At first we would like to thank Toshiba Corporation for offering a sample of their Canvio Slim 2TB External HDD for testing and reviewing.

 

 

 

About Toshiba Storage Products:

 

“Toshiba Electronic Devices & Storage Corporation and its affiliates (Toshiba) supply a wide range of innovative hard disk drive (HDD) products to meet the varied demands of the diversified storage marketplace. Products include high capacity power-efficient storage for Cloud Data Centers, capacity and performance HDDs for Enterprise IT, client HDDs for PC/Desktop, and specialty drives for Surveillance, NAS systems, set-top box video, gaming and external storage. Toshiba aims to continue to advance HDD technologies and innovation to meet and exceed customer requirements across a broad spectrum of storage market segments.”

 

Product Features:

 

Stylish and elegant companion

Up to 2 TB stored in a super slim and lightweight aluminum design, make this drive a stylish and elegant companion for any device, whether it is on your desk or on the move. With several useful features and a three-year product warranty, the Canvio Slim keeps your data well protected. Available in two different colours: silver or black, the Canvio Slim always suits the occasion.

 

High transfer speeds

Powered by USB 3.2 Gen 1 technology, these portable hard drives are much faster than - but still compatible with - USB 2.0 devices, allowing for speedy transfer when organizing your files.

 

Protect your data

Stop unauthorized users from accessing your private information with the included Toshiba Storage Security Software (for download), allowing you to secure your hard drive with a unique password.

 

Automatic backup solution

The included Toshiba Storage Backup Software (for download) comes with an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making the backup of your data a breeze. Simply choose your individual files or folders, intervals and time settings for your backups, and let the software take care of the rest.

 

Three-year warranty

Toshiba design and build quality means we can confidently provide a three-year warranty, to keep your investment protected for longer.

 

Your data in safe hands

With over 50 years of experience in hard drive technology and unrivaled quality standards, Toshiba portable hard drives provide a reliable and secure place for your files, wherever you go.

 

Product Specifications:

 

Basic Specifications

Interface: USB 3.2 Gen 1 (USB 2.0 compatible)

Max. transfer rate: ~ 5.0 Gbps

File system: NTFS (MS Windows)

Power: USB bus power (max. 900mA)

System requirements: Windows® 11 / Windows® 10 / Windows 8.1

Requires reformatting for macOS v12.0.1 / v11.5.2 / v10.15 / v10.14 / v10.13 / v10.12

Warranty: 3 years

 

Features

Backup Software: Toshiba Storage Backup Software (for download)

Password lock software: Toshiba Storage Security Software (for download)

 

Physical

Enclosure: Aluminum casing

Dimensions: 107 × 75 × 12.5 mm

Weight (approx.): max. 149 g

 

The Canvio Slim drive from Toshiba has arrived in a very compact cardboard packaging; on the frontal area we will note the drive capacity, but also some of the main highlights:

 

 

 

On one of the box sides, Toshiba informs the user that this particular product takes part from the Premium series:

 

 

 

The compatibility details are listed on the opposite side, together with the box contents:

 

 

 

Some more details in multiple languages can be spotted on the back:

 

 

 

After unsealing the box, we will note the documentation, but also the main product, which is packaged separately inside a cardboard compartment along with its hardware bundle:

 

 

 

The guide informs the user on how to connect the drive to different devices:

 

 

 

Both cable and Canvio Slim are wrapped in transparent plastic:

 

 

 

For this drive, Toshiba has chosen to use a Micro B connector for the enclosure interface and not USB-A or USB-C which are now more frequently used:

 

 

 

The Canvio Slim comes with aluminum covers on both front and back side, while the inner layer is made of plastic:

 

 

 

A subtle Toshiba logo is embossed to the frontal surface:

 

 

 

When looking from the sides, it is easy to spot the nice color combination between the aluminum layers and the inner plastic surface:

 

 

 

 

 

The USB connector is also visible here:

 

 

 

In the top left corner, we can find the HDD activity LED, which is placed under a transparent plastic layer, in order to drive more light out of the enclosure:

 

 

 

On the bottom of the drive, we will note a large black sticker which does include the list of supported standards, the model code name, power rating, but also its serial number:

 

 

 

By using the included cable, we have connected the drive to our test build:

 

 

 

The HDD activity LED is quite visible during operation, but it is not overly bright:

 

 

 

The testbench was composed from the following hardware:

 

CPU: AMD Ryzen 5600X

CPU Cooler: Deepcool Captain 240 EX RGB AIO

Motherboard: BIOSTAR RACING B550GTA

RAM: Patriot Memory Viper RGB Series DDR4

Video: PowerColor Radeon 5700 8GB

Power Supply: Cooler Master 850W

SSD: Patriot P200 512GB

Case: Cooler Master ATCS 840

 

 

When powered on for the first time, we will see that the Canvio Slim 2TB has been formatted NTFS from the factory:

 

 

With the help of AIDA64, we will be able to extract some more information about the drive, which is a Toshiba MQ04UBD200, with a platter rotation speed of 5400RPM:

 

 

 

On the drive we will find the manual in electronic PDF format, but also links to extra software online:

 

 

 

The external Canvio Slim drive can be used with extra software, available on the website. First we have the Storage Backup software:

 

 

 

A backup plan implies us to select the locations which will be saved on the drive:

 

 

 

Next, we can schedule the backup:

 

 

 

A confirmation screen will be shown before the backup process begins:

 

 

 

The GUI also allows modifying the interface language:

 

 

 

The Storage Security Software will allow the user to protect the data on the drive against unauthorized access. Basically, it will create two partitions, one small which includes the Security Software and the rest being the rest of the drive. The data will be visible only after we authenticate from within the application. We have seen a similar process with USB Flash drives we have reviewed a long time ago:

 

 

 

All data saved to the drive will be erased before this process:

 

 

 

We will have then the ability to specify the unlock password:

 

 

 

 

 

The process will be ready in just a few seconds:

 

 

Each time we disconnect and reconnect the drive, we will be prompted to enter our unlock password, otherwise the other partition will remain encrypted/invisible:

 

 

As with the previous application, a menu for selecting the language is also available:

 

 

CrystalMark

 

AIDA64 Disk Benchmark

 

HD Tach

 

HD Tune

 

PCMark 2005

 

PCMark Vantage

 

The Canvio Slim 2TB is a stylish drive from Toshiba sporting a regular HDD, where you can keep data backup, move it around or use the drive as a storage expansion for a computer which does not have enough integrated. Its performance is in-line with other 2.5’’ 5400RPM drives we have tested before and remains silent while operating. The drive value is enhanced when used with the included backup and encryption software, which is useful when using the product in both home and business environments.

 

The product can be found with two color schemes and in terms of capacity we can choose 1TB or 2TB. The only negative aspect is the choice of going with a Micro-B port on the drive and not the more modern USB-C or even the regular USB-A for more durability.

 

The drive, as tested can be found online for about 70 Euros.

 

Toshiba Canvio Slim 2TB External HDD is Recommended for:

 

 

 

 

We would like to thank again to Toshiba Corporation for making this review possible!