Review: USB Drives - Part 2
Ian Waugh looks at USB flash drives - the good, the bad and the beautiful. Part 2
In USB Drives Part 1 we ran through the features you'll find on modern USB flash drives. In this final part we take a close look at four drives, each offering a different range of features and facilities.
| Product | Ultra Cruzer Titanium |
|---|---|
| Company | SanDisk |
| Web | www.sandisk.co.uk |
| Price | 4Gb £17.99 8Gb £28.99 |
| We like | Fast, robust, U3 Launcher |
| We don't like | Not much |
| Rating | 9/10 |
| Requirements |
The claimed read/write speeds are 15/9MB/s but our three test programs surprisingly averaged 29/15MB/s so either all our test programs are out of whack or SanDisk has upped the specs since the packaging was printed!
The case is described as crush resistant and would certainly withstand being stood on and possibly being run over by a car although we didn't test that! The connector pushes out from the case and clicks into place so there's no need for a cap. There's also a loop and a ring on the case and we suspect, if stressed, the ring would beak before the case.
The drive includes software which can be password-protected and it includes the U3 Launcher.
In all, this is a fast, robust and solid drive with the extra functionality of U3 if you need it.
| Product | Extreme Contour |
|---|---|
| Company | SanDisk |
| Web | www.sandisk.co.uk |
| Price | 4Gb £20.99
8Gb £32.99 16Gb £54.99 32Gb £103.99 |
| We like | Very fast, very sturdy, U3 Launcher |
| We don't like | A little more expensive, width might make it difficult to insert other devices in adjacent USB slot |
| Rating | 8/10 |
| Requirements |
If the Ultra Cruzer Titanium is robust, the Extreme Contour is industrial strength. It's housed in a metal case although the connector is pushed out and retracted by a plastic sheath which doesn't look so robust. Metal side up, it looks like it could withstand trampling by a rush hour crowd (again, not something we put to the test) but perhaps not if the plastic side was uppermost. Still, a very sturdy design which should withstand normal rigours.
There's no loop to attach it to anything although, in truth, given its size, you probably wouldn't want to.
The stated read/write speeds are 25/18MB/s and we measured 24/20MB/s so we're all pretty close there. The drive also has the U3 Launcher, oddly with more 'built in' programs than the Titanium but, again, you can download hundreds from the web.
The only problem we had with the Extreme Contour was related to its width. On systems with two USB sockets side by side, the width made it difficult to use the adjacent socket. There was no problem with two slots one on top of each other.
That apart, this is the fastest USB flash drive in our round-up and very solidly built.
| Product | Micro Attaché City Series |
|---|---|
| Company | PNY |
| Web | www.pny.eu |
| Price | 2Gb £7.70
4Gb £12.00 8Gb £19.49 16Gb £33.35 |
| We like | Small, attractive, very affordable |
| We don't like | Not as fast as some drives, no preinstalled software |
| Rating | 8/10 |
| Requirements |
This is the smallest drive we looked at. There's a cityscape design on one side and it's available in blue and pink. It has a loop and comes with a separate, short length of cord with a clasp at one end so you could wear it as a pendant. If you were so inclined. However, given its small size you would probably want to attach the cord to the drive at the very least just to give it a bit more 'size'.
The drive itself swivels out of the casing. The case is metal and appears very robust although if the drive has been swivelled or half swivelled out, standing on it may well cause damage, particularly as the USB contacts are exposed. It's supposed to be water resistant but we couldn't advise dipping it into the washing up or wearing it in the rain.
The claimed read/write speed is 25/10MB/s and we measured 22.5/7MB/s so that's close. There's no preinstalled software and perhaps that's reflected in the price which is around two-thirds that of the other drives.
The drive works extremely well and unless you need a fast write speed, it's more than adequate for transporting files - and for making a fashion statement - and at a good price.
| Product | USB Card Wallet |
|---|---|
| Company | Freecom |
| Web | www.freecom.com |
| Price | 1Gb £12.99 2Gb £17.99 4Gb £21.99 8Gb £34.99 |
| We like | Credit card sized, pre-installed software |
| We don't like | Slight price premium for design, wallet could be restrictive in certain situations |
| Rating | 8/10 |
| Requirements |
This is a really neat idea - a USB flash drive the size of a credit card so you can carry it around in your wallet or purse - makes it harder to forget. It's a little thicker than a credit card where the connector sits, but it's only 2mm, and it does, indeed, fit neatly into a credit card pouch.
The 'card' part of the drive is plastic and the drive, also plastic, pushes out from it like a cut-out. It remains attached to the card, though, by a strip of rubber which is very flexible. This could possibly be a problem if the area around the USB socket was restricted but we had no problems plugging it into several devices although some were a little fiddly.
The claimed read/write speed is 8/7MB/s although three benchmark programs we tried begged to differ and reported 17/5MB/s. So, a fast reader.
The drive comes with Carry It Easy software which features password protection and synchronisation. It's preinstalled and does not require additional driver installation. Nice.
If you're prone to forgetting your USB drives, this should help ensure you take it with you wherever you take your wallet or purse. Definitely one of our favourites.
Conclusion
Now that USB drives have come of age, you can look for additional features and functionality before making a choice. There's not a one-size-fits-all solution.
Whether you need speed, ruggedness, the independence of running files from the drive itself, or a drive that you're least likely to lose, there is a USB drive to suit you perfectly.
