ADATA has been making strides into the buyer PC {hardware}, laptop computer, and accent house in recent times, delivering high-performance storage merchandise just like the XPG Gammix S70 and inexpensive Ultrabooks just like the XPG Xenia 14. ADATA additionally gives numerous exterior SSDs with various ranges of efficiency.
The Elite SE880 that I’ve in for assessment is a drive that depends on the uncommon USB-C 3.2 (Gen2x2) customary, able to switch speeds as much as 20Gbps. It is tremendous compact and light-weight, and it is priced competitively. I have been utilizing the drive for the final week to see how properly it performs and, finally, whether or not or not it is price your cash.
ADATA Elite SE880: Value and availability
ADATA equipped Home windows Central with a assessment unit of its Elite SE880 exterior SSD. It is accessible in 500GB and 1TB capacities. ADATA has the 500GB drive listed at $65 and the 1TB drive listed at $105. You may also discover the Elite SE880 at B&H the place the smaller variations prices about $80 and the bigger drive prices about $130.
Amazon additionally has a list for the Elite SE880, although reseller costs are skewed and you will typically pay fairly a bit greater than the urged worth ADATA has set. The Elite SE880 is obtainable in a Titanium Gray coloration. The bundle comes with a USB-C cable, in addition to a USB-A to USB-C cable.
ADATA Elite SE880: What I like
ADATA’s Elite SE880 exterior SSD is a concerning the width of two USB flash drives and is simply lower than an inch and a half lengthy. It weighs only one.1 ounces (31g) with out the host cable connected, making it the lightest and most compact SSD I’ve ever used. The primary portion of the shell appears to be made up of a magnesium alloy that is scratch resistant; it is accessible in a Titanium Gray coloration.
It is seemingly not going to be as sturdy as one thing made from pure aluminum, however the alloy helps hold the load down. You may simply pop this drive right into a pants or shirt pocket with out actually noticing it is there. The drive is able to go so long as you’ve gotten a USB-C cable close by. One finish of the drive has the USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) host port with a small blue standing LED subsequent to it. The opposite finish of the drive is flat.
ADATA Elite SE880 specs
Host interface: USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) 20Gbps
Capability: 500GB, 1TB
Seq. learn velocity: 2,000MB/s
Seq. write velocity: 2,000MB/s
Compatibility: Home windows, Mac, Android, Linux, Xbox, PlayStation
Dimensions: 2.55 x 1.38 x 0.48 inches (64.8mm x 35mm x 12.25mm)
Weight: 1.1oz (31g)
Guarantee: 5 years
The Elite SE880 is comparatively inexpensive, even when evaluating it to extra frequent USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) exterior SSDs. The 500GB mannequin’s $65 and 1TB mannequin’s $130 listing costs have it in keeping with the likes of Samsung’s T7 and SanDisk’s Excessive Transportable V1 SSDs. The Elite SE880 additionally comes with a five-year guarantee to guard your funding.
These competing drives have efficiency caps round 1,050MB/s, which is about half of what the Elite SE880 is able to when related to a correct USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) port. That is a significant component right here, particularly when testing. USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) employs two 10Gbps lanes as a substitute of only one — that is the place the “x2” is available in. This affords it speeds as much as 20Gbps beneath the best circumstances.
USB naming is complicated at finest, and deciphering the distinction between Thunderbolt 4, Thunderbolt 3, USB4, and USB 3 is not at all times simple. Thunderbolt and USB4 are technically able to speeds as much as 40Gbps, however they’re additionally coping with the switch of video and PCIe knowledge on prime of ordinary USB knowledge. You should use the Elite SE880 with any USB-C port (together with Thunderbolt 4 and USB4), however attaining the total 20Gbps switch speeds will solely be attainable with a real USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) port. That is mirrored within the benchmarks I ran; testing the SSD with Thunderbolt 3 and Thunderbolt 4 delivered 10Gbps speeds.
Testing with a real USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) port, the Elite SE880 lives as much as the efficiency claims made by ADATA. The graphs under present how the Elite SE880 compares to USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) drives we have additionally lately examined.
I additionally used ATTO Disk Benchmark to get an concept of how properly the drive performs when transferring a bunch of various recordsdata sizes.
I ran one final check utilizing PCMark 10’s Full System Drive benchmark. This check can provide you an concept of how properly storage performs working apps and performing frequent workloads. The Elite SE880 hit an general rating of 1,329 with 209.16MB/s bandwidth and a 124 μs latency. To match with an inside SSD (for which this check is often used), the SK hynix Gold P31 M.2 PCIe 3.0 SSD hit a complete rating of 1,952 with 316MB/s bandwidth and an 87 μs latency.
