The Brinell SSD EVO Wood 250GB External Drive Makes Your Portable Drive Look Ugly and Slow

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There are a multitude of portable drives available, and we’ve reviewed quite a few of them here. Many are light, fast, have large capacities, and they are very capable, but have you ever seen one that was all of the above and looked as good as the Brinell EVO Wood 250 GB external drive?

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I think not.

Available in 250GB, 500GB, and 1000GB sizes and wrapped in carbon fiber, leather, brushed steel, or Makassar ebony wood, the SSD EVO is so small and well made, so caressable, that it feels like something else — something organic and lovely.

Brinell SSD EVO

This is the kind of thing that I would want to receive as a gift (1000GB for me, please!); it’s a drive that I would be proud to pull out of my bag, to use with my laptop. It’s one of those things that if someone sees you using it, they are going to have to comment on it, first with a “what’s that?” and then with a “can I see it?”. The EVO SSD is a luxury item that marries form and function.

The drive measures 4.53″ long by 3.39″ wide by 0.35″ thick, and it weighs 4.23 ounces. Its exterior is composed of a brushed metal which gives it a lovely weight; those of you who know me, know that I like my gear to have a little bit of heft — not so much that it weighs me down, but enough to make the item feel substantial, even when it’s tiny. Yeah, I’m weird.

The guts of the SSD EVO include a Samsung Evo SSD USB 3.0 UASP with boost mode; it’s also compatible with USB 2.0.

 

Rather than requiring external cables to charge the drive and transfer data, there is one elegant built-in solution– a built-in USB cable that wraps into the side of the drive when it’s not in use.

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According to Brinell,

The built-in Samsung EVO SSD can be accessed in breathtaking speed of 420MB/s for both reading and writing data due to USB 3.0 UASP with boost mode. At the same time, the low power consumption conserves notebook and ultrabook battery life.

 

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I ran the BlackMagicDesign Disk Speed test, and you can see for yourself that the drive delivers on the promised speeds,

Brinell SSD EVO Results

So it’s fast, portable, comes in large GB quantities, and it’s beautiful; what’s the catch?

hand-wood_1024x1024

Well, this little wonder isn’t cheap.

The 250GB version is $250.63 (with today’s Euro to Dollar conversion rate), the 500GB version is $351.46, and the 1000GB version is $681.98. You’re the only one who can decide if the price is worth it or not, but I think it is safe to say that if you buy one, you’ll be happy with the purchase. If you get one as a gift, you’ll know the giver thinks very highly of you. 😉

The brinell EVO SSD Wood External Drive comes in 250GB, 500GB, and 1TB capacities with prices starting at $250.63; it is available directly from the manufacturer.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Extra fast USB 3.0 speeds; Integrated USB cable for charging and data transfer; Gorgeous metal and wood design; included leather carry pouch

What Needs Improvement: It’s expensive, so definitely not for everyone

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About the Author

Judie Lipsett Stanford
Judie is the co-owner and Editor-in-Chief of Gear Diary, which she founded in September 2006. She got her start in 1999 writing software reviews at the now-defunct smaller.com; from mid-2000 through 2006, she wrote hardware reviews for and co-edited at The Gadgeteer. A recipient of the Sigma Kappa Colby Award for Technology, Judie has written for or been profiled by nationally known sites and magazines, and she has served on multiple industry hardware and software award panels. She is best known for her device-agnostic approach, enjoyment of exploring tech, gadgets, and gear, and her deep-diving, jargon-free reviews.