Rugged smartphone with a 5W speaker on its back looks out of this world

Although most smartphones are made to survive simple accidents (or should be), there is a certain class that takes durability to the extreme. Rugged smartphones are targeted at users who often venture into unknown territory, either for fun or for work, and need a partner that’s just as adventurous as them. These rugged phones are unapologetic in how they look like tanks ready for battle, but there have been a few that tried to break the mould and adopt designs that piqued interest without sacrificing what makes them special. That seems to be the inspiration behind what could be the weirdest rugged phone we’ve come across, built and looking like an alien or futuristic device, thanks to the rather large and very visible speaker sitting on its back.

Designer: Oukitel

Most of the time, you’d see large camera enclosures on the back of phones. To some extent, that’s also true with the Oukitel WP33 Pro, but in reality, its cameras are actually so small that they don’t take up much space. Instead, the biggest element center of attraction is 5W speaker. Yes, this phone 36mm diameter “pro-level” speaker that’s advertised to get as loud as 136dB. That’s plenty loud, especially for a smartphone.

Rather than the industrial work settings that most rugged phones try to target, the Oukitel WP33 Pro favors more fun and adventurous activities like camping, trekking, hiking, or even wildlife photography. The speaker is then used to set the mood for parties with friends or even for your lonesome self, though the loudspeaker is probably something you shouldn’t use around wild animals, especially at night.

Oukitel wants that latter to be one of the use cases for its latest rugged phone, especially with a 20MP Sony night camera vision. The main camera is a 64MP shooter, so it should at least be decent, while a 2MP macro might satisfy your extreme nature close-up urges. Part of the reason for the phone’s size is its humongous 22,000mAh battery, which you can use to charge the regular “main” phone you might have in your other pocket.

The rest of the Oukitel WP33 Pro’s specs are on par with late 2023 mid-range smartphones, so don’t expect record-breaking performance, especially for mobile games. Of course, the real value of this phone comes from its durability, with IP68 dust and water resistance rating joined by IP69K resistance against high-pressure water jets. It’s not going to win design awards, but it will definitely get you plenty of attention, especially when you start blasting out music from your rugged tank of a mobile device.

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Galaxy Tab Active5 rugged tablet leaked with suitcase design and stylus

Thanks to the Apple iPad Pro, tablets have been given a bit of a lifeline. To be honest, there’s still a bit of uncertainty regarding the purpose of these large screens, especially with smartphones now having extra big displays. There are, however, industries where tablets play an essential role, whether it’s in communication, retrieving information, or organizing data. In this line of work, tablets don’t have to look stylish or have the latest specs as it is more important for them to be durable and reliable, no matter the environment. That’s the core focus of the upcoming Galaxy Tab Active5, but it seems that Samsung isn’t missing the opportunity to add a few fine touches to this rugged device.

Designer: Samsung (via MSPoweruser)

Samsung’s rugged tablets have always been built like tanks and they have the design to prove it. They’re thick and have plenty of protective layers, which definitely makes them look the part of a device that might survive even getting run over by a truck. Looking unappealing, however, isn’t really a requirement, and Samsung has been playing around with a variety of designs to give the tablet a bit more personality.

With the Galaxy Tab Active5, Samsung is adopting a design that might remind some of those super-durable suitcases, complete with linear bumps across the surface. Those humps aren’t just for show, though, as they help diffuse the force of impact away from the sensitive electronics inside the tablet. It’s definitely not stylish, but it’s not terribly unattractive either.

Samsung is also giving the tablet a stylus, similar to its predecessor. Now, you aren’t going to make art using it, though that’s certainly doable. It’s meant more to be used as a precise input tool, especially for those times when you’re wearing gloves that don’t work on touch screens. Of course, you could also use it to scribble notes and draw quick diagrams or directions, something you can’t easily do even with a naked finger.

Despite these contemporary designs and features, the Galaxy Tab Active5 is undeniably a few steps behind compared to even the cheapest tablets today. That’s true not just for the specs but also for the interface. There are even navigation buttons under the screen that haven’t been seen since the likes of the Galaxy S7 from 2016. Those buttons, however, are critical for frontline workers who might not always have the luxury of having their fingers exposed to the elements, giving users alternative methods of controlling the tablet under any situation.

