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MagyarReview Transcend StoreJet 25M3 500 GB USB 3.0
Introduction
Many external hard drives have a stylish, glossy finish and are not really designed with mobility in mind. Our test unit belongs to a small category of robust units which comply with the Mil-STD 810F standards of the US military (516.5 Proc. IV) as far as their shock resistance is concerned. In order to achieve this, they must survive several drops from 1.2 meters onto a wooden floor without any consequences concerning the functionality of the unit. In order survive such a fall, the hard drives are suspended using springs which are inside the casing. They absorb a large part of the impact. We did not test the limits of this system in our test.
The outer surface of the casing is made from a non-slip rubber material, which on the one hand is very durable, and on the other gives improved handling. This reduces the chances of the hard drive being dropped in the first place. The largely anthracite grey colored unit is brought to life with some vibrant green accents. The backup button which is located at the top of the unit lites up blue or red when connected with a USB 3.0 or 2.0 device respectively.
Performance and Transfer Rates
The Transcend StoreJet 25M3 is currently available with 500 GB or 640 GB. Prices start at around 65.- Euro with the 640 costing 75.- Euro. Considering its robust housing this is a good Euro/ GB ratio for hard drives in the 2.5" segment with USB 3.0 interface. Next to the USB 3.0 one can find a power socket which can be fed by Mini-USB. This will be required if a single USB port on the computer cannot supply sufficient power to start it up. The additional cable was not needed for any of our test units (MSI 880GMA-E45, HP Probook 6540b, HP Mini 5101, Toshiba AC 100), and staid in the box for the duration of the test. Additional features include the sleep modus when not in use, the Elite backup software, and a 3 year warranty.
We tested the speed of the StoreJet several times using HD Tune and Crystal Disk Mark. Using HD Tune Benchmark we achieved a maximum rate of 88.2 MB/s and an average of 69.1 MB/s. This is typical of what good 2.5" hard drives in the 5400 rpm range can currently achieve. We tested the sequential reading and writing using Crystal Disk Mark which resulted in 91 MB/s. As expected, the full potential of the USB 3.0 interface could not be used in this instance as its performance is limited by the hard drive. Please refer to our in-depth HDD benchmarklist to find out more. Faster transfer rates would be possible with hard drives with 7200 rpm (LaCie rugged USB 3.0), or SSDs (OCZ Enyo USB 3.0). These, however, are often priced above 100.- Euro.
Verdict
The Transcend StoreJet 25M3 is a successful combination of capacity, speed, price and security. The desire to achieve true mobility was implemented very well and can be put to use in a wide range of uses. The speed is good and the additional USB 2.0 interface for additional power may come in handy some day.
