the content I already had stored on the drive. Once formatted though, you’ll be able to offload everything from apps to saved-game progress to the EliteX-PRO.
Now there’s another app on the PS4 called “Media Player,” which is what you’ll use to view and play media stored on external drives, but I didn’t have the best results with this tool. Media Player could only recognize a few audio stems I had uploaded to a GarageBand project, but all the other files couldn’t be viewed. But frankly, I wasn’t surprised that this happened. I’ve had numerous issues in the past with getting the PS4 to be able to read media from external storage devices. The usual fix typically involves me converting media to lower-quality files, which I didn’t think was necessary for this review.
Should You Buy the PNY EliteX-Pro?
ThePNY EliteX-PRO 500GB SSDis an excellent backup drive for quick and easy file transfer across multiple peripherals, and it’s small enough to take just about anywhere, too. And while some may prefer the workstation aesthetic of an external HDD, or the even smaller form factor of a USB thumb drive, the EliteX-Pro serves as the perfect Goldilocks storage solution.
