Apricorn Aegis NVX external SSD

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

I've finally found the perfect external hard drive. This drive combines a robust, rugged design, fortress-like security, and high performance. It's the Goldilocks of portable storage. 

Also: I tested the 'fastest Gen5 SSD on the planet' and was blown away

The one drive to rule them all.

Meet theApricorn Aegis NVX external SSD . 

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Apricorn Aegis NVX

Transfer speeds up to 1000MBs make the Aegis NVX the fastest, most secure, and most rugged software-free 256-bit AES XTS encrypted NVMe USB external drive to date.

View at Apricorn

Apricorn Aegis tech specs

• Encryption: 100% hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encrypted, and onboard wear-resistant keypad PIN authenticated with brute force protection
• Transfer rates: USB 10Gbps / 1000 MBs read/write
• Power supply: USB Port; 100% bus powered
• Interface: Super Speed USB 10Gbs type-C with built-in USB-C cable
• Capacities: 500GB, 1TB, 2TB
• Dimensions: 67mm x 120mm x 15mm 200 g
• Certifications: IP68, FCC, CE, VCCI
• Shock resistance: 1500G/0.5ms, virtually shock and vibration resistant
• Warranty: 3-year limited 

Regular readers will know that I'm a huge fan of Apricorn secure external SSDs and flash drives. These devices are built from the ground up to be a fortress for your data.

Also: This flash drive will self-destruct (if you want it to)

Externally, the Aegis NVX looks like an external drive, but the addition of a keyboard suggests that there are hidden depths to this device.

And there are.

The attached USB-B cable is tough and is protected by the deep groove in the drive's case

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

That keypad is what allows you access to your data, data that's protected using hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encryption.

Lose your passcode, and your data is history. 

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That's what the specs for a high security storage drive demand, and that's what you get with the Aegis NVX.

In use, the simplicity of the Aegis NVX really shines. Once you've set up a passcode, you can unlock and lock the drive in a matter of seconds with a few taps on the keypad.

You can unlock it easily. But the bad guys can't.

Also: How to easily back up your Mac onto a USB drive (and feel like James Bond doing it)

The drive features built-in brute-force decrypt defense to wipe the drive if someone tries to guess the passcode, and it has a built-in unattended auto-lock feature that secures the drive in the event you walk away from itorbecome distracted.

Built tough and secure

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

For an added level of security, there's also the ability to set a self-destruct PIN to quickly wipe the drive of its contents yet make it seem like it is fully working.

When I started using Aegis encrypted drives with the built-in keypad I expected the polymer-coated buttons to be the weak link, but they are exceedingly wear-resistant and seem to withstand the tests of time. I have similar drives that have been in regular usage for several years and the keypads still look like new.

Also: The best external hard drives you can buy

It's not just the keypad that's tough. The drive is encased in aluminum (which also acts as a heatsink to keep the drive cool when in use), held together with tamper-resistant fasteners, and it is constructed in such a way as to be IP68 rated against water and dust damage, making it a really rugged storage drive that's just as much at home in the wilderness as it is in an air-conditioned office.

The Aegis NVX doesn't mind a dip!

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

The attached USB-C cable is also thick and tough, and is protected in storage by the aluminum enclosure.

Oh, and then there's speed.

Also: How to revoke third-party app access from your Google Account

One of the downsides of a lot of encrypted drives is performance. If you're working with documents like spreadsheets, that's not a problem. But if that data includes photos of video, then things get cumbersome if performance is a bottleneck.

No problem with the Aegis NVX, with rated read/write speeds of 1,000MB/s, I found that I could get pretty close to this in tests usingBlackmagic's Disk Speed Test or AmorphousDiskMark . 

Apricorn Aegis NVX performance test using Blackmagic Disk Speed Test

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

Apricorn Aegis NVX performance test using AmorphousDiskMark

Adrian Kingsley-Hughes/

The speed is such that the Aegis NVX could be used as external storage for video cameras that accept USB storage -- cameras such as thePanasonic S5 IIX . That's what's great about a drive that's hardware encrypted -- once you unlock it using the passcode, any device that has a USB port that can access external storage can work with the drive, whether that be a camera, computer, laptop, smartphone or tablet, 3D printer, a machine at a factory... it just works!

A final nice touch is that the drive comes with a hard shell case to protect it from knocks and bumps. This is a first for Apricorn drives.

Also: 3 ways to spot a malware-infected app on your smartphone

I'm completely blown away by Apricorn's new Aegis NVX. 

It's a drive that truly offers it all -- blistering performance, the best security money can buy, and a ruggedized, hardened case. In a world of hyperbole and exaggerated claims, it's great to see a product that lives up to the marketing. This is exactly what I've come to expect from Apricorn, and this is exactly what the Aegis NVX delivers.

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