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Author Topic: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive  (Read 9859 times)

dluby

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Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« on: April 01, 2014, 06:38 AM »
Hi,

I am looking to get myself a USB 3.0 pen\thumb drive.  Many of the sites I go to don't specify read\write speeds so I was wondering if someone could recommend a 64\GB or 128GB drive that has a balance of read\write speeds versus the cost?

Are there other factors I should consider?

Thanks

MilesAhead

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #1 on: April 01, 2014, 10:24 AM »
I have only purchased one USB 3.0 thumb drive so far.  It's this one:
http://www.newegg.co...Item=N82E16820211573

On the down side there's no way to attach a lanyard or put it on a keychain as is.  The cap does snap onto the back end though.

On the plus side, copying one large file, say 1 GB from HD onto the USB I consistently got 35 MB/s write speed.  The unit has no moving parts.  After months of rugged service(meaning being in my pocket and sustaining my weight, around 200 LBS) the only damage was the end cap that the cap snaps onto, popped off.  A bit of crazy glue would fix it. Now I keep it in my Laptop shoulder bag.  But I think subjecting it nightly to my body mass as I lay on top of it was a fair test.  :)

So I'm assuming this 64 GB model would be similar:
http://www.newegg.co...Item=N82E16820211731

For $33 and change with 64 GB capacity and free shipping(I assume by media mail snail mail : Edit - no doubt limited to the Continental U.S.) I'm tempted to buy it myself.

The 32 GB model I have as a Macrium Reflect WinPE boot USB.  It boots my Windows 8.0 Laptop fine.
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 10:35 AM by MilesAhead »

pl5bnsf

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #2 on: April 01, 2014, 01:01 PM »
Here is one I have been using, I'm very happy with it. http://www.newegg.co...Item=N82E16820171833

It's $66 so it's on the higher price side for 64GB. But it is retractable and and not very wide (handy on crowded laptop USB slots). I keep it in my pocket and I'm way heavier than MilesAhead indicated he weighs  ;D  It's still in great shape now after close to one year. (Me? I need more exercise...)

Here are my CrystalMark scores for it:

           Sequential Read :   192.558 MB/s
          Sequential Write :   168.853 MB/s
         Random Read 512KB :   136.808 MB/s
        Random Write 512KB :     5.353 MB/s
    Random Read 4KB (QD=1) :    10.946 MB/s [  2672.4 IOPS]
   Random Write 4KB (QD=1) :     9.822 MB/s [  2397.9 IOPS]
   Random Read 4KB (QD=32) :     9.689 MB/s [  2365.4 IOPS]
  Random Write 4KB (QD=32) :     4.171 MB/s [  1018.2 IOPS]


MilesAhead

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #3 on: April 01, 2014, 05:29 PM »
I keep it in my pocket and I'm way heavier than MilesAhead indicated he weighs
 What popped the back off mine was body weight directly on the drive due to sleeping outside.  I tried to shift pocket contents out of harm's way.  But once you're asleep all that goes by the wayside.  :)

I guess the corrugated design is pretty rugged.  The connector is still solidly attached.  :)

Edit: btw those are some serious sequential numbers.  My very first USB was a SanDisk.  I think it died after a dozen uses.  The shell was Titanium but the "sliding guts" design was flimsy.  I go for no moving parts now.  Unless I get an irresistible price I go solid body.  Of course it's all what you get.  If none give you a problem then they are rock solid. :)  Tough to predict with these things.  The flimsy bits tend to be out of view.  :(
« Last Edit: April 01, 2014, 05:36 PM by MilesAhead »

Innuendo

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #4 on: April 02, 2014, 07:40 AM »
I'd be careful buying any SanDisk flash drives these days. They had a seriously bad run of drives a while back with lots of people reporting drives showing up DOA or dying inexplicably after a few months. I would definitely make sure they've improved things before buying one.

I can recommend the Patriot Rage XT line of drives. They come in both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 varieties. Both sport a retractable design so you don't have to worry about losing a cap.

dluby

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #5 on: April 02, 2014, 07:41 AM »
MilesAhead - that is great value for the 64GB @ $33. It's a shame they don't ship outside of the US (at least at a reasonable price).

I found it on www.amazon.co.uk for £29 but to delivery to Ireland (it's only across the water) the seller wanted £30!  Go figure.

So to get it in the US would cost $33 and for me to get it delivered from a UK seller via Amazon would cost me $102 - triple the price.

So there you are in the one post I managed to get the $, £ and the €.

Edit - I added a screenshot of the costs from Amazon UK to Ireland
« Last Edit: April 02, 2014, 08:01 AM by dluby »

MilesAhead

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #6 on: April 02, 2014, 10:23 AM »
dluby now I see why it's trouble finding a good deal.  It's terrible how some locations suffer for certain types of tech items or delivery/services.   :o

Vurbal

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #7 on: April 02, 2014, 01:25 PM »
I'd be careful buying any SanDisk flash drives these days. They had a seriously bad run of drives a while back with lots of people reporting drives showing up DOA or dying inexplicably after a few months. I would definitely make sure they've improved things before buying one.

I can recommend the Patriot Rage XT line of drives. They come in both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 varieties. Both sport a retractable design so you don't have to worry about losing a cap.

