Sony has released a new portable drive that is catered to professionals in the media industry. In addition to providing both USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt interfaces, the Pro 1TB HDD has been optimized as a portable drive for on-the-go professionals that might see a large number of projects; the drives come in sturdy hard cases that protect the contents during archiving. The drives themselves also come with silicone covers, which makes them shock-resistant and capable of surviving 2 meter drops.
Sony has released a new portable drive that is catered to professionals in the media industry. In addition to providing both USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt interfaces, the Pro 1TB HDD has been optimized as a portable drive for on-the-go professionals that might see a large number of projects; the drives come in sturdy hard cases that protect the contents during archiving. The drives themselves also come with silicone covers, which makes them shock-resistant and capable of surviving 2 meter drops.
Sony includes Memory Media Utility software, which helps users with reformatting, backups, and general device management. The device has respectable performance; while it isn't the fastest portable drive on the market, its reported read transfers of 120MB/s should make the Pro 1TB HDD well-equipped to handle most day-to-day tasks. The Pro HDD can be purchased for $160 and $249 (1TB and 2TB, respectively), and carries a 3-year limited warranty.
Specifications
- Models
- 1TB (PSZ-HB1T)
- 2TB (PSZ-HB2T)
- Operating System: compatible with Mac and Windows PCs
- Interfaces
- USB 3.0
- Thunderbolt
- Performance
- 1TB: 120MB/s (read)
- 2TB: 122MB/s (read)
- Warranty: 3-year limited
Design and Build
The Pro 1TB HDD has a slightly strange appearance for a portable drive; Sony sacrificed a sleek design so that it could be durable and functional.
Its silicone finish covers most of the device, except for a large groove along the top and bottom, which was left there to keep it cool in the event that multiple drives are stacked. There are also silicone covers for the USB 3.0 and Thunderbolt ports, protected them from dust or physical damage.
There is some branding on the side opposite the ports, as well as some product information along the bottom.
Performance
Our comparables for this review are the following:
We tested the Pro 1TB HDD using a current generation MacBook Pro using Blackmagic Disk Speed Test with a 5GB test file. The device performed fairly well, reaching 108.4MB/s in read and 108.6MB/s in write. The My Passport for Mac had similar numbers, with 105.8MB/s read and 104.1MB/s write. The G-Technology G-DRIVE Mobile posted the highest numbers, with 125.5MB/s read and 124.1MB/s write.
Conclusion
Sony's Pro 1TB HDD would be a great option for any industry professional looking for a reliable drive that can help with organization by segregating individual projects as well as survive day-to-day nicks. With its Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 interface, this drive can serve a wider range of use-cases and also has some measure of redundancy in case of port failure. The Pro 1TB HDD is shock-resistant, can survive 2 meter drops, and was designed to maintain airflow if multiple drives are being used at once.
In terms of performance, the Pro 1TB drive did well. It can keep up with some of the market's most popular portable drives, and would give most professionals all the speed that they need.
Pros
- Durable, shock-resistant chassis
- Good performance overall
Cons
- Highest-capacity model is only 2TB
The Bottom Line
The Pro 1TB HDD is a durable drive that was designed to provide industry professionals with a functional device that can keep up with day-to-day wear and tear.
Sony 1TB Professional at Amazon
