W1zzard
10-11-2007, 10:42 PM
[page=Introduction & Packaging]
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/logo.jpg
I would like to thank ATP (http://www.atpinc.com) for supplying the review sample.
From the manufacturer:
Windows® ReadyBoost™ Compatible - All ATP USB drives are enhanced for use with Windows® ReadyBoost™
Tough & Highly Durable: Tough Synthetic Polymer Housing for shock absorption and water resistance.
High data transfer rate: Up to 30 MB/s data transfer speed! Speed up file transfers and multimedia streaming.
Extremely Portable: Compact design for convenient storage and mobility.
Compatibility: No driver needed for Windows 2000 / ME / XP, Mac. OS 8.6 or above , Linux Kernel 2.4.0 or above.
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package2.jpg)
ATP's ToughDrive Mini is packaged in a blister pack which can be easily opened and closed, there is no permanent seal. Overall I find the package a bit dull and lacking some eye catchers. The back goes into detail about the features found on the USB stick.
[page=A Closer Look]
A Closer Look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/size_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/size.jpg)
When placed on a CD, it is easy to get a feel for the dimensions of the Tough Drive Mini. The stick is neither tiny nor overly big.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick3.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick5_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick5.jpg)
The USB stick uses a soft rubber shell which can absorb some shock and isn't prone to scratching. As material for the cap rubber is used as well. You can remove the cap easily and it holds sufficiently well.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick4_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick4.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick6_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick6.jpg)
On one side you find an activity LED and next to it a specification of the capacity - 2 GB in our case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick2.jpg)
A hook is included to attach the USB stick to your keychain. It goes through the hole on the back of the stick easily and makes a solid connection.
[page=Software]
Software
ATP includes a small security application which can divide the USB stick into a public and a private partition. Access to the private partition is restricted by a password. Initially the device ships with only a public partition and the security application is stored there. When you change the partition layout the whole USB stick will be erased, but after that the security application will be automatically copied back to the stick.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen1.jpg)
The first screen is used to "log in" to the drive's private partition. After entering the correct password, the application will switch the drive's current drive letter to access the private partition. At this time you can't access the public partition because its drive letter is used.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen2.jpg)
On the second page you can change the password and create a password hint.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen3.jpg)
The third screen "Partition" lets you adjust how much space you use for the public and the private partition. If you don't want to use the security feature, just set Security Disk Size to 0 MB, which is the shipping configuration.
When I tried to use ATP's software on another USB stick it worked perfectly fine. I also spent a couple of minutes trying to access data from the secure partition without entering the password and could not get to it. The software "shrinks" the drive size, so even when you read directly from the physical medium you can not get to the data. However, it is certainly possible to adjust the disk size back to the full medium size to access the data. So, while the included software does offer some sort of protection, please do not store your top secret rocket launch codes there.
[page=Trying to break it]
Build Quality
When someone advertises a USB stick as "Rugged and Waterproof" it starts itching in my fingers to find out where the limitations of the product are. I put a few files on the stick and started a few experiments. Please don't try this at home. We are what you call experts with years of experience to keep us safe. I always wanted to say that.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/frozen_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/frozen.jpg)
First the stick was put into the freezer in a glass of water. Unfortunately the ice wasn't as clear as I hoped so I had to break the ice off to give you a better view of the USB stick. Actually the wet ice block slipped out of my hands when I thought "How do I make the USB stick inside the ice visible?". After melting off some more ice to reveal the connector I attached it to the PC and verified data integrity. Check, all files are ok.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/boiling_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/boiling.jpg)
In the meantime I had setup some boiling water and dropped the still partially iced USB stick into it. The ice melted in no time and the water started boiling. I let the USB stick sit there for a few minutes to ensure that it is well heated on the inside too. After carefully removing it, the files on it were tested again - still everything was fine.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking2.jpg)
As third test I put the stick into a small oven in which I crisp up my bread. First I was afraid that the plastic may melt, but it didn't, even after several minutes in the heat. After removing the USB stick I measured its temperature using an infrared thermometer - 150°C. Inside it was probably even hotter since I took it out where it could cool a bit. However, the data was still valid on the stick.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hammer_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hammer.jpg)
Last but not least, meet: the Executioner. This nice 1.5kg hammer was left to me by my grandpa. As you can see it has been well used over the years. Let's see how the ATP Tough Drive can handle that.
