SanDisk’s Professional G-Drive ArmorLock SSD is an external solid-state storage drive available with capacity of 1TB, 2TB or 4TB.
The ArmorLock technology ensures it can be used as an always-encrypted SSD and that any files stored on it are secure.
You control the drive with the free ArmorLock app which is available for Mac computers as well as iOS and Android smart devices.
There is no need for a password as the device running the app connects to the drive using Bluetooth to lock and unlock it. The encryption method used is AES-XTS.
It measures 134.37 mm x 81.53 mm x 18.54 mm, so it is not small enough to fit in your pocket, though you can easily hold it in one hand, and it will store neatly in a backpack or laptop case.
Setting up
Set-up was simple and I used the device with Mac computers, Android phones and Apple tablets and smartphones with ease.
Unlike most drives, the SanDisk Professional G-Drive ArmorLock SSD doesn’t immediately appear on your computer’s desktop when you connect it.
You download and open the ArmorLock software and add the drive. Then you need to click to unlock the drive before it can be accessed. It takes a couple of minutes, that’s all.
The smartphone app has a handy option to set the drive to unlock automatically when it’s connected to a computer.
The desktop app allows you to update the drive’s firmware and add other users.
G-Drive ArmorLock SSD is aimed at content creators, studios, business professionals and IT managers. It comes with 256-bit AES-XTS encryption.
Performance
The SSD features NVMe technology that enable read and write speeds of up to 10Gbps.
Benchmark tests I ran recorded speeds which were consistently close to this peak speed.
While real world tests such as transferring 4K video files and batch folders of 100-plus RAW photo files were a breeze. A folder with 5GB of data took five seconds to transfer from a 2019 Intel MacBook Pro.
The drive works supports USB 3.2 Gen 2, incidentally.
Heat management on the drive (helped by an aluminium core) means that these speeds should never be affected by any overheating issues.
G-Drive ArmorLock SSD comes supplied with USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables and is a robustly made piece of hardware with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance.
Another neat feature is that if you mislay the drive, you can see where your phone was last connected to it.
Verdict
This is a high-end, high-speed, drive well worth the more premium price for its data security features. It’s also a sturdy package and it has a five-year warranty.
Pricing
SanDisk G-Drive ArmorLock SSD 1TB costs €253.99 from Western Digital.
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