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EDGE DISKGO USB 2.0 32GB FLASH DRIVE
Moving files from one
place to another or having frequently-used files on
hand are the killer apps of USB 2.0 thumb drives.
One of the first ones I've ever had was a 32MB unit,
and it held a few Word docs and XLS files I needed
to shuttle between work and home. Now we have
a thumb drive made by Edge Tech, with a capacity
roughly equal to 1024 times that of my 32MB relic -
the DiskGO USB 2.0 32GB Flash Drive.
It's hard to believe but
yes, this little device holds 32GB of data.
That's around 6 DVD movies, one Blu-Ray movie with
plenty of space left over, or 50-plus CDs.
Yes, it's a lot of space but how fast is it?
What else does this device have to offer?
Here are some specs from
the Edge Tech website:
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Size:3"
(L) x .75" (W) x .4" (H)
-
Weight:
Less than .5 oz
-
Security:
Includes CryptArchiver
Lite encryption software
up to 128AES
-
Style:
Sleek, Swivel design
-
Use:-
Plug 'n Play! - no need
to restart
- Hot-Swappable - allows
for quick and easy
insertion and removal!
-
Speed:
Hi-Speed USB 2.0
-
Power:
USB powered - no
external supply needed
-
Extras:
Includes a durable
keychain grommet,
EasyBoot software, and
lanyard
-
Compatibility:
PC & Mac Compatible*
*NOTE: The CryptArchiver
software is PC
compatible only, but the
DiskGO USB Flash Drive
will operate without the
security component on
Mac machines.
-
Support:
Lifetime warranty &
toll-free technical
support
-
Operating Systems:
Windows 98SE, Windows
ME, Windows XP, Windows
2000, Mac O/S 9x and
later, & Linux 2.4x and
later
-
Interface:
Universal Serial Bus
(USB) Port 2.0,
backwards compatible to
USB 1.1
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Data retention:100,000
transfers
Below is a screenshot of
the unit, factory-fresh. Here we see the
CryptArchiver Lite encryption software with up to
128-bit AES capabilities. AES 128-bit
encryption provides very good security just in case the
flash drive is lost or stolen.
Next we test its speed. First, we use HDTach
3.0.1.0, 32MB Zones:
Then HDTach 3.0.1.0, 8MB Zones:
Lastly, we use ATTO Disk Benchmark:
The screenshots clearly show that the Edge Tech 32GB
DiskGO unit is no speed demon. It seems as if
the internal USB controller is capped at 18MB/s
reads. At that rate, it would take
approximately 30 minutes to read the entire 32GB, or
about nearly 6 minutes to read a 6GB file (such as a
DVD ISO rip) from the drive. But the trade off
here is lower cost. Compared to other 32GB USB
2.0 flash drives, the DiskGO is more affordable, up
to $100 less at the time of this writing. In
the end, 32GB is still 32GB. We would buy it
for the massive capacity, not for its speed.
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