Corsair launches 16GB Flash Voyager drive

Looks like pirate-loving Corsair is the latest to join the 16GB club, bumping up its trademark Flash Voyager thumb drive to that magical number while still keeping the physical size of the drive in line with earlier models. While it gets a boost in storage (though we're sure it still won't be enough for some), this latest USB drive does take a slight hit in performance compared to some of the company's leaner options, garnering a 22MB/sec read time and 7MB/sec write time. Also, as with other Flash Voyager models, the drive comes equipped with Corsair's "True Crypt" security measures, and has an all-rubber casing and "water-resistant properties" -- all the better for pirates moonlighting as graphic designers, we suppose. This one's available now for $299, which includes a ten year warranty and a stylish lanyard.

[Via The Inquirer]

[Chris Lagodzinska @ Dec 12th 2006 2:59PM]

thats sexy.....but what would you really need 16gb for? i mean..i guess if you're super paranoid and never want to leave your music laying around or something..

[Tech^Cellfish @ Dec 12th 2006 5:29PM]

OS on a thumbdrive :)

[snowglyder @ Dec 12th 2006 3:07PM]

I couldn't imagine the time it would take to write 16GB at only 7MB/s.

[Ryan @ Dec 12th 2006 4:50PM]

16000MB/s / 7MB = 2285.714 seconds

2285.714 sec/60 sec per min = 38.1 minutes

Not great, but it could be worse

BTW, I have an 8GB FV, very nice Flash drive. Oddly when I received it it only had a max write speed of a pathetic 400kb/s, but after I ran HD Tach on it, it was fixed. And its pretty fast too. Still, I could go for 16GBs (Readyboost maybe?)

[Porkchop Flavored Cupcake @ Dec 12th 2006 3:08PM]

I don't see a vista ready sticker on it. No deal.

[Bizam! @ Dec 12th 2006 3:14PM]

Exactly 38 minutes to write 16GB at 7 MB/S...ehhh.

[msi @ Dec 12th 2006 3:20PM]

Does it come with an eye-patch and sword? If so I'm in.

[Crazylink @ Dec 12th 2006 3:22PM]

I got a 2 gig one from Newegg and it crapped ou pretty fast.

[shirizaki @ Dec 12th 2006 3:26PM]

I'm getting a 2GB soon, just to hold Misc. files and junk stuff. Mostly I use my 1GB drive right now when I don't want to burn something to CD. If I had an external drive that would be a different story.

[Gil @ Dec 12th 2006 3:45PM]

Got a 4Gig one two months ago. It's great. Only people I've seen complain about them were the ones that got them from Newegg

[Faisal @ Dec 12th 2006 4:08PM]

heh....I just use my 30GB iPod as an external hard drive to xfer files :)

[GJP303 @ Dec 12th 2006 4:43PM]

yep same here, i use my Creative Zen vision M. It works as a portable HD rite out of the box. Plus, then you can have a two in one device instead of hauling around an mp3 and a flash drive.

[Tommy Hunsaker @ Dec 12th 2006 5:51PM]

Well you don't exactly "haul" a device like a thumb drive, though you would need to "haul" an ipod, cable, and headphones (that is IF you actually listen to music on the device), it is a considerable amount bulkier. I'd just get a real portable drive enclosure and hard drive from Fry's for less than half the price and triple the size of an ipod (in both physical size and storage space). The convenience of the ipod/mass storage device, is lost without the cable, this is where the Zune should step in, a wireless mass storage device would be awesome, maybe even enough to warrant buying a zune.

Disclaimer: ipod is being used as a generic term, not to start a flame war. I actually own an 8GB black nano, so I don't/wouldn't bother using it for storage considering its small amount of free space. I also have a 1GB corsair drive which has worked very for me and found its place with my nano in the same pocket.

Wow...that got long, sorry, I don't post often, and now you know why.

[par @ Dec 12th 2006 4:35PM]

I still use my 3.25" floppy.

[Aaron @ Dec 12th 2006 5:55PM]

So why aren't we seeing any flash PMPs over 8gb?

[Jagr @ Dec 12th 2006 7:05PM]

It might be time to give the ol' zip disks a rest.

[Juaquin @ Dec 12th 2006 7:02PM]

Sounds great, but can they get rid of the horrid styling already?

[wtf @ Dec 12th 2006 9:48PM]

when harddrives were 1500mb, someone asked how would u ever need 10gb of hdd space?

[sha93 @ Dec 13th 2006 1:41AM]

What I want to see is the 32gb nano...

[Jake @ Dec 14th 2006 12:40PM]

now if only they weren't so goddammed FUGLY...