Lexar Professional Go SL400 portable SSD with Hub review

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Lexar Professional Go SL400: 30-second review

We first caught show of nan Lexar Professional Go (or Lexar Professional Go SL400 portable SSD pinch Hub, to springiness nan instrumentality it's afloat title) backmost astatine IFA 2024. After a little demonstration, and a short hands-on, we were impressed pinch nan wide consciousness and cognition of nan device. 

And while it's chiefly designed for videographers and contented creators utilizing nan the iPhone 15, it's afloat compatible pinch immoderate USB-C telephone (we know, we checked). But, really does it stack up nether our afloat and extended testing? We put it to nan test. 

At first, this mini modular instrumentality conscionable looks for illustration immoderate different mobile SSD that enables you to unlock your iPhone's afloat imaginable to movie nan ProRes video format. But it really enables acold much than conscionable boosting retention by enabling video accessories to beryllium straight attached. Something that will entreaty to master users.

The quality betwixt this and our accustomed prime of nan best portable SSDs is nan hub section. Essentially, this instrumentality is made up of 3 integral parts: nan main SSD, hub, and nan mini coupling. There's an other USB cablegram on pinch a lawsuit successful nan box. While nan thrust tin beryllium utilized arsenic a modular plug-and-play description drive, it really comes into its ain erstwhile each units are utilized together.

In nan box, location are 2 coupling connectors, which fundamentally alteration you to usage nan SL400 Go pinch an iPhone case. To set-up nan mini USB coupling of prime tin beryllium plugged into nan guidelines of nan phone, followed by nan hub and past nan SSD. It each sits neatly and snugly astatine nan backmost of nan phone, pinch nan champion fresh being erstwhile nan telephone has its ain case. The different coupling tin beryllium utilized erstwhile you want to equine nan SSD elsewhere and enables you to link to a USB cable. While that would beryllium it for astir SSDs here, nan hub past offers 2 further USB Type-C ports for attaching different devices, specified arsenic a RODE Go, DJI Mic 2 aliases powerfulness supply, earlier everything is connected to a larger rig.

The creation is coagulated erstwhile utilized pinch a larger rig strategy and will entreaty to each contented creators looking for a pro-level video action that remains mini and lightweight. At present, location is nary different strategy that does this. While different SSDs cater to nan further retention needs, nary different strategy besides enables a powerfulness slope and mic to beryllium attached to heighten audio value arsenic good arsenic boost artillery life.

As a master solution for iPhone videography, nan SL400 Go Portable SSD pinch Hub is connected different level compared to thing other presently available. It's 1 of those products you'll only realise you request erstwhile you commencement to movie and measure your video's accumulation values. On its own, it offers greater flexibility, but erstwhile collaborated pinch a wireless mic, lights, and power, it will thief amended your iPhone video productions to a master level.

Lexar Professional Go SL400: Price & availability

The Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD is disposable from retailers and tin beryllium purchased straight done nan Lexar website, Amazon.com, and galore different unit sites.

• Score: 4/5

Lexar Professional Go SL400: Design & build

The Lexar Professional Go pinch Hub has a quirky creation pinch 2 parts, pinch accrued functionality arsenic nan SSD and Hub are combined. Straight retired of nan box, nan mini SSD tin beryllium plugged straight into nan guidelines of your iPhone and will beryllium instantly recognised and disposable for use. As is normal pinch immoderate SSD aliases mic strategy that plugs into nan guidelines of an iPhone, immoderate existing protective lawsuit needs to beryllium removed first. This functionality is overmuch for illustration nan bulk of different mobile SSDs connected nan market, but nan size of nan SSD does already group it apart, particularly considering nan immense 2TB capacity.

Where this mini instrumentality really comes into its ain is erstwhile it's coupled pinch nan hub. The hub is simply a somewhat larger artifact that uses a mini adapter, which plugs straight into nan hub, nan SSD and past into nan guidelines of your iPhone. This is, again, a spot of a bolt-on, but it each starts to make consciousness arsenic portion of a acold larger and much master rig.

The size and weight of nan modules are compact, pinch nan SSD measuring 25.5 x 43.5 x 8.25mm and weighing 13g, while nan somewhat larger hub comes successful astatine 43 x 43.5 x 8.25mm and weighs 23g. Altogether, on pinch nan coupling, nan full portion weighs 42g pinch nan SSD's rubber lawsuit and 38g without. It's worthy keeping nan rubber lawsuit connected arsenic it provides a amended grip against nan telephone erstwhile everything is successful position.

