Sony 5GB USB MicroVault Pro Portable Hard Drive Review

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When you look for a small hard drive-based keychain drive, don't let size and/or price alone dictate your choice. You want something that's small but also fast (so you don't have to wait), reliable (so it doesn't go kaput when you need it the most), and power-efficient (so it works everywhere).

This last point is very important. This Sony USD5G drive is a 5GB external drive that requires very little power to run and therefore works in all the different USB ports I've tried it on: laptops new and old, desktops, USB 1.0 ports, USB 1.1 ports, and, of course, USB 2.0 ports.

While this is not the tiniest keychain hard disk -- Archos has a 2GB drive that's even smaller and lighter, but the Archos does not work reliably in many, many USB ports. (I'll never buy another Archos again; their products look great on paper but often fail to perform in practice, and their tech support is no help.) A Seagate 5GB drive is small as well, but may not work in some laptop USB ports. Of all the small, keychain hard disks I've tried, the Sony USD5G is the only one that worked all the time, and this is the one I'm keeping.

Speed is fast. Its max transfer rate is 12MB/sec, while in my tests I was able to get, on average, about 10MB/sec with large and small files alike. It's very quiet and stays cool even after extended use, and it features Sony's famous G-shock anti-shock technology.

The USB connector is attached on the drive itself and can swivel 180 degrees. The connector also seems more reliable and confident than the one on the Archos. It'll fit in all sorts of USB ports.

The included software (on the drive itself, taking up about 10MB, which you can delete) can sync documents in folders you specify, and even keep track of the version changes. Pretty cool.

In short, this is the best keychain hard drives out there. It's a bit more expensive, but totally worth the extra for its speed, reliability, power efficiency, and coolness.

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Product Description

SONY USD-5G, MICRO VAULT® PRO 5 GB

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #104133 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Sony
• Model: USD5G
• Dimensions: .31 pounds
• Hard Disk: 5GB

Features

• Plug & Play - No driver software required
• Auto Sync software included. Automatically synchronizes recent document changes so you always have your latest files with you. Archives up to 10 generations of file changes.
• High speed data transfer - maximum 96Mbps (12 MB/sec)
• USB 2.0 and 1.1 compatible 5 gigabyte storage capacity
• Operating System capability: Microsoft Windows XP Professional, XP Home Edition, 2000 Professional & Me

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