---
product_id: 38958261
title: "SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black"
brand: "sandisk"
price: "$143"
currency: NZD
in_stock: false
reviews_count: 10
url: https://www.desertcart.nz/products/38958261-sandisk-256gb-extreme-pro-usb-3-1-solid-state-flash
store_origin: NZ
region: New Zealand
---

# 420MB/s read speed 128-bit AES encryption Durable aluminum casing SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black

**Brand:** sandisk
**Price:** $143
**Availability:** ❌ Out of Stock

## Summary

> ⚡ Unlock Speed, Security & Style — Your Data’s New Best Friend!

## Quick Answers

- **What is this?** SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black by sandisk
- **How much does it cost?** $143 with free shipping
- **Is it available?** Currently out of stock
- **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.nz](https://www.desertcart.nz/products/38958261-sandisk-256gb-extreme-pro-usb-3-1-solid-state-flash)

## Best For

- sandisk enthusiasts

## Why This Product

- Trusted sandisk brand quality
- Free international shipping included
- Worldwide delivery with tracking
- 15-day hassle-free returns

## Key Features

- • **Compact & Portable:** Slim, lightweight design (2.79 x 0.84 x 0.45 inches) fits effortlessly in your pocket or laptop bag for ultimate mobility.
- • **Next-Level Security:** Keep your sensitive files locked down with SanDisk Secure Access software featuring 128-bit AES encryption and password protection.
- • **Blazing Fast Transfers:** Experience lightning-quick read speeds up to 420MB/s and write speeds up to 380MB/s—cut your wait time and boost productivity.
- • **Universal Compatibility:** Seamlessly works with USB 3.1, 3.0, and 2.0 ports—future-proof your data transfer across all your devices.
- • **Military-Grade Durability:** Encased in sleek, robust aluminum metal for premium protection that withstands your on-the-go lifestyle.

## Overview

The SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive delivers ultra-fast read speeds up to 420MB/s and write speeds up to 380MB/s, housed in a durable aluminum casing. It includes advanced 128-bit AES encryption software for secure file protection and is backward compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0 ports. Compact and lightweight, it’s designed for professionals who demand speed, security, and portability in one sleek package.

## Description

With write speeds of up to 150MB/s, the SanDisk Extreme Go USB 3.1 Flash Drive lets you quickly copy and go. Up to 35X faster than standard USB 2.0 drives, so you can transfer a 4K movie to the drive in less than 40 seconds. The design keeps the retractable connector protected when not in use, and the included SanDisk Secure Access software provides password protection of your private files while leaving the rest of the drive available for sharing.

Review: Fast, good build quality, works as a multiboot usb drive for Linux distros - I purchased it to work as a universal usb bootable device to boot various Linux ISOs. Previously, I used a Lexar flash drive for this purpose. It is very temperamental and is often not mountable. The Sandisk extreme pro works fine and doesn't have any of the problems of my previous flash drives. I haven't done a speed test, but it does seem responsive. An interesting quirk is that the blue led remains on all the time, even when you are not reading and writing. It does get warm. Unlike other users on this forum, I have not transferred large GiB files, so I have not experienced the high temperatures other users have reported. I purchased the 128 GB version. It came pre-formatted with a MSDOS label and a single exfat partition. I reformatted it with a GPT label and divided it into several partitions. I am using it as a Linux diagnostic and multibootable flash drive. It works exceptionally well for this use case.
Review: The highest speed 128GB flash drive that I have tested on Windows 10 and Raspberry Pi 4 - Drive: SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-128G-G46 I love this drive when it comes to fast performance (405MB/s reads and 334MB/s writes in AS-SSD These have become my go-to 128GB drives for Windows 10 and Raspberry Pi 4. While they are slightly longer than competitors, their performance is great. I have not seen better for USB flash drives (NVMe SSDs on USB 3 Gen2 are of course faster). This device is a USB 3.1 Gen 2 device, but I have tested this device directly in a USB 3 Gen 1 (5gbps) and Gen 2 (10gbps) ports - nearly the same performance. Also tested on the well-known ST ext-powered Gen 2 hub, with a 3ft Gen 2 cable - slightly slower perf through the hub. See both Gen 1 and Gen 2 tests attached for AS-SSD and CrystalDiskMark. Pros: Performance, Performance, Performance Cons: Slightly longer than other 128GB flash drives but perhaps there is more/better flash controller inside leading to the high-end performance. If you know of other flash drives that perform better, please let me know. These work great on Raspberry Pi 4 devices (I have many). Some other brands (FIT: very small physical size) work great in Windows but very poorly on the Raspberry Pi 4.

