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Black rectangular portable drive with integrated USB cable and numeric keypad on top

Apricorn

Apricorn A25-3PL256-1000F 1TB USB 3.0 external hard drive

SKU CH-V8VY-8N0DQ MPN A25-3PL256-1000F

A hardware-encrypted portable drive with keypad PIN access, FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validation, and water-resistant casing

  • Total capacity1 TB
  • Interface typeUSB 3.0
  • Form factorPortable
  • Cache memory8 MB
  • Rotational speed5,400 RPM
  • Average seek time12 ms

Capacity 1TB

  • Hardware-encrypted data protection with FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validation
  • PIN keypad access works without any software or drivers
  • Water and dust resistant case shields the drive in harsh environments
  • USB 3.0 interface delivers up to 10x faster transfer than USB 2.0
  • Compact 4.7 x 3.3 x .75 inch design weighs only .39 lbs

Portable FIPS 140-2 Drive

The Apricorn Aegis Padlock Fortress is a 1TB portable hard drive validated to FIPS 140-2 Level 2 with 256-bit AES XTS hardware encryption. It authenticates via an onboard keypad PIN and requires no software or drivers. The rugged enclosure is water and dust resistant for mobile professionals handling sensitive data.

USB 3.0 Interface Limits

The drive connects through a Super Speed USB 3.0 interface, which is up to 10x faster than USB 2.0. A supplied Y-cable draws auxiliary power when a single port cannot supply enough current. The mechanical 5400 RPM mechanism with 12ms average seek time and 8MB cache ultimately governs sustained transfer rates.

1TB Capacity and Headroom

One terabyte provides substantial room for encrypted project files, backups and media libraries. The 5400 RPM spindle and 8MB buffer deliver steady throughput for sequential workloads but can become a bottleneck for heavy random I/O or multi-stream editing. Buyers needing higher IOPS or larger volumes should consider solid-state alternatives.

How it compares

Measured against everything we stock in High-Capacity External Drives, at today’s prices. Recalculated every night.

Price $187.99
Cheaper than about 80% of the 144 comparable items (median $379.99).
Total capacity 1 TB
Lower than about 98% of the 101 comparable items (median 12 TB).
Price per TB $187.99 per TB
Pricier than about 91% of the 101 comparable items (median $37.00 per TB).

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Specifications

Product
Brand nameAPRICORN
Product lineAegis Padlock Fortress
Model nameA25-3PL256-1000F
Total capacity1 TB
Performance
Rotational speed5,400 RPM
Average seek time12 ms
Storage
Cache memory8 MB
Ports & slots
Interface typeUSB 3.0
Size & build
Form factorPortable
Product dimensions4.7 in × 3.3 in × 0.75 in
Product weight0.39 lb (0.18 kg)
Shipping weight0.41 kg
Package size196 × 150 × 69 mm
In the box
In the boxAegis Padlock Fortress
Quick Start Guide
USB Y-cable and travel pouch

Other versions of this model

1 more in the same range

Questions about this item

How do I choose between the capacities offered for the Aegis Padlock Fortress?

The model A25-3PL256-1000F provides 1TB of storage; other capacities are separate models not covered here.

What does the 5400 RPM spindle speed mean for everyday file transfers?

The 5400 RPM drive delivers typical portable hard-drive throughput; actual copy speeds will also depend on the USB 3.0 host and file sizes.

What does the USB 3.0 interface cap at in practice?

The USB 3.0 connection supports up to 5 Gb/s signalling, though real-world throughput is limited by the 5400 RPM mechanism and system overhead.

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