Storage on Apple devices has always been a sensitive topic. Whether it’s for an iPhone, iPad or Mac, you always pay the highest price when you upgrade the internal space. An iPhone 17 Pro Max can go from $1,199 for its entry-level 256GB model to $2,000 for the 2TB model. That’s an extra $800 just for storage on your iPhone. So for anyone who shoots photos, works with large files, or records Apple ProRes video on the iPhone, these storage limits quickly show up. I always recommend that people get external storage rather than internal storage as these days you can get 16TB for $800! But external storage, especially with the iPhone, presents other challenges, like cables, mounts, and setups that can make things feel clunky. So when I saw the new Planck SSD and how small, compact and purpose-built it was for the iPhone, I had to check it out.
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 extra 1 or 2 TB of external storage. The secret sauce of this thing is the size, material choice and form factor. It’s crazy how small and convenient this is. of Planck SSD gives you:
- 1TB or 2TB options
- USB-C connection up to 10 Gbps
- Weight less than 10g!
- Tested write speed up to 1050MB/s
- Supports recording up to 4k120 Apple ProRes
- Made of aluminum and impact resistant materials
- Water resistant, dust resistant, drop tested up to 3 meters
So what really stands out here isn’t the storage capacity or read/write speed, but the size, form factor and how well it performs for such a small piece of kit. It’s built to handle and record heavy-duty Apple ProRes LOG footage with super capacity, with the 2TB model capable of recording up to 5 hours of continuous footage.
My experience
I was introduced to this product a year ago, at CES 2025. It was one of those products I saw that I knew would be a hit. At the time, it was still just a prototype, but I knew I had to have it. The construction materials, combined with the size, have become a perfect storage accessory for iPhone users. Especially with someone like me who likes to use his iPhone in video environments. There’s a lot to like about this SSD, starting with the little things.
As I mentioned, this device weighs only 10g, so even though it fits right into the iPhone, it feels like nothing is there. Since it connects directly, no cables, mounts or MagSafe attachments are needed. It just plugs in and starts working. They even added a lip to the USB-C port to account for people using cases on their iPhones, which is a great quality-of-life feature. Some thick SSD cables sometimes don’t fit when you have an iPhone case on. Another part they added was the labels on the packaging. The bottom of the Planck is flat, so you can add these labels as needed. A nice touch. Then, in the packaging, they include a rubber holder with a loop, so it’s easier to store and find. Again, this thing is small, so if you slip it into a heavy jacket, you can forget about it!
There are a ton of use cases for this SSD. Of course, it can be used as regular storage for all your devices. This works great with an iPad or even a MacBook, as well as just external storage. The read and write speed is fast enough that you can even use it while editing video. But I used it to record my footage directly on this Planck SSD. I own an iPhone 17 Pro with 512 GB of storage. I like to keep that storage space for my personal apps, music, and photos that I know I need on the device. But when I record videos or YouTube footage in a show, I don’t like to use up my storage space on the device.
The first way I used the SSD was to record Apple ProRes LOG. This is very simple and can be done directly in the camera app. You just connect Planck SSD in, enable Apple ProRes LOG and the camera app will immediately recognize the external SSD. At the top right of the camera, you’ll see a USB logo and the time. This lets you know that you are recording to an external drive and how long you can record. The 2TB Planck supports recording 5 hours of video directly to disk. I personally don’t use Apple ProRes because the files are just too big and I personally don’t work with LOG footage. Since the Apple camera app doesn’t let you record regular 4K footage directly to an SSD, I use the Blackmagic camera app to do this. It performs the same function, but I can record regular 4k footage, which is much smaller. This use case for me has been fantastic. I just record on the Planck, then connect it to my iPad or Mac and download the footage. Again, no cables, no fluff, super convenient.
Price and availability
You can get the 1TB and 2TB Planck SSDs directly from Amazon. of The 1 TB version costs $189and 2The TB version costs $269. So instead of paying Apple an extra $800 for a 2TB iPhone, just get the entry-level iPhone and one of the Planck 2TB SSDs and you’ll be good to go! Also, just for a price reference, Samsung T9 2TB SSD it’s about $275. So Planck is cheaper and more convenient. The Planck SSD comes with a rubber holder and 10 label stickers in the package.
Final thoughts
As I said above, I’ve been trying to get hold of this SSD for about a year now. So there was a lot to live up to in my mind. It lived up to those expectations, and my rating is quite positive. If you’re worried about iPhone storage because you have 10,000 photos and videos in your camera roll, or if you’re a mobile maker who just needs more storage but doesn’t want to pay Apple’s premium, the Planck SSD is worth considering. It’s small and compact, supports Apple ProRes recording, and solves the difficult problem of external storage. All the while still competitive in price with the competition.
What do you think? Is this something you would use? Is it almost too small? Let’s discuss below.
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