## Features

- Super-fast solid state performance, read speeds of up to 420MB/s; write speeds of up to 380MB/s
- Sophisticated design with durable aluminum metal casing
- SanDisk Secure Access software included for 128-bit AES file encryption and password protection
- Backward-compatible with USB 3.0 and USB 2.0 ports.Dimensions:11.0 x 21.0 x 71.0 millimeter; 0.45 x 0.84 x 2.79 inches

## Technical Specifications

| Specification | Value |
|---------------|-------|
| ASIN | B01N7QDO7M |
| Best Sellers Rank | #648 in USB Flash Drives |
| Color | Black |
| Connectivity Technology | USB |
| Customer Reviews | 4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars (13,588) |
| Date First Available | January 7, 2017 |
| Flash Memory Size | 256 |
| Flash Memory Type | USB |
| Global Trade Identification Number | 00619659152826 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Item Dimensions LxWxH | 2.79 x 0.84 x 0.45 inches |
| Item Weight | 0.64 ounces |
| Item model number | SDCZ880-256G-G46 |
| Manufacturer | Sandisk |
| Model Name | SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive |
| Product Dimensions | 2.79 x 0.84 x 0.45 inches |
| RAM | 256 GB |
| Read Speed | 420 Megabytes Per Second |
| UPC | 619659152826 |
| Voltage | 240 Volts |

## Product Details

- **Brand:** Sandisk
- **Hardware Interface:** USB
- **Memory Storage Capacity:** 256 GB
- **Special Feature:** Lightweight
- **Write Speed:** 380 MB/s

## Images

![SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51Z4t-pMafL.jpg)
![SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black - Image 2](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51g77olgB+L.jpg)
![SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black - Image 3](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61LkZzYLeML.jpg)
![SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black - Image 4](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61aD+e9vI3L.jpg)
![SanDisk 256GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-256G-G46, Black - Image 5](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61fk7hnIrpL.jpg)

## Questions & Answers

**Q: Why does sandisk refer to this as solid state when it is really just a fast flash drive, and why the critical reviews?**
A: SanDisk refers to this as a solid state drive because it is a solid state drive in a flash drive form factor over a USB 3.1 Gen 1 interface.

This device uses a SSD controller over an SCSI-to-USB bridge. A typical flash drive uses an eMMC controller, which optimistically has similar peak read speeds but falls flat with writes, complex workloads, and extended continuous use.

For an example of this distinction in practice, a USB SCSI device such as this can be configured for direct access by a Windows Hyper-V hypervisor. Most USB SSD devices support TRIM and all that I'm aware of support SMART.

As a cautionary note, there are some products that support flash drives that won't support this device or similar. For instance, I once attempted to use a similar device with a printer/copier that could print from flash drives, but the printer didn't support USB SCSI and failed to mount the drive (formatted with a single exFAT partition). It was able to print from an exFAT traditional flash drive.

**Q: Since this usb is 3.1, will the speed be less if I'm using it on the usb 3.0 port on my pc? If yes, by how much?**
A: Short answer - No.  Per USB.org, the terms "USB 3.0" and "USB 3.1 Generation 1" are "synonymous" for the same 2008 technology.  The change from "USB 3.0" to "3.1 Gen 1" was just a (very confusing) marketing/licensing rebranding issue.  So USB 3.0 = USB 3.1 Gen 1 = max 5 Gigabits per second (Gbps) = 625 Megabytes per second (MBps).  Simple ... until 2013 when they introduced the next generation technology at double the speed as "USB 3.1 Gen 2" = max 10 Gbps.  Note the "Gen 2".  So now if you want the older 5 Gbps, look for "USB 3.0" or "USB 3.1 Gen 1" or just plain "USB 3.1".  But if your PC supports it and you want to make sure you're getting the new 10 Gbps technology, absolutely look for the additional "Gen 2" or don't buy it.

