Customer Reviews

SanDisk Cruzer 4 GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive SDCZ36-004G-A11

5 star:		(44)
4 star:		(17)
3 star:		(10)
2 star:		(8)
1 star:		(10)

 

 

To summarize the reviews of 99% of the other reviewers and my own experience all at once, here is everything the potential buyer needs to know:

* If all you want is the best possible price on a USB flash drive, this is perfect for you. It performs and you can't beat the price per unit of storage (note, however, that WalMart currently carries them for cheaper).

* As others note, there is no way to connect it to a keychain, even though there is a metal post where a metal ring SHOULD be. If you're really desperate and broke, I suppose you could fashion something from a paper clip, but it likely would not be secure.

* Yes, the drive is very flimsy feeling, and I'm not 100% sure I'd even want it banging around next to my keys anyway. I'd also be very wary of it getting wet, because I've actually taken mine apart (trying to get a damn key ring on there without any success) and there's absolutely NOTHING between the tiny circuit board and the elements except the little plastic slider, which as you might imagine would probably not even prevent a fine mist from getting through, let alone a brief exposure to rain as you try to unlock your car (but this wont be an issue because you can't get it on your keychain anyway, remember?).

* Yes, the U3 software can be annoying, but some people might actually like/want to use it. It depends on your intentions, and on whether or not you're able to get it off of there (haven't tried yet, so I can't comment).

* Personally, I had some issues getting it to connect on my computer at first. This COULD have to do with my system/USB ports, but I tried it on multiple ports including the same ports I regularly connect my iPod to, so it very well could be something with the drive.

So, the math is easy. If ALL you want is a USB flash drive for the lowest cost, you really can't go wrong here. If you have strong feelings about additional proprietary software that you might have to bother removing when you use it the first time, then you might want to think twice. If you want something that is durable and sturdy, keep looking. If you want something reasonably weather resistant, keep looking. If you want to carry this on your keychain, keep looking.

This is a great, compact flash drive. I would recommend getting as big of a flash drive as you can reasonably afford- you'll be surprised how useful it is if you are moving between computers. Its far better than dealing a couple of CD/DVD-Rs or file transfers.
I have no need for Sandisks U3 software, so I reformatted the drive. After that, I installed Fedora Live so I can boot from the drive directly into linux. Its the fastest/easiest way to boot into Linux for my needs (student, learning Linux of course). I even had 1GB space left over that's on its own partition that's still FAT32 (the only format recognized by Xbox360). It works marvelously- and then I disconnect the drive and my computer (or any computer) boots into its normal OS.

My one complaint is the physical design of the keyring/lanyard slot/loop. The drive does not include a lanyard or mini-key ring, and the part is SO small that you can't simply attach a normal key ring. Pretty minor, but its something that could have been avoided with a more sensible design.

I have bought countless USB thumb drives over the years, and the brands I prefer are SanDisk and Transcend. After losing many caps, now days I only buy ones with RETRACTABLE USB connector, like this one. This SanDisk 4 Gb Flash Drive is very compact and has a higher quality feel compared to older models. It would be nice if the maker includes a lanyard, so that this tiny thing doesn't get lost too easily, but unfortunately these days it appears that no one maker does this.

After a few weeks of use I can't find any flaws with the 4 Gigabyte Sandisk Cruzer.
The slide works quite smoothly, locks in the extended position firmly and only requires mild pressure to unlock and retract.
The slide lights amber when the USB flash is in use and is easy to see in a well lighted room.
The flash drive is small, light weight, and comfortable to carry in the pocket thanks to the rounded edges of the drive.
The flash drive can be attached to a key chain by adding a 1/4" ring to the slot on bottom of the flash drive. No ring is supplied.
I have had no read/write problems with the flash drive or any other problems.

Ok, so typical teenage boy stuff.....my son forgets his thumb drive in his pocket, it gets washed and dried and I collect it from the bottom of the dryer, thinking there is no way this thing has survived and all his school files are now gone. As, I'm thinking how I'm gonna let him have it, I decide to pop it into my mac and give it a try......what the heck, right? I was shocked when all the files appeared, I clicked on each one, the program application opened each file and showed his saved files, all intact! I think this is the best thumb drive ever - for kids, at least!.....but I'm still gonna let him have it.....

I purchased this drive to replace a previous generation Cruzer 4GB (SDCZ6-4096RB) that I had purchased a few years ago. I have really liked the design, speed, and ease-of-use of the previous version. In many ways, this newer version is like the previous version. They are both the same size, and both utilize a sliding mechanism instead of a cap. The previous version has the model, version, and capacity on the top of the drive. This version only says SanDisk on the top, with the remaining information being labelled less-conveniently on the bottom. Unfortunately, after a few days of use, I noticed the biggest difference between the versions: speed.

When I started using this new drive, I noticed it did not "feel" as fast as my previous generation drive when copying either large or small files. I ran a few tests using a utility called Chkflsh, and imagine my surprise when multiple tests showed that its transfer rates were significantly lower than my old Cruzer.

For example:
Previous Generation Cruzer 4GB (SDCZ6-4096RB) - Read 26.24 MB/s - Write 6.71 MB/s
This generation Cruzer 4GB (SDCZ36-004G) - Read 16.86 MB/s - Write 4.40 MB/s

I realize that, for most people, these differences are not significant, but I wanted to make sure that anyone looking for a direct replacement of a previous generation did not purchase this one and expect the same speed.

I use it for just "Ready boost" in Windows 7 and it stopped working after a month.

I bought this flash drive because I wanted dependable long-term storage and I heard that SanDisk was a good brand and was likely to last a long time. Hopefully that will be true. Since I don't know that yet, my stars apply to my experience with the drive.

When I first inserted the drive into my Windows XP laptop, it installed itself like a normal flash drive, and then installed something else without asking. Then my computer said a reboot was required, which was unwelcome behavior. Other flash drives I have used don't do this. Before I rebooted, a fancy dialog box came up talking about something called "U3" and needing a decision from me. I had to figure out what U3 was before deciding. Maybe it will turn out to be something I want, but this flash drive really makes its presumptuous presence felt.

This is apparently a premium product, but it does not come with a strap, although it has a tiny bar for attaching something. I took a tiny cord that came with a far cheaper flash drive and threaded it around the little bar in the case. Now I can attach a strap to the cord, or put it on a keyring. Having something larger attached to the drive makes it easier to find in a pocket and less likely to get pulled out accidentally. An included usable loop would have been nice.

I bought a couple of these to clear some photos from my computer... it holds plenty for the price! They are great as a backup in case the computer crashes and can be easily tossed into a safe box in the event of some sort of house destruction. The only negative about this specific device is there is no keyring attached... there is a niche to insert something thread-like but that's about it...

I picked up one of these on clearance at BigLots! Normally I'd give it a 5*, but a design flaw frustrates me. It does NOT come with a ring, and the post for attaching one is far too small and not useable. I tried using a small paperclip, curving the end, but the area is too tight and post too small for that to work. None of the small rings I had would work, either. I ended up cutting a 4" piece of green garden tie plastic, curved the thin end, and fed it through the tight opening. Then looped it making a circle, so it can be attached to a ring, keychain, or other. This drive is so small it needs to be hooked to something, bet it's easy to lose. I do love anything SanDisk but the design flaw frustrated me. We'll see next how well it actually works. Inside slider seems a little lose as well. I found the one made by Verbatim to be better, and can take a small ring.