The SanDisk Desk Drive 8 TB is an external SSD hard disk for transferring and storing large amounts of data quickly and securely. The product series is available in two versions, which provide either 4 TB or 8 TB. Thanks to this storage capacity, the hard drive should be ideal for archiving 4K videos, large photo archives, complex project files or regular system backups. SanDisk also promises high transfer rates of up to 1,000 MB/s, which is four times the speed of a conventional HDD hard disk. To enable such data rates, the SanDisk Desk Drive relies on the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface.
In our product test, we take a close look at the 8 TB version of the SanDisk Desk Drive. We pay particular attention to user-friendliness, commissioning and the actual speed in practical use. We also want to find out whether the SanDisk Desk Drive is convincing at its current price of just under €600.
Technical data
| Model designation | Desk Drive 8 TB |
| Model ID | SDSSDT40-8T00-EM25 |
| Storage capacity | 8 TB |
| Interface type | USB 3.2 Gen 2 |
| Speed: Seq. read | 1,000 MB/s |
| Speed: Seq. write | 900 MB/s |
| Connectors | USB-C, power supply |
| Operating temperature | 0 °C – 35 °C |
| Storage temperature | -20 °C – 60 °C |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 99.2 x 99.2 x 40.2 mm |
| Weight | 268 g |
| Warranty period | 3 years |
| Price | € 559.99 * |
Scope of delivery
- Packaging in typical manufacturer color
- Adapter plug for USB-C cable included
The packaging of the SSD comes in the manufacturer’s typical color combination, which is a mix of white and red. In addition to the SSD itself, the SanDisk Desk Drive comes with a USB-C cable and an adapter plug from USB Type-A to USB-C. An 18-watt power supply unit is also part of the package and is used to power the SSD hard drive. The package is rounded off with a small user manual.
Appearance & processing
- Suitable as a stationary SSD for desktop workstations
- Voluminous design with striking red stripes
- Permanent power connection required for use
The SanDisk Desk Drive is intended as a supplement for desktop workstations and as an alternative to external HDD hard disks. The appearance of the San Desk Drive is primarily reminiscent of a puck. It is somewhat bulkier, which can also be felt when the SSD is lifted briefly. It is also worth mentioning in this context that the SSD has its own power supply unit, which must be permanently connected to the power supply in addition to the USB port. In this respect, the model is less suitable for portable use and more suitable for stationary use.
While the manufacturer’s name SanDisk is engraved on the top, only the bottom has further information about the product. The most striking feature is the bright red stripe in the middle, which completely encases the SanDisk Desk Drive. If we change the perspective and look at the workmanship, no defects can be seen here. Sharp edges or other blemishes are nowhere to be found.
The built-in technology at a glance
- Rear connections: USB-C, power socket, Kensington lock
- 8 TB storage preformatted as exFAT
- Fast data transfer (read 1,000 MB/s, write 900 MB/s)
All connections are located on the back. There are three in total, from the USB-C port to a power connection and a Kensington lock. Equipped with the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface, the USB-C port enables fast data transfer of up to 1,000 MB/s in sequential read mode. Although the SSD cannot quite match this in terms of sequential writing, it is very close at 900 MB/s. All in all, these are good values for an external SSD drive.
Once connected to the PC, the SanDisk Desk Drive is immediately ready for use. The formatting step is not necessary as the SSD is already formatted in exFAT at the factory. Now just assign a drive letter and you can store backups or media files on it. According to Windows Explorer, 7.27 TB of our test model with 8 TB can be used.
The manufacturer offers the backup software Acronis True Image for Western Digital as a free download for both the 4 and 8 TB versions. It can be used to automatically create complete backups of Windows or macOS, among other things. Individual directories, files and programs can also be backed up in this way. Of course, old backups can be restored at any time in the event of an error.
Test system
Our test system consists of the following components:
- AMD Ryzen 7 7800X3D
- ASUS ROG STRIX X670E-A GAMING WIFI
- Corsair VENGEANCE RGB DDR5 RAM 32GB 6000MHz CL30 AMD EXPO
- XFX Speedster MERC310 AMD Radeon RX 7900XTX
- Corsair iCUE LINK TITAN 360 RX RGB
- ENERMAX Revolution D.F.X 1050W
- Thermaltake Ceres 500 TG ARGB Snow
All subsequent performance tests were carried out with this test system. In order to exploit the full data rate of the SSD, the supplied USB-C cable was of course used and connected to a USB 3.2 Gen 2 port on the mainboard.
Performance test
In order to measure the performance of the SanDisk Desk Drive and compare it with the manufacturer’s specifications, we used several proven benchmarking tools. We used the following applications for this test:
- CrystalDiskMark
- HD Tune Pro
- ATTO Disk Benchmark
- AS SSD Benchmark
Results of the performance test
- Strong performance values with short access times
- Consistently high performance for both reading and writing
- No drops during longer data transfers
CrystalDiskMark & transfer of a 500 GB test file
The test with CrystalDiskMark shows that the SanDisk Desk Drive 8 TB can fully maintain its transfer speeds according to the data sheet. Despite several runs, it also turns out that the write speed in this benchmark is even higher than the read speed.
Using a 500 GB test file, we will now examine how the SSD behaves over a longer period of time. Here it can be seen that the transfer speed remains constant and levels off between 695 MB/s and 711 MB/s at the peak. The 500 GB test file was thus transferred in approx. 12 minutes and 34 seconds. The temperature of the SanDisk Desk Drive rose to up to 65 degrees Celsius. This is also noticeable on the housing itself, which heats up considerably during this time.
HD Tune Pro & ATTO Disk Benchmark
In the further course of the test, the SanDisk Desk Drive 8 TB was also tested with HD Tune Pro and ATTO Disk Benchmark. This yielded the following result:
AS SSD Benchmark
With regard to the AS SSD benchmark, the SanDisk Desk Drive scores again and achieves a consistently high performance. The access times average 0.051 ms, which is a solid value for an external SSD. In the copy benchmark, it is noticeable that the transfer is very fast, especially with ISO or game files. In the program test, however, the transfer rate of approx. 235 MB/s is only half as high. However, this is common with SSDs and HDDs.
The compression benchmark, on the other hand, shows a largely constant straight line right from the start. There are no recognizable losses in performance.
SanDisk Desk Drive 8 TB test: Conclusion
The SanDisk Desk Drive represents a sensible mix of high storage capacity paired with fast SSD performance. In the benchmarks, the 8 TB version cuts a solid figure and shows no weaknesses or slowdowns even when transferring larger files. Compared to other portable SSDs, however, the Desk Drive falls somewhat short, as an external power supply is always required for operation. This also reflects the area of application, as it is more suitable for stationary use on workstations.
In terms of price, the Desk Drive is more expensive than most other SSDs with the same interface connection. In contrast, it is characterized by a capacity of up to 8 TB – a size that other external SSDs often do not offer. So if you prefer an external drive with as much storage space as possible at SSD speed, you could definitely be happy with the SanDisk Desk Drive. However, if you are looking for a cheaper storage solution, external HDDs are probably more attractive.
SanDisk Desk Drive 8 TB
Access times
Transfer rate (read)
Transfer rate (write)
Price-performance ratio
91/100
High-performance external SSD solution with high storage capacity, but which requires its own power supply. This makes the SSD primarily suitable for stationary use and enables fast backups or the archiving of large amounts of data.
