G-Technology just introduced its new G-DRIVE mobile SSD R-Series of external hard drives. It features a USB-C port with USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface. As such, it makes a perfect pairing with the latest MacBook Pro models that sport nothing but USB-C ports.
The drives provide a transfer speed up to 560MBs. I’m not entirely clear on the read/write speeds based on the released specs, but you should expect some spiffy rates for the SSD drive.
The “R” in the model name stands for “rugged.” The drives are IP67 water and dust resistant. Additionally, they are tested to withstand up to a 3-meter drop on a carpeted concrete floor and 1000 lbs of pressure crush resistance. Of course, as an SSD, you’d expect it to be a little more robust than a spinning disk drive.
The new SSD R-Series are available in capacities up to 2TB. Prices are $199.95 for the 500Gb, $379.95 for the 1TB and $699.95 for the 2TB drive. No specifics on a release date yet, but they should be available later this year.
Make it a RAID1 and I’m interested. As it is, I don’t see why I wouldn’t rather have a Samsung T-series drive which is smaller and lighter, a good trade off for the fact that the Samsung units aren’t water or crush resistant. No doubt water and crush resistance would be welcome though I have never once needed it, as opposed to the small and light form factor which is a daily benefit to me.