The Adata SD820 proved resilient for my drop and dunk tests, making it a great storage option for use in the field

ADATA SD820: 30-second review

A month ago, when I reviewed the Adata SD810 (read it here), I was impressed not only by the design but by the robustness of the small drive. Now, once again, with the SD820, we've essentially got an almost identical drive. Whle the two drives differ with capacity options, when it comes down to it, the real difference here is the aesthetic design.

While the SD810 was very stylish with its metal and plastic outer, here with the 820, it's gone for something altogether more outdoorsy and robust-looking, with a slightly industrial, futuristic design that we've seen from past Adata rugged drives.

That exterior is lighter weight and more plasticky in feel but at least the small size easily fits in a backpack or camera bag pocket. It's just unfortunate that, with the design, whilst it is actually nice and tough despite the slightly plasticky feel, there's no lanyard loop in order to tether it securely into your bag.

As with the SD810, the SD820 once again comes with that full IP68 rating. This means that out of the box, without any additions, it's fully water and dust-resistant. You can submerge this fully underwater at a depth of up to 1m. However, it is worth noting that there is a small flap that covers the USB-C port, and this does need to be in place before you go throwing it into a pond to test this out.

Again, one point to note about the waterproof feature is that whilst the drive itself is waterproof, the cable isn't, and the one provided in the box features exposed connectors. So if you are venturing out, it's worth keeping the cable, and possibly the drive, in a waterproof bag, just to ensure absolute safety.

As with so many of these external SSDs, the drive features the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, which can offer a maximum transfer rate of up to 20GB/s. This is great if you have a PC or Mac that utilises this exact interface.

However, as I've found with all the recent machines that I've looked at, most now sport USB4 or USB 3.2 Gen 2, but rarely Gen 2×2, which means that the maximum transfer rates are generally downgraded to just 10GB/s. Then, when it comes to using a Mac, all of which feature Thunderbolt 4 or 5 these days, performance is also downgraded to just 10GB/s. So, something to note.

As with the SD810, the Adata SD820 external SSD isn't a cheap option. If you are working out in the field, possibly get caught in the rain, or for some reason do need a very tough waterproof drive, it does feel a little bit plasticky, but through the test, it stood up to everything. And on the right system with the correct USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, you'll also get exceptionally fast transfer rates.

ADATA SD820: Price and availability

• How much does it cost? From £116 / $116
• When is it out? Available now
• Where can you get it? Directly from Adata

The SD820 is available in three capacities. In this review, I'll be looking at the 2TB version, which retails at $213.99, but alongside it, there's a smaller 1TB version at $116.99 and a larger 4TB version, which, whilst listed, doesn't yet have a price.

The capacities ensure that there is an SD820 that will cater to everyone, from those looking to transfer office documents all the way through to photographers and videographers. The drives can be purchased directly from Adata's web store here or from many of the major online retailers.

• Value: 4 / 5

ADATA SD820: Specs

Storage: 1TB / 2TB / 4TB
Connectivity: USB-C (10Gbps or 20Gbps depending on system compatibility)
Size: 71.3 x 39 x 13.65mm
Weight: 26.5g
Accessories: USB-C to USB-C and USB-C to USB-A cables

ADATA SD820: Design

The ADATA SD820 is an external SSD that's been designed to be used outdoors, and everything from the styling to the build quality reflects this. One of the biggest surprises about the compact size is just how light it is. Whereas some other portable SSDs do have a little bit of weight to them, the overall feeling of the drive is a little bit plastic, but in reality, it is good and solid. It's just that lightweight build that gives the illusion. The only feeling of a weak spot is the USB-C cover, which is just a small piece of plastic that push-fits in place. Whilst it fits snugly, it isn't particularly securely held in place.

The aesthetics of the drive are very much industrial, futuristic and outdoorsy, with a carbon effect top covered with the ADATA SSD logo and rubberised inserts around the body just adding to its rugged look and helping aid the protection if the drive is dropped. It's just a shame that in all of this quite intricate design, there isn't a lanyard loop or an integrated cable.

When it comes to the size and weight in motion, at 71.3 x 39 x 13.65 mm, the weight is just 26.5g. Of course, on top of that, you also have the USB cable. Whilst this doesn't feature any waterproofing like the actual drive, it is of very decent quality and measures 30cm.

While the design is ideal for anyone working outdoors, ADATA have also ensured that this drive is fully compatible with all of the latest consoles. So if you do want to use this for gaming or even as expansion storage for your mobile phone, then it is fully compatible out of the box.

The aesthetics and design really highlight that this is a rugged external SSD, and with the IP68 certification, it means that it can be used in all weather and will be both dustproof and waterproof. This means it can be dropped into water for up to 60 minutes, but once again, you do need to make sure that the USB port is covered and tightly in place.

Alongside that, water protection also comes with military-grade drop resistance. This means that it comes with MIL-STD-810G 516.6 standard, and through the test, I've dropped it from a height of slightly above 1.22m, which is the specified measurement, and the drive seemed to be absolutely fine. To be honest, over the SD810, the plastic rubber exterior just gave me a little more confidence in how rugged this particular SSD is.