<iframe src="http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/video.html" width="580" height="460" frameborder="no"></iframe>
Click play to start the video
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/post_hammer_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/post_hammer.jpg)
The only visible damage is that the connector metal is bent in a bit, but this can be easily fixed with a flat tip screwdriver.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/ouch.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/ouch2.gif
Unfortunately the drive data was corrupted when I tried reading from it. Reformatting did not work either. I did test the drive after the first series of hammer smashes and then it still worked. After seeing the video Dan the Banjoman (one of our moderators) wasn't happy with the carnage and requested that I go full out. So it is safe to say that the drive will be able to absorb some damage, but at some point it will break.
What I will not try is putting it into a microwave which will definitely destroy it. Also cutting the rubber with a knife will damage it too.
[page=Performance]
Performance
We used the following devices for our comparison:
A-Data Football Disk 512 MB
A-Data MyFlash PD7 1 GB
A-Data PD17 Flash Drive 1 GB
A-Data PD18 Flash Drive 2 GB
A-Data Pirates Flash Drive 2 GB
A-Data RB19 Flash Drive 1 GB
ATP ToughDrive_Mini 2 GB
ATP ToughDrive 2 GB
Corsair Flash Voyager 512 MB
Generic Stick USB 1.1 256 MB
OCZ Mini Kart 1 GB
OCZ Rally 1 GB
OCZ Roadster 1 GB
PQI Intelligent Drive i810 1 GB
PQI Travelling Disk i221 1 GB
Sandisk Cruzer Micro 2 GB
Sandisk Cruzer Titanium 512 MB
Super DH Series 200x 1 GB
Super Talent RBST 1 GB
Thermaltake MUSE external HDD enclosure
Verbatim Store'n'Go Pro 2 GB
For the record, we tested the drive before we tried to break it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hdtach_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hdtach.jpg)
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/graph1.gif
Very impressive, the ToughDrive Mini can claim the number one read bandwidth spot of our test group.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/graph2.gif
Access time is an important feature for Windows Vista ReadyBoost. The Toughdrive shines here too with an access time of 0.4 ms which is the lowest recorded in our testing.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/atto.jpg
Like with all drives, performance gets better, the bigger the data chunks are. Also common to all USB sticks is that writes are slower than reads. Optimum file size is 64KB or bigger for maximum performance. In daily use you will almost never see files smaller than 64KB.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The ATP ToughDrive Mini 2 GB goes for around $40, double the price of a generic noname 2 GB USB stick.
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Excellent performance
Rugged
Supports Vista ReadyBoost
Security Software included
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
High price
Rubber shell may not appeal to everyone
Cap can be lost when heavily abused
</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.6</th>
<td>ATP's Tough Drive Mini is a great USB stick that is designed to last. When we tried to break it, it didn't take a sweat and held our data safely. Not only is the stick rugged it also offers excellent performance in both bandwidth and access time making this a great choice for Windows Vista ReadyBoost.<br />
The price of $50 seems to be justified but it is high if you compare it to a noname product. Even when you assume that you will break a cheap stick some time, it should be cheap enough so that you can get a new one and still stay within the price range of the ToughDrive. However, if your data is important and you can't afford to lose it the Tough Drive Mini from ATP is certainly the better choice.</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/editorschoice.gif</td></tr>
</table>
Introduction
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/logo.jpg
I would like to thank ATP (http://www.atpinc.com) for supplying the review sample.
From the manufacturer:
Windows® ReadyBoost™ Compatible - All ATP USB drives are enhanced for use with Windows® ReadyBoost™
Tough & Highly Durable: Tough Synthetic Polymer Housing for shock absorption and water resistance.
