Asus lately launched the AS1000, from its TUF vary of gaming-oriented merchandise. Nonetheless, this versatile IP68-rated exterior SSD will likely be helpful for extra than simply avid gamers; its predominant options, its toughness and sturdiness, will profit loads of enterprise verticals: from creatives to subject staff and extra.

The drive is basically an enormous slab of machined aluminum-alloy chassis, weighing 157g, that homes an inner SSD with a USB-C 3.2 Gen 2×1 connection so speeds as much as 10Gbps (Asus didn’t present with precise sequential or random learn/write speeds); word that the connector shouldn’t be lined to stop water ingress if submerged. Asus engineers have subjected the AS1000 to a battery of sturdiness exams, together with the US-military-grade MIL-STD-810H drop check and IP68 water-and-dust-resistance exams. 

Gadgets had been dropped from numerous heights, submerged in water, and uncovered to mud and grime to make sure toughness, making the TUF Gaming AS1000 (its full identify) able to withstanding unintentional bumps, knocks, and spills.

You possibly can simply open the enclosure to switch the prevailing SSD by eradicating a number of screws. Different notable options embrace a ribbed floor to incorporate the drive dealing with and a gap to securely connect a carabiner. An inner thermal pad additionally helps to dissipate warmth extra successfully, decreasing the potential of throttling (chopping down efficiency when it will get too scorching) and bettering the lifespan of the product,.

There’s just one mannequin on this vary, a 1TB one, and it’s on sale within the UK for slightly below £100, which is barely greater than what we’d count on from a conveyable rugged SSD with this capability however wholly justified given its recency. Surprisingly, you may also buy it as a naked enclosure, which can grow to be a greater deal if you wish to convey your personal SSD to the get together. We don’t know the worth but.

The AS1000 additionally comes with a free backup software program, the NTI Backup Now EZ 7.5 which prices $35.99 and means that you can again the drive to quite a lot of fashionable cloud storage suppliers: OneDrive, Google Drive, Dropbox and extra. It would not nevertheless have the options that may make it the most effective safe drives. It lacks fundamental encryption for instance.

Few rivals

I simply wished that Asus supplied an extended guarantee (at the moment standing at one 12 months), extra capacities (each larger and smaller) and a greater software program bundle. Seagate for instance offers one 12 months Mylio picture storage service and 3-month Adobe Artistic Cloud subscription with a few of its moveable SSD.

There aren’t many rivals to the AS1000 on this worth vary with the one notable branded rivals being the Samsung T7, the Adata SE800, LaCie Rugged SSD, the Sabrent Rocket Nano and the Sandisk Moveable SSD.