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This trendy duffel backpack will be your ultimate travel partner

People have been enjoying traveling and going outdoors again to the point that “revenge travel” has become a trend. Whether you’re traveling out of town for a few days or simply packing for a trip to a sports complex, having a dependable bag is essential in making your trip free from stress and worry. Buying a bag can be an adventure in itself when you’re trying to pick one that can maximize storage without sacrificing usability and aesthetics. Often you have to sacrifice one or the other to reach an acceptable compromise. A good-looking bag that can meet all your travel needs might sound like fantasy, but that’s exactly the kind of experience promised by this durable duffle bag and backpack in one.

Designer: DM Supply

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 $259 (35% off). Hurry, only 325/400 left!

Different people have different travel needs. Actually, even the same person might have different needs and requirements depending on the type of travel their doing. There is really no one size that fits all, but there are designs that definitely come close to that ideal situation.

When traveling with sports equipment or clothes for a few days, duffle bags and backpacks are the go-to solutions. The Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack offers both in the same bag, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg of the flexibility that this travel essential has to offer.

For example, many travel-oriented bags have a dedicated pocket for shoes or dirty clothes. More often than not, however, you can’t use the same pocket for both purposes. Blackbriar’s solution is so genius in its simplicity that you’re left wondering why it isn’t more common. This duffel backpack has two such compartments on opposite ends of the bag, allowing you to store two pairs of shoes, shoes and dirty clothes, or just dirty clothes. That way, you don’t have to compromise on storage because your bag doesn’t offer you that flexibility.

You might think that having two such compartments can be a waste of space, but that’s hardly the case. The shoe pockets can fold neatly out of the way if you don’t need them, but they also have another function that you won’t see in other bags. Those pockets can become dividers to create sections inside the bag, thanks to a patented S-Partition design. Thanks to this unique feature, you no longer need to use a bag organizer that only takes up precious space inside.

The Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack also has all the bells and whistles you’d want from a travel bag. The three-tiered structure of its fabric not only protects it from water and scratches but also helps preserve its shape.

A magnetic main pocket makes it easy to open the bag, while zippers allow you to safeguard the contents inside when traveling under heavy conditions. Mesh pockets inside let you stash big and small objects, while a dedicated laptop pocket can be accessed both from the outside as well as from the inside.

With all these features and a flexible configuration, it might come as a shock that the Duffel Backpack comes with a $169 price tag only. Throw in another $10 add-on, and you’ll be able to grab the shoulder straps that can help distribute the weight of the load across your whole body. Whether it’s for short trips or long ones, the Blackbriar Allround Duffle Backpack offers the flexibility you need to adapt to your situation while also looking stylish along the way.

Click Here to Buy Now: $169 $259 (35% off). Hurry, only 325/400 left!

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Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin: Which sports smartwatch should you buy

Apple just launched its latest iPhone generation last week, but it might be its wearable companion that’s generating more discussions over the Internet these days. The Apple Watch Ultra, in particular, is kicking up a storm in a somewhat niche smartwatch market focused on extreme sports and very active lifestyles. It might simply look like an overgrown Apple Watch on the outside, but that’s part of the appeal of Apple’s most rugged smartwatch yet. After all, why would you settle for a rugged-looking sports smartwatch from the likes of Garmin when you can have a rugged yet stylish smartwatch from Apple instead? That’s exactly the question that we’ll try to answer, pitting the Apple Watch Ultra against Garmin’s finest to weigh the pros and cons before you bid farewell to your hard-earned money.

Designer: Apple, Garmin

Design

Neither of the two smartwatch makers’ designs is anything new. The Apple Watch Ultra really looks like a bigger Apple Watch, one with a 49mm size that is nothing to scoff at. It comes with that rectangular face that the Apple Watch has been wearing for generations now, albeit with a flatter screen that makes it easier to protect with sapphire crystal. The Ultra model does deviate from the standard design a bit with an extruded housing for the side button and an extra programmable Action button on the opposite side.

Garmin’s sports smartwatches like the Epix 2 and the Enduro 2 stand in stark contrast to this design. Where Apple’s watches have always leaned more towards the classy end of the spectrum, Garmin doesn’t make qualms about the rugged and sporty nature of its smartwatches. They have typical circular faces, but don’t expect luxurious appearances like those from Samsung, Montblanc, or Fossil. And where Apple aims for minimalism as it is wont to do, Garmin tends to throw almost everything into its devices, giving these two sporty watches no less than five buttons to play with. Those are particularly useful when you can’t use the touch screen because you’re wearing extra thick gloves.

