The camera on many modern smartphones are so good now, you can actually shoot proper 4K videos using the humble device in your pocket. Problem is, 4K files are so big, you’ll end up filling out your onboard storage in short order. That’s why there are a number of external SSD solutions offered specifically for mobile video storage. The Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub makes it as compact as we’ve ever seen.
Designed for the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max (although it can also work with Android phones), the device allows you to not just store your video on a large-capacity external drive, it’s also fast enough to let you record Apple ProRes videos in 4K 60fps. While it’s not the only SSD that lets you do that, it is, quite possibly, the smallest, allowing you to have access to plenty of storage without adding too much bulk to your smartphone videography setup.
The Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub consists of two parts: a portable SSD and a four-port USB-C hub. The SSD is available in either 1TB or 2TB capacities, both of which have 1,050MBps read speeds and 1,000MBps write speeds. You can connect the SSD directly to your smartphone’s USB-C port, although it will be dangling from the bottom in a pretty uncomfortable manner.
Alternatively, you can plug in the SSD to the included USB-C hub, which can be mounted to the back of the phone using the outfit’s angled adapter. Basically, the USB-C hub lets you connect the SSD to your phone while the whole add-on sits in the back, completely out of the way. Additionally, you get two unoccupied USB-C slots, which you can use to plug in other gear as you need them, whether it be lights, mics, or any other accessories you can use during your video recording sessions. One of the additional ports even support 30W power delivery and 10Gbps data transfers, so you can use it for a whole load of accessories.
The Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub positions the SSD and the USB-C hub at the lower back side of the smartphone, so it’s completely out of the way for both the camera and the center position where you’re likely to attach your phone to a stabilizer gimbal during shoots. Both the SSD and the hub have an IP65 rating, by the way, so they can be survive water sprays, spills, and light rain – just don’t immerse them in water and you should be fine.
The SSD enclosure itself measures just 1.7 x 1 x 0.3 inches (width x height x thickness), so it’s really quite the compact device. When combined with the USB-C hub, the size expands to 2.7 x 1.7 x 0.3 inches, so it’s compact enough to fit snugly at the bottom back side of your phone. If you plan to use this with Android smartphones, by the way, make sure your device has a USB-C port, support for USB on-the-go (OTG), and a USB load capacity of over 4.5W (otherwise, it won’t be compatible).
A Kickstarter campaign is currently running for the Lexar Professional Go Portable SSD with Hub. Pricing for the full set (SSD plus USB-C hub) starts at $159 for the 1TB capacity and $239 for the 2TB version.