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ZDNET’s key takeaways
- The Crucial X10 portable SSD is available now, starting at $139 for the 1TB version.
- It’s a super small SSD drive that will go anywhere, and the IP65 rating means that it can shrug off rain and dirt.
- It’s not exactly cheap, as the durability comes with a cost.
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SSDs (solid state drives) are the perfect portable storage solution, and far better that the older HDDs (hard disk drives) with their spinning disks that are vulnerable to vibration and shock.
Also: The best external hard drives you can buy
But the downside to many portable SSDs is that they can’t cope with even a little bit of water or dust. That means that they prefer an air-conditioned office much more than a dusty truck or wet tent. But the more I’m involved in outdoor photography and videography with drones, the more I need portable storage that doesn’t mine getting wet and dirty.
Crucial has a new drive that’s up to the job, and it comes in multiple storage amounts: the X10<!–>.
Let’s start with the basics. The X10 is an SSD that comes in capacities ranging from 1TB to 8TB and connects via USB-C. It offers sequential read speeds up to 2,100 MB/s and sequential write speeds up to 2,100 MB/s (and my testing conforms this, easily achieving scores within 10 percent of this figure), twice what its predecessor the X9 was capable of hitting.
The drive is compatible with Windows, MacOS, Android, iOS and iPadOS, Linux, and even games consoles like the PS4, PS5, and Xbox. It’s pre-formatted in exFAT for broad compatibility, but it can be reformatted to NTFS or APFS if needed.
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Everything is encased in a matte blue polymer enclosure measuring just 65 by 50 mm, and is 10 mm thin, and the whole drive weights just 32 grams.
There’s even a handy lanyard hole to keep the drive close to hand (this is so small you could attach it to a keyring).
The X10 shrugs off water and dirt.
Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/ZDNET
Oh, and did I mention that the enclosure is IP65 rated for dust and water resistance and drop resistant up to 9.8 feet (3 meters) onto a carpeted floor? While not rated for submersion, it’s perfectly happy out in mist, rain, and fog.
Also: Is your gadget truly waterproof? Here’s what the IP rating tells you
This IP rating and rugged durability makes the X10 great for outdoor use, as it won’t shy away from a little exposure to the elements.
ZDNET’s buying advice
I have to admit that I love the little Crucial X10 drive<!–>. It’s tiny, yet durable enough to handle being thrown about in a backpack or used in a tent to make backups of the content shot during the day.
The drive also comes in a broad range of sizes, from 1TB–> all the way to 8TB<!–>, so you can choose the capacity that you need and not overpay. Prices range from $140 to $780, and the drives come with a 15 cm USB-C to USB-C cable and three months of Mylio Photos+, and one month of Adobe Acrobat Pro and Acronis True Image when you register the drive.
