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Thumb Drive

C

cmosdos

2[H]4U
Joined
Aug 26, 2002
Messages
2,075
Man, when are the prices for these things gong to finally start coming down. They've been at the same price for a couple quarters.

I've been wanting to get the 1gb variety and most seem to be in the $370 range. Since that's absolutley way too much to blow, I've been thinking to get a 256mb or 512mb to hold me over. I really prefer one that works well with a keychain and isn't bulky. I know, i know... its a thumb drive. But I've seen bulky ones out there. Is there a speed difference between any of them? Asside from what I've seen in the retail outlets, I don't know much about them. Can anybody recommend a good brand/model etc? I'd prefer to spend less than $100. Thanks!
 
Well, I received a Sony MicroVault 256 MB drive, but it does not work with a keychain out of the box. It only has a hole big enough to support a string.

Also, the microvault has some really shoddy construction. I put it into my pocket and took it to class, nothing really major. I took it out and pulled the cap off, and the whole assembly came out (The PCB and stuff, now I know it uses Samsung chips).

I'd say go with the Lexar thumbdrive or one of those that were tested in this month's Maximum PC. It can survive a dryer cycle and falling from heights and being frozen and such nonsense.
 
Speeds are hard to say. I havn't compared speed differences between any of them. I can reccommend Sandisk Cruzer Mini 256 MB USB 2.0. These things are great, fast, and built solid. It comes with a string and you could also put it on a keychain. The little caps you put over the USB plug, it comes with about four extra in different colors (if that matters). It also has a status light at the butt end of the drive and looks really cool. It's lightweight about 1"1/2 inch long and a few millimeters thick. I bought it for 65 dollars at Office Depot. I got two.

Also Lexar makes some of the sturdiest drives I have seen. My first thumbdrive I bought was the Lexar 128MB JumpDrive. They range upto 512 MB and anything above 256MB IS USB 2.0 (that I have seen) The 128MB version is not USB 2.0 but it fast enough. This thing has been through the washing machine twice, dropped into a mudpuddle and was there for three days before I knew it was gone and is STILL working as we speak :D
 
Wow, I'm gonna look into the those drives. One caution that I have... With it being USB 2.0, will it work on a 1.0 port? Also, I know in xp when you plug it in, it just comes up as a removable drive under my computer. What about other OS compatibility? win98, etc?
 
If you plug it into a non-Hi Speed USB port, Windows will tell you a high speed device is plugged into a non-hi speed port, but yeah, you'll still be able to use it.

They're plug and play with windows 2000/XP, and usually come with a driver disk for WIndows 9x/ME systems. Also, the manufacturer's site should have drivers for Windows 9x/ME for download if you don't have or lose the disk.
 
all usb2.0 devices are backwards compatable to usb1.1

usb drives work with most modern OSes... not 9x or nt4 ... but fine with linux (if setup), bsd (if setup), win2k/xp, or mac
 
Originally posted by karoth
usb drives work with most modern OSes... not 9x
Click to expand...

They won't natively, but most need drivers installed.
 
yea, i always carry a CD to load the drives for my USB drive.... because carrying a big cd doesn't defeat the the purpose of a small drive.
 
you can always carry the little mini cd around. or, the credit card one.

BillLeeLee... you said there was a review of 'em in this month's MaximumPC? I didn't see the info for that anywhere on their site, or the cover of it at the stores. Is it just not advertised and lost somewhere inside? thanks!
 
Hmm, I took a look at the site (sorry, I haven't been to the bookstore/newsstands in a while).

I think it was in the issue with the picture of the Go-L computer on the cover.

It all boiled down to what they could do to the drives (PNY Attache, Lexar drive, and I think the Crucial thumbdrive) to make them lose their data.

They survived wash cycles, being dropped from two stories, being frozen, and I forgot what test they did that killed them all.

Not really a review per se, but more of how reliable the drives would be in some really weird situations.
 
Heh.. sounds like a fun read. The current issue has a big can on the front with the windos xp logo. Must have been last month's issue. The lexar so far looks like the best choice. Seems to be the cheapest too. Thanks!
 
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