If you create content on your iPhone, Apple’s storage prices can make it very difficult to justify using storage-intensive workflows like ProRes. However, Lexar’s Go Portable SSD is specifically designed to be the perfect external storage pairing for iPhones and other USB-C mobile devices.
I’ve long been a proponent of keeping the basic storage on Apple products and supplementing it with external drives. Devices like the MacBook Pro can be great creative tools, but the price per gigabyte (GB) for storage upgrades can be just as astonishing. The same goes for iPhones, where adding just a few hundred GB can cost $200 time when 1TB can go for less than $70. As a result, adding external storage for both MacBooks and iPhones makes a lot more sense, especially since Apple equips these devices with high-speed ports (only recently on the iPhone, but still).
The SSD
Before I tried the Lexar Go, external SSDs as an iPhone accessory felt clunky, with a dangling cable and a large physical size. It was especially limiting if you weren’t going to use your iPhone in a full cage-like setup. One of the first things you notice about the Go is its incredibly small size. It is only 1×1.7×0.3” and only 13 grams. The small SSD module feels invisible on the phone or in your pocket. Featuring a USB-C connector angled specifically for use on mobile devices, this SSD plugs directly into your phone while hanging unnoticeably from the bottom.
The SSD also doesn’t sacrifice performance due to its small size. It delivered speeds of around 1,000 MB/s in read and write, making it well suited for ProRes 4K60. It also allowed for fairly fast discharges when connected to, for example, a MacBook Pro. While There are faster external drives availablethey are not nearly as large or expensive as the Go Portable. It’s great to see USB 3.2 Gen 2 being applied to these various connectors, ensuring fast connections and good interoperability with today’s devices.
This massive expansion of available storage, beyond what Apple offers on phones, means you can store a lot more video, in heavier formats. For example, on my base iPhone 16 Pro, 4K30 ProRes recording times jump from 30 minutes to about 5 hours when the 2TB module is connected.
The Hub
Although this SSD module is available on its own, Lexar also offers the SSD in a kit with their hub. The Hub, an equally compact module, plugs into your phone and then breaks out into USB-C ports for connecting both the Go Portable SSD and an additional USB-C accessory, such as a microphone receiver or a wired offload/charging connection. This bridges the gap between a prosumer and a pro-level tool in my opinion, as I know videographers will rely on that extra port for external audio.
The smart design choices also extend to the Go’s durability and weather resistance. Lexar rates it IP65 for water and dust resistance, which translates to “dust tightness” and resistance to low-pressure water jets (simulating rain and splashes, but not immersion in water). The drive is drop-resistant up to a height of one meter, which provides good protection against the bumps and dents associated with using a mobile device in the field. Lexar offers a thin rubber sleeve for an extra layer of cosmetic protection, but I found that this upset the tolerances around my case just enough that I would probably skip using it.
Overall, the premise of this drive is simple and attractive: get much more storage at a lower price than through the original device manufacturer, with added benefits like easy transfer to devices like your laptop. Unlike some storage options, this is truly a form factor based product, and therefore there is a premium when you look at it on a $/TB basis.
If you’re considering this product for mobile videography, I think the 2TB model with the Hub is the best deal. The 2TB version is better on a $/GB level compared to 1TB, while the Hub leaves a free USB port for connecting a microphone. Even compared to 1TB iPhones, you save money while retaining extra flexibility when shooting with accessories.
If you don’t want to shoot ProRes recording but instead just want some additional storage or backup storage, the 1TB model is also available. It’s a good option if you’re willing to pay more than other USB-C drives for the speed and convenience of the form factor, and still delivers savings over Apple’s prices. All combinations are available from B&H.