In terms of appearances, the choice is a bit clearer cut. Do you want a sports smartwatch, or do you want one that can hide in plain sight on any occasion? Of course, there are even more differences under the hood, especially when it comes to details like battery life and health features, but if you can’t get past how the smartwatch looks, those differences might be meaningless anyway.

Specs and Features

What differentiates a sports smartwatch from a typical sports watch is, of course, the hardware that makes it tick. This is also where the lines between Apple and Garmin blur and mix, making it a little bit harder to choose between the two. When it comes to the display, for example, the Apple Watch Ultra has the Garmin Epix 2 beat with a more pixel-dense screen that really makes icons and text pop out. That said, neither of these are your typical smartwatches, and they both try to compete in telling you where you are or where you’ve been.

Smartwatches designed for athletes require more attention to location than conventional wearables. Garmin, whose core business is exactly in that field, has a long head start compared to Apple. While the Apple Watch Ultra boasts dual-band GPS for the first time, Garmin has been using multi-band satellite systems far longer. The latter also has the advantage of having access to more kinds of maps and topographical data than Apple, many of which come pre-installed on its smartwatches.

Garmin’s sports wearables also come with support for external Bluetooth devices, particularly those used by athletes and adventurers in monitoring stats and data that the smartwatch itself can’t collect. It’s too early to count Apple out of the game since the Watch Ultra is its first stab at this space. But extremely active people who need solutions now might not be too keen on waiting for Apple to get up to speed.

Battery Life

The biggest headline for the Apple Watch Ultra, however, is its battery life. Thanks to its larger size and other hardware improvements, it is able to accommodate a larger battery and advertise up to 36 hours of battery life under normal use. That can even be extended to 60 hours with a new low-power mode, which is practically two and a half days. That’s a big improvement over the typical 18 hours of a regular Apple Watch, but that’s only when comparing it to Apple’s smartwatches.

Garmin, in contrast, counts days, not hours, when it comes to battery life. The Garmin Epix 2, for example, boasts 16 hours, though the figure can be dragged down to just 42 hours if GPS mode is enabled. And that’s nothing compared to the new Garmin Enduro 2, which is advertised to last 34 days, not hours, in normal smartwatch mode. It even has a built-in solar panel, so you can extend that by 12 days more without having to grab the charger.

Garmin’s unbelievable battery life claims don’t come without costs, as we’ll see later, but it still shows how far conventional smartwatches are from the ideal. The Apple Watch Ultra at least comes with the assurance that you won’t be charging it as much, but having a compatible MagSafe charger close at hand will still be a good idea, especially if you plan to go off-grid with it. That said, if you do that kind of activity more often than not, any of Garmin’s rugged smartwatches might inspire more confidence and peace of mind.

Health

While Garmin may have the upper hand in navigation and battery life, Apple takes the cake when it comes to health-related features that go beyond the usual activity tracking. In many cases, the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin’s Epix 2 or Enduro 2 are head-to-head with each other. They all cover the basics like heart rate monitoring, including less common stuff like measuring blood oxygen levels. Even the Apple Watch Ultra’s new body temperature sensing is something that Garmin has already been using for quite some time now. Apple’s advantage, however, is that it can also detect external temperatures, including water temperature.

Apple, however, has had more time fine-tuning its features to be more aware of potential health problems than Garmin. One could almost consider this to be the killer feature of Apple Watches. In particular, the ECG measuring feature that has been present since the Apple Watch Series 4 is something that few smartwatches have to date. Apple will continue pushing the Apple Watch in that direction, which would also benefit future Ultra models.

That’s not to say that Garmin won’t have these features eventually, especially when such hardware becomes more accessible to manufacturers. It could just be a matter of time, though it could also be a matter of business goals. This could very well be one of the biggest differentiating factors between Apple and Garmin smartwatches in the future, with one focusing on navigation and sports while another specializes in health and fitness.

Software

At the end of the day, however, the true distinction between the Apple Watch and any of Garmin’s smartwatches is that the Apple Watch Ultra is a smartwatch, first and foremost, while an Epix 2 or Enduro 2 are sports watches with smart features. Garmin supports a variety of apps on its smartwatches, but the majority of these focus on sports activities. The wearables connect to smartphones, too, but they have limited control over the communication that happens between the two devices. There are your typical notification and music controls, but forget about more advanced apps that don’t fit the sports theme.

