The Seagate Ultra Compact SSD is presented as a portable solid-state drive (SSD) that deviates significantly from traditional USB flash drives. While typical USB flash drive capacities are in the 128 GB to 1 TB range, this drive offers capacities of 1 TB and 2 TB, positioning it as a portable SSD. Furthermore, its sustained write performance aligns more closely with that of a dedicated SSD compared to a flash drive.
One of the most distinctive features is its interface. The drive lacks a USB Type-A interface, instead offering a 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C connection, and does not include a USB A-to-C adapter. These features, combined with its large capacities and sustained write performance, strengthen its standing as a portable SSD.
Physically, the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD is housed in a solid aluminum alloy chassis. This design incorporates a removable silicone sleeve and a silicone cap, which contributes to the drive’s durability, offering 3-meter drop endurance and an IP54 rating for water- and dust-resistance. The device weighs under 30 g, making it compact enough to carry in a tight jeans pocket.
In terms of technical specifications, the drive is built using a USB-native SSD controller and NAND flash chips similar to those used in internal SSDs. This hardware distinction, particularly the performance in sustained writes, separates it fundamentally from a standard flash drive. The performance testing showed sequential reads consistently above 800 MB/s and writes above 900 MB/s. While these speeds reduce to slightly over 400 MB/s after 72 GB written, random-access performance is comparable to other 10 Gbps portable SSDs.
The drive’s 10 Gbps USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface allows it to regularly hit the bandwidth limits of the connection. The performance makes it suitable for portable operating environments, such as portable Linux or Windows-to-Go installations that can be booted from any computer.
Beyond its hardware capabilities, Seagate includes several value-added services. Users receive three years of Seagate Rescue data recovery services, which includes free two-way shipping for data recovery attempts following accidental deletion or formatting. Additionally, the package includes six-month subscriptions for Dropbox Backup and Mylio Photos+, a photo organizer software.
Pricing details reveal that the 2 TB model launched at US$179 but was found online at the time of the review for $314. The high cost reflects the industry-wide acute shortage of NAND flash chips and DRAM, impacting pricing across consumer flash and SSD products. Despite the price, the drive offers 2 TB of capacity and 10 Gbps performance, which the report suggests is difficult to find around the $300 mark when considering higher performance classes like 20 Gbps or 40 Gbps.
Source: TechPowerUp