MSI's New Portable Datamag 20Gbps SSD Has A Magnetic Trick Up Its Sleeve
Portable solid state drive (SSD) storage solutions are not exactly in short supply. Just the opposite, there are a plethora of options, most of which aim to separate themselves from the pack with fast speeds, slick-looking designs, and/or rugged protection. Well, MSI has found another way to make its latest portable SSD solution—the Datamag 20Gbps—stand out from the crowd, and it involves a powerful magnet.
No, this is not a magnetic storage product in the traditional sense—there are no magnetic disks inside—but it does boast a magnetic attachment system with metal rings that "allow you to securely attach the drive to various surfaces, providing a simple, practical way to keep it accessible. Includes a hanging ring for added convenience while on the go."
Some obvious scenarios include laptops with metal casings and certain smartphones. Basically, anything ferrous. Of course, there are a lot of laptops and phones that are not ferrous, and for those situations, MSI bundles a couple of steel rings with adhesive so that you can attach it practically anything, like a PlayStation 5 or PlayStation 5 Pro game console, for example.
Using adhesive takes away from the portability factor, but hey, it's an option. And as for the magnetic attraction, it's quite powerful. We know this because we have a Datamag 20Gbps in-house for testing and will have a review posted before long.
MSI is offering the Datamag 20Gbps in three capacities, including 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB. The drives are ProRes and RAW ready, making them suitable for capturing uncompressed video, and feature USB-C connectivity.
The Datamag 20Gbps taps Phison's PS2251-U18 controller, which is paired with unspecified 3D NAND flash memory. MSI rates all three capacities as being able to achieve up to 1,600MB/s for sequential reads and up to 1,500MB/s for sequential writes.
"Whether you're working remotely, on the go, or managing data-intensive projects, the DATAMAG 20Gbps offers a practical storage solution that balances performance with convenience. Its pocket-size and magnetic attachment system make it easy to use in a variety of settings, while the USB-C compatibility ensures it can connect to most modern devices," MSI says.
It's an interesting storage solution for sure. There's no mention of pricing yet, though MSI says its Datamag 20Gbps will be "available soon" to purchase.