Yeah I bought one of those drives. I'm pretty sure the problem was/is (don't know if it's still an issue) Sandisk compromising quality to keep their prices competitive. I still swear by SanDisk for high end SD cards but not so much for USB flash drives - at least not the high performance variety.
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nickodemos

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #8 on: April 02, 2014, 06:35 PM »
Here is a site that might help a bit. Many are not of that size. But maybe if more people post it might get larger.

USB Flash Drive Speed Tests - Any Drive Size

Stoic Joker

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2014, 07:00 AM »
I've had a Lexar 32GB Thumb Drive for a year or so. While I've never bothered to check the exact speed specs, it has managed to be fast enough to not piss me off after a year of usage...and that to me is a pretty good test.

Vurbal

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2014, 09:08 AM »
I've had a Lexar 32GB Thumb Drive for a year or so. While I've never bothered to check the exact speed specs, it has managed to be fast enough to not piss me off after a year of usage...and that to me is a pretty good test.

If their thumb drives are anywhere near as fast and reliable (relative to the average) as their SD and CF cards, it would be hard to go wrong with a Lexar.
I learned to say the pledge of allegiance
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Follow the path of the unsafe, independent thinker. Expose your ideas to the danger of controversy. Speak your mind and fear less the label of ''crackpot'' than the stigma of conformity.
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dluby

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2014, 09:22 AM »
Hey Stoic Joker, maybe that can be a new measure of speed for thumb drives.

Stoic Joker Not pissed off = fast
Stoic Joker pissed off = acceptable
Stoic Joker jumping on his thumb drive = slow (and broken)

MilesAhead

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2014, 10:31 AM »
Hey Stoic Joker, maybe that can be a new measure of speed for thumb drives.

Stoic Joker Not pissed off = fast
Stoic Joker pissed off = acceptable
Stoic Joker jumping on his thumb drive = slow (and broken)


Right.  A really snappy drive would have an NPO rating of 10.  Mediocre would be 6.  :)

Stoic Joker

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #13 on: April 03, 2014, 11:47 AM »
Yes, it's horribly unscientific. But I've found in life that frequently if complex testing and calculation is necessary to decide if something is (that much) better ... The answer is generally no.

For thumb drives I look for something from a trustworthy brand with a deep cap (for protection), that is big enough (to do what I want), and cheap enough (to not break me). I once purchased a Corsair TD with a rubber case that was supposed to be "water resistant" because I was starting to take the bike to work more and rain of course is always a factor in Florida.

The problem was that the shallow cap only just covered the plug on the end. So when I shoved it into the watch pocket of my jeans for quick access, the first time I sat down it cleanly snapped the plug off of the internal board...rendering the drive quite useless. My old at the time PNY TD had a deep cap that slid down over the drive about half way. With it in the same watch pocket it would just stab me in the leg when it slipped out of position...instead of snapping in half. I still have the broken Corsair drive on my desk at home to remind myself why that was a stupid idea.

The Lexar has an excellent cap that also allows it to handle getting wet rather well. The data I keep on it is relatively static, but I do occasionally either back it up (which never takes long), or use it to quickly sneaker net an ISO or other large file to/from the office. As life would have it I frequently end up doing these types of things at the last minute, and so am in a bit of a hurry at the time. This is my version of a real world performance test. Will it take a 3GB ISO fast enough for me to get out the door in the next 10-15 minutes..?

Yes = Good Device :Thmbsup:
No = Keep it under 20min and I probably won't smash you with a hammer. :-\
Hell No/30Min+ = Somebody (most likely the device). Is. Going. To. Die!  >:( :onfire:

:D

Innuendo

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2014, 07:40 AM »
Being a techie has its upsides and downsides when it comes to dealing with technology. Because we know how things work, we have infinitely more patience in dealing with technology on a day to day basis and we're really good about staying mellow when the database is slow to update or things on the network are chugging lethargically...because we know what's going on behind the scenes.

However, because we know how things work, we have infinitely less patience in dealing with technology that has no good reason for being slow beyond it being a bad design. We have a tendency to get vocal and make sure all of those around us know exactly what we think of the situation. And woe to the person in purchasing who rubber-stamped an approval on a purchase order for that piece of crap.  ;D

Lutz_

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #15 on: April 06, 2014, 12:08 AM »
The convenience of carrying large amounts of data in a tiny format is enticing and a bit scary.
I assumed to have lost my tiny USB stick a few weeks ago - fortunately false alarm.  
Nevertheless I am looking for a way to keep my data encrypted on the stick an still easily and quickly accessible.
Any ideas?


Sorry: just found this thread, which is still very helpful.
https://www.donation...x.php?topic=21796.25
« Last Edit: April 06, 2014, 01:54 AM by Lutz_ »

Innuendo

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Re: Recommend a 64GB\128GB pendrive
« Reply #16 on: April 06, 2014, 12:59 PM »
TrueCrypt is an excellent way to encrypt your goodies & its a portable installation. Just install it to your USB drive & then make the rest of the empty space a TrueCrypt container. For the truly paranoid, you can create a container inside a container for plausible deniability.

It's a tested, proven, open-source solution. Used with a good, strong password no one unauthorized will be looking at your data anytime soon. Just don't ever forget your password or you won't be looking at your data anytime soon, either.  ;)