Western Digital unveiled the new SanDisk Professional PRO-BLADE Modular SSD Ecosystem, designed to meet the demands of capturing, transferring and preserving increasingly higher resolution content.

Western Digital revealed during its recent event held in San Francisco all about its mission to unlock the potential of data by harnessing the possibility to use it. In a series of keynotes delivered by company leaders, Western Digital also unveiled breakthrough HDD and Flash innovations inspired by the ways individuals and businesses use data to create what’s next.

The new products include the new UHS-I SD and microSD memory cards, designed to empower professionals and creators around the world. Western Digital says that it has once again achieved record-breaking UHS-I read speeds – now up to 200MB/s – on its SanDisk Extreme PRO-class memory card line, making them the fastest UHS-I SD and microSD memory cards in the world. Paired with the new SanDisk Professional PRO-READER SD & microSD device, the cards deliver unmatched speeds that enable creatives to offload their content quickly with timesaving, labor-saving efficiency.

In terms of new HDDs, the company revealed the 26TB Ultrastar DC HC670 UltraSMR HDD and the 22TB Ultrastar DC HC570 HDD, which are now the highest capacity drives available. Both are built on decades of innovative technology and developed to help cloud providers and hyperscale customers meet modern data demands. Also new is the PCIe Gen4 Western Digital PC SN740 NVMe SSD family, which addresses the unique needs of the hybrid workforce and elevates the computing experience with sequential read speeds up to 5,150MB/s2 in a thin, light, low-power design.

New premium storage solution

While the different solutions are of interest to content creators, one new product attracts attention: the SanDisk Professional PRO-BLADE Modular SSD Ecosystem, an innovative, premium storage solution, designed to meet the need for multiple, super-fast portable storage devices to quickly ingest, edit, and copy large volumes of high-resolution content. Western Digital says that “the powerful PRO-BLADE ecosystem lets users easily swap out lightweight, high-capacity PRO-BLADE SSD mags so they can carry terabytes of storage without excess bulk. The exceptionally versatile PRO-BLADE modular SSD ecosystem is built to transform the entire workflow with scalable capacity and time-saving convenience on location and back in the studio.”

“As a filmmaker, I spend a lot of time on location shooting. While my primary focus is producing engaging stories, I also spend a lot of time looking for ways to streamline my production workflow, especially when it comes to data storage and transfer speeds. With the SanDisk Professional portfolio, I have a technology partner that designs products for all my production workflows, and deeply understands the needs of today’s filmmaker,” said Michael Coleman, SanDisk Professional PRO-TEAM ambassador and award-winning director and cinematographer.

The SanDisk Professional PRO-BLADE system

Here is some more information, shared by western Digital, about the new The SanDisk Professional PRO-BLADE Modular SSD Ecosystem features:

• PRO-BLADE SSD Mag – A versatile NVMe SSD mag that powers the ultimate modular SSD ecosystem. The PRO-BLADE SSD mag allows users to scale the storage they need in an instant whether in the studio or on location. By loading the PRO-BLADE SSD mag into the portable PRO-BLADE TRANSPORT enclosure users can create a powerful portable SSD. When loading up to four SSD mags into the super-fast PRO-BLADE STATION desktop enclosure, users can build their most versatile media workflow yet. The PRO-BLADE SSD mag is ready for any location, delivering up to 3m drop and 4,000lbs crush resistance for on-the-go reliability. The PRO-BLADE SSD mag is offered in 1TB ($179.99 U.S. MSRP), 2TB ($289.99 U.S. MSRP) and 4TB ($599.99 U.S. MSRP) and is expected to begin shipping in in June 2022.
• PRO-BLADE TRANSPORT portable SSD enclosure – A premium portable and modular SSD for ultra-fast workflow scalability. Pair multiple, lightweight PRO-BLADE SSD mags with the PRO-BLADE TRANSPORT portable USB-C (20Gbps) enclosure for up to 2000MB/s read and write speeds. The PRO-BLADE TRANSPORT device enables people to easily swap out PRO-BLADE SSD mags so they can carry terabytes of storage without excess bulk. Attach a PRO-BLADE TRANSPORT enclosure to a USB-C compatible camera rig for high-res recording directly on to the loaded PRO-BLADE SSD mag. Simply swap between SSD mags to keep rolling without interruption. The PRO-BLADE TRANSPORT portable SSD enclosure will be available in 0TB ($69.99 U.S. MSRP), 1TB ($239.99 U.S. MSRP), 2TB ($359.99 U.S. MSRP) and 4TB ($659.99 U.S. MSRP) and is expected to begin shipping in June 2022.
• PRO-BLADE STATION desktop SSD enclosure – Optimized for professionals looking for the fastest way to ingest, copy, and edit their content, the PRO-BLADE STATION desktop system lets pros load up to four PRO-BLADE SSD mags at once creating a powerhouse Thunderbolt SSD device. The desktop SSD enclosure utilizes a Thunderbolt 3 (40Gbps) interface so they can load and swap up to four high-capacity PRO-BLADE SSD mags at once for simultaneous offloading, real-time 4K/8K/12K editing, and super-fast copies. The PRO-BLADE STATION allows pros to take on their most demanding workloads yet with an exceptionally modular and scalable SSD workstation that empowers creativity. The PRO-BLADE STATION desktop SSD enclosure will be available late 2022 in the United States with pricing to be announced closer to product availability.

Find the PRO-BLADE Modular SSD Ecosystem products at select retailers and the Western Digital Store. Follow the link for more information on the SanDisk Professional portfolio of solutions.