G-Tech G-DRIVE mini SSD

The G-Tech G-DRIVE mini SSD is an external hard drive that runs on solid state technology. Solid state means that there is no delicate disk mechanism but instead, all of the data is stored on a series of chips.

This is more durable, safe and more practical for mobile computers and external devices(the picture at right shows a cross-section of the inside, it does not actually have a hole in the top). There is no fan and the enclosure is made from brushed-aluminum which also acts as a heat sink for dissipating heat from the inside. Connections for USB 2.0, Firewire 400 and Firewire 800 are located on the back as well as an AC port for laptops that can't supply enough power(ac adapter sold separately). The mini SSD is designed to work with Mac OS X right out of the box, and is recognized by Time Machine as soon as it is plugged in. Windows however requires a format of the drive before it can be used. The speed of this drive has been tested at top spec, especially when using USB, although at a cost. Fortunately the 128GB model only costs half as much.