You can configure a new Mac with many terabytes of storage these days, but when it comes time to add more to an existing machine, an external drive is the best option, and modern SSDs mean that the days of slow, spinning disks are thankfully very much in the rearview mirror.
The humble SSD has long been the go-to option for anyone who needs their storage to be speedy. But a fast SSD is only as good as the connection it uses to hook up to your Mac.
All Macs now come with high-speed wired connections, and the very best of them feature Thunderbolt 5. And it's that connector that the TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro leverages to provide blisteringly fast performance.
I've been testing TerraMaster's top-tier external SSD enclosure for some time now, and it's been nothing short of terrific. Paired with the right SSD, it's so fast that it puts my M4 Pro MacBook Pro's internal SSD to shame.
It's rare, even today, to find a piece of technology that lives up to the hype without any niggling negatives. But in the form of the D1 SSD Pro, TerraMaster has changed the way that I think about external storage.
If you're a videographer spending your life capturing and offloading gigabytes of data on the road, this is the enclosure for you. But equally, if, like me, you just need to expand your Mac's storage without compromising on speed, you need look no further.
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro review: Design & build quality
The first thing that I noticed when I unboxed the D1 SSD Pro was its build quality. Made from aerospace-grade aluminum and precision-machined using CNC integrated molding tech, it's a solid bit of kit.
D1 SSD Pro: Super-fast yet small and portable
The second thing that I noticed was the design, because the whole thing is essentially its own heatsink. And that's a good thing, because fast SSDs get hot, and the D1 SSD Pro has no fan to speak of.
That is to say, the D1 SSD Pro is informed by its function, but not ruled by it. The industrial design keeps the SSD cool even under heavy load, allowing it to be silent while still looking great beside any Mac. It even matches Apple's silver.
The D1 SSD Pro is also surprisingly small, helping ensure that it can be the portable storage solution roaming professionals need. It even comes with a Thunderbolt 5 cable and a handy case for transporting everything in.
Beyond the Thunderbolt 5 port and a single LED light, the D1 SSD Pro is as bare as can be. The light simply confirms the enclosure is working and whether it's connected at the full Thunderbolt 5 speeds.
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro: Installation
Installing an SSD into the TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro is incredibly simple, and you even get a screwdriver in the box. Just loosen a single Phillips-head screw, and the two halves of the enclosure slide apart.
Inside, one half of the enclosure houses the M.2 slot where an SSD needs to be installed. The other plays host to a thermal pad that pulls heat from the SSD and dissipates it via the enclosure itself.
The D1 SSD Pro supports M.2 NVMe SSDs up to 8TB in size across the PCIe 3.0, 4.0, and 5.0 architectures. I slid a WD_Black SN8100 in, tightened the retention screw, and slid everything back together in a couple of minutes.
With the SSD installed, all that's left is to connect the included Thunderbolt 5 cable and plug it into your Mac. And that's when the magic happens.
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro: Performance
Before we get into how the D1 SSD Pro and the SN8100 performed, we need to set the scene. Because there are some big numbers involved here.
First, there's Thunderbolt 5 and its maximum 80 Gbps bandwidth. That's double Thunderbolt 4's 40 Gbps, which is no slouch itself.
In terms of real data throughput speeds, the D1 SSD Pro can read data at up to 7,061 MB/s (that's megabytes, not megabits) and write it at 6,816 MB/s.
I wanted to be sure that the SSD wouldn't be the bottleneck here, and that's why I was sent the WD_Black SN8100. Its maximum read speed of 14,900 MB/s and maximum write speed of up to 11,000 MB/s ensured the D1 SSD Pro could stretch its legs.
D1 SSD Pro review: Impressive numbers from an impressive enclosure
And stretch its legs it did. Using Blackmagic Design's Disk Speed Test app, I repeatedly saw speeds of around 6,500 MB/s when writing and 6,000 MB/s when reading data.
It's worth pointing out here that Blackmagic's tool doesn't fall for the old data compression trick. Some SSDs can't save large files at the speeds their manufacturer claims because they use compression to reach higher transfer speeds.
This is why some SSDs fall down when using Blackmagic's tests. Not so with the WD_Black SN8100's results.
To put those results into perspective, my 16-inch M4 Pro MacBook Pro's 512GB SSD manages write and read speeds of around 3,500MB/s and 5,000MB/s, respectively. The D1 SSD Pro, via a cable, outperforms the storage that's soldered to my laptop's logic board.
This has been borne out in the way that I've been using the D1 SSD Pro, too. I treat it as if it were internal storage, because it might as well be.
Right now, the D1 SSD Pro plays host to my Steam library and a full Windows 11 Pro installation running via Parallels. As was once the phrase of Mac users everywhere, "it just works." And it does it with aplomb.
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro: The pro's choice
External SSD enclosures aren't usually exciting. They're functional, and usually a little bit on the ugly side.
The TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro flips that on its head. It's a huge deal for anyone who needs more storage for their Mac but doesn't want to compromise in terms of performance.
The D1 SSD Pro is also a looker, too. But those looks are more than skin deep, helping keep the SSD inside cool and allowing for silent operation.
D1 SSD Pro: Super-fast yet small and portable
As impressive as I still find it that I can use an external drive as if it were internal, I know the D1 SSD Pro can do more. This enclosure was built to enable workflows that take huge amounts of data on the road, without ever breaking a sweat.
The D1 SSD Pro is an impressive accessory, especially when paired with an equally impressive NVMe SSD. But at $299.99, it's a costly beast.
But did you notice I didn't say that it's expensive? Something is expensive when it costs more than the value or features that it offers.
But the D1 SSD Pro is a professional-grade accessory. And for professionals who need the best Thunderbolt 5 SSD enclosure, $299.99 is a bargain in my book.
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro: Pros
- Impressively cool during use
- Blazing-fast Thunderbolt 5 performance
- Completely silent
- Tank-like build quality
TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro: Cons
Rating: 5 out of 5
Where to buy the TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro
The TerraMaster D1 SSD Pro enclosure is available from Amazon for $224.99, down from a list price of $249.99.
