The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is the company’s latest high-security portable storage device. The device is sold as being super tough, compact, and SSD fast with the quoted speed being a maximum of 350MB/s. The SSD is ideal for those that need to transfer important files frequently and need another layer of security.
The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is the company’s latest high-security portable storage device. The device is sold as being super tough, compact, and SSD fast with the quoted speed being a maximum of 350MB/s. The SSD is ideal for those that need to transfer important files frequently and need another layer of security.
As security is the main draw of this device, from a hardware standpoint, the Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD has FIPS 140-2 validation and 256-bit AES encryption. Like all things Apricorn, the SSD leverages AegisWare, the company’s secure firmware. The device has two modes, Admin and User. The Admin can set up to four user PINs and control more parts of the device as the user can read, write, lock, and unlock.
The SSD can be changed into a read-only mode to prevent data from being written to it, for later examination. If a brute force attack is implemented against the drive, it will auto-erase (this feature is set by the admin). When sitting idle the drive auto-locks. And a self-destruct PIN can be set to whip data, no explosions sadly.
The drive works across platforms and has a 3-year warranty. The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is available in five capacities from 240Gb to 4TB with a price range from $210 to $1,200. For our review, we will be looking at the 480GB model.
Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD specifications
| Capacity | 240GB, 480GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB |
| Interface | USB 3.2 Gen1 |
| Performance | 350MB/s |
| Buffer Size | 8MB |
| Average seek time | 0.1ms |
| Power Supply | Bus-powered |
| Shock | 1500G/0.5ms |
| Vibration | 20G/20-2000Hz |
| Crush resistant | Up to 6,500 lbs |
| Encryption | 256-bit AES |
| Operating Temperature | -40°F to 158°F (-40°C to 70°C) |
| Operating Humidity | 95% humidity |
| Dimensions | 2.5 x 3.3 x 0.55 in (64.5 x 83.5 x 14mm) |
| System Requirements | Compatible with all Operating Systems, including Windows, Mac, and Linux |
| Warranty | 3-year limited |
Design and Build
The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD fits in the palm of your hand. While being small the keypad is large enough that even my fat fingers can press the buttons with no issue. The case looks plastic but it is aluminum and feels nice and sturdy. Across the front is the keypad for unlocking. The USB cord and connector are on top but can lock onto the side.
On the other side is a sticker with information like the name and the capacity as well as the approval/certifications
Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD Performance
To test the performance of the Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD, we ran both Blackmagic and IOMeter, both on a Lenovo P520. For IOMeter we are comparing it to the Apricorn Aegis Fortress L3 to see how far the company has come in two years.
First up is Blackmagic. Here the new drive hit 338.4MB/s read and 313.7MB/s write, just under where the max quoted speed was.
For IOMeter, we first looked at 2MB sequential with both 1 and 4 thread, the latter which is a higher load that pushes the drive a bit more. For 1 thread, the Padlock saw 330.2MB/s read and 310.3MB/s write again in line with quoted speeds. Random 2MB saw 308.1MB/s read and 284.6MB/s write. For 4K random the drive hit 3,997 IOPS read and 6483 IOPS write.
For 4-thread performance, we saw 339.7MBs read and 323.6MB/s write with sequential 2MB. Random 2MB hit 316.5MB/s read and 294.9MB/s write. While random 4K saw the Padlock hit 4,280 IOPS read and 8,395 IOPS write.
The Fortress L3 gave us 284.4MB/s read and 294.4MB/s write in our 2MB sequential. Our 2MB random test results showed 225.5MB/s read and 236.4MB/s write. Looking at random 4K throughput, the drive hit 4,638.1 IOPS read and 6,464.2 IOPS write. For quite the uptick in two years.
Conclusion
The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD is yet another entry into the company’s long list of secure portable storage. This device fits in the palm of your hand and comes with oodles of security features including the keypad that needs to be unlocked to access the contents. The drive is FIPS-2 validated and comes with 256-bit AES encryption as well as AegisWare firmware. The Padlock locks if it becomes idle, protects against brute force attacks, and can be auto wiped.
For performance, we looked at both Blackmagic and IOMeter and compared it to an SSD from the company a few years back to see how it has improved. Across the board, the new version was much faster. In Blackmagic the drive hit 338MB/s read and 314MB/s write. For 2MB sequential the Padlock hit 330MB/s read and 310MB/s write in 1-thread and 340MB/s and 324MB/s write in 4-thread. 2MB random saw 308MB/s read and 285MB/s write in 1-thread and 317MB/s read and 295MB/s in write in 4-thread. For 4K we saw 3,997 IOPS read and 6483 IOPS write in 1-thread and 4,280 IOPS read and 8,395 IOPS write in 4-thread.
The Apricorn Aegis Padlock SSD offers lots of security for those that need to move highly sensitive data frequently. The drive also shows an across-the-board performance increase versus older technology from the company.
Aegis Padlock SSD Product Page
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