Almost in sharp contrast, the Apple Watch Ultra is pretty much a larger Apple Watch designed to be extra rugged and with more sports-related features. That means it has everything that a regular Apple Watch has to offer and more, including access to dozens of apps and experiences that make it a true companion to an iPhone. You can do almost anything on an Apple Watch Ultra, especially when you consider you have access to Siri through it.

That’s also the reason why the Apple Watch Ultra and its potential successors will always have trouble matching the battery life of Garmin’s equivalent smartwatches. You will need more muscle to power those user experiences, which also means eating more of that battery every hour. It is the necessary price to be paid for a general-purpose computer on your wrist, one that happens to function as a classy but rugged smartwatch as well.

Final Thoughts

So should you buy a new Apple Watch Ultra or stick to the tried and tested Garmin? As always, there is no single answer that will satisfy all people. Even price isn’t a determining factor at this point anymore, with the Apple Watch Ultra starting at $799 and the Garmin Enduro 2 going for $1,099. It really all boils down to how sporty you want your smartwatch to be and whether you need a multi-functional smartwatch in the first place.

Despite the appeal of a sportier Apple Watch, Garmin easily wins in the areas where sports watches shine brighter than other timepieces. The five easy-to-access buttons make it usable in extreme conditions where you can’t easily swipe or tap the screen, and its navigation and mapping chops are still unrivaled, even by the likes of Google and especially Apple. Its month-long battery life is no small matter, especially when you take frequent trips outdoors. You will, however, be limited by what your smartwatch can do outside of those occasions, but that might better match your extreme lifestyle more than any other smartwatch.

The Apple Watch Ultra, on the other hand, is a more well-rounded device, more like a jack of all trades. It is more rugged and sportier than any other Apple Watch to date, but it doesn’t stray far from its roots. You can do almost anything on the smartwatch, within reason, of course. Its health-related functions are topnotch, and ECG measuring is still something that few smartwatches can boast of. Its design makes it fit better in almost any situation or occasion, so you don’t have to switch watches just because you want to go to a social party rather than go out for a run. Future models might be able to catch up to some of Garmin’s key advantages, but the Apple Watch Ultra will always be a smartwatch first and a sports partner only second.

The post Apple Watch Ultra or Garmin: Which sports smartwatch should you buy first appeared on Yanko Design.

This rugged portable speaker looks like a war-torn sci-fi space carrier

Portable wireless speakers come in many shapes and sizes, but most of them are designed to be easy to carry around, whether by hand or inside a bag. That means that typical designs revolve around conventional shapes like cylinders and bars, though a few speakers have unusual and interesting forms that try to grab your attention. There are, of course, always exceptions to those rules, and some portable speakers seem to prioritize appearances over portability, especially when they’re just in concept form. This particular wireless speaker is an example of the latter, and while it uses one of the world’s biggest manufacturers of rugged equipment as its muse, it can easily be mistaken for a miniature model of some sci-fi spaceship.

Designer: Harry Rigler

A spaceship naturally has to be made to be able to withstand many dangerous forces outside of our control. One that could be carrying a fleet of smaller battleships needs to be extra tough to survive enemy fire. Given its purpose, this kind of ship doesn’t need to have an elaborate design, which is almost a perfect model for something that’s designed to be used in an industrial setting today.

The Aurras speaker concept tries to take its design cues from Caterpillar, better identified by its CAT logo, a brand whose heavy equipment has become a de facto standard in the industry. It has even lent its name to smartphones that try to capitalize on the company’s fame for producing rugged products. This speaker’s black, white, and orange motif try to convey that association beyond the telltale logo, but you can’t be blamed if you connect the design with something totally unrelated to heavy machines used in construction.

The speaker looks like something that would be coming out of an outer space warp gate, carrying inside it other spaceships. The trapezoidal shape and industrial appearance give it an almost militaristic look in this context. You can almost expect the front of the device to lower like a drawbridge and unleash dozens of smaller ships upon enemy forces.

Despite its futuristic aesthetic, the Aurras’ design is pretty simple and utilitarian. There are three knobs along the top to control treble, bass, and volume. Everything else is operated using a smartphone or any other device connected via Bluetooth. The back has a single port for a USB-C cable to charge the battery inside, though it might also be possible to connect it to a sound source that way.

