Chic-looking USB flash drive for your mobile device and PC
From Rs. 899, sandisk.in
The heyday of USB flash drives are over, thanks to cloud storage and ample storage on mobile devices. However, USB flash drives still have the advantage of plug-and-play and not rely on factors like an internet connection to access the data on the cloud. SanDisk recently launched their dual drive flash drive that adds up to 1TB of portable storage and allows it to be used with computers and mobile devices that support USB Type-C. But is it worth it? Let’s check it out.
Aesthetics are the last thing one considers while buying a USB flash drive but if that is what you are looking for in a flash drive, SanDisk has it covered. The SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe comes in an all-metal design with a swivelling reversible cover that snaps to reveal the Type-A or the Type-C connector, based on the need. It also features a keyring hole to carry it around in a keychain. The overall design is very premium and while we like it, the all-metal design comes with its share of flaws. For starters, the metal pen drive is prone to scratches, be it from regularly connecting it to a USB port or just by the swivelling cover that leaves a trail after multiple uses. Secondly, the drive gets hot easily considering the metal exterior. The high temperature does not affect performance and the heat is manageable but can concern a few.
We tested out the 128GB variant but SanDisk also sells multiple storage variants starting from 32GB and goes up to a whopping 1TB. The SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Luxe comes pre-formatted with the exFAT file system that ensures out-of-the-box compatibility with a Windows or Mac PC and even Android devices. The USB 3.1 Gen 1 has a read speed of up to 150MB/s and a quick test on CrystalDiskMark confirms the result. The speed will vary depending on the file but the speeds are more or less close to the claimed one.
The drive supports SanDisk’s Memory Zone app, available for free on the Google Play Store. The neatly designed app acts as a file manager that lets you copy or move files from a mobile device’s internal storage to the flash drive. However, during our use, the app in both the OnePlus 8 Pro and the Samsung Galaxy S20+ didn’t detect the drive whereas the phones’ built-in file manager detected it without any issues. The only drawback here is that you cannot automatically backup your files like the SanDisk app.
Nevertheless, the Ultra Dual Drive Luxe is a decent offering from SanDisk. It is your USB flash drive for the PC, and if you want to copy or move content to and from a USB Type-C mobile device, it gets the job done.
RATING 3.5/5
WE’RE IMPRESSED Ease of use, performance
WE’D IMPROVE Scratch-prone design, heats up
THE LAST WORD The Ultra Dual Drive Luxe is an easy way to expand the mobile device storage whenever you want it and acts as a personal backup system without any additional cost or cloud storage.