High data transfer rate: Up to 30 MB/s data transfer speed! Speed up file transfers and multimedia streaming.
Extremely Portable: Compact design for convenient storage and mobility.
Compatibility: No driver needed for Windows 2000 / ME / XP, Mac. OS 8.6 or above , Linux Kernel 2.4.0 or above.
Packaging
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/package2.jpg)
ATP's ToughDrive Mini is packaged in a blister pack which can be easily opened and closed, there is no permanent seal. Overall I find the package a bit dull and lacking some eye catchers. The back goes into detail about the features found on the USB stick.
[page=A Closer Look]
A Closer Look
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/size_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/size.jpg)
When placed on a CD, it is easy to get a feel for the dimensions of the Tough Drive Mini. The stick is neither tiny nor overly big.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick3.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick5_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick5.jpg)
The USB stick uses a soft rubber shell which can absorb some shock and isn't prone to scratching. As material for the cap rubber is used as well. You can remove the cap easily and it holds sufficiently well.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick4_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick4.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick6_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick6.jpg)
On one side you find an activity LED and next to it a specification of the capacity - 2 GB in our case.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick1.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/stick2.jpg)
A hook is included to attach the USB stick to your keychain. It goes through the hole on the back of the stick easily and makes a solid connection.
[page=Software]
Software
ATP includes a small security application which can divide the USB stick into a public and a private partition. Access to the private partition is restricted by a password. Initially the device ships with only a public partition and the security application is stored there. When you change the partition layout the whole USB stick will be erased, but after that the security application will be automatically copied back to the stick.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen1_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen1.jpg)
The first screen is used to "log in" to the drive's private partition. After entering the correct password, the application will switch the drive's current drive letter to access the private partition. At this time you can't access the public partition because its drive letter is used.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen2.jpg)
On the second page you can change the password and create a password hint.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen3_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/screen3.jpg)
The third screen "Partition" lets you adjust how much space you use for the public and the private partition. If you don't want to use the security feature, just set Security Disk Size to 0 MB, which is the shipping configuration.
When I tried to use ATP's software on another USB stick it worked perfectly fine. I also spent a couple of minutes trying to access data from the secure partition without entering the password and could not get to it. The software "shrinks" the drive size, so even when you read directly from the physical medium you can not get to the data. However, it is certainly possible to adjust the disk size back to the full medium size to access the data. So, while the included software does offer some sort of protection, please do not store your top secret rocket launch codes there.
[page=Trying to break it]
Build Quality
When someone advertises a USB stick as "Rugged and Waterproof" it starts itching in my fingers to find out where the limitations of the product are. I put a few files on the stick and started a few experiments. Please don't try this at home. We are what you call experts with years of experience to keep us safe. I always wanted to say that.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/frozen_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/frozen.jpg)
First the stick was put into the freezer in a glass of water. Unfortunately the ice wasn't as clear as I hoped so I had to break the ice off to give you a better view of the USB stick. Actually the wet ice block slipped out of my hands when I thought "How do I make the USB stick inside the ice visible?". After melting off some more ice to reveal the connector I attached it to the PC and verified data integrity. Check, all files are ok.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/boiling_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/boiling.jpg)
In the meantime I had setup some boiling water and dropped the still partially iced USB stick into it. The ice melted in no time and the water started boiling. I let the USB stick sit there for a few minutes to ensure that it is well heated on the inside too. After carefully removing it, the files on it were tested again - still everything was fine.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking.jpg) http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking2_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/baking2.jpg)
As third test I put the stick into a small oven in which I crisp up my bread. First I was afraid that the plastic may melt, but it didn't, even after several minutes in the heat. After removing the USB stick I measured its temperature using an infrared thermometer - 150°C. Inside it was probably even hotter since I took it out where it could cool a bit. However, the data was still valid on the stick.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hammer_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hammer.jpg)
Last but not least, meet: the Executioner. This nice 1.5kg hammer was left to me by my grandpa. As you can see it has been well used over the years. Let's see how the ATP Tough Drive can handle that.
