This thumb-sized SSD is my new favorite iPhone accessory for work travel - how it works

ZDNET's key takeaways

• The Planck SSD gives your connected device quick access to up to 2TB of storage.
• It has read and write speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s, giving it support for Apple 4K ProRes recording.
• It's not cheap at a starting price of $125, and due diligence is required for any Kickstarter project.

We don't often cover crowdfunded products at ZDNET, as the potential for production issues and undelivered promises far outweigh the end product that readers will invest their time and money in. The exception is for products that strike the right balance of quality, performance, and attainability. 

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Enter Planck, the world's smallest phone-first SSD. I first discovered the mobile accessory at CES earlier this year, and more recently, it's been in my everyday carry as I traveled to Barcelona for Mobile World Congress. 

After testing it for about two weeks, I can confidently say that it's changed how I capture and edit videos, a workflow that typically involves recording 4K footage on both my phone and Sony camera and piecing it all together on my MacBook.

I'll get pricing out of the way first, as it's the factor most backers will highly consider for the Planck. Right now, you can order the 1TB model for around $125 and the 2TB model for $200. These SSDs aren't cheap by any means. 

But considering Apple charges about $500 to upgrade eligible iPhone models to 1TB of storage, the expense may be worth it for content creators who truly need the added memory. (If only modern-day flagship phones still supported MicroSD cards, right?)

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It helps that using the Planck is a simple plug-and-play affair; almost any device that supports USB-C data transfer -- including a MacBook, iPhone or Android, and camera -- will work with the accessory. In fact, I connected the Planck to all four of those devices throughout my testing, and the SSD worked as intended.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

To test the speeds, I benchmarked the SSD with Blackmagic's Disk Speed Test, with read/write speeds averaging around 980 MB/s, just shy of Planck's 1,050 MB/s claims. That's plentiful for transferring high-resolution footage across devices and surpasses Apple's 440 MB/s requirement to record 4K ProRes video directly to the SSD from the iPhone. That includes 4K at 120fps, which most videographers rely on for slow-panning, smooth-motion footage.

Here are my results from the Blackmagic speed test.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

During my MWC trip, I shot all of my footage for ZDNET's social channels with an iPhone-Planck combo that resulted in no excess clips hogging my internal storage. My phone only has 128GB of internal storage, so the 4K recordings would've easily drained it all out, leaving no room for pictures of tapas and artisanal buildings. Just make sure to store the SSD securely, as its small build makes it easy to misplace.

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Planck says it's embedded thermal pads and a heat sink chamber in the SSD to prevent overheating, but I wouldn't say the accessory always stays cool. A few minutes into content capturing, the SSD, which presses against my hand as I hold up the phone, can feel slightly warm. Not enough to warrant unplugging it and letting it rest, but enough to make me hesitate for a moment about recording another video.

The Planck comes with labels for when you're logging footage from a specific event.

Kerry Wan/ZDNET

Lastly, I'd like to give a nod to Planck's case-friendly design, which is just tall enough to plug into most encased phones. I used the SSD with various clear and bumper cases and didn't struggle to get it to snap in place. But you might want to consider other SSD solutions if you're using a dual-layer protective case like an Otterbox.

ZDNET's buying advice

Ultimately, the Planck does what it claims and fits the bill as an ultraportable SSD for mobile. While the company is targeting phone content creators with the accessory, I've found it just as useful for mirrorless and DSLR cameras, especially if your laptop or computer has a USB-C port but not an SD card slot.

For readily available alternatives with more forgiving return policies, I'd recommend the Lexar Professional Go, which is on sale for $120 at the time of writing, as well as the Samsung T7, which is not as portable but still gives you 1TB of storage at 1,050 MB/s speeds for around $90.

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I'll reiterate that the Planck is currently in its crowdfunding stage, with a Kickstarter that has amassed more than $400,000 from almost 2,000 backers. The company says it plans to fully deliver orders by leveraging its streamlined fulfillment process, single-product focus, and commitment to transparency (read: timely updates and messaging for any issues). 

Still, you should do your research and due diligence before backing any beta project. The product I tested may not be exactly the same as what you receive in the future. But if it is, I'm hopeful it'll serve any content creator well.