SanDisk Cruzer Mini 2GB Flash Drive - Product Review

When I first purchased this new flash drive I was a bit skeptical of the quality and construction of the device. Since it is made entirely from plastic, It does seem a bit cheaply made. Although the construction does not seem to be the best, The SanDisk Cruzer Mini does offer features such as a nifty neck strap for easy travel, Two different colored caps for unique customization, A software suite that allows you to access your files and encrypt them, and a two year warranty. The flash drive itself has a very slick and thin design as you may see in the pictures that I have included with this review. I cannot stress enough how important it is that USB flash drives be as thin as possible so that when you plug it into the USB port on your computer or whatever device you choose, It does not use up the space of the other USB ports on that device that you are plugging it in to. The Cruzer Mini also offers what is called "Low Power Support" which means that it does not require power on the device that you are plugging it in to. The low power support makes it a great flash drive for use with USB keyboards and USB hubs. Although this USB drive does not have a write-protect switch, the thin design makes up for this minor flaw. Having a write-protect switch is a feature that some people may look at as a must have feature, But while reviewing the SanDisk Cruzer Mini, I found that it was not that big of a deal.

The green LED on the Cruzer Mini is very visable and flashes when transferring data between the flash drive and the selected device. The LED is very bright and does not use a lot of power, It even turns off when the device is done transferring data from the flash drive to your selected device. The software suite that supports the Cruzer Mini does not come bundled with the flash drive when you purchase it in its original retail packaging. It is available for free download on the SanDisk website which I will note later in this review. The software suite, Which goes by the name of "CruzerLock", is very simple to use and does not require a lot of system resources. The software also offers encrptyion and decryption of files on the flash drive. The Cruzer Mini also has P&P support (Plug and Play), which means that it does not require any special drivers to be installed before you can use the drive.

With all of that said, The SanDisk Cruzer Mini is a very affordable, effective, and stylish USB flash drive. I was able to purchase a 2 Gigabyte drive for around $50 on a internet shop. If you are looking for a USB flash drive that is affordable and relatively easy to use then the SanDisk Cruzer Mini is a great buy for you.