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Stubby SD cards are back

Stubby SD cards are back

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This time, in 1TB form

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The JetDrive Lite 330 is partially inserted into the SD slot on a MacBook Pro.
This is the JetDrive Lite 330 looks like popped out.
Image: Transcend

SD card slots have returned to the MacBook Pro in their 2021 iteration, which means it was only a matter of time before we started seeing MacBook-tailored SD cards hit shelves again. Today, in gadgets we’ve seen before but recent events have elevated in relevance, Transcend has announced a new 1TB SD card for MacBooks: the JetDrive Lite 330.

The idea is that you can pop this device into a MacBook Pro’s SD slot and it blends right in. It’s the right color so that it doesn’t disrupt the overall look, and it’s the right size so that it won’t add any additional bulk.

The video below is pretty convincing:

The device is currently listed for $249.99 on Amazon. So let’s do some quick math: Upgrading a MacBook Pro model from 1TB to 2TB of onboard storage costs $400, meaning you can save yourself $150 by instead buying one of these bad boys, popping it into your SD slot, and forgetting about it. Of course, this assumes you don’t regularly need that SD slot for anything else. If that sounds like you, this could be a reasonable deal.

In terms of straight specs, the JetDrive offers R/W speeds of 95/75 MB/s and is manufactured with COB (chip-on-board) technology. You can also use it in earlier MacBook Pro models (late 2012 to early 2015).

A MacBook Pro seen from the side with a neon purple background on the screen half open on a white background. Overtop is a small close-up of a 1TB Transcend JetDrive lite.
Can you tell there’s a JetDrive in here?
Image: Transcend