Subjective Tests

Size

One question that many people ask themselves before buying their first drive is “will this block my other USB ports when plugged in?”

The answer to that question is: No, it will not block any adjacent ports. While many motherboards now come with numerous USB ports on the back most computer cases usually only have 2 on the front. Knowing that you will be able to use both ports on the front is a definitely a good thing to know before buying.

Here is a picture of it installed in the front of a Cooler Master Stacker 830 alongside an Canon Scanner USB plug


Here it is installed in the back plate of a Asus A8N32-SLI Deluxe. Along side it is a RJ45 LAN plug and the USB plug for a Logitech Trackball. Below it is the USB plug for a Logitech G7 and Logitech MX 500. As you can see it doesn’t even block any ports below it.



Pocket Travel

Another factor people take into consideration is how portable is it really? Will it break if I sit on it? Will it become uncomfortable if I leave it in my pants pocket all day?

When you have the ATV in your pocket, you know that its there and this was actually a pro and a con. On the positive side it will be hard to lose, but it is noticeable and does have to be repositioned from time to time for comfort. In other words this is not the kind of drive that will go on your keychain and be forgotten about. It is long and it can dig into your leg, especially if you are wearing small pocketed dress pants.

Overall if it had been just a little shorter it would probably would have been much more comfortable as a “pocket drive”. If you plan on storing the ATV in your purse or glove compartment then its length shouldn’t be an issue.


Lint Collection

No one likes a “dirt collector” and when buying a flash drive many people pause and wonder how clean it will stay after constant use and storage in their pants pocket. This test tries to replicate the long term effects of having it left in your pocket.

By placing the drive & a large quantity of dryer lint in ziplock bag and shaking it, I was quickly able to determine how much pocket lint it would attract. While this is a completely unscientific test it will give you a rough idea of what it will look like after months of day to day storage in a pocket. (Let's all hope you wash your pants more than once every few months. Ed.)

Here is what it looked like after shaking:


As you can see this drives rubber exterior housing is a real lint magnet. Even when photographing the drive one has to be careful to keep everything “lint free” or it will end up on the drive.