The more we have, the more we want, and here I’m talking about storage on our phones. Nowadays, smartphones come with great cameras, powerful displays, and super-smooth interfaces. outcome? We fill our storage with photos, videos, documents and apps in no time. And if you’re a creator, the struggle is real. And carrying an external drive everywhere and spending time transferring files is a hassle many people can live without.

Sure, higher-storage phone options exist, but they usually come with a much higher price tag. And for some, it makes sense to get an external storage solution. SanDisk believes it has the answer to this problem with the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD.

The SanDisk Creator Phone SSD is clearly meant for creators and anyone who is constantly on the go, shooting 4K videos, clicking photos, and uploading content to social media. What makes it even more attractive is its compact and lightweight design, which makes it easy to carry around. And if your iPhone supports MagSafe, you can snap it to the back while transferring files or record video directly to the drive, saving precious space on your phone and time.

Here at India Today Tech, we’ve been using the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD for about two weeks now, and it has definitely impressed us. Now, storage solutions aren’t usually the most exciting gadgets, as they serve the specific purpose of giving you extra space to fill with files. However, the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD still managed to stand out for me with its convenience, speed, and overall experience.

So, in this review, I’ll tell you what the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD actually brings, and, more importantly, who should buy it. Because at a price of Rs 16,999, it is definitely not cheap. So, it’s worth asking if it’s right for you.

SanDisk Creator Phone SSD design and how it works

In India, the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD comes in a blue color variant. It has a compact, rectangular shape, the kind of little brick design you’d expect from most portable storage SSDs. In short, on the surface it would seem like business as usual. But as soon as you pick it up, you really see how light it is. With a weight of around 54 grams, it feels as light as carrying a small notepad in your pocket.

Looking closer at the design, the SanDisk logo is visible on the front with a light blue gradient and matte finish. However, the sides and back have a rubbery texture, which adds a bit of grip. On the top-right corner, there is also a small loop that lets you add a lanyard for added convenience. Flip it over and you’ll find the MagSafe ring on the back, making it easy to snap onto a compatible phone.

At the bottom, you get a USB-C port for wired connectivity. Design-wise, the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD has a clean design that is compact and lightweight.

Now, let’s come to how it works. You can connect the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD to your iPhone, Android phone, or even laptop using the USB-C cable that comes in the box. Once plugged in, the drive appears directly in your file manager. However, to make the most of it, you can also download the SanDisk app, which is available on both Play Store and App Store.

Inside the app, you get options like copying files from Drive, browsing stored content, and opening files directly in supported apps. The app SanDisk Creator makes managing phone SSD simple and easy.

Since the SSD is also MagSafe-compatible, you can snap it to the back of your iPhone or compatible Android smartphone when transferring files, or recording directly to the drive. While the magnetic attachment is strong, the USB-C cable in the box is a bit thick, which can cause strain when the drive is in use, and sometimes, it even breaks the SSD from the back of the phone. And remember, with the Creator Phone SSD, SanDisk is offering a 5-year warranty.

SanDisk Creator Phone SSD: Performance and speed

On paper, the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD is rated at up to 1,000MB/s, but in real-world use, it doesn’t reach those numbers. I tested the drive with my iPhone 16 Plus and also ran a speed test on my MacBook to see how it really performed across devices.

On the phone, using the OWC Drive Speed ​​app, the SSD held up well during recording, maintaining close to 30 fps, which is decent, if not fast. But it will allow you to shoot and save your video content directly to the drive. That said, transfer speeds on mobile remained very slow, at around 1 MB/s. It’s obviously not faster in terms of raw numbers on the phone, but it remains stable.

Performance improves when connected to a laptop. I ran the Blackmagic Disk Speed ​​Test on my MacBook, and during the test the Creator Phone SSD reached write speeds of about 570 MB/s and read speeds of close to 850 MB/s. That’s still less than the claimed 1,000MB/s, but for everyday use it’s fast and gets the job done. I tried transferring large files, and had no problems.

In short, the speeds don’t exactly match the advertised numbers. But using the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD in real life still feels quite fast. It lets you record directly to the drive, move files easily between your phone and laptop, and gives you extra space so you don’t have to worry about running out of space.

SanDisk Creator Phone SSD verdict: Should you buy it?

If you’re a content creator or looking for a compact and lightweight SSD to take with you every day or while traveling, the SanDisk Creator Phone SSD is worth considering. It’s easy to use, fast enough for everyday tasks and practical when you’re shooting on the go. The MagSafe feature is also useful, especially if you record or shoot while traveling or at events.

That said, if you’re just in the market for a 1TB or 2TB external drive and don’t really care about features like MagSafe or direct-to-drive recording, it might seem a little overpriced. In that case, you can look for other SanDisk alternatives that offer similar storage at a lower price.