Beyond its appearance, the concept is also interesting in its actual construction. It’s designed to be easy to take apart using an Allen key, making it more trivial to swap out components or shells to customize its look. Its aluminum and HDPE plastic shell were also chosen to give it actual ruggedness, helping it survive present-day enemies such as accidents. Whether it’s sitting on a workshop table or hanging around in our gaming room, the Aurras portable speaker concept tries to look good and hopefully sound good as well, bringing some enjoyment to what could be a busy day of work or play.

The post This rugged portable speaker looks like a war-torn sci-fi space carrier first appeared on Yanko Design.

Lodge wireless landscape speakers deliver concert-like sound, live outdoors with ease and are powered by the sun

Many outdoor speakers today come in a portable form, which can be beneficial when you find yourself on the go. The downside with many of these speakers is that their smaller size results in small-ish sound and you constantly worry that the charge will run out at the most inconvenient moment or just when the action is starting to heat up. Whether it’s for a backyard party, a relaxing picnic, or outdoor activities like boating and camping, what you need is an awesome sounding, weather-proof, always-powered speaker for your music. And that’s exactly what you get with the Lodge wireless landscape speaker.

Designer: Tristan Cannan

Click Here to Buy Now: Two for $420 $600 (30% off). Hurry, exclusive deal for YD readers only!

It’s probably fair to say that many portable speakers are designed to withstand the elements like moisture and dust. Sure, they are meant to be used outdoors, but they don’t last outdoors very long because their charge runs out and often when you least expect it, like in the middle of the party or your favorite song. With Lodge speakers, you never have to worry about such interruptions, because they are being continuously charged by the sun and can deliver 15 hours of your favorite music on a single charge.

Effortless Setup – Simply select any spot, insert the stakes, and mount your speakers in seconds.

Powered by the Sun – Covered in 180 square inches of high-performing, shatterproof solar panels to ensure your sound system is always charged.

As you might have guessed, this remarkable feat is made possible by solar charging panels, about 180 square inches in total, covering the speaker’s top, back, and sides. That means that no matter where you set it up or which direction it’s facing, a Lodge speaker will always be able to soak up some rays to keep its battery topped up all the time. And in case you’re worried about those panels, they’re designed to be shatterproof and chip-proof to survive anything the outdoors throws at them.

Everything Proof – Designed to truly weather any storm, whether it’s splashes, rain, dust, sand, or dirt.

In fact, you could almost say that the Lodge speaker is “Everything Proof.” With a formal dust and water resistance grade of IP66, it can stand in the rain, hold steady at a passing lawnmower, and brave sand and dust, practically almost anything that nature and man can throw at it. And since there’s no need for traditional charging, there are also no wires to make you worry about safety. And when you are ready to move the party somewhere else, you can take the Lodge speaker with you wherever you go, just pick it up from its magnetic stand and bring your music with you, even indoors.

Bluetooth Connectivity – Play your favorite tunes with your favorite apps without worrying about latency or dropped connections.

Besides handling all kinds of weather conditions without a hitch, the true calling for the Lodge speaker is the premium quality sound you will hear coming out of it. And hear it, you will, thanks to its 4-inch passive subwoofer for punchy bass, a 3/4-inch turned dome tweeter for clear and crisp highs, and a 50-watt amplifier to deliver big, spacious sound. You get all of that from just one speaker! Of course, if one Lodge speaker isn’t enough, you can also chain together multiple speakers to create an immersive soundscape. With Bluetooth 5.3, you can easily stream your favorite tunes from as far as 100+ feet away without missing a beat.

Rugged, reliable, and yet also good-looking, the Lodge wireless landscape speaker offers a worry-free listening experience outdoors, whether you’re just staying in your own backyard or living an adventurer’s life just for the weekend. Many wireless speakers are designed to be usable outdoors, but the Lodge speaker was born to be outdoors. When you consider all that it has to offer, from premium sound, to its rugged design, to continuous, worry-free charging from the sun, the Lodge speaker delivers tremendous value for its price.

Click Here to Buy Now: Two for $420 $600 (30% off). Hurry, exclusive deal for YD readers only! Raised over $275,000.

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Naglev Vulcano uses bulletproof Kevlar to save your feet from rocks and crags

Not many people know this but what makes a bulletproof vest bulletproof is a material called Kevlar. We’re not hoping we would need such a vest anytime soon, but it’s also a good idea to be prepared and knowledgeable. If only we could use the Kevlar material in most of our clothing and footwear, but it’s not that easy to implement. What we’re probably getting soon are super rugged shoes with Kevlar uppers that are able to protect and shield your feet from whatever danger or element whenever you are outdoors. With this pair of kevlar shoes, we can say you can survive any jungle or mountain cliff and all dangers you can encounter, as the shoes are basically indestructible, thanks to the material’s strong molecular structure.

