The new USB-C port on the iPhone 15 has opened up a whole universe of different accessories that can now be used, like USB-C hubs, universal chargers, universal dongles but most importantly (to me), the ability to use SSDs with your iPhone. Even though you can use everything with any of the iPhone 15s, the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max are the ones that have USB 3.2 Gen 2 speeds, allowing for up to 10 Gbit transfer speeds. For us creatives, that unlocks a lot of functionality. Combining this new functionality with enhancements to SSDs, you now have a full studio in your pocket. I might have found that perfect SSD companion in the new Dockcase Pocket NVMe SSD – Photography Edition.
I have been a fan of Dockase products for a few years now. I have used the USB-C hubs as well as their external SSDs and their claim to fame has been their amazing and rigid build quality as well as their unique real-time status/diagnostics display. They use this display on almost all of their products which is amazing!
The Specs
The Dockase SSD comes in two different finishes with matte black as well as stripe mirror, I have the strip mirror version which looks fantastic. The build of this little guy is great, using a combination of aluminum and tempered glass for the display, so you do not have to worry about this thing breaking.
Here are the specs that make this SSD the perfect iPhone companion:
- Supports ProRes HDR footage, meaning you can record directly to the SSD from the iPhone
- Max capacity of 2TB
- USB 3.2 Gen 2
- 10 Gbit transfer speeds (includes 60W 10 Gbit braided cable)
- USB-C port
- Only 50g in weight
- Two 1/4in screws for simple mounting onto tripods or iPhone rigs
- Power Loss Protection
- SSD swap with enclosure access
Now of course this also works with Android devices and dedicated cameras but I have been using it with my iPhone 15 Pro Max and it’s been great.
Diagnostics display
This 1.3in by 1.3in LCD display gives you all the small details every photographer would want to know in real time. It lets you know statistics like the storage size, the amount of storage left, real-time read and write speeds as well as the life span of the capacitor. One of my favorite use cases is when I record in ProRes HDR on the iPhone. It will show me exactly how fast the footage is being saved onto the SSD so I have peace of mind to know exactly what is happening with my ProRes footage.
The display is bright, easy to read, and very self-explanatory. It has one physical button on the side that allows you to control the screen by changing the orientation as well as diving deeper into each aspect of the SSD.
Pricing & availability
The Dockcase Pocket – Photographer Edition is currently available on Kickstarter with shipments set to start in March of this year. This will be Dockcase’s 11th Kickstarter project and they have a 100% success rate on reaching their backing goal and their estimated delivery date! They have also already exceeded their backing goal and have over 400 backers already.
There are multiple variations of this Dockcase Pocket, you can purchase the entire package with an SSD already installed or you can just buy it as an enclosure and then find your SSD to install after the fact. The stripe mirror edition with no SSD starts at $79, the matte black with no SSD starts at $85. Then you have the 1TB version that starts $129 and then the maxed-out 2TB version is $249.
So if you are looking for a new SSD for your iPhone setup, or you are just looking for a reliable yet unique SSD for your workflow, this tiny SSD by Dockcase could be a great option. Its well built, serves its purpose and has a cool trick up its sleeve with the display. Let me know what you think. Is this something you see yourself using? Let’s discuss in the comments below!
