Integral Memory SlimXpress: One-minute review
Integral Memory may not be a household name in the global storage market but it has carved a niche in the UK one where it caught my attention in 2016 by launching what was then the largest SSD ever, the SVR100 and its enormous 8TB capacity. I’ve got myself the SlimXpress, its latest external SSD. There’s no denying that there’s an air of resemblance between Integral Memory’s metal champion and the Netac Z Slim which we recently reviewed. The one we’re reviewing today however differs on three important points: It is available only in the UK, is much faster and has a shorter warranty. Other than that the solid black aluminum chassis that protects the delicate electronic components, the location of the USB port and the short cables lead me to believe that both Netac and Integral are using the same original design manufacturer (ODM).
The SlimXpress though manages to pull itself ahead of Netac when it comes to pricing and performance, positioning itself as a viable alternative to better established brands, although not by much. Not bigger than a pack of chewing gum (only 106mm x 32mm x 9mm), it offers USB 3.2 Gen 2, which is the highest mainstream speed (USB 4, USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 and Thunderbolt are still very much niche technologies) and I’d wish Integral had bundled a data recovery software or a backup application of some sort.
Integral Memory SlimXpress: Pricing and availability
- How much does it cost? £55.99
- When is it available?
- Where can you get it? It is available in the UK only
As a potential candidate for our best portable SSD buying guide, the SlimXpress loses out on availability as it is a UK-only product. It is available in capacities ranging from 500GB to 4TB; I reviewed the 1TB model.
Integral Memory SlimXpress: Benchmark
On the whole, Integral delivered on the advertised 1.05/1GBps speeds, coming close to 1.1GBps on CDM write and inching into 1GBps territory on write, which is admirable. The drive became warm on extensive use which was expected. I didn’t test the drive with the bundled adaptor but I’d recommend sticking to USB Type-C to enjoy the higher transfer rates.
Integral Memory SlimXpress: Specs
Should I buy the Integral Memory SlimXpress?
Integral Memory SlimXpress alternatives
The Z Slim from Netac looks like a twin brother to the SlimXpress 1TB and is a good 15% cheaper than its rival with a much longer warranty. However, it is also much slower which reduces its appeal. Just bear in mind though that prices change all the time. As I was finishing this review, Netac introduced a 20% discount on the ZX10, a faster version of the Z Slim. The discount brought down its price in line with the Integral SlimXpress but with a much longer warranty.
The Crucial X8 is just a few pounds more expensive and matches Integral’s performance while delivering a much longer warranty. The backing of Micron, one of the world’s largest memory manufacturers, gives it the edge on the SlimXpress
The Crucial X6 is a slower, cheaper and smaller version of the X8 above. It competes with the Z Slim but is one to be considered as well due to its longer warranty and the presence of Micron as the parent brand.
How I tested the Integral Memory SlimXpress
After having formatted the Integral SlimXpress to exFAT, I test it the same way I test other storage components (external HDD, microSD cards etc). I use the latest versions of CrystalDiskMark, Atto, AS SSD and AJA benchmarks, noting the best scores achieved in each. They are all free and can be downloaded by anyone. I then transfer a folder of files, roughly 10GB in size, to get a rough idea of real life performance.
