Data loss can get catch any of us by surprise. For the longest time, average consumers stored the majority of their data on PCs, without keeping physical or cloud backups in mind. Fast forward to today and most store everything on a smartphone and use either Google and Apple backup methods to keep safe.
Catches apply to heavy users when running out of free iCloud storage or suffering from image resolution downgrades in Google Photos’ free tier. In these types of cases, external hard drives are the way to go, and Western Digital’s new G-Technology ArmorATD portable drives work very hard to keep data protected.
Ready for anything
The new ArmorATD portable drives feature a rugged shell that is made to protect your data from taking all sorts of damage. By adding triple-layer shock protection, water, dust, and crush resistance, Western Digital’s G-Technology division is showing just how passionate it is about keeping data safe and sound.
“We understand the value that people place on their content, and we create products that match their passion. That drives us to push the boundaries of what’s possible,” said Matthew Klapman, global director of G-Technology, Western Digital. “Whether you need a rough and tumble drive to keep up with your pace on a rainy hiking expedition or a safari, with ArmorATD your footage will make it back to your desktop.”
Western Digital’s ArmorATD portable drives come in three capacities that allow consumers to strike a balance between affordability and large amounts storage. Among these options users will find 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities. Considering that I mentioned affordability, it shouldn’t be too surprising to hear that these opt for hard drives instead of solid state solutions.
This is both disappointing and understandable. On one hand users can pick one of these up to prevent their own accidents from causing data loss, but on the other, hard drives have moving parts that are much more prone to fail when compared to much more costly solid state competitors.
Pricing and availability
The new G-Technology ArmorATD portable drives are available to pre-order today. Prices are $89.95 for 1TB, $119.95 for 2TB, and $169.95 when choosing 4TB. A specific release date was not offered, but Western Digital did mention to expect in-store availability to begin sometime in May 2019.
9to5Toys’ Take
Considering that the new ArmorATD portable drives are Thunderbolt 3 compatible and work on both PCs and Macs, they seem to be an option worth considering. This is especially true when pricing and storage limitations of drives like SanDisk’s Extreme Portable External SSD put you on the fence.
Combine those features with USB-C connectivity, a respectable 140MB/s transfer rate, IP54 rain and dust resistance, the ability to withstand 3.9-foot drops, an incredible 1,000 pound crush protection, and you’ve got an external storage solution that’s worthy of being released alongside options like Sony’s rugged memory cards.
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