Asus TUF Gaming A1 in detail
With its external SSD (M.2) enclosures, Asus relies on extra robustness, IP68 rating and strapping options. This is also more rare than with flash drives. The mounting of the SSD itself is along the lines of modern Asus motherboards. The subject of the analysis will first be the TUF Gaming A1, the cheaper of the pair of available enclosures. However, it too already supports USB 3.2 gen. 2 with Type-C connectivity.
Asus TUF Gaming A1 in detail
With a weight of 150 grams, the Asus TUF Gaming A1 ranks among the heaviest SSD enclosures: overall, not just in terms of the supported M.2 format. The body of the enclosure is also relatively longer (125 mm) and wider (54 mm). The profile thickness is then 14 mm and the design is really robust. This can be viewed positively or negatively, depending on preference. The TUF Gaming A1 doesn’t have the “lightness” of a flashdrive, but again, it builds on a proper, all-metal build that you won’t break in an accident just like that. Drop resistance is supposed to meet military standard MIL-STD-810H.
The accessories in the package are basic, containing only what is necessary for mounting (imbus crank) and connection to an end device – a cable (35 cm) with USB-C connectors on both sides.
Regarding the shell, there was also an attempt to articulate the surface. However, it is difficult to say whether, in the case of the wider but very low protrusions, it is possible to talk about fins. Judge for yourself from the detail below. But the aluminum surface of the enclosure is still large and can handle a “10-gigabit” load without the slightest difficulty.
This enclosure, with the end marking A1, supports USB 3.2 gen. interface, but in the future there will also be a model (A2) with USB 3.2 gen. 2×2, which will have the potential to achieve twice the speed. For completeness, it’s important to note that only NVMe, i.e. PCIe, SSD models are supported. All of them, both two-lane and four-lane ones.
The design of the enclosure is also characterized by a holder through which a strap can be looped. However, you must have your own, the accessory does not include it. But it’s good to have at least that option, which is quite rare among external SSDs.
The enclosure cover is on the underside. It is a “sandwich design” where the SSD is sandwiched between two panels.
You can get inside the enclosure, to the M.2 slot, by unscrewing the smaller panel. You use the imbus crank from the accessories to do this. This panel is connected to the rest of the body at four points.
You may also notice a seal around the tub that insulates critical parts from water or dust. The degree of protection here is IP68. Although the USB connector has no sealing cap, no water will pass through it inside the enclosure. At this level (around the connector joints) there is already a seal.
Supported M.2 SSD formats range from 42 to 80 mm. To change the SSD format you want to install, you need to change the position of the latch. The latter is pre-installed for 80mm SSDs.
The latching mechanism on the SSD is the “Q-Latch”. Asus also uses it on their motherboards. Instead of a screw, there is a post with a stop on top that gets on top of the SSD and it holds it in place well. It’s a reliable solution, quick to install, requiring no tools. You only need those for the aforementioned cover/panel removal, through which you can get inside the enclosure.
The LED indicating that the enclosure is connected is white and rather faint, well dimmed. This is also the case when viewed straight on from the top.
Testing methodology
The foundation for all measurements is CrystalDiskMark with a library size of 1 GB. We test SSD speed in two situations. Before load and then, after a 10-minute load for maximum sequential reads and writes. This will reveal how warming up the external enclosure affects the speed with the Samsung 980 Pro SSD (1 TB). The values of the speed measurements are averaged over three passes for greater accuracy. The enclosures are connected via a USB expansion card (3.2 gen. 2×2) – the Renkforce RF-4538236 with the ASMedia ASM3242 controller. The tests run on an Asus ROG Strix Z790-E Gaming WiFi motherboard with an Intel Core i9-13900K processor (and G.Skill Trident Z5 Neo memory – 2×16 GB, 6000 MHz/CL30) under Microsoft Windows 10 (22H2).
We measure power consumption using a custom-made PCIe power meter, which you’ll also know from graphics card tests. This is plugged in before the PCIe card (with a USB controller), whose consumption is part of the result. We measure the power consumption under load for maximum sequential read and write speeds.
We only observe the temperature on the surface, on the casing. Be careful when evaluating it, a higher temperature doesn’t automatically mean a worse result (think thermal pad tests and heatsink temperatures…), but it doesn’t mean a better one either. The guiding factor here from a cooling perspective would be SSD temperature, but we have no control over that. The test SSD does have its sensors, but once it (the SSD) is plugged into the enclosure, the motherboard can no longer reach them. So we only do IR thermal mapping (with a Fluke Ti125 thermal imager), which can at least show how the heat is spreading through the enclosure and whether it will burn you. Thermal imaging is for the finned side of an enclosure or the side in contact with the SSD controller (if the enclosure does not have fins).
During testing, the SSD enclosures are always placed in the same position – longitudinally, in an open space, where they stand on the pad with the bottom side facing down. The airflow in the test room is always comparable, with the temperature at the control point varying between 21,0 and 21,3 °C.
