Sabrent Rocket XTRM Q, 2TB, Thunderbolt 3 / USB-C 3.1

By using Thunderbolt 3, the Rocket XTRM-Q 2TB does bypass drives using USB 3.2 Gen2x1 and even the newer USB 3.2 Gen2x2, by offering a theoretical bandwidth of 40Gbps. This aspect helps a lot for both reads and writes, succeeding to beat the other tested drives, even when using a different, lower-specced system. By using Micron’s 96L 3D QLC NAND flash, the drive can maintain a high sustained write rate until the SLC cache is being filled up and, in our tests, we noted that the drive won’t go under 170MB/s in this scenario.

The Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q represents a unique product line in the market – a dual-mode SSD that can work with both Thunderbolt 3 ports and USB ports with optimal performance profiles based on the host to which the drive is connected. It is also available in capacities that no other external SSD vendor offers. These two aspects ensure that the XTRM-Q can appeal to a select audience in a way that no other offering can match. Pricing is also attractive on a $-per-GB basis, and the thermal solution is excellent.

Well, Sabrent has continued to impress me by keeping things simple and having drives like the Rocket XTRM-Q that are just hard to find fault with. The drive is based on their Rocket Q M.2 SSD and the performance of that NVMe drive is great. When I tested that drive in their EC-TFNE enclosure the only problem was the limitations that USB itself have. So with the XTRM-Q that I tested today, having it be a Thunderbolt 3 supported drive makes a HUGE difference in performance. Initially, I wanted to put the limited availability of Thunderbolt 3 as a con, but while testing I realized that it is used often in laptops.

There is a certain simplicity to the Sabrent XTRM-Q that we admire. It is compatible with pretty much everything you can connect it to, whether that's a sloooow old USB all the way up to a Thunderbolt 3 connection, and it doesn't require you to do any configuration or fiddling about. It handles it all for you, and always, as our testing showed, hit the bandwidth limit of that particular connection. Size-wise it's well within portability range, and the weight and dimensions are certainly a "slip into a pocket" size rather than needing a bag. Should you prefer to put it in your bag, the metal tin it comes in applies an extra layer of protection to an already robust case. With both Type-A and Type-C cables supplied you can plug it into pretty much anything, from your Type-C phone to a TV or console, or of course your PC. It's a very flexible storage solution and perfect for those of you who want a fast way to move data from one place to another. Cloud storage is all well and good but it never gets close to the transfer rates of physical media. Two things became clear through our testing. Neither of which are particularly jaw-dropping or surprising, but we were curious, so we tested anyway. Firstly if you want to make the most of the Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q you need the fastest possible port to connect to. USB 3.2 Gen1 might be fast compared to the older USB types, but it's not a patch on USB 3.2 Gen2, and that itself isn't as quick as a Thunderbolt 3 connection. If you've got the options to plug this into something that will give it a broader bandwidth, then do so, even if you have to unplug something else to do so. It will eat every last bit of bandwidth you can supply to it. Secondly, for those of you with limited connection types, there is no difference at all between connecting the XTRM-Q to a USB 3.2 Gen2 port with a Type-A cable or a Type-C one. Beyond the ease of getting it right every time with a Type-C instead of the third time lucky of a Type-A. The only similar drive we have to compare it to was the Samsung Touch T7, and the Sabrent was pretty much neck and neck with it throughout our testing. If you want a robust, fast, flexible, portable storage solution, then the Sabrent Rocket XTRM-Q ticks all the boxes. Available in multiple sizes the 2TB model we tested today hits the price and capacity sweet spot, rocking up at an MSRP of $365, and wins our OC3D Performance Award.