**Q: How does the slider on top of this usb stick lock? Do you have to press the slider down or something to move it up and down?**
A: You can extend the connector whether or not you press down on the button.  Once extended, the connector locks in place requiring you to press down on the button to retract it.  However, it's pretty easy to accidentally press down on the button while inserting the drive to your computer or usb hub.  So you must avoid that if you want to insert it easily.  Hold it along the edges or wrap your finger across the back and down the side and you can insert it easily.

**Q: Does this need to be reformatted to store a large single file greater than 4gb**
A: Actually the 256GB arrived exFAT, allocation unit size 1024k, probably ideal for large files such as video. The down side is that if you try to store a large number of files, such as 245,000 jpg that are about 130GB total on my computer, Windows 10 would report not enough space!
The simple solution is to reformat in exFAT with an allocation unit size of 128k or less. Then everything fits since not so much wasted space of each file.

## Customer Reviews

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Fast, good build quality, works as a multiboot usb drive for Linux distros
*by B***M on June 22, 2020*

I purchased it to work as a universal usb bootable device to boot various Linux ISOs. Previously, I used a Lexar flash drive for this purpose. It is very temperamental and is often not mountable. The Sandisk extreme pro works fine and doesn't have any of the problems of my previous flash drives. I haven't done a speed test, but it does seem responsive. An interesting quirk is that the blue led remains on all the time, even when you are not reading and writing. It does get warm. Unlike other users on this forum, I have not transferred large GiB files, so I have not experienced the high temperatures other users have reported. I purchased the 128 GB version. It came pre-formatted with a MSDOS label and a single exfat partition. I reformatted it with a GPT label and divided it into several partitions. I am using it as a Linux diagnostic and multibootable flash drive. It works exceptionally well for this use case.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ The highest speed 128GB flash drive that I have tested on Windows 10 and Raspberry Pi 4
*by E***H on January 1, 2021*

Drive: SanDisk 128GB Extreme PRO USB 3.1 Solid State Flash Drive - SDCZ880-128G-G46 I love this drive when it comes to fast performance (405MB/s reads and 334MB/s writes in AS-SSD These have become my go-to 128GB drives for Windows 10 and Raspberry Pi 4. While they are slightly longer than competitors, their performance is great. I have not seen better for USB flash drives (NVMe SSDs on USB 3 Gen2 are of course faster). This device is a USB 3.1 Gen 2 device, but I have tested this device directly in a USB 3 Gen 1 (5gbps) and Gen 2 (10gbps) ports - nearly the same performance. Also tested on the well-known ST ext-powered Gen 2 hub, with a 3ft Gen 2 cable - slightly slower perf through the hub. See both Gen 1 and Gen 2 tests attached for AS-SSD and CrystalDiskMark. Pros: Performance, Performance, Performance Cons: Slightly longer than other 128GB flash drives but perhaps there is more/better flash controller inside leading to the high-end performance. If you know of other flash drives that perform better, please let me know. These work great on Raspberry Pi 4 devices (I have many). Some other brands (FIT: very small physical size) work great in Windows but very poorly on the Raspberry Pi 4.

### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Impressive Write Speed!
*by P***T on January 2, 2021*

Update: After 1 week of use, the only con I can think of is that it does get warm when left plugged in. This occurs regardless of whether or not I'm actively using the drive. It doesn't get "hot", but definitely warmer than any other flash drive I've owned. This may be what has caused some of the failures that other reviewers have mentioned (and some even have mods for). I just won't leave mine plugged in when I'm done using it. Original post: I have one of the older SanDisk Extremes that I've been very pleased with. I typically have to transfer large (1-3 GB) files and the older SanDisk Extreme easily maintained >100MB/s write speeds throughout. It is still going strong but I wanted to have an extra in case it ever fails. I tried a couple other cheaper brands that promised even better write speeds but none came close to the SanDisk. Even the new version of the SanDisk Extreme doesn't keep up with the older one so I paid a few extra bucks for the Extreme Pro and WOW! This thing is way faster. I just transferred 5 files at once, totaling over 10GB, and it never dropped below 300MB/s writing to the flash drive! If this one lasts as long as my original SanDisk Extreme it will be worth every penny.

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*Product available on Desertcart New Zealand*
*Store origin: NZ*
*Last updated: 2026-02-22*