--- description: The Aegis Secure Key 3z is Apricorn’s newest and smallest, in terms of size not capacity, secure USB drive. The drive ranges in capacity from 8GB to... title: Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z Review image: https://www.storagereview.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/01/StorageReview-Apricorn-Aegis-Secure-Key-3z-Thumb.jpg --- [![Storage Review]()](https://storagereview.com/) --- [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X (Twitter)](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) [![StorageReview.com]()](https://www.storagereview.com) ≡ Menu - [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) - [Storage Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/review) - [End User Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer) - [Enterprise Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/enterprise) - [Ubiquiti Reviews](https://www.storagereview.com/best/ubiquiti-reviews) - [SR Merch](https://store.storagereview.com) - [Leaderboards](https://www.storagereview.com/best) - [Best Storage Arrays](https://www.storagereview.com/best/storage-arrays) - [Best Enterprise SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-ssds) - [Best Servers](https://www.storagereview.com/best/servers) - [Best Enterprise GPUs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/enterprise-gpus) - [Best Desktops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktops-local-ai) - [Best Laptops for Local AI](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptops-local-ai) - [Best Local LLM Tools](https://www.storagereview.com/best/local-llm-tools) - [Agentic AI Hardware](https://www.storagereview.com/best/agentic-ai-hardware) - [Best SSDs & Hard Drives](https://www.storagereview.com/best_drives) - [Best Portable SSDs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/portable-ssds) - [Best Business Laptops](https://www.storagereview.com/best/business-laptops) - [Best Mobile Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mobile-workstations) - [Best Desktop Workstations](https://www.storagereview.com/best/desktop-workstations) - [Best Mini PCs](https://www.storagereview.com/best/mini-pcs) - [Best Laptop Battery Life](https://www.storagereview.com/best/laptop-battery-life) - [Storage Reference Guide](https://www.storagereview.com/storage-reference-guide) - [About SR](https://www.storagereview.com/about-storagereview) - [StorageReview.com Sweepstakes Rules and Regulations](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview-com-sweepstakes-rules-and-regulations) Search [Home](https://www.storagereview.com/) » [Review](https://www.storagereview.com/review) » Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z Review # Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z Review by Adam Armstrong on January 23, 2019 [End User](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer)  ◇  [Portable Storage](https://www.storagereview.com/consumer/portable-storage) The Aegis Secure Key 3z is Apricorn’s newest and smallest, in terms of size not capacity, secure USB drive. The drive ranges in capacity from 8GB to 128GB. The 3z comes with 100% hardware-based 256-bit AES XTS encryption and an onboard keypad PIN authentication. The drive has a USB 3.1 interface, claims speeds as high as 190MB/s read and 80MB/s write, and works with just about any OS that possesses a USB port. ![]() The Aegis Secure Key 3z is all about security. As stated, the flash drive has 256-bit AES XTS encryption, is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified, and is polymer coated to avoid physical tampering. The drive has to be unlocked with a PIN put into the onboard keyboard on the side. PINs can go as long as 16 characters and there are Admin and User pins, where the Admin can set functions such as read only. The drive automatically locks itself when there is a lack of activity, the time can be programmed in. The drive also comes with a self-destruct PIN erasing everything on it. The Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z comes with a 3-year limited warranty and can be picked up for as little as $79.  ## **Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z Specifications ** | Interface | USB 3.1 (Backwards compatible with USB 3.0, 2.0 and 1.1) | | --- | --- | | Power supply | USB port/internal battery | | Performance | Up to 190MB/s read/80MB/s write | | Dimensions | 81 x 18.4 x 9.5mm | | Weight | 22g | | Warranty | 3-year limited | | System requirements | Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and Symbian systems, or any powered USB OS with a storage file system | ## **Design and Build** The Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z is a smallish flash drive, roughly three inches long. There is a 10-digit keypad on one side with a lock and unlock button as well as LED indicator lights. The drive comes with a cap covering the USB interface. ![]() The other side of the device has certifications and product information including a number to call for customer support. ## **Performance**  To test the performance of the Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z we ran the BlackMagic on a previous generation MacBook Pro. The 3z almost hit its claimed numbers with 76.6MB/s write and 185.7MB/s read, within a hair of its claimed speed. ![]() ## **Conclusion** The Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z is a highly secure flash drive. Coming in at capacities form 8GB to 128GB, the 3z offers top speeds of 190MB/s read and 80MB/s write. The drive has 256-bit AES XTS encryption, is FIPS 140-2 Level 3 certified, and has an onboard keypad for entering a PIN before it can be used. The drive should work with just about any device that is USB ready.  From a performance perspective, the drive more or less lives up to its claims. It claimed 190MB/s read and hit 185.7MB/s and 80MB/s write and hit 76.6MB/s. From usability it wasn’t especially difficult to set up the PIN and get it going. It did take more than a few attempts before we figured it out, but once that happened it was smooth sailing. For those that need to transfer critical data and need to make sure it is as safe as possible, the Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z is right up your alley. If you just need a way to transfer data quickly from point A to point B with no security concerns, there are several items on the market for that.  [Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z on Amazon](https://www.amazon.com/Apricorn-Hardware-Encrypted-Validated-ASK3Z-128GB/dp/B0711KDGML/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1548281403&sr=8-1&keywords=Apricorn+Aegis+Secure+Key+3z) [Discuss this review](http://forums.storagereview.com/index.php?