The first two manufacturers have announced portable SSDs that magnetically attach to iPhones using Magsafe. They can be connected to current 15-series iPhones using the included USB Type-C cables – the smartphones then literally piggyback on the slim SSDs.
Advertisement
Lexar has introduced the two models SL500 and Armor 700, Teamgroup has introduced the PD20M Mag. All of them use USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 as an interface, which is sufficient for transfer rates of 2 GB/s at the top. However, the SSDs only achieve this speed on PCs, MacBooks and other devices with USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 or Thunderbolt 4. Like all external USB data storage devices, the SSDs can be used on all kinds of systems.
The iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max have around one gigabyte per second because the USB 3.2 Gen 2 interface (10 Gbit/s) is limited. Apple limits the normal iPhone 15 to USB 2.0 speed, i.e. only around 60 MB/s. That's why the manufacturers only advertise the Pro models with the ability to save hours of 4K recordings at 60 fps in ProRes format.
Teamgroup's PD20M Mag weighs just 40 grams and is 70 mm × 62 mm × 8.2 mm compact. Lexar's SL500 measures 85 mm × 54 mm × 7.8 mm and weighs 43 grams. There is no information about the Armor 700 yet.
Chip lottery
Lexar meanwhile promises the use of silicon motion controllers in its SSDs, but does not provide any information about NAND flash memory. Teamgroup does not comment at all on the chips used. As a rule, manufacturers install what they can get cheapest and still meets the specification – here the transfer speed of up to 2 GB/s.
The Lexar SL500 is already available on Amazon. The 1 TB version costs 124 euros, the 2 TB version costs 210 euros. A variant with 4 TB will follow later. The slightly larger Armor 700 with splash water and dust protection (IP66) as well as drop protection from a height of up to three meters will also come later with capacities of one to four TB.
The manufacturer has also announced magnetic cases with which the SSDs can be attached to cameras with metal housings. The additional charge is 20 euros.
Teamgroup's PD20M Mag should be available at least in North America from the end of March with capacities of one and two TBytes. Here too, a 4 TB version will follow later. When asked, Teamgroup said that there is no start date for Germany yet.
Update
22.03.2024,
14:22
Clock
Information adds that there is no launch date for the PD20M Mag in Germany yet.
(mma)