by Daniel | Last Updated Sept 23rd, 2021
Traveling, no matter how often you do it, is always a thrill. One thing people love to do on trips is to take lots of photographs and videos to capture the memories of their adventures. However, the better the memories (and the longer the journey), the more hard drive memory and data you end up using to save those memories.
What happens if you run out of space, and your trip has only begun? Or, what do you do when you return from a new journey to find that your computer has no more memory?
For many travelers, there is one solution for saving all the media while clearing up space on their cameras or computers: an external hard drive.
Many newer drives are compact and designed for travel, but a significant concern is their durability. After all, if you’re putting all of those precious photos in one spot, you want something that can withstand the elements and travel with you.
With an external drive like the G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile SSD, you don’t have to worry about the hard wear and tear of traveling. The device has a durable design and plenty of space to save all of your memories until the next adventure. What does this technology do? Is it worth the price? Read this guide to find out if it works for you.
Pros
- Sleek and sophisticated design
- Fantastic five-year warranty – better than many others in the industry
- Trusted and reliable brand
- Highly durable in many conditions or the event of accidents
- Mac and Windows compatible
Cons
- No encryption support
- Requires formatting to use with Windows before first use
- Somewhat expensive
Design
This drive is sleek, rugged, and sports a large “G” on the front for its brand. The drive itself offers secure protection thanks to its aluminum casing, which also has the benefit of rubber covering. The only un-covered section is the USB port for a quick connection. There are openings in the rubber to keep the drive from overheating while in use.
The drive has an IP67 rating for water and dust resistance and a 5-year warranty. It also boasts a 1000 lbs crushproof rating and can withstand a drop of up to 3 meters in most tests.
It’s also quite small with dimensions of 94 x 50 x 14.5 mm, but it is not as compact as some of the top competitors.
Benchmarks
In the benchmark tests, here’s how the G-DRIVE mobile SSD performed:
- Atto: 437 Mbps to write, 439 Mbps to read
- CrystalDiskMark: 430 Mbps to write, 441 Mbps to read
- AS SSD: 162 Mbps to write, 427 Mbps to read
Performance
The G-DRIVE mobile claims to have transfer rates of up to 560 MB/s. The USB Gen 2 port can achieve transfer rates of 10 Gbps, twice the speed of its predecessor. Even when paired with the USB 3.0, though, the transfer rate never quite reached the 560 MB/s.
During the typical benchmark performance tests, we found the actual transfer rate was closer to an average of around 430-441 MB/s. The performance tests used the Atto, CrystalDeskMark, and AS SSD. Massive files transferred slower, as one would expect. A 10 GB file is transferred in just over a minute, which is approximately a 136 MBps transfer speed.
One other important thing to note is that the user will need to reformat the drive needs before using it with a Windows computer. The process takes only a few minutes, but if you don’t do it before the first transfer, then the device will not work.
The good news is that there are no software bundles to install. The drive only requires cables, which come included. They are a bit short at only 12 cm long.
Hardware
As previously mentioned, the G-DRIVE has a USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface, and a reversible USB-C port, so it is suitable for use with newer laptops. Included with the drive is a USB 2.0/3.0 adapter, so it has backward compatibility. The cables included are quite short, but they do the trick.
Most of the casing is made from aluminum, with a slitted rubber coating to protect the device if it drops. It is water and dust-resistant and can survive decent falls with no damage. It’s also quite lightweight, weighing less than 100 g for easy portability.
Verdict
Comparatively, there are other mobile drives out there that have similar specifications for less money. The transfer speed it boasts isn’t entirely accurate, at least in most tests, and its size—while compact—is not the smallest for comparable devices on the market.
However, the G-Technology G-DRIVE mobile SSD is a highly capable drive. It comes in multiple storage sizes, all with the same sleek design and included cords. There’s no extra software for your computer, and for Windows users, a short reformatting is all that’s required for you to be ready to go. Though it can get expensive, the price is well worth its durability and the 5-year warranty that goes with it.
G-Technology has many competitors for mobile drives. Samsung, SanDisk, and Adata all have somewhat similar mobile drives that have their own merits. They are cheaper, but they have their drawbacks, too.
This drive has a lot going for it, but the price tags can chase some people away. However, it’s a highly capable and durable piece of tech that can protect your memories well. Some people may think the extra money for a more extended warranty is unnecessary. For the truly adventurous, though, a little additional insurance never hurt. If you’re someone who treks through the mountains or forests, or you’re someone who may be a bit accident-prone, that warranty could be a lifesaver.
Overall, G-DRIVE is an excellent piece of machinery. The 1TB model is the most recommended, and that capacity offers quite a lot of space for travelers to save their memories. It might be a bit of an investment, but when you’re always on an adventure, preserving the memories is more than worth it.