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LaCie claims read/write speeds of up to 6,700 MB/s and 5,300 MB/s, which they say are good enough for real-time 8K and 6K RAW editing. In the high-speed test, file transfer was 5,787 MB / s read and 5,188 MB / s write-which, although it does not match the claims, still makes it far and away the best drive in the book. But raw speed is just page numbers; I was very interested in real life events. Since I have been trying again Nikon Z6III (8/10, WIRED Recommends)which can shoot 6K ProRes RAW, I uploaded some good photos on the Pro5 and was able to edit them using DaVinci Resolve Studio.
The downside here is the price. These started at $600 for a 4-TB model (which is the minimum you’ll need to work with ProRes RAW video files). This used to be expensive, but these days it’s gone crazy ($1,600 as of now), making it affordable. However, if you want speed, this is the drive to get it.
The best USB4 Drive
Photo: Scott Gilbertson
If you don’t have any Thunderbolt 5 enabled devices, this Thunderbolt 4 drive would be my recommendation for anyone with a speed bump. Corsair’s EX400U is an impressive little drive, offering speeds of around 3,800 MB/s for sequential reading and 3,550 MB/s for writing. Again, this is only possible if you have a device that supports USB4/Thunderbolt 4 (including the latest MacBooks, Dell XPS, etc. – see our direct to the best laptop for more information). Technically, just to finish this, LaCie’s new solid state SSD came out, which beat this drive in my test by about 10 MB/s, but this drive is smaller, lighter, and cheaper.
I also like that Corsair has included a MagSafe connector on the back of the case, making it a great way to store ProRes videos from your iPhone. Also, the price of this small car, so far, has not reached the stratosphere.
Great for Artists
Photo: Scott Gilbertson
Crucial’s X9 Pro hits the sweet spot of speed, portability, and price to make it one of the best drives out there for photographers looking to make backups in the field. These drives are small, about half the size of a card, and weigh only 1.3 ounces. They connect with everything. I tested the X9 Pro on Windows, Mac, Linux, Android, and iOS and never encountered any issues. When it comes to speed, the X9 Pro claims read and write speeds are the same, at 1,050 MB/s. I’m always very fast, up to 1,110 MB/s for reading and 1,100 MB/s for writing. This puts the X9 Pro at the top of the pack in terms of driving speed.
