5 Best Rugged Hard Drives and SSDs With IP Ratings

If you’re on the lookout for a sturdy storage solution that can back up your data and survive a drop or two, then you need to check out the best rugged hard drives and SSDs. Whether you’re a budding photographer who is always on the go or your work takes you places, everyone can benefit from a robust SSD. 

If anything, you might be overwhelmed by the sheer number of options at your disposal. That’s why we’ve done the homework for you and have shortlisted some of the most enticing SSDs with drop protection and IP rating.

So, without any further ado, let’s get on with the article. But, before we talk about the best rugged hard drives and SSDs, you might also want to read about- 

• The best portable SSDs to complement your MacBook Pro.
• These external SSDs, that are the perfect solution to your iPad’s storage woes.
• The best ThunderBolt 3 compliant SSDs for your shiny new Mac.

Now, let’s get this show on the road. 

1. Samsung T7 Shield

At the same time, it ensures that the SSD can come out unscathed should you accidentally drop it. In fact, the drive is rated to survive drops from up to 9.8 feet, which is great. The SSD even comes with IP65 certification, so it can withstand splashes of water as well. The cherry on top is that the unit doesn’t trade form for function and looks the part of a premium product too. In fact, you can pick up the drive in two unique colorways. 

Further, seeing how the device comes with 1TB or 2TB of built-in storage, you can cram a bunch of data in it without worrying about running out of space. We should also add that the SSD makes use of USB 3.2 Gen 2 NVMe standard and can achieve incredibly fast read and write speeds. To that end, the drive tops out at 1,050MB/s and 1,000MB/s respectively. Add to that the unit’s compatibility with MacOS, Windows, Android devices, and select gaming consoles and the T7 Shield is a stellar rugged SSD.  

2. LaCie Rugged SSD 

Moving on, the LaCie rugged SSD is IP67 rated, so you need not worry about losing your data on the off chance you spill water on the drive. It even comes with Seagate Secure hardware encryption, thereby ensuring your data is password-protected and safe from prying eyes. That’s not all, as the drive also gets a five-year warranty and is compliant with Thunderbolt 3, USB Type-C, and USB 3.0 connectors. 

It goes without saying that the SSD is stupendously rapid too. In fact, per the brand, you can transfer a 60GB video file in under a minute. Further, the SSD allows creators to edit directly from the drive, which is great. Speaking of which, the SSD is rated for speeds of up to 950MB/s. You’ll even get one month of Adobe Creative Cloud with the unit, so you can start your editing journey instantaneously. 

3. SanDisk Extreme Pro V2

To that end, the SSD’s chassis dissipates heat, thereby ensuring your read and write speeds don’t falter over extended usage. Speaking of which, the SSD is rated for read and write speeds of up to 2,000MB/s, which is mindboggling, to say the least. As such, you can use the footage on the SSD to directly edit your videos. You can even leverage the drive’s 256-bit AES encryption to safeguard your data when you’re traveling. 

The SanDisk Extreme Pro V2 can be specced with up to 1TB of storage. That’s not all, as the drive even comes with a five-year manufacturer’s warranty. Pool everything together, and the drive is a must-have rugged SSD for budding photographers and content creators.

4. ADATA HD710 Pro

As such, the ADATA HD710 Pro comes with IP68 certification, thereby making it impervious to damage from environmental elements like dust and water. That’s not all, as the drive also gets military-grade shockproofing and can survive a fall from up to 1.5 meters. More notably, the drive comes with G Shock vibration sensing tech, that put a halt on all drive operations whenever the HDD detects a shock.

Understandably, the drive is geared toward folks with a penchant for adventure. What’s more, the unit comes with a ton of storage too – 4TB, to be precise. As such, the ADATA HD710 Pro makes for a fantastic rugged HDD. 

5. ADATA SE800 

That’s not all, as the drive offers a pint-sized form factor and weighs in at just 40 grams. As such, the SE800 scores big in the portability department too. The unit’s plug-and-play operation deserves a mention as well, which allows users to start using the drive from the second they unbox the product. And, much like the HD710 Pro preface above, ADATA has provisioned the SE800 with a MIL-STD-810G rating too. 

To that end, the drive comes with shock resistance, along with an IP68 rating which shields the device against splashes of water. Further, the SSD is compliant with a host of platforms, including gaming consoles like the PS4 and even Android handsets. All said and done, buyers looking for a do-it-all rugged SSD that doesn’t break the bank will find plenty to like here.

FAQs About Rugged SSDs and HDDs

Sturdy and Capacious

These are some of the best rugged hard drives and SSDs that you can buy. If you want to invest in a storage solution, then you’d be better off with a ruggedized drive. We say this as SSDs and HDDs are quite delicate. So, if you don’t want to go through the trouble of recovering your data every time your drive takes a hit, you should invest in one of the aforementioned devices.