Apacer AC730 1TB Military-Grade Portable HDD Review

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Apacer doesn't constantly refresh its products lineups like some vendors. Instead, they make calculated choices on what products can fill gaps in the marketplace. The AC730 is Apacer's answer to a shock proof military grade storage device, fit for users on the go.

Portable HDDs are quite common items, we have seen many vendors express their take on this popular storage format, some going all out on aesthetics and some looking for a more durable device. The AC730 is the latest from Apacer featuring military-grade shockproofing with a certified MIL-STD 810G 1.2M Drop Test rating. Taking things further, Apacer says the enclosure can withstand a cool 1500KG or 3300 LBS. It is IP68 certified for dust and water and takes on connectivity with USB 3.1 Gen 1.

Compatibility includes Linux kernel 2.6+, OS X 10.4+ and Windows XP through 10. Dimensions come in at 135 x 105 x 23mm with weight at 420g. The MSRP for the Apacer AC730 comes in at $109.99 with a three-year warranty.

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The packaging gives the model and connectivity information at the top next to the capacity at 1TB.

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The back of the packaging has a specifications list towards the middle.

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The scope of delivery gives us the guide, USB cable, and the drive itself.

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Looking at the drive, we have a full aluminum enclosure with branding at the bottom.

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On the end, we have the USB 3.1 connection. We also notice the enclosure uses 3 or 4 mm aluminum.

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Opening the drive up, this is the first drive I have seen to completely encase the HDD and electronics in silicon rubber.

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Removing that cover, we find a 1TB WD Blue HDD.

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Usable capacity for the Apacer AC730 comes in at 931GB after formatting.

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ATTO shows solid performance for the AC730. From 32K through 64M, we see solid 120/120 MB/s performance from the drive.

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CDM showed similar results with sequential and Q32 both producing 120 MB/s read and write.

The AC730 is a hefty device; it's easily one of the heavier portable solutions I have had in the office. Aesthetically it's not too special, a single piece aluminum design with subtle branding. With that said, it's that same aluminum design that offers the high durability giving Apacer the confidence to say it can withstand 1500kg of pressure. The aluminum also makes for a secure platform to build an IP68 certified product as all surfaces can be sealed with silicon rubber as we found in the disassembly.

The performance of the Apacer AC730 is at best average, the WD Blue while reliable is a 5400RPM drive, so there is extra performance to be had using a 7200RPM solution. In my testing, this solution capped out at 120 MB/s read and write over two benchmarks, ATTO and CDM.

Even with the mainstream performance, the AC730 is a solid drive due to the extreme angle Apacer has taken with the solution's durability. All things considered, it is unlikely you find a consumer portable solution that has more testing behind it than the Apacer AC730. It has undergone MIL-STD 810 and IP68 testing passing both, which makes it one of the most durable solutions I have had in the lab.

Tyler's Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: ASUS Maximus IX Hero (buy from Amazon)
• CPU: Intel Core i7 7700K (buy from Amazon) / (Read our Review)
• Memory: G.SKILL TridentZ DDR4 3200 (buy from Amazon)
• Video Card: EVGA GeForce GTX 1080 Hybrid (buy from Amazon)
• OS Storage: Intel 730 480GB SSD (buy from Amazon) / (Read our Review)
• Secondary Storage: MyDigitalSSD BP5 512GB SSD (buy from Amazon)
• Case: EVGA DG-86 (buy from Amazon)
• Power Supply: EVGA SuperNOVA 750 P2 (buy from Amazon)
• Networking: ASUS PCE-AC88 AC3100 (buy from Amazon)
• Networking: ASUS ROG 10G Express
• Networking: ASUS Thunderbolt EX3 (buy from Amazon)
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 (buy from Amazon)