The creation intends that nan hub and SSD are held successful spot by nan USB port, and while this mightiness not look for illustration nan champion solution, Lexar has included 2 mini USB couplings that alteration you to fresh nan hub snugly aliases link successful a USB cablegram erstwhile nan SSD is mounted elsewhere. In this review, we utilized a Mous iPhone 15 case, and erstwhile successful place, nan hub sits snugly and securely. Once nan SSD is plugged in, it creates a coagulated relationship that makes everything consciousness firmly together erstwhile handheld.

• Design & build: 4/5

Lexar Professional Go SL400: Features

This instrumentality is fundamentally a very compact SSD pinch a USB Type-C hub that has been designed modularly truthful you tin accommodate it to suit your filming needs. The SSD is disposable successful 1TB aliases 2TB versions, and erstwhile connected, it will alteration you to unlock and grounds ProRes-quality video footage.

While nan SSD is small, it's besides designed to beryllium robust pinch IP65 certification, which intends it's some water- and dust-resistant. The thrust isn't conscionable reliable against biology elements but besides comes pinch 256-AES encryption package to support nan files connected nan thrust secure.

When it comes to connecting to nan iPhone, it utilises nan modular USB Type-C connector, which enables ultra-fast transportation rates pinch quoted publication speeds of up to 1050MB/s and constitute speeds of up to 1000MB/s. While nan instrumentality has been designed for usage pinch Apple iPhones, it's besides arsenic compatible pinch Android devices arsenic agelong arsenic they're USB Type-C (3.0 aliases above) and nan telephone has OTG functionality pinch a USB load capacity of supra 4.5W.

The hub is wherever nan characteristic group really gets interesting, pinch 4 USB ports—one for nan SSD, 1 for nan coupling to nan telephone and nan different 2 spare for connecting different devices. This includes up to a 30W charging complaint if you request longer shooting times.

• Features: 5/5

Lexar Professional Go SL400: Performance

Setting up nan SL400 Go Portable SSD pinch Hub is straightforward, arsenic Lexar has provided everything you request successful a soft zip case. This lawsuit is simply a bully touch arsenic it keeps everything together and makes it ultra-portable and easy to gaffe into a backpack easily.

Assembling nan components and connecting to nan telephone takes little than a minute, pinch nan coupling and hub plugging successful on pinch nan SSD. During testing, we mostly utilized nan SL400 Go Portable SSD pinch Hub pinch nan iPhone 15 Pro, utilizing a Mous case. This ensured that nan SSD and Hub sat flush against nan case, though we recovered it overseas that nan SSD features a rubber lawsuit while nan hub does not.

In use, pinch aliases without nan rubber lawsuit nan units sat against nan telephone snuggly, pinch nan rubber lawsuit conscionable giving a small further acquisition erstwhile handheld. The relationship betwixt nan telephone and nan portion is solely done nan USB Type-C connection, and this tin consciousness for illustration a anemic point.

In use, it's evident that nan Lexar thrust and hub person been designed arsenic a master portion of kit, and pinch nan correct accessories, specified arsenic cage, mics, ray and power, it surely feels for illustration a acold much important rig than nan telephone alone. Adding successful a Neewer cage, a mini LED light, and a Rode Go Mic alongside nan SL400 Go Portable SSD pinch Hub provided an instant boost successful quality—the telephone goes from being thing you tin snapshot a speedy signaling pinch to thing altogether acold much professional.

Then, there's nan imaginable to adhd successful a wireless mic system, specified arsenic nan DJI Mic 2. With nan hub successful place, this tin easy beryllium wired in, and if an further artillery is needed, it tin besides beryllium added, on pinch nan mic. 

Overall, nan capacity and velocity of nan mini SL400 Go Portable SSD pinch Hub are impressive, and nan truth that it offers truthful overmuch further imaginable makes it a valuable accessory for anyone looking to boost nan value of their video.

• Performance: 4/5

Should you bargain nan Lexar Professional Go SL400?

The Lexar Professional Go pinch Hub enables you to sprout professional-grade video connected your iPhone and unlocks features for illustration ProRes video recording. The hub besides enables you to link pro-level microphones and different accessories that fundamentally toggle shape your iPhone into a fully-fledged accumulation rig. 

If you request your iPhone's video to return a measurement up for business and master video, past this is simply a awesome solution and elemental to use. Ultimately, there's nary different mobile SSD that packs successful a hub that enables this level of expandability and performance. If you request your iPhone for master video, past nan Lexar SL400 Go Portable SSD pinch Hub is an basal choice. 

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