A Fast Runner-Up to the PNY Flagship – Review Geek

The PNY Pro Elite V2 SSD is a phenomenal alternative to a bulky external HDD or a flash drive that’s so small it’s hard to remember what drawer it ended up in. With its solid transfer speeds, smart design, and quick connectivity, you’ll be moving media in no time! 

Design: It’s Nothing Fancy, and It Doesn’t Need to Be

• Dimensions: 2.25 x 2.50 x 0.43in (63.5 x 57.15 x 10.92mm)
• Weight: 0.075lbs (0.0034kg) 

Remember how cool it was when smartphones were getting smaller? (At least, I thought so). Now that the tables have turned, and screen size is on the rise again, I’m left wanting less from the rest of the peripherals we use on a near-daily basis. And sure, you may not need a portable SSD on you at all times, but I can appreciate the fact that PNY chose to make an ultra-portable model. Enter the PNY Pro Elite V2.

Measuring only 2.50 inches wide, 2.25 inches from top to bottom, and 0.43 inches from front to back, the Elite V2 is a tiny SSD that you can purchase in 500GB and 1TB versions (I tested the 500GB version for this review). Encased in a textured aluminum casing, it feels like this durable outer-shell will be able to stand up to everything from bumps and scratches to extreme temperatures. Be careful when connecting to a computer or just basic handling of the Elite V2 on delicate surfaces though; because that aluminum shell is stronger than it looks. 

In terms of connections, there’s only one to worry about: a USB-C port with an LED indicator light. When plugged into a device, the white LED will flash white to let you know the drive is in use.

Features: Smooth and Safe File Transfers

The Pro Elite V2 is a USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 SSD, which means you’ll be getting transfer speeds that are leaps and bounds faster than a USB 3.0 flash drive, but on-point with the kind of experience you’d get from a top-notch external HDD. PNY claims you’ll be able to get up to 1,100MB/s for read speeds, and up to 700MB/s for write speeds. Now if you’re using older laptops or game consoles, rest assured that the Elite V2 is also backward-compatible with older USB standards, including USB 3.2 Gen 1, USB 2.0, and USB 1.1 peripherals. But as mentioned in my review of the EliteX-PRO, the Elite V2 will only transfer at the speed that older devices can handle. 

One nice exclusive PNY provides right out of the box is free access to Acronis True Image Data Protection software. Once installed, this allows you to create a backup clone of your Windows or Mac computer. All one has to do to reap said reward is register the Elite V2 here (the product registration code is located inside the box). Now this “backing up” isn’t just relegated to files and media; you can back up your entire Windows or macOS if need be. You can also create a boot repository that your computer can reference if the machine crashes and you need to revert to a healthier OS state. 

Conveniently, PNY also knows that not all of us are rocking USB-C gadgets yet. The tried and true USB-A port is still a key player from desktop computers to Playstation and Xbox, so the fact that the Elite V2 comes with both connections earns our pals at PNY a solid “thank you” from us. 

Using the Pro Elite V2: Let’s Do an Experiment or Two!

• Transfer Speed (read): Up to 1,100MB/s
• Transfer Speed (write): Up to 700MB/s
• Storage Capacity: 500GB (also available in 1TB)

Seeing as there’s no software required for operation, connecting the Elite V2 to my 2021 MacBook Pro was just a matter of plugging in the drive. After being prompted by my computer to accept the new connection, I was ready to start adding media to the Elite V2 (which appeared on my desktop as “Untitled”). 

To add files to the drive, double-click the icon to launch “Finder” and use the Finder tool to search for pictures, videos, music, documents, and other file types. You can also drag and drop files into the Elite V2, or copy/paste them. I decided to upload all my content in one fell swoop, which included several hi-res photos, a couple of 4K videos I downloaded from YouTube, a few audio tracks, and various documents. And wouldn’t you know it: the Elite V2 uploaded everything in seconds flat. Like, maybe five seconds at the most. Now I’m used to the typical long wait of uploading 4K footage to a USB flash drive, so seeing the Elite V2 contend with 4K media, on top of other files was definitely impressive.

Once everything was uploaded, I decided to connect the Elite V2 to my Samsung Smart TV and my girlfriend’s 2021 Mac mini. After uploading content and unplugging the Elite V2 from my MacBook, though, I received the infamous “Disk Not Ejected” properly disclaimer in the top-right corner of the screen. Uh oh. Fortunately, there were no sinking ships to write about; all the files and media stayed on the Elite V2 unharmed. When I plugged the drive into the 5V USB-A port on my Samsung TV, the set went right to work accessing the drive’s contents. Everything stored on the disk was not only viewable, but the 4K videos looked just as sharp as they were when I originally streamed them. 

As for my girlfriend’s Mac mini, I connected the Elite V2 to the computer using both the USB-C and USB-A cables because I had a little experiment I wanted to try. While connected, I added another 30-minute 4K video to the drive, first using the USB-C lead and then the USB-A. I wanted to see if one cable type would transfer data faster than the other, and lo and behold, there wasn’t too much of a difference. It took the USB-A wire a little bit longer to upload the file to the Elite V2, and to download it to the mini, but we’re talking a difference of maybe two seconds. Rest assured, if your hardware requires that USB-C to USB-A connection, your transfer speeds will be just fine.

Should You Buy the PNY Pro Elite V2?

The PNY Pro Elite V2 SSD knocks a few dollars off the price of PNY’s EliteX-Pro, and while you’ll take a little hit on transfer speeds and available storage sizes (the Elite V2 is only available in 500GB and 1TB versions), the Elite V2 is still an amazing portable SSD with a solid design and fast performance.