Storage on Apple devices has always been a sensitive subject. Whether it’s for an iPhone, iPad, or Mac, you always pay the highest premium when upgrading the internal storage. An iPhone 17 Pro Max can go from $1199 for its 256GB entry-level model to $2000 for the 2TB model. That’s an additional $800 just for storage on your iPhone. So, for anyone shooting photos, working with large files, or recording Apple ProRes video on iPhone, those storage limits show up fast. I always recommend people get external storage rather than internal storage, since you can get 16TB for $800 these days! But external storage, specifically with iPhones, poses other challenges, like cables, mounts, and setups that can make things feel clunky. So when I saw the new Planck SSD and how tiny, compact, and purpose-built it was for iPhone, I had to check it out.
What is the Planck SSD
Before we get into my hands-on experience, let’s talk about exactly what this is. On paper, this is a high-end external storage accessory. You plug it directly into your iPhone, and you get an additional 1 or 2 TB of external storage. The secret sauce of this thing is the size, material choices, and form factor. It’s insane how small and convenient this is. The Planck SSD gives you:
1TB or 2TB options
USB-C connection up to 10 Gbps
Weights less than 10g!
Tested write speeds up to 1050 MB/s
Supports up to 4k120 Apple ProRes recording
Made of aluminum and shock-resistant materials
Water-resistant, dust-resistant, drop-tested up to 3 meters
... continue reading