<iframe src="http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/video.html" width="580" height="460" frameborder="no"></iframe>
Click play to start the video
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/post_hammer_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/post_hammer.jpg)
The only visible damage is that the connector metal is bent in a bit, but this can be easily fixed with a flat tip screwdriver.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/ouch.gif http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/ouch2.gif
Unfortunately the drive data was corrupted when I tried reading from it. Reformatting did not work either. I did test the drive after the first series of hammer smashes and then it still worked. After seeing the video Dan the Banjoman (one of our moderators) wasn't happy with the carnage and requested that I go full out. So it is safe to say that the drive will be able to absorb some damage, but at some point it will break.
What I will not try is putting it into a microwave which will definitely destroy it. Also cutting the rubber with a knife will damage it too.
[page=Performance]
Performance
We used the following devices for our comparison:
A-Data Football Disk 512 MB
A-Data MyFlash PD7 1 GB
A-Data PD17 Flash Drive 1 GB
A-Data PD18 Flash Drive 2 GB
A-Data Pirates Flash Drive 2 GB
A-Data RB19 Flash Drive 1 GB
ATP ToughDrive_Mini 2 GB
ATP ToughDrive 2 GB
Corsair Flash Voyager 512 MB
Generic Stick USB 1.1 256 MB
OCZ Mini Kart 1 GB
OCZ Rally 1 GB
OCZ Roadster 1 GB
PQI Intelligent Drive i810 1 GB
PQI Travelling Disk i221 1 GB
Sandisk Cruzer Micro 2 GB
Sandisk Cruzer Titanium 512 MB
Super DH Series 200x 1 GB
Super Talent RBST 1 GB
Thermaltake MUSE external HDD enclosure
Verbatim Store'n'Go Pro 2 GB
For the record, we tested the drive before we tried to break it.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hdtach_small.jpg (http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/hdtach.jpg)
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/graph1.gif
Very impressive, the ToughDrive Mini can claim the number one read bandwidth spot of our test group.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/graph2.gif
Access time is an important feature for Windows Vista ReadyBoost. The Toughdrive shines here too with an access time of 0.4 ms which is the lowest recorded in our testing.
http://www.techpowerup.com/reviews/ATP/ToughDrive_Mini/images/atto.jpg
Like with all drives, performance gets better, the bigger the data chunks are. Also common to all USB sticks is that writes are slower than reads. Optimum file size is 64KB or bigger for maximum performance. In daily use you will almost never see files smaller than 64KB.
[page=Value & Conclusion]
Value and Conclusion
<table width="100%" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" id="result">
<tr><th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/dollar.gif</th>
<td>
The ATP ToughDrive Mini 2 GB goes for around $40, double the price of a generic noname 2 GB USB stick.
</tr><tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbup.gif</th>
<td>
Excellent performance
Rugged
Supports Vista ReadyBoost
Security Software included
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<th>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/thumbdown.gif</th>
<td>
High price
Rubber shell may not appeal to everyone
Cap can be lost when heavily abused
</td></tr>
<tr><th>9.6</th>
<td>ATP's Tough Drive Mini is a great USB stick that is designed to last. When we tried to break it, it didn't take a sweat and held our data safely. Not only is the stick rugged it also offers excellent performance in both bandwidth and access time making this a great choice for Windows Vista ReadyBoost.<br />
The price of $50 seems to be justified but it is high if you compare it to a noname product. Even when you assume that you will break a cheap stick some time, it should be cheap enough so that you can get a new one and still stay within the price range of the ToughDrive. However, if your data is important and you can't afford to lose it the Tough Drive Mini from ATP is certainly the better choice.</td></tr>
<tr><th></th><td>http://www.techpowerup.com/images/editorschoice.gif</td></tr>
</table>