Seagate launched two new high-performance external SSDs for gamers on the go, the FireCuda Gaming SSD and BarraCuda Fast SSD. Both boast the latest USB-C interface, but, while their ports are common, their performance capability differs greatly.
The fastest of the two, the FireCuda Gaming SSD, is cutting-edge. The company states it is the perfect companion for the recently released FireCuda Gaming Dock. Powered by Seagate’s FireCuda 510, a high-performance NVMe SSD, and coming with a SuperSpeed USB 20Gb/s (USB 3.2 Gen2×2) interface, it can reach top speeds of up to 2 GBps. But, bear in mind that because the FireCuda features an SLC write cache, this high-performance won’t remain so high after you fill the drive with data.
Along with strong performance, it’s got style. It features a chisel metal enclosure and RGB lighting, which you can easily manage with Seagate’s Toolkit software. The device can even sync colors with the FireCuda Gaming Dock, too. It will be available in capacities of 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB in March. MSRPs are $189.99 (500GB), $259.99 (1TB), and $499.99 (2TB) and the drives come with a five-year limited warranty.
Seagate is also launching a new BarraCuda Fast SSD. It is oriented towards mobile gamers and power users. It is slightly smaller, making it a better choice for those on the run. Like the FireCuda Gaming SSD, the BarraCuda Fast SSD features some lighting effect, but instead of RGB, it is a static green light.
It will be available in the same capacities of 500GB, 1TB, and 2TB, too, but offer lower performance at a cheaper price point. Powered by a SATA SSD and USB 3.1 Gen2 Type-C interface, the BarraCuda Fast SSD offers performance figures of up to 540 MBps, putting hard drives to shame. It will be available this February, comes backed by a three-year warranty, and has listed retail MSRPs of $94.99 (500GB), $169.99 (1TB), and $299.99 (2TB).
Additionally, these new SSDs are preformatted with exFAT, and they are both macOS and Windows compatible out of the box. You also get a complimentary subscription to the Adobe Creative Cloud Photography Plan for two months.
