The Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth isn’t your average USB drive. Resembling a ruggedized, weatherproofed tube, it houses a 10Gbps NVMe SSD offering significantly faster speeds than standard thumb drives. While it might not compete with larger external 10Gbps SSDs in terms of raw performance, its unique combination of speed and durability makes it a compelling option.
Design and Features of the Corsair Survivor Stealth
The Survivor Stealth is a roughly 3-inch long, corrugated black cylinder about an inch in diameter at its widest points, where soft rubber grips are located at each end. Essentially, it’s a robust metal tube safeguarding a USB drive within. Twisting the end cap with the lanyard hole releases the drive from its protective casing.
Although not officially IP-rated (Ingress Protection), the Survivor Stealth appears highly resistant to water and dust. Testing involved running water over it vigorously, with no moisture penetration into the tube. As an SSD, it’s inherently shock-resistant, surviving multiple drops from 8 feet without issue.
The Corsair Survivor undergoing a water test
While the drive’s durability is impressive, a floating version in brighter colors would enhance visibility and retrieval if dropped in water.
The Corsair Survivor Stealth removed from its protective tube
Featuring a 10Gbps USB 3.0 Type-A connector, the Survivor Stealth utilizes NVMe technology internally, giving it performance closer to external SSDs than typical USB thumb drives.
Pricing and Value
The Survivor Stealth is available in various capacities, ranging from 32GB to 1TB. The 1TB version reviewed costs $155. Other capacities and prices include $20/32GB, $25/64GB, $30/128GB, $55/256GB, and $100/512GB. The value proposition improves significantly with the 128GB model and above.
Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth
For optimal value, the 128GB or larger capacities are recommended unless budget is extremely tight.
Performance Analysis
In synthetic benchmarks with small data sets, the 1TB Survivor Stealth performed well for a 10Gbps thumb drive SSD. However, it lagged behind the SK Hynix Tube T31, the current performance leader among USB thumb drives.
CrystalDiskMark 8 sequential transfer test results
While the Survivor Stealth’s random write speeds were closer to the Tube T31’s, its sustained write performance dropped during a 48GB real-world transfer test, suggesting a limited secondary cache. Despite this, the write speed of approximately 275MBps off cache is still respectable.
CrystalDiskMark 8 random write test results
A 450GB write test saw a similar drop to 275MBps, completing in over 30 minutes. While not ideal, this is still considerably faster than a standard 5Gbps thumb drive.
450GB write test results
48GB transfer test results
Overall, the Survivor Stealth’s performance surpasses average thumb drives and is sufficient for most tasks. Its key strength lies in its ruggedness and weather resistance.
Conclusion
The Corsair Survivor Stealth offers a compelling blend of speed and durability. If you need a robust, weather-resistant USB drive significantly faster than standard 5Gbps options, the Survivor Stealth is a strong contender. If pure performance is your priority, the SK Hynix Tube T31 might be a better choice, albeit at a lower price.