/topic/41563-apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review-discussion/) [Sign up for the StorageReview newsletter](https://www.storagereview.com/storagereview_newsletter_signup) **Engage with StorageReview** [Newsletter](https://www.storagereview.com/storage_newsletter) |  [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/StorageReview "Opens in a new window") | Podcast  [iTunes](https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/storagereview-com-storage-reviews/id1060681115 "Opens in a new window")/ [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0 "Opens in a new window") |  [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/ "Opens in a new window") |  [Twitter](https://twitter.com/storagereview "Opens in a new window") |  [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview? "Opens in a new window") |  [RSS Feed](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) ![]() ### Adam Armstrong Adam is the chief news editor for StorageReview.com, managing our internal and freelance content teams. Previous post: [QNAP TVS-951X NAS Review](https://www.storagereview.com/review/qnap-tvs-951x-nas-review) Next post: [Eaton 5P1500RC 5P UPS Review](https://www.storagereview.com/review/eaton-5p1500rc-5p-ups-review) Trusted Vendors Products and solutions from our affiliate partners: - [ ![Ubiquiti Logo]() Ubiquiti ](https://store.ui.com/us/en?a_aid=StorageReview "Opens in a new window") - [ ![Newegg Logo]() Newegg ](https://click.linksynergy.com/fs-bin/click?id=g5terNMDhz0&offerid=1207190.18&subid=0&type=4 "Opens in a new window") - [ ![Amazon Logo]() Amazon ](https://amzn.to/4fLJUEW "Opens in a new window") Newsletter Subscribe to the StorageReview newsletter to stay up to date on the latest news and reviews. We promise no spam! 1 Leave this field empty if you’re human: ## Advertisement Content Categories [Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/@storagereview) [X](https://twitter.com/storagereview) [Instagram](https://www.instagram.com/storagereview/) [LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/storagereview-com) [YouTube](https://www.youtube.com/user/storagereview?sub_confirmation=1) [Email](mailto:info@storagereview.com) [Spotify](https://open.spotify.com/show/1y6VnznABhHeOSMOmbDTz0) [Reddit](https://www.reddit.com/r/StorageReview/) [Discord](https://discord.gg/TwMHb4azdC) [RSS](https://www.storagereview.com/rss.xml) [TikTok](https://www.tiktok.com/@storagereview) Copyright © 1998-2025 Flying Pig Ventures, LLC Cincinnati, Ohio. All rights reserved. Manage your privacy To provide the best experiences, we and our partners use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us and our partners to process personal data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site and show (non-) personalized ads. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Click below to consent to the above or make granular choices. Your choices will be applied to this site only. You can change your settings at any time, including withdrawing your consent, by using the toggles on the Cookie Policy, or by clicking on the manage consent button at the bottom of the screen. Functional Functional Always active The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Preferences Preferences The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Statistics Statistics The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Marketing Marketing The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Statistics Marketing Features Always active Special features Special purposes Always active - Manage options - Manage services - Manage {vendor\_count} vendors - [Read more about these purposes](https://cookiedatabase.org/tcf/purposes/) Accept Deny Manage options Save preferences Manage options - {title} - {title} - {title} Manage your privacy To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Functional Functional Always active The technical storage or access is strictly necessary for the legitimate purpose of enabling the use of a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network. Preferences Preferences The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. Statistics Statistics The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. Marketing Marketing The technical storage or access is required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes. Statistics Marketing Features Always active Special features Special purposes Always active - Manage options - Manage services - Manage {vendor\_count} vendors - [Read more about these purposes](https://cookiedatabase.org/tcf/purposes/) Accept Deny Manage options Save preferences Manage options - {title} - {title} - {title} Manage consent Manage consent ```json {"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review","name":"Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z Review - StorageReview.com","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/StorageReview-Apricorn-Aegis-Secure-Key-3z-Thumb.jpg","datePublished":"2019-01-23T22:26:23+00:00","dateModified":"2020-02-06T10:11:52+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/StorageReview-Apricorn-Aegis-Secure-Key-3z-Thumb.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/01\/StorageReview-Apricorn-Aegis-Secure-Key-3z-Thumb.jpg","width":100,"height":86},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review\/apricorn-aegis-secure-key-3z-review#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Review","item":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/review"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":3,"name":"Apricorn Aegis Secure Key 3z Review"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#website","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/","name":"StorageReview.com","description":"StorageReview.com is a leading provider of news and reviews throughout the entire IT stack - from the datacenter to the edge, and all points in between.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#organization","name":"StorageReview.com","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Storage-Reviews-2-2.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/02\/Storage-Reviews-2-2.png","width":344,"height":61,"caption":"StorageReview.com"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/www.storagereview.com\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/x.com\/storagereview","http:\/\/youtube.com\/user\/storagereview"]}]} ```