May, 2022

Verbatim Launches Write-Once External SSD with 10-Year Warranty

Data Recovery SSD Verbatim

Verbatim has announced a new solid-state drive designed specifically for long-term storage. The company's WOV Series is an external SSD that packs 128GB of NAND flash and connects to your PC via USB 3.2 Gen 1. Verbatim describes its new Verbatim SWOVA128G drive as a “life-long” SSD and is pitching it as a write-protected SSD, meaning you can only read from it under normal conditions.

According to Verbatim, it’s a solution to accidental file deletion, accidental file overwriting, complex and unfamiliar backup solutions, or SSDs wearing out. The SSD comes with a 10-year warranty and uses MLC NAND memory that has passed “strict selection standards” and can cope with temperatures of -35 to 55 degrees Celsius.

To use the SWOVA128G, users will perform data writes in Windows 10 or 11 (but not S-Mode versions). These are the only two OSes that support the writing of data to this device, and .NET 4.8 must be installed. Reading of data from the SWOVA128G is very simple. Verbatim says that any device that can read an exFAT file system can read files and folders from the SSD. This includes Macs, ChromeOS, iOS, Android devices, and Windows 8.1, 10 or 11 without the Verbatim software installed.

Verbatim asserts that the SWOVA128G SSD can read at 540MBps and write at 180MBps. You'll have to take Verbatim's word for this as the SSD drive will error out when attempting to run a benchmark program.

Verbatim's product page has several small print disclaimers, indicating that the write-once feature should stand up only to ordinary users in an office environment. Verbatim admits that they do not guarantee that files, etc. cannot be deleted or overwritten, and that they do not guarantee that files on the SSD cannot be corrected or deleted. Moreover, the ten-year period doesn't guarantee your stored data, but rather to replace a faulty drive – but this is standard for a storage device guarantee. So users will likely want a secondary backup as a fail-safe or will need to contact a professional data recovery services provider to get their irreplaceable data back from SSD.

Verbatim has not yet revealed pricing or availability for the Verbatim SWOVA128G SSD, but it looks like the new SSD will be released in Japan first. There is no information about if/when it will be sold in the west. ACE Data Recovery team is waiting for this information to appear and is ready to help the SWOVA128G SSD owners with their data recovery needs.