ADATA Elite SE880: What I do not like
The ADATA Elite SE880 lives as much as the efficiency claims when related to a USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) port, however this customary is pretty uncommon. There are a variety of motherboards that supply native help, but when your PC is not constructed onto a kind of boards you may have to take a look at an alternate resolution. I had to purchase an additional PCIe host card for the desktop PC I am utilizing to check the drive; it is not a very costly addition (about $40), however it’s one thing you may should determine into the associated fee in case your PC does not have already got a correct USB-C port.
You should use the SSD with some other USB-C port, however as talked about you will not obtain the utmost efficiency with out the Gen 2×2 customary. I examined with a Thunderbolt 3 port and acquired again learn speeds of about 1,050MB/s and write speeds of about 990MB/s; testing with Thunderbolt 4 delivered about the identical consequence. The drive is priced in keeping with 10Gbps drives, so even when you do not get the total 20Gbps efficiency you will not actually be out any cash.
The plastic endcaps on the SSD do not encourage a lot confidence relating to sturdiness. Even working the drive over with one thing like an workplace chair caster might be not a good suggestion, by no means thoughts a automobile in case you occur to drop the drive in a car parking zone. If you are going to be working within the discipline, grabbing an SSD with full aluminum enclosure and a few additional sturdiness testing is really useful.
Lastly, an absence of on-board encryption may irk some who typically work with delicate knowledge, and the 2 capacities won’t be sufficient for these working with large file sizes.
ADATA Elite SE880: Competitors
Exterior SSDs utilizing the USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) customary are much more uncommon than these utilizing the Gen 2 customary, however the Elite SE880 is not with out some direct competitors.
The SanDisk Excessive Professional V2 from Western Digital is obtainable in 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, it gives 20Gbps switch speeds with USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2), it has 256-bit AES {hardware} encryption, and it is licensed for IP55 water and mud resistance. It additionally has a helpful loop constructed proper on to be used with a carabiner. This drive will do doubt enchantment to those that carry their SSD all over the place, however costs begin at $200 for the 1TB mannequin and climb shortly from there. The 4TB mannequin prices about $630.
The Kingston XS2000 is one other tremendous compact exterior SSD working on the USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) customary. It is accessible in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB capacities, it comes with a rubber sleeve for added safety, and it has IP55 water and mud resistance certification. The 500GB mannequin at the moment prices about $70, whereas the 1TB model prices about $108. That is cheaper than the Elite SE880, plus you possibly can seize the bigger capacities if wanted. It even weighs a couple of grams lower than ADATA’s drive.
ADATA additionally gives an SE800 exterior SSD with speeds as much as 1,000MB/s with a USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2) interface. It passes IP68 sturdiness certification, affording it mud and water resistance partly because of an additional cowl panel for the USB-C port. It additionally hits the MIL-STD 810G 516.6 impression certification to assist it higher take care of drops or abrupt shocks. A 500GB model of the rugged SE800 prices about $70, whereas a 1TB model prices about $103. You will get the SE800 in Blue or Black colours.
You should definitely take a look at our assortment of the finest exterior SSDs for extra nice choices from Samsung, OWC, Sabrent, CalDigit, and Plugable.
Do you have to purchase the ADATA Elite SE880?
Who it is for …
- These with PCs supporting the USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) customary with 20Gbps efficiency
- Those that want a 500GB or 1TB SSD
- Those that desire a drive that is tremendous compact and light-weight
Who it is not for …
- Those that desire a extra sturdy drive with additional safety and elemental resistance certification
- Those that need built-in encryption
- Those that want a drive bigger than 1TB
- These with out a USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) port on their PC
Whereas a few of the competing drives is perhaps extra geared towards what you are on the lookout for, the ADATA Elite SE880 continues to be a fantastic little storage accent. It lives as much as the 20Gbps speeds marketed by ADATA, although its correct coupling with a USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2) leaves one thing to be desired. If you do not have a local hookup, you will want to make use of a PCIe slot in your motherboard for a correct enlargement card.
The SE880 is the quickest exterior SSD I’ve examined, and it is also one of many tiniest drives I’ve in my assortment. It may possibly simply slip right into a pocket, and it is so gentle you may hardly know it is there. In case you are taking it with you all over the place you go, some built-in knowledge encryption capabilities and further sturdiness certification could be appreciated. The Kingston XS2000 checks all these additional containers, plus it’s kind of extra inexpensive than the Elite SE880; you can even get it in bigger capacities.
ADATA’s Elite SE880 delivers on efficiency guarantees when related to USB-C 3.2 (Gen 2×2), and it is backwards suitable with different USB-C requirements. It is light-weight, it is compact, and it is priced competitively.
