Data Backup Digest

Headquartered out of Taiwan, Apacer Technology specializes in numerous IT products. With humble beginnings in the niche of RAM and, particularly, DRAM module manufacturing and development, the company soon expanded into other sectors. Their efforts have proven so successful that they're now trying their hand in another industry: military and defense.

But they're not making weapons or highly sophisticated defense systems. Instead, Apacer is setting its sights on data storage and, more specifically, physical data protection.

Enter the AC630 USB 3.1 Gen 1 Portable Hard Drive

Designed specifically for the most rugged of military applications, the Apacer AC630 works well in any outdoor environment. It doesn't matter if you're trying to safeguard your data against harsh weather or the eyes of the enemy – the AC630 will perform in nearly any condition.

Most of its durability comes from the hard drive enclosure itself. Designed with a hard-rubber protector surrounding the edges, the inner workings of the drive are protected from falls and even environmental hazards like dust or water. It meets all requirements as defined by the U.S. MIL-STD-810G 516.6 procedure IV, also known as the transit drop test, and it's even IP55 Certified and on account of its resiliency.

The external rubber structure performs double-duty by protecting against shocks, too. In fact, the protective rubber is designed to absorb any shocks or impacts instead of transferring them onto the device's inner mechanisms. As such, you can be sure that your data is always protected and preserved – regardless of any bumps in the road.

Apacer's AC630 is also fast. With a USB 3.1 connection, the device is capable of lightning-fast data transfers and transmissions as high as 5Gbps. It's available with a capacity of 1 TB or 2 TB, so you'll have all the storage you need for digital documents, images, music files and more.

The team at Apacer also designed the AC630 for mobility. It's USB Type-A female connector can withstand 10,000 plug-and-unplug cycles, so you can bring the device with you every time you leave the house. Given today's emphasis on mobile communications, this is something that really sets the AC630 apart from its competitors.

It's important to note that the AC630 does not include an external power source. Instead, it relies on the USB bus of your computer as its power supply. It is compatible with Microsoft Windows XP and all of the recent editions as well as Mac OS 10.4.X or above and Linux Kernel 2.6.X or above.

Weighing the Pros and Cons

Perhaps the biggest drawback of the AC630 is the lack of a SSD. Instead, it relies on a traditional disk-based drive. If that wasn't bad enough, the drive is only rated at 5400 RPM. This is disappointing, especially when you consider Apacer's background in RAM and flash-based memory, but it's ultimately a minor issue that only a portion of users will even notice.

The Apacer AC630 is available now. For more information on this device, or details on any of their other products, please visit their official website at www.apacer.com.