Orico is greatest identified for its HDD and SSD enclosures, and the Chinese producer has been at it for over 15 years. The model has not too long ago ventured into Thunderbolt 4 docking stations, storage servers, and SSDs, and I’m kickstarting protection with the Mecha O20, a rugged exterior SSD that is aiming to go up in opposition to the likes of the Crucial X10 Pro and Samsung T9.
The Mecha O20 is on the market in 512GB, 1TB, and 2TB storage variants, and the 2TB mannequin I’m utilizing is on the market for $167 on Amazon, an attractive 30% low cost on its $239 retail worth. The low cost makes it a a lot better worth than its rivals, and having used the Mecha O20 for the higher a part of a month, I can confidently say that it holds up in opposition to the very best that this section has to supply.
Design is a key speaking level of the Mecha O20, so let’s begin there. While most exterior SSDs have an enclosure that is weather-resistant and tumble-proof, Orico is taking issues to a complete new stage. The chassis of the Mecha O20 is made out of an aluminum alloy, and it’s sturdy in its personal proper. But what’s fascinating is that Orico added silicon casing to the chassis, and that permits it to face up to the weather a lot better.
The better part is that the USB-C port can be coated by a silicone plug, and you may have to raise the flap to get to the connector. The solely subject with that is that as a result of the port is recessed, you possibly can’t use all USB-C cables; the standard Acefast cables I exploit have a bigger USB connector, they usually had been too massive; this is similar downside as having a cumbersome cellphone case.
Thankfully, Orico features a 20Gbps cable with the package deal, and it has a 2-in-1 connector that doubles as USB-A or USB-C based mostly on track machine. I plugged the SSD into a number of Android telephones, Windows machine, and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and it labored straight out the bat — no have to configure something.
The chassis and added silicone casing makes the Mecha O20 bulkier than most exterior SSDs, but it surely is not so massive that it impacts portability — you possibly can nonetheless carry it round in a bag with ease. At 189g, it is not heavy both, and the gray colour scheme is simple.
There’s a dangling loop to at least one facet, and when you’re so inclined, you possibly can connect the SSD to the surface of your bag — it’s proof against rain, tumbles, and filth. The SSD comes with an IP54 score, so whereas it is not advisable to dunk it in water, it holds up extremely effectively in another situation.
The Mecha O20 makes use of a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, and which means you get a 20Gbps bandwidth, with reads going as much as 2,000MB/s. There aren’t many units that use the Gen 2×2 interface, and in that situation, it switches to the 10Gbps USB commonplace. In my utilization, I noticed reads going as much as 1,829MB/s and writes of 1,634MB/s, and that is among the many highest of any exterior SSD I examined.
Random learn/writes hovered on the 200MB/s determine, and once more, that is a fantastic exhibiting by the SSD. I did not see any points transferring 1000’s of pictures and movies from the Vivo X100 Ultra and Pixel 8 Pro, and the shifting a whole bunch of gigabytes of knowledge from Windows. In this regard, it has confirmed to be simply as dependable as the very best exterior SSDs.
As a end result, I’ve no qualms recommending the Mecha O20. I’ve a dozen exterior SSDs, and the Mecha O20 simply has probably the most rugged design. Thanks to the Gen 2×2 interface, it’s among the many quickest SSDs round as effectively, and I did not see any points in each day use. If you are in want of an exterior SSD and wish one thing that does not price as a lot as Samsung, the Mecha O20 is the one to get.
Orico Mecha O20 2TB External SSD
With a rugged design and quick transfers, the Mecha O20 is a superb selection when you want an exterior drive that is constructed to final.
