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The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 1 TB USB 3.0 external enclosure is the slimmest USB 3.0 HDD on the market, measuring in at only 8.9mm thick. If you aren't already backing up your important data to an external hard drive, is this ADATA DashDrive one that should be making your shortlist?
We have previously reviewed the 500 GB model of the HE720 series and were impressed with the features, including the professional-looking brushed Stainless Steel surface with a scratch resistant coating. Additionally, the HE720 incorporates a USB 3.0 connection and should offer excellent read/write performance. We will analyse this later in the review.
Specifications
| Capacity | 500GB / 1TB |
| Color | Titanium |
| Dimensions (L x W x H) | 117 x 79 x 8.9mm (4.6 x 3.1 x 0.4in) |
| Weight | 160g (0.4lb) |
| Interface (USB) | USB 3.0 (backward compatible with USB 2.0) |
| System requirements | Windows XP/Vista/7/8 Mac OS X 10.6 or later Linux Kernel 2.6 or later |
| Temperature | Operating 5ºC~50ºC; Storage -40ºC~60ºC |
| Accessories | USB 3.0 cable; Quick Start Guide |
| Texture | Stainless steel metal brushed surface, plus mirror-like polish |
| Warranty | 3 years |
The ADATA DashDrive Elite HE720 ships packaged in a small but stylish white box, featuring their holographic Hummingbird.
The back of the box lists the specifications, system requirements and the package contents as well as several key features in various languages.
The 1 TB model fits snugly inside the box, but is no bigger than its smaller-capacity 500 GB brother.
Bundled with this device is a short USB 3.0 cable, and a pouch, which wasn't included with the 500 GB model.
Adata have included a quick start guide, although it is hardly a complex setup procedure.
The front of the drive is also very shiny and is made of a brushed Stainless Steel, much like the ADATA logo this surface reflects back a various array of colours, more often than not making it look a green/brown with our lighting.
The back of the drive only features a warranty label. The chassis material is fully 9H scratch resistant.
The drive is only 8.9 mm thick, whereas most other competing external drivers are around 15 mm thick or more.
It fits well into the carrying case for protection and transportation.
Once you have plugged in the ADATA HE720 you will soon see the drive appear in your operating system. Already on the drive are two files; a User Guide, and the ADATA Sync program.
We installed the version directly from the drive which hasn't actually been updated since August 2012 (there is a newer version available online so it is always worth checking).
Simply put, when you press the backup button on the device it will execute tasks configured in the bottom panel, or you can execute them manually. This is a simple system but could allow you to back-up different folders from different computers very easily. Example? maybe you want to backup photos from your laptop and backup documents from your desktop. Once set-up this is as easy as plugging in the device and pressing the button.
ADATA have also produced more software which offers more functionality, such as HDDtoGO, which allows you to browse the internet using Internet Explorer or Mozilla Firefox without leaving a trace on the computer as it is effectively self-contained on the External Hard Drive. You can also lock the computer when the device is removed and only unlock after a certain time period or when the device is plugged back in.
To test the ADATA DashDrive Elite 1 TB we are using our high-performance system with USB 3.0 via the motherboard header. Previously we have also tested the Adata DashDrive Elite 500GB and we also have a Seagate GoFlex 750GB to compare against.
The software we are using is Crystal Disk Mark – a useful benchmark to measure theoretical performance levels of mechanical hard drives and solid state drives. We are using V3.0.1 x64 for testing today.
When comparing the ADATA HE720 models we found the read speeds to be similar, although the 500 GB model did offer superior write speeds.
Compared to the Seagate GoFlex model both ADATA HE720 devices offer improved read performances, and the write speed of the Seagate device sits directly in between the two. This suggests the write speed is more dependent on the capacity of the device than the type/make.
The ADATA HE720 series is the slimmest external hard drive enclosure on the market, and fitting a 1TB drive inside is certainly an impressive feat. The HE720 series has a serious, understated design, and will deal with a tough everyday working environment thanks to the scratch resistant brushed stainless steel surface, which also looks great.
While ADATA might not supply a vast array of free software with the enclosure, they do include one useful application, the ADATA HDD Sync which offers one touch backup across multiple devices. On top of this, ADATA have also produced several other applications which can be downloaded from their website.
The performance of this drive is slightly worse than the 500GB model which we previously reviewed. Write speeds are 10MB/s slower, from around 100 MB/s to 90 MB/s. The high capacity does balance out the slight reduction in write speed however. When we compare this with other USB 3.0 external enclosures on the market, overall performance is still very good.
We are very impressed with the ADATA HE720 1TB drive. While the 500 GB model may offer slightly better write performance, the 1 TB is certainly a more useful capacity for backup and storage duties.
The AData HE720 1TB model can be purchased for just £94 from Amazon.co.uk and considering the extremely low profile and solid performance parameters, it makes for a WORTH BUYING recommendation.
Pros
- Good performance.
- Looks good.
- Scratch-resistant.
- One Touch back-up system.
Cons
- Software is a little basic.
Kitguru says: Good performance and large capacity but low price.
