5 Storage Solution Deals: An External HDD, SDHC Cards, Flash Drives, Oh My!
Hey, we know shopping for digital storage might not sound as sexy as shopping for a new iPad or laptop, but what'll you do if your hard drive on those devices crashes? Computer techs far and wide repeatedly tell you to "make a backup copy" and so in that spirit, we're offering five great deals on data storage solutions this week — three of which merit Editors' Choice status. The way we see it, snagging the very latest tablet or gadget can wait at least a little bit. But having safe, solid backup solutions can't wait, whether in flash drive, external drive, or memory card form.
- HP PNY 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive
Vendor: newegg
Price:$22.99 with free shippingEXPIRED
Lowest By: $11Is It Worth It?: Back up big files with this small HP PNY 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive, which features a handy cord. At 32GB ($0.72/GB), it's the ideal storage solution to quickly and easily move large files between computers and is also the least expensive 32GB USB flash drive we've seen without rebate hassles.
- SanDisk 8GB microSDHC Class 4 SDHC Card
Vendor: DailySteals via eBay
Price: $5.99 with free shipping
Lowest By: $7Is It Worth It?: There are no rebate hassles associated with this SanDisk 8GB microSDHC Class 4 Secure Digital High Capacity Card. As an Editors' Choice, you're paying just $0.75 per GB of storage space. SanDisk is a go-to brand for memory cards, and its products are built to last, with an operating shock rating of 2,000Gs, equivalent to a 10-foot drop.
- Wintec 32GB FileMate Professional Class 10 SDHC Card
Vendor: newegg
Price: $25.99 with free shipping
Lowest By: $3Is It Worth It?: The price on this Wintec 32GB FileMate Professional SDHC Class 10 Secure Digital High Capacity Card translates to $0.81/GB, prompting us to bestow the Editors' Choice laurel. An ideal storage solution for serious photographers, and rated a solid 4 out of 5 stars by 28 newegg customers, this is the lowest total price we've ever seen for a 32GB Class 10 SDHC card without rebate hassles.
- A-DATA 64GB Retractable USB Flash Drive
Vendor: eXpansys
Price: $59.99 with free shipping
Lowest By: $9Is It Worth It?: At $60 and $0.94 per GB, this is not the USB drive for everyone, and a fairly expensive loss if you misplace it. But it's absolutely amazing that so much data can be stored in such a small space; just a decade ago, SCSI drives the size of a thick hardback book might store a maximum of 12GB. This is a great gift for photographers, studio musicians, students, or anyone who uses data files that take up tons of room. It features slide retraction of the connector and a loop for attachment to a lanyard or key chain, and will store the rough equivalent of 6,000 songs with room to spare.
- Refurbished Western Digital 1TB FW 800 / USB External Hard Drive
Vendor: Western Digital
Price:$89.99 with free shippingEXPIRED
Lowest By: $50Is It Worth It?: The Western Digital My Book Studio LX 1TB hard drive offers storage at $0.09/GB, and features a high-performance FireWire 800 interface. It also includes a "smart display" that shows the capacity and storage status even when the drive is unplugged. Although formatted for Macs, it can easily be reformatted for a PC. Buy this refurbished product with confidence, as a 6-month Western Digital warranty applies.
Front page photo credit: Grant Leavitt via Flickr
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Somehow I have to doubt that a microSD card could generate enough kinteic energy even in a vacuum, let alone in atmosphere to reach 2,000 Gs on impact.
Maybe if it was INSIDE a device, but on its own? I'm skeptical.