Name: Lexar SL500
Brand: Lexar

The Lexar SL500’s appeal is its thin body and choice of a plain drive or magnetic accessory kit. It is easy to carry, and a matching 20 Gb/s computer connection can make short transfers quick. The more demanding question is how often it will face long, uninterrupted writes.

Design & Configurations

43 g bare SSD
95 g with Magnetic Set
1TB, 2TB and 4TB current standard range

The bare SSD is 7.8 mm at its thickest point; the often-advertised 4.8 mm figure describes the thinnest part. The magnetic sleeve adds bulk and weight, so compare the configuration that will actually be carried.

The Magnetic Set includes a sleeve, ring and strap. Its accessories have a three-year limited warranty, while the SSD has five years. The standard and magnetic pages document IP54 and a controlled two-meter drop rating, with environmental damage excluded from warranty coverage.

The US Elite Legends version adds a blue-and-white finish, USB-A adapter and collector’s card at 1TB. Its exact page does not restate the protective rating or warranty duration. A historical 512GB configuration is also documented, but it is outside the current US standard range; its unresolved details remain separate from the current models.

Performance

Up to 2,000 MB/s reads
Up to 1,800 MB/s writes

The SL500 can serve ordinary working-file transfers well without promising its peak rate indefinitely. StorageReview’s 4TB Magnetic Set sample reached about 1,780 MB/s reads and 1,634 MB/s writes in Blackmagic. The host was not identified, and that short test does not establish full-drive writing behavior. ¹

Tom’s Hardware tested a 2TB sample on its Gen 2×2 desktop platform with 15 minutes of sequential Iometer writes. It started near 1,800 MB/s, slowed after roughly 90 seconds, and later alternated between around 1,200 MB/s and below 800 MB/s. That finding matters for repeated large offloads; it should not be assigned to the separately tested 4TB model. ²

Connectivity

USB-C
20 Gb/s Gen 2×2 host needed for maximum rates
Supported external phone recording

A USB-C or Thunderbolt socket alone does not establish the drive’s fastest USB mode. On a 10 Gb/s connection, the slim design may still be useful, but the headline transfer advantage is reduced.

For direct ProRes recording, check the exact iPhone Pro model, format and recording mode. Apple requires exFAT and a suitable data cable and power arrangement, and excludes password-encrypted drives. Its 4K120 workflow applies to iPhone 16 Pro and 17 Pro models and requires reformatting before each session; copy existing recordings elsewhere before erasing. The magnetic sleeve handles attachment, not those recording requirements.

Software & Security

DataShield AES-256 software encryption

DataShield provides software-based file protection. It should not be confused with hardware encryption built into the SSD controller. Decide which files need protection after capture, since an encrypted destination and a camera’s recording workflow may require different handling.

Alternatives

The Lexar ES5 integrates magnetic mounting into an IP65-rated design. Compare it when a phone attachment is the main purpose rather than an occasional accessory.

The Samsung T7 Shield is a conventional 10 Gb/s option with IP65 protection. It is worth considering if the intended computer cannot use Gen 2×2 and environmental resistance matters more than the SL500’s slim body.

Verdict

The SL500 fits someone who wants a thin working drive and values the option of magnetic mounting. It is easier to recommend for regular transfers than for a workload dominated by prolonged writes. Choose the bundle for its physical convenience, and judge performance against the exact capacity and host.

Lexar SL500 review

Pros

Cons