Owning a portable hard drive is risky business. Besides absent-mindedly leaving it somewhere, there’s always the chance of dropping the device and breaking it. G-Technology seems to have solved the latter problem with its G-DRIVE ev ATC rugged drive.
The overall package is rather simplistic and consists of two parts: the internal driver is housed in its own slim enclosure, and the external and rugged protective case. The kit includes both of these as well as a USB 3.0 cable and quick start guide. There’s an additional bloatware software included, which is something you don’t see often with other brands. It’s also packed with a three-year warranty.
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The external enclosure is where the meat of the product lies. It’s created out of a combination of plastic and rubber which is represented in its blue and black design; this is where the durability comes from. It covers the inner drive by means of a hinged design and secured with a flimsy looking clasp. Through all of our tests, it didn’t budge at all so it only looks aesthetically weak. Attached to the rugged casing is a USB 3.0 male plug, which includes a protective cap. Both cable and cap fit into the side of the drive for safe keeping.
At the heart of the G-DRIVE ev ATC is a 7200rpm 2.5-inch SATA 3 hard drive with a 1TB capacity. When plugged into a PC via USB 3.0, the G-DRIVE transferred at an average rate of 85MB/s with several large files. The speed dip with smaller ones, which is to be expected. This happened with both the external USB connection and the internal, which means neither of the enclosures is a bottleneck for data transfer.
With a retail price of R3999 (US$179.95), the G-DRIVE ev ATC isn’t much to look at. When first handling the product it will feel somewhat cheap and plasticky, though you’ll soon realise how strong it is.
After safely testing the drive’s capabilities, we decided to put it marketing materials to the test. According to G-Tech, the G-Drive ev ATC is able to withstand a drop from around two metres and has the ability to float in water. This was going to be fun.
Some of our staff members took turns holding the drive above their heads (in the rugged enclosure) and letting it free-fall onto the ground. What we observed was that sometimes the enclosure would stop as soon as it hit the ground, while other times it would give a few bounces. While the enclosure did sustain a few scrapes, it was structurally intact.
Next up, we submerged it in a sink full of water for an hour. Still, there were no physical or noticeable problems with the drive or enclosure. The flimsy-looking latch did its job in sealing up the unit and keeping the water out.
Now for the moment of truth. After the abuse we put it through, would the G-Drive ev ATC still work? Would all of our precious files still be safe? We ran the same tests as before via the included USB 3.0 connections. It sustained a transfer rate of 85MB/s with dips for small files. The drive was still perfectly fine.
Of course, all of these tests were conducted while the drive wasn’t active or spinning. No amount of protective rubber or plastic can protect your driver from shattering its platter.
Numbers you should know
Overall Size: 164mm x 108mm x 30mm
Drive form factor: 2.5-inch
Storage capacity: 1TB
Spin speed: 7200rpm
Quoted transfer rate: 136MB/s
Connections: USB 3.0, SATA
Price: R3999
Verdict: G-Technology’s G-DRIVE ev ATC is a rugged, sturdy and well-built device that should serve professionals constantly on the road or outdoor enthusiasts, but normal users will be wary of its price. It’s included three-year warranty also makes the drive a more appealing purchase.
Score: 9/10
