If you like the idea of having a backup storage solution for your media files in a pocket-size and fast-performing device, the ADATA SD700 offers that in spades. This external SSD is extremely lightweight for nearly half a terabyte of storage and is faster and more efficient than your average HDD. I tested the SD700 for a few days and was pleased by its convenient portability, ease of use, and reliably swift performance.
Design: Tiny but tough
Unlike many external hard drives that are housed in big and bulky frames, the SD700 has a lightweight and diminutive form factor. Given the easy design and portability of this device, it’s easy to see why the manufacturer stresses its versatility as an on-the-go media drive. This 3x3-inch square is small enough to fit in a jacket pocket and is barely detectable at just 2.6 ounces. Even though this SDD is tiny, you don’t have to worry about durability. The body is made of a solid metal shell, which is protected by thick and durable rubber around the entire body. The one downside is that the rubber casing picks up lint quite easily, but that’s nothing new from that type of material. Looks aside, the SD700 has the grades to prove its ruggedness. It’s been designed to pass IEC IP68 standards, which means it can withstand dust and submersion in up to nearly 5 feet of water for an hour. ADATA also says that the SD700 is military-grade protected. Thanks to its MIL-STD-810G 516.6 shockproof rating, this device can safely handle drops and bumps from 4 feet off the ground. I gave this a shot with drops on hardwood and cement, and I’m happy to report that the SD700 suffered no scuffs, damage, or performance hiccups.
Performance: Fast and consistent
ADATA says that the SD700 can handle a 5GB video file in just 26 seconds. I transferred 5.17GB of movie files in just 26.2 seconds, which is right on track with the manufacturer’s claims. While this product isn’t marketed as a gaming drive, I put it to the test by downloading NBA2K directly to the SSD. This hefty 98GB file finished installing in just a little over 1 hour. That’s about 40 minutes faster than the WD Black P10 and nearly 1 hour faster than the Acer Predator Triton 500 gaming laptop’s 512GB of NVMe SSD storage. Load time from the drive was about 20 seconds, which isn’t lightning-fast but matches the experience with other HDDs I tested. Using CrystalDiskMark as a benchmarking tool, the SD700 reached read speeds as high as about 421MB/s and write speeds of 429MB/s, which tracks with the manufacturer’s estimate of read speeds up to 440MB/s and write speeds up to 430MB/s. Black Magic Design Speed Test results yielded 410MB/s write speeds and 416MB/s read speeds.
Ports: Limited to USB 3.0
The SD700 is compatible with macOS and Windows and Android devices, but there’s a bit of a limitation given that there’s only a USB 3.0 interface. It’s easy enough to purchase an adapter for use with newer MacBook Pro or Android devices with USB-C ports. But the lack of USB-C support is a bit of a letdown, since competing devices do offer this flexibility.
Setup: Ready to go for the most part
On Windows machines, this factory-formatted NTFS (New Technology File System) solid-state drive is ready to plug in and get to work. If you’re a MacBook user, you’ll have to perform the requisite exFAT file formatting that most external HDDs and SDDs require. Formatting the drive for compatibility on both Windows and MacOS machines wasn’t a complicated task to perform and took mere seconds to complete.
Key Features: 3D NAND performance
SDDs are known to be superior to HDDs in terms of faster and quieter performance and greater stability. The SD700 uses the latest 3D NAND triple-level cell technology to achieve fast, consistent, and more efficient performance every time. Of course, NAND technology has limitations with a typical lifespan of 100,000 read-and-write cycles. This may not be an issue for you if you don’t plan on demanding a lot from this SSD. If you’re looking for a handy way to store and access media files for personal use, you can’t beat how quiet and cool this SSD performs.
Price: Slightly steep
You can purchase the ADATA SD700 with 256GB of storage for about $62. This isn’t outlandish, but it’s not exactly inexpensive for a limited amount of space. The value prospect depends on what you’re looking for in your external storage device. If portability and speed are big priorities, for $15 more Samsung offers a 250GB SSD option that’s even lighter than the SD700 but with faster transfer speeds. If you’re looking for more storage in a similar small profile, that gets trickier within the same price range. The Seagate Barracuda Fast SSD retails for about $95 and has 500GB of storage along with USB-C to USB-A compatibility. Of course, it’s heavier, pricier, and doesn’t have the same durability ratings. Ultimately, the SD700 isn’t priced unfairly, but you could get better value if you need and want more storage or multi-platform compatibility.
ADATA SD700 vs. Samsung T5
Apart from the size, the T5 offers more versatility, thanks to its dual USB Type-C to C and USB Type-C to A flexibility—and similar USB 3.0 and 2.0 compatibility like the SD700. Another area where the T5 takes the edge is transfer speed. It’s capable of reading and writing up to 540MB/s, which is considerably higher than the 440Mbps capability of the SD700. The T5 uses a similar NAND flash technology but the MLC flash storage it uses is known to have more longevity than the TLC flash storage technology employed by the SD700. Samsung says the T5 can survive drops from as high as 6.5 feet off the ground. But it doesn’t have the protective thick silicone rubber covering to prevent knicks and absorb impact like the SD700 has—or military ruggedness or waterproof grades to back that up. Both drives will need to be formatted for macOS and offer password-protection. But when it comes to the nitty gritty of dollars and cents, the SD700 offers just a bit more storage at a cheaper price point. The ADATA SD700 is an appealing SSD for its low profile, stable and speedy transfer speeds, and surprising durability. Deciding whether it’s the best external drive solution for you comes down to how much storage and longevity you want. This small but mighty device should more than suffice if you’re interested in backing up movies and photos at faster speeds and in a more reliable format than an external hard drive.
