Sandisk Cruzer Micro USB Drive: 4GB and 2GB

The Good: This is a nice jump drive that has a few features that most similar devices don’t have.

The Bad: Sometimes it doesn’t want to eject.

Rating:

• Overall Experience: 9
• Features: 10
• User-Friendliness: 9
• Style: 9
• Quality: 10
• Value: 9
• Total: 9.3

To see how I rate each category please click Rating Breakdown

In The Box:

Sandisk Cruzer Micro 4GB or 2GB

2GB came with Lanyard, 4GB didn’t, don’t know why

Manufacturer’s Website: Sandisk

Review: I own 2 Cruzer Micros. The first is a 2GB that I handed down to my wife since her old jump drive recently failed. The second is my new 4GB. I guess the fact that I was willing to buy a second one tells you how well I like this jump drive.

Overall Experience: Sandisk's Cruzer Micro has been a great addition to my key chain, and my collection of electronics. I store most of my very important files on it including my résumé, work files, and a few pictures that I like to have with me. It has easily been recognized by any computer I have plugged it into.

The only real complaint I have is very small. Sometimes when I try to eject the drive it comes up with a message saying the device cannot be stopped and to see if any programs are still running. I have overcome it with two approaches. The first approach is just waiting for the Cruzer’s light to stop flashing, and then I merely pull it out. As long as the light isn’t flashing there is no activity and it won’t harm the drive. You will get a message the next time you plug it in saying that it was ejected improperly. The second "fix" is that I go into the task manager and end a program called "Winword.exe." I don't know why, but it has always worked, and doesn't do anything to my computer.

To me the Cruzer Micro seems plenty fast, but I don't have other drives to compare it with. For every day use it should be sufficient for most people.

Features: Most USB drives are just standard mass storage devices. The Cruzer Micro is a little different due to a software program loaded on the jump drive. It is called U3, and I really like it. It gives you an icon in the task bar that you can click on to instantly access your Cruzer. It also puts a similar button on your desktop while the drive is plugged in. No more going through "My Computer." When you click on the task bar, it shows a list of programs, and a list of options, and even has an "Eject" button. You can download a lot of programs to use on your Cruzer. They have a pretty extensive list of applications. My favorite is the mobile Firefox web browser. I can save my bookmarks (favorites for Internet Explorer users), and my login/passwords directly on my jump drive. That way if I am on a strange computer I can quickly access the web pages I like to visit. If you do not care for the U3 software, Sandisk offers instructions on how to safely uninstall it to use the drive like a normal jump drive. Right here you can see a snapshot of what the U3 Launchpad looks like:

Another feature I find very useful is a built-in password protection. If someone picks up your drive and plugs it into a computer they won't be able to access your personal files. Keep in mind that if you lose it and have a password protection, people won't be able to find out who to return it to.

User-Friendliness: The Cruzer Micro is very easy to use. As I stated before, it always loads up on new computers without any problem. The U3 software has a quick tutorial and an easy to use interface. The only less user-friendly part is the above mentioned ejecting issue.

Style: You can only get so much style out of a device that is this small, but I like what they have done. It is just a rectangle, but it is small, and has a great retractable USB slot. I like not having a lid to break (been there), or lose (done that). It also has a loop to attach to a keychain; pretty standard on jump drives, but this one is a metal ring attached to a metal bar. It's not going to break like the key fobs for my keyless entry.

Quality: Before purchasing this I was cautioned that because it had a moving part that was made out of plastic, the retractable slot would probably break. After more than a year of ownership of my 2GB drive, I am happy to report that this is not a concern. The retractor shows no signs of breaking or wearing out. It works just as well as when I bought it. Keep in mind that I use these on an almost daily basis, and some of the USB ports I have plugged it into were extremely tight. I think it measures high on quality.

Value: The retail price of these drives looks quite steep. The MSRP on the 4GB is $69.99 and the 2GB is $39.99. Luckily they don't sell for anything near that price. I got both of mine as Black Friday door-busters, so you probably won't find a deal like mine, but the 4GB should be less than $35.00 normally, and maybe cheaper if you find a deal. Expect the 2 GB to be under $25.00. There are various similar models including the Cruzer Titanium, but I haven't used the others. At the real retail prices, these jump drives are a great value, at MSRP, not worth it.

Final Thoughts: The Cruzer Micro is a dependable jump drive with advanced features for those who would use them. I have recommended them consistently to family members, and several now own them. If you want a solid drive, that can be used daily, the Cruzer Micro is a great choice.