Pros:
- Sleek, well crafted aluminium chassis
- Retractable USB interface to protect from the elements
- High read/write and data transfer speeds
Cons:
- Slightly too bulky
- Plastic middle section
- Heavy for a flash drive
The 64GB DataTraveler USB is an inexpensive yet very fast pocket data storage unit. Priced at an average of £0.78 per GB and featuring a sleek aluminium outer shell, it’s not hard to tell why it is one of the more appealing choices in the market.
As its namesake suggests the DataTraveler benefits from having USB 3.0 connectivity which allows for much faster data transfer than USB 2.0, but we will get to that in due time.
It doesn’t come with any pre-installed software so there is no clutter, it feels good in the hand and is ready to use as soon as you connect it.
Design & Durability
At first glance the DataTraveler USB looks well built and sturdy but its plastic middle section tarnishes what could be a remarkably durable USB stick.
Over time the middle section could be its major flaw though, because through wear and tear the sliding mechanism could become a problem and stop functioning as intended. It is also slightly bulkier than your average flash drive and so it’s likely to obstruct neighbouring USB ports as you can see in the photo.
When the USB connector is exposed the two portions of aluminium meet and the DataTraveler looks incredibly durable and could probably withstand almost any kind of unintentional impact.
Performance
Kingston claims the 64GB DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 G3 is 8 times faster than USB 2.0 and is capable of speeds of up to 150MB/s read and 70MB/s write when connected to USB 3.0. So, this is how it did when we put it to the test:
Fortunately, you can see that our performance results weren’t far off from Kingston’s own performance claims. With the ability to achieve speeds as high as this (it’s even better than most HDDs) its not farfetched to contemplate the possibility of using it as a OS boot drive.
When connected to a USB 3.0 port you can comfortably move large files such as HD movies in seconds and photos & music in the blink of an eye.
Kingston DataTraveler USB: The Bottom line
Professionals and regular users alike will agree the DataTraveler 3.0 G3 ticks almost all the boxes, and with a capacity of 64GB it has ample storage space and performs like a charm.
Although it’s a portable storage device, you’ll need to be prepared to carry around a little bit more bulk than you’re used to – but the performance and build quality will more than make up for that.
In typical Kingston fashion the DataTraveler comes with 5 years Manufacturers warranty as standard so you can rest assured that it’ll be a worthwhile purchase.
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