In this review we will get to know the ASUS TUF Gaming A1 enclosure and see how it performed during the test
Announced last November by the Taiwanese company, this portable chassis for SSD on paper it looks like a solid and robust product, but which at the same time gives a nod to performance so as not to lose the efficiency of the SSDs inside. But will it really be like this or are they just words in the wind? We just have to start this one review regarding the ASUS TUF Gaming A1 to find out.
Data sheet
- Dimensions: 125,28 x 54,27 x 13,3 mm
- Weight: 142 g
- Compatibility: Windows 7 or higher, macOS 10.6 or higher
- Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C (compatibile con USB 3.2 Gen 1/USB 2.0)
- Speed: Up to 10Gbps-PCIE / 6Gbps-SATA
- SSD Compatibility: M.2 NVMe PCIe or SATA SSD in 2242/2260/2280 form factor
- Voltage: DC 5V
- Temperature: operating 0°C-40°C / storage -40°C-60°C
- Certification: IP68
Packaging and design – ASUS TUF Gaming A1 review
This SSD enclosure from important dimensions Arrives in packaging depicting full TUF style. On this it will be possible to find all the main informationincluding the content of the same, the technical specifications of the product and the characteristics that make it so special.
Once the package is opened we will find ourselves in front of a quick installation guide and the user manual. Under these we will then find the actual product wrapped in a low density polyethylene bag. Once removed from this casing we will find the enclosure in all its robustness. The sense of solidity that it manages to give us to the touch is something incomparable. It is immediately clear that we have something in our hands it will be able to withstand even the most important shocks without damaging its content.
Also its particular design helps to make it suitable for this task. All the sharp edges that should connect the various sides have been “smoothed”, if we can say so, to minimize the risk of breakage due to significant force loads generated by impacts, as could happen in the event of a fall.
On the front we find the logo TUF below, a LED indicating its operation above, while the central part is characterized by a series of lines in bas-relief which break up the monotony of the other smooth faces. At the bottom we find the connettore USB Type-C, while on the back we find four hexagonal screws that keep the compartment closed in which we are going to insert the SSD. To complete the packaging we then find the cable to connect it to the PC it’s a hex key for the screws.
SSD installation made easy – ASUS TUF Gaming A1 review
Installing SSDs in an enclosure has never been easier, but still it’s not without some minor problems due to the choices made by Taiwanese society. Let’s start first of all from the main step which is the opening of the product. Inside every house we will surely find a cross screwdriver or a slotted one, but there will hardly be a hexagonal one. So opening the TUF Gaming A1 might not be that simple.
At this point you are surely wondering: “but how, wasn’t it said that ASUS provided a special key?” Well yes, society provides us with a key, but as we will do if it is lost, if we are traveling or at a friend’s house and need to change the SSD mounted inside? The solution, especially in the first case, will be to having to buy a new hex keywhich we could have avoided with a different choice of screws.
However, once this problem has been corrected and the backplate removed, mounting an SSD will be a real walk. Thanks to the implementation of the Q-Latch by ASUS we will be able to install the various SSDs without using screws or other special tools. This particular plastic object, which will keep our storage device firmly in place, is easily removable. This property of his will allow us to move it within the various stalls depending on the length of the selected SSD. A really useful solution that can save us a lot of time if we are going to replace the disk inside.
Top Performance – ASUS TUF Gaming A1 Review
During our test, we wanted test this product with various SSDs of different capacities in order to be able to transfer very different amounts of data. The tests were conducted first with the various SSDs mounted directly on our motherboard and only subsequently on the enclosure supplied to us by ASUS.
The data transfer encountered no problems whatsoever, showing a very constant process and with a speed very little slower than when the SSD was mounted on the motherboard. It is useless to go around it, the loss of speed was very low and in any case less than about 6%..
We can then be satisfied with these data which allow us to fully enjoy the performance of our SSDs, making them excellent companions to use even outside the PC or, why not, even with the most recent ones PlayStation 5 e Xbox Series X|S. Such performance indeed turn into optimal loading speeds that will make us play instantly without problems related to loading of various areas of the games.
Conclusions
We have reached the end of this review regarding the ASUS TUF Gaming A1 and the time has therefore come to sum up a bit. The structural quality of this product is indisputable. Thanks to its design it seems to be designed to support even the weight of a tank and the sense of robustness it gives to the touch is incomparable. Also there IP68 certification guarantees enormous security; our storage will in fact be protected from both dust and water.
Added to this is one unmatched SSD installation and removal speed, thanks to the excellent thought of the Q-Latch. This small mechanism will allow us to lock and unlock the various SSDs without the use of other tools. In return though the choice of using hex screwsfor closing the back plate, leaves us somewhat perplexed for the reasons mentioned above.
Finally, the data transfer performance was good. The reading and writing values have not deviated much from the parameters revealed when the SSDs were installed directly on the PC motherboard. Such high speeds allow us not only to transfer data quickly, but also to use our SSDs as external disksboth to store important files, but above all to play at maximum performance and with almost reduced loading times.
The only drawback from this point of view is the M.2 SSD support up to 2TB. That’s all for this review regarding the ASUS TUF Gaming A1. We inform you that this product is available for purchase at recommended price of €49.90. In order not to miss future reviews regarding the hardware universe, continue to follow techgameworld.com!
Plus points
- Q-Latch
- SATA/NVMe SSD Compatibility
- Constructive solidity
- Almost unchanged performance
Points against
- Hex screws
- M.2 support up to 2TB