Lexar's new Armor 700 8TB SSD offers impressive capacity and speeds, but Apple's lack of USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 support limits performance on Mac devices. The drive features a rugged design with IP66 rating and three-meter drop protection, making it ideal for mobile creatives. It includes a USB-C to USB-C cable with tethered USB-A adapter, though some find the adapter annoying. Performance-wise, the drive delivers up to 2,000MB/s read and write speeds, but Mac users only achieve roughly half that due to Apple's USB 3.2 Gen 2 support limitation. Real-world testing showed just under 1,000MB/s speeds on Mac, with a 100GB file transfer completing in under two minutes. Sustained 1TB write tests averaged 972MB/s with no throttling. Compared to competitors like Glyph and OWC, the Lexar Armor 700 offers excellent value at 8TB capacity, though alternatives using Thunderbolt or USB4 cost significantly more. Despite Apple's limitations, it remains a solid choice for users needing portable high-capacity storage.

The drive uses a Silicon Motion SM2320 controller with SLC NAND cache, performing well even under sustained loads. While Apple's port choices prevent reaching maximum speeds, the Armor 700 still provides good performance for Mac users. Pricing and availability make it competitive against more expensive Thunderbolt options.

For creatives requiring mobility and large storage capacity, the Armor 700 hits a sweet spot despite minor drawbacks like dust attraction and the tethered adapter design.