I’ve approach too many exterior drives, and whereas MagSafe-enabled drives are very fascinating as of late, however nothing beats the comfort of an everyday exterior SSD. There are actually tons of of decisions on this class, and no matter no matter mannequin you select, you get just a few issues as customary: quick learn/writes, dependable designs, and straightforward connectivity.
Hardwired
In Hardwired, AC Senior Editor Harish Jonnalagadda delves into all issues {hardware}, together with telephones, audio merchandise, storage servers, and networking gear.
I have been utilizing SK Hynix’s Beetle X31 in current weeks, and it’s an intriguing choice. The drive has a singular design with flowing sides, and I favor it to the boxy designs that Samsung often goes with. Whereas the drive has been round for simply over a 12 months, the 2TB mannequin is new, and that is the one I am testing. It prices $169 on Amazon — $10 lower than the equal Samsung choice — and if you don’t need that a lot storage, SK Hynix additionally sells a 1TB mannequin that is $89, and a 512GB version at simply $49.
The X31 is accessible in gold and gray coloration variants, and I am utilizing the latter. In case you are all for getting the drive, I might recommend getting the gold mannequin — it seems to be simply that little bit extra elegant.
The glossy design makes it inherently pocketable, and I did not have any points taking it on the highway. The chassis itself is made out of aluminum, and it has a silky coat just like that of the Nord 4. You get rubber ft on the backside that guarantee it does not transfer round on a desk, and SK Hynix even bundles a silicone case that gives extra sturdiness.
Even with out the case, the X31 holds up extremely nicely in day by day put on and tear. However provided that the case permits the drive to resist two-meter tumbles and an extra barrier towards mud and water ingress — it does not have ingress safety — I might suggest utilizing it.
There is not a lot else to speak concerning the design. The USB-C port is situated on the proper, and there is a tiny standing LED subsequent to it that lights up when the drive is in use. SK Hynix offers USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables with the bundle, so you’ll be able to simply join the X31 to only about any gadget with no need extra cables.
Picture 1 of 3
Nothing I’ve stated to date is completely different to what you get with most moveable SSDs, nevertheless it’s price noting that the Beetle X31 does not miss out on the fundamentals. Now, the place the drive really shines is knowledge transfers; it has a customized M.2 2242 SSD — a variant of the BC711 — contained in the enclosure, and it options an AsMedia ASM2362 controller. What’s fascinating is that it has an embedded DRAM, which often is not the case with these drives.
The result’s that the X31 is ready to hit sequential writes of 965MB/s and reads going as much as 1,006MB/s, and it sustains these speeds lots longer than different exterior SSDs I attempted out not too long ago. That alone makes it worthy of advice, and with a 2TB mannequin now obtainable, that is the most effective time to select up the X31.
I did not have any points utilizing the X31 with the Honor Magic 7 Professional, Vivo X200 Professional, iPhone 16 Professional Max, and my customized Home windows machine. The drive does an excellent job with prolonged transfers, and it does not lose connectivity. It tends to get slightly heat with heavy use, however that is the case with all exterior drives.
Total, I believe SK Hynix is onto a winner with the Beetle X31. The diminutive design mixed with quick inner SSD and built-in DRAM makes it an excellent selection for those who want an exterior drive to retailer photographs, movies, and paperwork, and now you can get it in a 2TB mannequin.
With a glossy design and terrific sustained transfers, the Beetle X31 is among the finest exterior SSDs obtainable immediately.
