NAS leader Synology launches a small USB-C external SSD. Both compact and accompanied by rich and easy-to-use software, it is an object that could convince you.
Synology has established itself as the expert brand for home storage and file backup thanks to its excellent NAS that is easy to install and use. When the brand announces that it is entering the external SSD market capable of being our “personal backup hub“. We are definitely interested.
Technical sheet
- Capacity: 1 TB, 2 TB
- Interface: USB Type-C USB 3.2 Gen 2 (10 Gb/s)
- Transfer speed: up to 1050 MB/s
- Dimensions: 65 x 65 x 15 mm
- Weight: 43g
- Color: black
The BeeDrive SSD was donated by Synology as part of this test.
Design
It’s hard to get more simplistic than this BeeDrive SSD in terms of design. We have in front of us a small pebble measuring 6 cm on a side that can very easily be slipped into any bag or pocket. It connects directly via USB-C to your device, whether it is a smartphone, a PC or even a console.
Source: Brice Zerouk – Frandroid
Source: Brice Zerouk – Frandroid
It only comes in this gray color with a rather basic plastic chassis. Synology does not, for example, offer a waterproof case or one with a strong promise of shock resistance. The brand simply announces protection against falls from 2 meters. In any case, it is an SSD which is primarily intended for mobile office use rather than all-terrain adventurer use.
Software
Thanks to its USB-C connector, the BeeDrive SSD can be used with a large number of devices, but Synology mainly suggests combining it with a PC. An application is offered directly on the BeeDrive storage, or available on the Synology website. It is compatible with Windows 10 and Windows 11 at the time of writing, but a macOS version should also be offered eventually.
This application allows you to manage three main functions: automatic backup of part of the computer on the external SSD at each connection, synchronization of a folder between the BeeDrive and the computer, to go from one machine to another. another by keeping files in sync without going through the cloud and finally a transfer mode with a smartphone to automatically save your photos.
The Synology application is available in French and the configuration is quite simple. The steps are correctly guided to configure your external storage exactly as desired.
We really appreciate the ease of use and the intelligence of the functions offered. It is easy to understand that this SSD could replace cloud storage for those who would like to use a more physical product, while still keeping control of their data.
On the other hand, everything is not perfect. We particularly regret the absence of a data encryption option with password protection. Of course, you are free to use other software to perform this task, but this is a function that we find more and more with external storage.
Performance
To evaluate the performance of our SSD of the day, we connected it with the USB-C to USB-C cable provided in the box. We carried out performance tests with a PC running Windows 11 and a MacBook Air M2.
| Windows | Mac | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sequential reading | 1049 MB/s | 653 MB/s | ||
| Sequential writing | 798 MB/s | 760 MB/s | ||
| Shuffle Playback | 95 MB/s | 27 MB/s | ||
| Random writing | 51 MB/s | 8 MB/s |
On the Mac we obtain performance below the manufacturer’s promise, namely a reading speed of around 650 MB/s and a writing speed of 760 MB/s. We manage to reach the announced speed of 1050 MB /s only on our Windows PC. It’s difficult to understand where this difference in performance comes from, but on paper, Synology markets its SSD only for Windows for the moment.
Synology’s SSD is not the most efficient on the market, but it offers a level of speed that is completely comparable to its direct competitors like the Samsung T7. Above all, it is more than sufficient speed for the backup options offered by the brand and for which its product is designed.
Price and availability
The Synology BeeDrive SSD is available from 150 euros for the 1 TB version (165 euros on Amazon) and 252 euros for the 2 TB model.
This is a fairly high price compared to the most traditional SSDs on the market. That of Crucial is, for example, available at 70 euros on Amazon, while the Samsung T7 is offered at 90 euros. We can imagine that the price of the BeeDrive could also fall in the long term, but for the moment, its price represents a real obstacle to purchasing.