Asus ROG Strix Arion S500 500GB external SSD Review

Rating: 8.0.

Previously only available as an empty enclosure for you to add your own NVMe drive, Asus has now produced a version of the ROG Strix Arion with an NVMe M.2 drive preinstalled, the ROG Strix Arion S500.

As you might have guessed from the name, the ROG Strix Arion S500 is a 500GB external drive, and at the time of writing, this is the only capacity available. The drive uses a USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 Type-C interface and comes with ASUS Aura Sync RGB lighting effects support.

At the heart of the ROG Strix Arion S500 is a Phison PS5012 controlled drive that is equipped with 512GB of 96-layer 3D TLC NAND.  Asus rate the drive's performance as up to 1050MB/s.

The drive supports 256-bit AES disk and data encryption and comes bundled with NTI Backup Now EZ software.

Physical Specifications:
Usable Capacities: 500GB.
NAND Components: 96-Layer 3D TLC NAND.
Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 (10Gbps).
Form Factor: external.
NAND Controller: Phison PS5012.
Dimensions: 124.57 x 47.76mm x 10.85 mm.
Drive Weight: 107g.

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