USB flash drives are disposable commodities, but I think I’ve found one that I’m really satisfied with. I’ve been using the Patriot XT 16GB flash drive for the better part of two weeks. The Patriot XT’s case is rubberized, making it easy to grip. It includes a cover, which fits the USB housing as snug as a bug. But the best part about this drive is the file-transfer speed. Copying files to and from Patriot XT is unusually fast for a USB flash drive, especially when compared to my Corsair Voyager (“Slow As Molasses”) 16GB flash drive. I don’t have quantitative numbers, but I’ll add some if there’s interest.
My only wish was that the Patriot XT included a lanyard. Thankfully, it includes a rubberized support ring to add your own.
In summary, the Patriot XT is easily worth the $20. If you’re looking for a rugged, speedy USB flash drive at a decent price, look no further.
-Krishna
Exactly the same flashdrive that’s lived on my keychain for over a year. It’s even fast enough to run a live boot off of.
Try their Supersonic models USB 3.0 http://www.patriotmemory.com/products/index.jsp?source=7&cat=92
Even if all you have is USB 2.0 it will still go twice as fast as a USB 2.0 device. Basically, any USB 3.0 device will go faster on a USB 2.0 port.
yep, when my flash drives die I replace them with patriot XTs. Fast and tough.
The only gripe I have is that they are wider than a lot of thumb drives, so you can’t have anything in an adjacent USB slot.
I picked up one of these bad boys a few months ago to replace my ancient Crucial 128MB drive. It was at the recommendation of a friend who knew someone who had one that survived a trip through the laundry.
I had to drop 5GB on it all at once while doing a backup one evening and it was quick and painless. After having slower devices, it feels good to totally saturate USB 2.0.