Designer: Achille Morlin, Elettra Morlin

Naglev Vulcano Shoes 10

Naglev Vulcano Shoes 12

The special pair is officially called the Naglev Vulcano—-bulletproof shoes for the feet of highly adventurous people. The shoes are 100% water-resistant, so you use them for any kind of outdoor adventure that may get you dredging soil or exploring the trails of an unknown valley. The pair can keep your feet cool and dry, thanks to a Lycra interior liner that is quick-drying and moisture-wicking. The outsole is natural and is durable enough that it won’t deteriorate quickly.

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

The Naglev Vulcano can be considered part of sustainable fashion because the shoes are built with environment-friendly manufacturing practices. This means carbon footprint is significantly reduced but still with uncompromised quality. Naglev’s aim has always been to innovate the footwear production system, researching ways and solutions that would minimize shoe production steps. As a result, it’s able to develop a new process that can result in extremely low environmental impact.

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

The company uses the patented Fuso technology that starts by blending all structural elements of the shoe. The sole, midsole, and the upper are better and more durable and offer a better fit because they have been fused together. Increased performance is also a promise of this new technology and design of the Vulcano—a mix of the Kevlar fabric, a natural rubber sole, and an upper that wraps the structural element, lining, and sole lugs. Each shoe has a protective Kevlar shell upper, eco-made lycra lining, and an Ortholite footbed, while the outsole is Michelin natural rubber and a mid-sole that is dual-density EVA. The shoes promise comfort even if the pair is rugged and looks perfect for hiking–it’s almost ready for war! It can probably pass the military standards since the upper is characterized as tearproof, with salt resistance, cut resistance, and abrasion resistance.

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

Naglev Vulcano Shoes

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This Samsung T7 Shield portable SSD makes me want to do laundry with it

Rugged devices often look like tanks, but the design of this portable SSD might make you think of something completely unrelated.

Our modern world revolves around data, particularly those stored in digital form. More and more jobs revolve around digital objects, not to mention how we live every day with photos taken by phones and digital cameras. Storing data in the drives inside our desktops and laptops is no longer enough these days, and we find ourselves moving files back and forth between computers and carrying around storage devices in our bags more often than not. That has given rise to a breed of rugged hard drives and SSDs, and Samsung’s latest portable solution almost makes you want to test its mettle in the laundry.

Designer: Samsung

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Let’s get it out of the way. This portable SSD, which conveniently fits in the palm of your hand, might remind you of a bar of laundry soap. Some people might not be familiar with that object in this day of liquid detergents and laundry capsules, but those still do exist. Admittedly, one can also associate the ridged surface of the Samsung T7 Shield with the treads of a tank, but the bar-like form of the portable SSD makes that idea less sticky.

That almost comical design choice does have some benefit to the drive’s rugged nature. In addition to the thick elastomer material, the ridges provide the first line of defense from impacts, better protecting the actual body inside compared to drives with smoother and flatter surfaces. And, yes, the T7 Shield is also IP65 (not IP68) rated against minute particles like dust and a few splashes of water. Despite its looks, it definitely won’t survive washing your clothes.

The Samsung T7 Shield is no larger than a credit card, at least in length and width, making it easy to slip into your pocket on the go. The company is positioning it not only for work, though, but also as extra storage for your phone’s photos and even your games. Of course, you won’t be able to carry your console with you everywhere, but the SSD’s speed will shave off a few minutes when you start copying games to the machine.

Of course, the portable SSD isn’t just all looks and tough talk. It naturally boasts some fast data transfer speeds, which is the main point of expensive SSDs, and high storage capacities of up to 2TB. The SSD itself isn’t made from sustainable materials, but Samsung still tried to minimize its negative impact on the environment by reducing the size of the tray packaging. Unsurprisingly, the Samsung T7 Shield rugged portable SSD isn’t exactly inexpensive, which is typical for SSDs, even more for portable SSDs. If you are in the market for a portable and fast storage solution, however, you might as well invest in something that can protect your data digitally and physically. Just try not to mistake this for a bar of soap.

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