• Design: 3.5 / 5

ADATA SD820: Features

The features of the Adata SD820 have been finely tuned to appeal to those looking for a compact external SSD that can be used in the field and can withstand a little more abuse than most. From the outset, the design of the outer casing with the rubber inserts, USB cover, and carbon effect detailing all promote the rugged design.

It's good to see that the rugged aesthetics are also backed by real tough credentials with the IP68 certification for water and dust resistance, and MIL-STD drop resistance.

Alongside the tough design is an ultrafast USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface that enables transfer rates of up to 2000MB/s. As the interface is USB, it's fully backwards compatible for older systems, as well as able to support future options too. It also means that if you want to use this with phones, game consoles, or any device that supports an external SSD, you can.

Out of the box, the drive is pre-formatted with the ExFAT file format, meaning that it has wide compatibility with Mac, PC, and Linux systems.

• Features: 4 / 5

ADATA SD820: Performance

From the outset, there's no doubting that the ADATA SD820 is a rugged external SSD, with the design aesthetics being less sleek and sophisticated and more industrial and outdoorsy. Before checking out just how robust this small SSD was, I thought it was a good idea to check the performance.

Running through all the usual benchmarking tests just highlighted how closely related the performance was to the ADATA SD810 that I looked at last month. Whilst there was some variance in the performance scores in CrystalDiskMark and AJA System Test Lite, for the most part, the two results pretty much aligned.

Therefore, the main differences between the two drives are purely on aesthetics and capacity options, with the ADATA SD820 enabling a large 4TB option, whereas the SD810 offers a 512GB option.

Having gone through the benchmarking tests and found that the drive lived up to the quoted speed, it was then time to check it out by using it for some video editing. Firstly connected to a PC running Premiere Pro, and then a Mac running Final Cut Pro X.

Using a PC with ASUS PRIME Z890-P WIFI mother board it was connected to a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 port, the speed of transfer was more than enough for editing 4K video shot on the Sony A7 IV, with timeline rendering and scrubbing being smooth and essentially on par with the machine's internal SSD. Even when switching out to the Mac, where that transfer speed is essentially halved, it was still more than capable of being used alongside Final Cut Pro X as a working drive for video editing.

Essentially, being an external SSD, there seemed to be enough heat dissipation through the unit for there to be no noticeable thermal throttling. Whilst I wouldn't use this for long video edits, for short, sustained social media edits for business, this is more than adequate.

After carrying out the performance test, it was then on to check out the usability and robustness of this small drive. One thing to note is that there's no lanyard loop, which I do like to see on this size of SSD, just to ensure that it's properly tethered within a bag. The other point is the design means that if you are going to Velcro this to the back of your monitor or other device, then you need to cut the Velcro to fit into the design, but at least there are flat surfaces for it to adhere to securely.

Starting the test, I dropped the SSD from a height of 1.22m, then a little higher just to check its durability. Dropped on carpet, wooden floor, and concrete, aside from a small scuff on one of the plastic corners, there was no other damage sustained to the drive. Plugging it in, it was working just as it had pre-drop, showing that it really is quite robust.

The next stage was to throw it into some water. Whilst the depth wasn't quite one metre, it did mean that the drive was fully submerged. Before throwing it in, I made sure that the USB cap was securely pressed in place. Here, I found that if you push it quite hard, it does get a secure fit, before I threw it into the water.

However, I did notice that the cap can be quite easily dislodged, which is just something to watch out for. It's not quite as secure a cap as I would've liked to have seen. However, left in water for around 10 minutes, giving it a good dry-off and then plugging it into my computer proved that it was completely waterproof, and for that time at least, it was able to stop any water ingress.

To fully test the IP68 certification, I dropped it into a bowl of water and left it submerged for an hour. At the end of the hour, I once again removed the drive, gave it a good dry down, then plugged it in, and again everything worked fine.

Only one other point, aside from the looseness of the securing cap, is that the USB cable isn't waterproof. There aren't even any end caps to keep those connectors protected. So, even whilst the drive itself will be waterproof, it's worth putting this drive into a waterproof bag just to ensure absolute safety.

• Performance: 4 / 5

ADATA SD820: Final verdict

At the end of the test, there's no doubt that the small drive has the speed and capability to be used out in the field and will stand up to the elements better than most of the best portable SSDs I've tested. However, there are a few small issues, the looseness of the USB cover, the external USB cable, the lack of a lanyard loop, and, to be honest, the aesthetics of the drive, which you'll either love or hate.

There's no mistaking this drive for anything other than a rugged hard drive, so it's good that it lives up to those credentials. The build quality is okay; I wouldn't say it's exceptional. It just feels a bit light and plasticky, especially when considering the price. However, through the test, it proved to be just as robust as it was supposed to be and put in a decent performance round.

As I've mentioned many times before, this style of portable SSD features the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface. Whilst that can offer those ultra-fast transfer rates of up to 20Gbps, you do need a compatible machine to make the most of those speeds, and those machines are becoming ever more scarce as USB4 quickly becomes the standard.

If you are looking for a small and very robust portable SSD, then this is a good option. Considering the price, as rugged SSDs can be exceptionally expensive, this particular model, if you like the aesthetic design, manages to strike something of a balance, making it a suitable option for photographers, videographers, and all professions working in the great outdoors and needing a large-capacity storage device.

Should I buy the ADATA SD820?

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