SSDs have completely taken the tech industry by storm! SSDs have shoved flash drives, thumb drives, and even cloud-storage into near extinction, an SSD provides everything they did, except it’s impressively faster, more compact and convenient, and promises larger capacities. However, a typical SSD design doesn’t raise many eyebrows anymore, hence they’re getting more innovative, unique, and efficient by the day! And, we’ve curated a collection of SSDs that promise to make your life easier – from an SSD that uses biometric authentication to keep your data safe, to a credit card-sized one that fits perfectly into your pocket, there’s an SSD out there for everyone’s unique needs and requirements.
Compatible with most USB-C devices, the HybridDrive offsets your need for multiple hubs, dongles, and drives. With a multiport on one end, and an SSD on another, and a USB-C interface connecting the two, the HybridDrive bridges the gap between your portable devices (laptop/tablet/phone) and your desktop – in the sense that it gives you extra ports and expandable storage… something most desktops have in common. The multiport setup comprises a 4K 60Hz HDMI port, two USB-A ports with 10Gbps data transfer, a MicroSD card reader, an SD card reader, and a USB-C which supports 100W of power output along with high-speed video and data transferring. On the other end of the HybridDrive is an SSD that comes in 4 sizes, starting from 128Gb and going all the up to a whopping 2Tb.
Designed to be as compact as a pen-drive, with the capacity of a cloud-storage service, and without those nagging subscription costs, the ECLLPSE is a ridiculously small, universally compatible SSD with a robust outer construction that can go wherever you go. The SSD sits within rugged, IP67 water and dust resistant enclosure that’s roughly the size of your thumb, boasting storage as high as 2 terabytes fitting right within the palm of your hand. A USB-C interface allows the ECLLPSE to work with a wide variety of devices (there’s even a USB-A dongle for broader compatibility), ranging from mobiles to computers and even specialized gear like gaming consoles, cameras, and high-end recording equipment. Support for WTG (Windows to Go) even allows you to install operating systems on your ECLLPSE, letting you carry your own computer right in your pocket.
Western Digital unveiled a new high-level security platform for storage with G-Technology’s ArmorLock-Encrypted NVMe SSD. I know – what does all that mean? Essentially, Western Digital equipped G-Technology’s SSD with biometric authentication security so that even if your hard-earned data were to fall into the hands of trolls or hackers, they’d need your fingerprint to access any of it. Without compromising the hard drive’s speed or reliability, each Armorlock encrypted NVMe SSD is built with high-grade 256-bit AES-XTS hardware encryption, known for its impenetrability in the grips of eager hackers, and NIST P-256 elliptic curve-based key management, which encrypts hard drives with multi-factor authentication steps that only the owners can register and carry out. By connecting the hard drive to your personal or business smartphone via Bluetooth, the risk of your SSD falling prey to prying eyes decreases significantly – so you better hold on tight to your smartphone. Once disconnected, the Armorlock encrypted NVMe SSD automatically locks and requires biometric authentication for further use.
The skyBOX is the second most powerful piece of tech you can fit into your pocket, after your smartphone. Designed to be the same dimension as a stack of credit cards, the skybox gives you the power of having your own Wi-Fi-enabled cloud server in your pocket. It’s made to be universally compatible, working with any device that supports Wi-Fi connectivity, and comes with up to 4 terabytes of permanent storage. That’s enough to back up 50 smartphones, store millions of photos from your DSLR, or remotely host your own media server with over 5000 movies to choose from. Moreover, the skyBOX is wireless and portable, so you can carry it around in your pocket, accessing data no matter where you are.
The Fledging Shell is slightly larger than that 32GB pen drive I owned back in the day. It also happens to have a storage capacity of 2 whole terabytes! Built with an SSD inside, the Fledging Shell is designed to provide universal compatibility, and file transfer speeds that border on a gigabyte per second without heating up. Its innovative build (featuring an aluminum outer body acting as a heat sink) and internal cooling system keep the Fledging Shell cool as a cucumber as you transfer incredibly heavy files to carry with you on the go, or even take multiple backups of your data to the offline SSD… and unlike other SSDs, the Fledging can be opened and customized, giving you the power to choose the capacity, or switch between different SSDs. Did I also mention how incredibly small and compact it is?
Meet the VAVA SSD Touch, a pocket-sized storage device that’s high on capacity, high on security, and on portability. Measuring less than 4 inches, VAVA SSD Touch comes with a sleek-looking metal case made from 100% recyclable aluminum, and a solid-state drive on the inside ranging anywhere from 512GB to 2TB in capacity. Its slick metallic casing is punctuated by a blue square located on the front that gives the VAVA SSD Touch a layer of biometric security. Acting sort of as a password, the fingerprint sensor prevents people from accessing your data without your authorization. The SSD only unlocks after it authenticates your fingerprint, and you can program as many as 10 fingerprints into the VAVA SSD Touch, allowing your family, colleagues, or coworkers to have access to shared data… or better still, use a password to ensure more impregnable security.
Datatape isn’t just fun to say – this SSD concept makes connecting and syncing a cinch. While others tout themselves as being portable, this is truly portable without the need for any extra cords, cables, or connectors. It features a built-in, versatile connector that can seamlessly connect to an extensive range of devices including PCs, Macs, smartphones, and tablets. It also sports a spring-loaded pinch grip cord winder and retractable cord that can be recoiled in the blink of an eye. In 3 colors and 3 sizes (500GB, 1TB, and 2TB), it helps you stay organized with multiples and ensure you’re storage needs are covered.
The WD My Passport Portable SSD is probably the easiest to carry and portable SSD I have seen! This tiny yet super handy device provides you with three storage options – 256 GB, 512 GB, and 1 TB. You can niftily tuck it into your laptop bag, and carry it almost anywhere with you. It can withstand your everyday routine, including drops up to 6.5 feet! It’s a tough SSD that you can plug into your laptop or desktop, and instantly back up all your precious data.
The TurboHub combines the features of a multiport USB hub, and an external SSD storage device, but it quite literally is a product that’s greater than the sum of its parts. Designed to be a device that’s incredibly small and is roughly as sleek as your laptop, the TurboHub’s compact design makes it easy to carry all this functionality around. Plug it in, and your laptop gets that boost of storage and ports almost instantly. The hub comes with a USB-C port for charging your laptop, a thunderbolt port, along with a USB3.0 port for thumb-drives or dongles for wireless mice. There’s even an HDMI port to connect external monitors for designers and multitaskers, with support for 4K displays, an Ethernet port for secure, wired internet connections both at home and at the office (ideal for work, streaming, and gaming), and a card reader for photographers and videographers.
The Ciao Piggy Bank comes with a slot on the back that isn’t for banknotes and coins, but rather for SD cards. Place the card inside and the piggy bank, a wireless SSD, copies, and stores all your data from the SD card without needing you to connect it to your computer, copy files, create a folder, and paste them. Just as simple as swiping a card, the Ciao backs up your SD card for you, allowing you to clear the data from it and reuse it. The pig-shaped wireless SSD lets you access your data either wirelessly, or via a rather cute, pigtail-shaped USB cable that connects it to your system. With a single button interface and just a series of LED indicators that show you transfer progress, battery, and overall storage, the Ciao lets you back data up just as easily as dropping a quarter into a ceramic piggy bank.
