128… 128 gigas in a small USB stick!!! I can still remember those USB keys at 256 MB, 512 MB, then 1 or 2 gigas! Then we climbed pretty quickly to 4, 8 and 16 gigas, while keeping the same size and even for some, further decreasing the size! And all this, in not even 10 years (well, I think, do no research on the precise dates xD)!
128 gigas, in a USB stick, for connoisseurs, it's nothing at all, since there are 256 gigas micro-SD cards… (Nothing but that… and at what cost…) but it's still amazing! (Especially its price!)
When you think about it a little, these 128 gigas in USB stick, it's still half of my current SSD that contains: my Windows 10, 10% overprovisionning, many programs and video games, documents, movies, series, etc… ! In short, it's not nothing!
And still, the features don't stop there for the Lexar Jumpdrive S25 USB stick:
- 128GB capacity
- USB 3.0, retrocompatible
- AES-256-bit encryption
- Windows, OS X and Linux compatible
- 150MB/s in reading
- 60MB/s in writing
The test
The USB stick, all plastic and retractable, measures about 6 cm with the USB head out. About 4.5 cm when completely retracted.
The USB stick comes with a key ring. Except that the USB stick itself is actually designed to be in a pocket with keys: the plastic looks far too fragile (too thin, too light) (even the rim of the USB head is plastic) to withstand shocks over time. In addition, the strap is difficult to set up: the space provided to insert the cord makes an angle of 90 degrees with an additional space vertically, which makes the cord enter on one side, but can not be left on the other side! I spent 5 minutes there to manage to pass it to the other side with a toothpick and to form a loop! Something that should have taken 5 sec….
Because the USB stick is retractable, you can take out the USB head as you wish. The output is easy, even at the limit too easy, because it slides too well, there is no brake. The re-entry of the head is, on the other hand, not as fast: to make the head fit in the USB stick, you have to press the "button" that allows you to get out /enter the USB head. And sometimes it blocks. It has the big advantage that when you insert the key in a USB port, that the head does not fit in the USB stick. On the other hand, because of the overall quality of the USB stick, we have doubts about the longevity of the blockage of the head when it enters: it is a question of level, and that as it is full plastic and very thin, it is natural to think that in the long run , the level difference will erode and after a while, the head of the USB stick will slide without brake or stop either on or off.
Capacity, nothing to say, 128 gigas is huge! You know how to easily put hundreds of movies (of standard weight 700MB), which means hundreds x 1.5 hours of viewing!
In terms of transfer speed, Lexar announced speeds of 150MB/s in reading and 60MB/s in writing. On average, you get 149MbPs and 76MBPs, which is exactly what you're talking about. And these are very decent values in this price range!
In addition, this small USB key comes with EncrypStick Lite software that allows you to create a strong encrypted safe for your data to hide it from prying eyes. (Encrypting in AES 256)
Conclusion
This small key has many advantages: small price, big capacity, retractable, high speeds, with added encryption!
Unfortunately, the full plastic tarnishes the picture a little: it makes the key super light but in return, also makes it fragile.
