Let’s be honest: external hard drives aren’t the sexiest thing to test. We had a bit of fun with our ADATA SD700 external SSD review in the video above, but here we’ll get down to brass tacks.
We tested the 256GB capacity ADATA SD700, but it also comes in 512GB and 1TB sizes. ADATA’s new external SSD employs 3D NAND, which is a type of flash memory in which the memory cells are stacked vertically. What this does is allow manufacturers to produce higher densities of memory in smaller spaces.
3D NAND is also faster and less expensive to manufacturer, so it’s no wonder many storage companies are now moving to three dimensional NAND solid state drives.
ADATA recently refreshed its range of SSD drives with 3D NAND, with the SD700 one of its new flagship models.
Boasting a number of fast, rugged specifications, the slimline SSD is aimed at photographers on the go who need to work quickly.
ADATA quotes a 440MB per second read and 430MB per second write speed for the 256GB SD700 we reviewed here. As you’ll see in the video above, we put this to the test.
I walked through a local woods recording myself with my GoPro Hero5. This resulted in a 500MB file. I walked about three-quarters of a mile where I met my colleague Ali on the other side. He transferred the video file from my microSD card to the ADATA SD700 while I ran the distance back to see which was fastest.
The SD700 copied the file over in a matter of seconds. I’d barely broken the cover of the trees. So to even the playing field, Ali copied over all 12.5GB of media files on my microSD card. This took around 4 minutes, well under my perfectly respectable 7-minute mile.
In general use, too, I found the ADATA SD700 to be one of the fastest, most versatile drives I’ve used. Plugging it in to both Mac and PC computers, the drive appears instantly on my desktop. No searching, no having to plug and unplug. It just… works.
And it’s speed is blazing. Our video was a bit of fun, but Ali and I were both quite shocked by how fast it copied over that volume of data. I thought for sure I could out-run its write speed of 12.5GB! Perhaps it’s because I was wearing the wrong shoes…
ADATA SD700 Specifications
Capacities: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB
NAND Components: 3D TLC NAND
Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 1
Form Factor: External
NAND Controller: Silicon Motion SM2258
Dimensions: 83.5 x 83.5 x 13.9mm
Drive Weight: 100g
ADATA SD700 Review: Verdict
The 256GB model we tested is priced about £180 / $180… which isn’t cheap for that amount of storage space. But it’s one of the fastest SSDs on the market and if speed is what you need, it won’t disappoint.
What’s more, it’s rugged design with a rubber casing gives some peace of mind that it can survive a fall and be taken just about anywhere you need to go.