Test Mac New! — Blackmagic Disk Speed

It does not simply measure theoretical maximum read/write speeds. Instead, it simulates real-world video workloads and answers one critical question: "Is my drive fast enough to handle this specific video format?" The app writes (then reads) a large block of test data—typically 5 GB by default—to the target drive. It measures the sustained performance, not just burst speeds (which are often misleading for video work).

If you work with high-bitrate video—be it ProRes, DNxHD, or RAW from a cinema camera—your storage speed is just as critical as your CPU or GPU. A slow drive means dropped frames, failed recordings, and frustrating playback. Enter Blackmagic Disk Speed Test , the free, industry-standard benchmarking tool for macOS. What is Blackmagic Disk Speed Test? Developed by Blackmagic Design (creators of DaVinci Resolve and Blackmagic RAW), Disk Speed Test is a lightweight, free utility available exclusively on the Mac App Store. Unlike generic synthetic benchmarks (like AJA System Test or AmorphousDiskMark), this tool is purpose-built for video professionals . blackmagic disk speed test mac

| Drive Type | Typical Write Speed | Video Capability | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | | 50–90 MB/s | 1080p ProRes 422 (maybe) | | 7200 RPM HDD | 120–180 MB/s | 1080p ProRes 422 HQ | | SATA SSD (2.5") | 450–520 MB/s | 4K ProRes 422 HQ / 4K RAW (light) | | NVMe SSD (PCIe 3.0) | 1,500–3,000 MB/s | 8K ProRes 4444 / 6K RAW | | NVMe SSD (PCIe 4.0) | 5,000–7,000+ MB/s | 8K RAW, 12K Blackmagic RAW | | Thunderbolt 3/4 RAID | 2,000–5,000+ MB/s | Multi-stream 8K editing | It does not simply measure theoretical maximum read/write

Before your next project, test every drive you plan to use. You will avoid dropped frames, corrupted recordings, and the horror of discovering your "fast SSD" is actually a bottleneck halfway through an export. If you work with high-bitrate video—be it ProRes,

macOS 10.13 or later (Apple Silicon native).