The Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB model is rather good external storage device. In almost every way the Armor A85 is sure to please. In the looks department the aluminum exterior really, really makes it a drop-dead gorgeous drive. So good that it is almost an unfair comparison to the A62. Phrases like ‘LaCie pretty’ do spring to mind… and that is high praise from us. Equally impressive, the shape of this chassis makes it rather easy to carry. Yes it weighs more than the A62 but if you have ever carried a hip-flask you know how easy it will be to stick this bad boy in a pocket and go. This makes the A85 not only better than Silicon Power’s very own A62 Armor series but also better than anything Seagate, Western Digital, or even LaCie has to offer. Just understand it is no ‘thumb drive’ and you will not be disappointed.
Moving on. The protection this aluminum clad model offers is indeed excellent. Better water, dust, and crush protection all culminate into one robust drive. It is also going to be more durable over the long term as metal does not fatigue like plastic nor is it as susceptible to cold weather like plastic. The downside is while it meets the same drop-test rating as its little brother… metal does transfer more shock to the hard drive housed inside. Over time this means internal hard drive may fail faster. As such if dust or water protection is not as important as drop protection some may find the A62’s design to be more confidence inspiring. Both are very robust, and we would have no problems throwing either in a backpack and getting on with our life, but our instincts say the A62 will take a beating longer than the A85. That is the hidden cost of increased water, crush and dust protection.
Lastly is the price. For only a few dollars more than a similarly sized A62 buyers do get a faster and generally better external drive. Compared to WD/Seagate/LaCie/etc. it is not even close and the A85 is just as a good deal as the A62 is – bordering on ‘no-brainer’ territory. So if you want a drop dead gorgeous drive that can take a pounding but is not priced like the typical ‘Military Grade’ series the A85 deserves to be on your short, short list. Just understand that the extra performance, extra looks, and higher ratings will come with a small price premium. A price premium that is rather easy to justify but never the less is a price premium. It really will be up to you decide if you actually need the added protection, but where both the A62 and A85 series are incredible values it is hard to go wrong with either choice.
The Review
Silicon Power Armor A85 5TB
Much like its little brother the A62, the newer A85 5TB is not perfect, but its combination of performance, durability and price make its value hard to beat. So much so that the occasional misstep can easily be overlooked.
