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The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD (480GB) ($799, as tested) is a rugged, compact external solid-state drive (SSD). It’s expensive, but you do get speed in a chassis built like a tank. The case is made of crush-resistant aluminum, so it will survive being tossed into your carry bag, whether you’re on the way to the desert or to your office.
Design and Features
Measuring 3.5 by 2.5 by 0.55 inches (HWD) and weighing a mere 3.68 ounces, the Aegis Padlock SSD is easy to take with you. The dark-silver chassis feels like a solid block of aluminum, and it has a 10-digit keypad with lock and unlock buttons on its face. The keypad is sealed against dust and water, and Apricorn claims that the circuitry is sealed in epoxy. We didn’t do a dunk test on the drive, but we have no doubt that it will survive most abuse short of explosions.
The drive is FIPS 140-2 Level 2 Validated and has 256-bit AES-XTS military-grade encryption. This means that it meets the cryptologic and physical standards required by U.S. government departments and regulated industries for storing sensitive information. During setup, the drive asks you to log a 7- to 16-digit PIN that can’t have a single digit repeated (e.g, 1111111) or consecutive numbers (e.g., 23456789). All of the security happens inside the drive, so you won’t have to install any utility software. Apricorn also claims that the keypad is designed to prevent wear marks that would otherwise reveal the digits of your PIN code. Like the Apricorn Aegis Padlock DT FIPS (4TB)($328.86 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), the Aegis Padlock SSD also features protection against brute-force attacks, and can be easily reset, which destroys the internal encryption key and will make the user reset the drive, protecting your files. Make sure you remember your PIN, however; otherwise, your data will go bye-bye.
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Apricorn Aegis Portable 3.0
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A captive USB 3.0 cable stores neatly in a groove in the side of the drive chassis, and a Y-shaped extension cord comes in the drive’s packaging. This is similar to the LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt SSD (500GB)( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), the Monster Digital Overdrive Thunderbolt (1TB)($1,587.87 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), and the Western Digital My Passport Pro($702.19 at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), though these three drives have captive Thunderbolt cables instead. This means you can never lose the cable; plus, the drive is more compact that way. The last USB portable drive we tested with a captive cable was the Apricorn Aegis Portable 3.0( at Amazon)(Opens in a new window), which is a physically larger SSD without the security keypad. The Aegis Padlock SSD comes with an excellent 3-year warranty.
Performance and Pricing
The reason you buy a SSD instead of a larger hard drive is for the extra performance, though for this rugged drive, the fact that it has no moving parts to break down is also a plus. The Aegis Padlock SSD is speedy. It scored a strong 29,799 points on the PCMark05 hard drive test and 4,321 points on the PCMark 7 hard drive test. To put this in perspective, the Apricorn Aegis Portable 3.0 returned a high 4,360 points on PCMark 7’s hard drive test, and an insane 37,652 points on the PCMark05 test. Both Apricorn drives outmuscle the ioSafe Rugged Portable SSD (3,946 on PCMark7; 25,101 on PCMark05).
The Aegis Padlock SSD costs $1.66 per gigabyte, which is high, even for an SSD. The hard-drive-based Apricorn Padlock DT FIPS (4TB) only costs 10 cents per gigabyte, and the LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt SSD (500GB) comes to about one dollar per gigabyte. The Aegis Padlock SSD is also available in a 240GB capacity for $499, and 120GB for $329.
The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is a rugged drive that also has security in its wheelhouse. If you need both, then it’s a very good choice. However, we still prefer the LaCie Rugged Thunderbolt, our top pick for rugged drives, for its better pricing and flexibility with both Thunderbolt and USB support. Likewise, on the security front, we prefer the Apricorn Aegis Padlock DT FIPS (4TB), our Editors’ Choice for secure drives, because of its larger capacity, reasonable price per gigabyte, and similar multilayered security protection.
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Compact and rugged, the Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is ready to keep your mission critical data safe, especially when you’re on the road. It’s speedy and easy to use, but a high price will be a deterrent for many consumers and some businesses.
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Source link : https://www.pcmag.com/reviews/apricorn-aegis-padlock-ssd-480gb