CONCLUSION

   Having reviewed the diskAshur 2 we knew exactly what to expect from the datAshur Pro in terms of security so as iStorage points out you can’t brute force your way into the drive using a PC or a MAC since it’s not even visible as a device until the moment you press the PIN. Of course you will have to change the stock PIN from 11223344 to your very own 7-15 digit one (in order to change the PIN the drive must not be connected to a device – thanks to its lithium ion battery it can work on its own) the moment you get the drive by following the instructions in the quick start manual and you’re good to go. The aluminum housing is not only very sturdy (the metal wire lanyard allows you to pull the drive from the aluminum cover) and indeed waterproof (we tested it up to roughly 1 meter) but it can also be customized with your own name, logo or message (unfortunately unlike their diskAshur 2 line the datAshur Pro is only available in blue color). Not all is perfect however so during testing we did have some slight issues with the responsiveness of the epoxy coated alphanumeric keypad since on one hand it’s not easy to press the PIN when the drive is mounted on a rear USB port (you can get an USB extension cable to solve that) and on the other it didn’t record all of our keypresses (as a result we had to press the PIN more than once sometimes). This isn’t a serious issue and most likely has to do with the how you press the keys (too small after all) but just like always we report on all our findings. As for performance it may not be up there with some of the top USB drives we’ve tested to date but unlike what iStorage states in the specifications sheet (139MB/s read and 43MB/s write) we did manage to hit 171MB/s - 119MB/s in read and write performance using ATTO and 169MB/s – 117MB/s in read and write using Crystal Disk Mark so this is quite a fast USB 3.0 drive especially if you take into account its hardware encryption.

   As I type these lines the datAshur Pro 64GB Secure USB 3.0 Flash Drive by iStorage retails for USD145 inside the USA (Amazon.com) and for 145Euros inside the EU (Amazon.co.uk) so although not exactly “low cost” we think it’s priced very well for all the extra security it offers compared to regular USB flash drives (and even software encrypted ones). Unfortunately if you happen to like the datAshur Pro but you need even more space for your sensitive data you’re out of luck (for now at least) since 64GB is the highest capacity model sold by iStorage currently (something which we hope changes sooner rather than later). All said and done however the datAshur Pro 64GB Secure USB 3.0 Flash Drive is yet another quality product aimed at very demanding professionals and consumers alike and thanks to all its features and good performance levels it gets our Golden Award.

PROS

- Build Quality (IP57 Certified Aluminum Enclosure)
- PIN Authentication
- Security Measures (AES-XTS 256-bit Hardware Encryption/ FIPS 140-2 Level 3, NLNCSA DEP-V and NATO Restricted Level Certified)
- Good Performance
- Available in 8/16/32/64GB
- Laser Etching Service
- DriveSecurity Software
- 3 Year Warranty

CONS

- Price (For Some)
- PIN Not Always Easy To Enter
- Max Available Capacity (64GB)