The perfect SSD for your next spy mission

For decades, films have taught audiences that the difference between a captured spy and a clean getaway often comes down to one thing: whether they can destroy the evidence in time. From Ethan Hunt's messages in Mission Impossible franchise to the USB sticks that villains swallow, smash or torch in countless thrillers, the trope of last-second data destruction has become a cinematic staple. Now, a new portable SSD appears ready to bring some of that movie logic into the real world – minus the smoke and explosions of course.

TeamGroup, a Taiwanese hardware maker, has recently introduced the T-Create Expert P35S, a solid-state drive (SSD) built around a concept rarely seen outside film scripts: physical self-destruction. Instead of relying on encryption or biometric locks, the device includes a dedicated mechanism that permanently damages the storage chips at the press of a button, ensuring the data cannot be recovered by anyone. The company describes the process as an "irreversible deletion of all data," using what it calls a patented destruction circuit.

The real-world version is considerably less dramatic than the gadgets handled by James Bond or Jason Bourne. There is no countdown timer or puff of smoke. The P35S simply wipes itself from the inside out. Because a button with such dramatic consequences invites mishaps, TeamGroup has built in a two-stage sliding switch. Users must push firmly to reveal a red warning marker before pressing even harder to activate the final stage. 

Outside its self-destruct capabilities, the SSD functions like a standard high-speed drive. It supports USB-C 3.2 Gen 2 and weighs just 42 grams. It will be available in capacities from 256GB to 2TB, though TeamGroup has yet to announce pricing or a release date.