Kingston DataTraveler ReadyFlash, ready for ReadyBoost

Anyone who caught our Windows upgrade guide might have caught a glimpse of a new Windows Vista feature Microsoft's quick to tout: ReadyBoost, which allows you to use a USB drive as another layer of performance-boosting cache for Windows. The jury's still out on whether ReadyBoost will actually make a real-world difference (and how ReadyBoost USB devices are any different than regular devices), but Kingston's ready to go with their DataTraveler ReadyFlash, what appears to be a regular 1 or 2GB USB 2.0 drive with a 5/3MBps read/write. No word on price or release yet, but if it goes for much more than what a regular DataTraveler does, forego the new sticker and just buy the vanilla variety -- ReadyBoost is supposed to work with any reasonably speedy USB flash drive.

[James @ Jan 30th 2007 12:12AM]

Just what I've been waiting for!
I've tried using many different memory sticks, none seem to have worked yet, all failed the speed test. Apparently it'll make a big difference on machine with 512mb ram.
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http://www.WindowsVistaUserGuide.com

[Fragger @ Jan 30th 2007 12:25AM]

Woot, even though I shouldn't need it, I wonder how my SanDisk Cruzer Titanium U3 2GB Flash Drive, with its 9MB/s read/write. Should get the higher end of possible performance out of it.

[bob @ Jan 30th 2007 12:28AM]

its $32.99 after $10.00 Mail-In Rebate($4.99 s&h)at newegg

[RichardC @ Jan 30th 2007 1:00AM]

I've tested ReadyBoost on a few systems and it makes a huge difference on systems with less than 2gb ram. On a P4 540 (3.2ghz) with 1gb of PC3200 ram adding a 2GB OCZ Rally USB stick very noticeably sped up system performance. The same was true with 1.5gb. Once the ram was upgraded to 2gb, system performance seemed unaffected by adding the USB stick in ReadyBoost mode.

Also, I've tried a few different USB sticks (an Apacer, Kingmax, and Sandisk) and they all failed the ReadyBoost test, so grabbing any old stick won't do. It's not surprising to see a company touting ReadyBoost compatibility as a feature, and I'm glad to see it. It'll make buying future sticks much easier.

[Lonnie McClure @ Jan 30th 2007 1:52AM]

ActiveWin.com did a test of USB drives ReadyBoost compatibility (http://www.activewin.com/reviews/hardware/memory/vista/readyboost.shtml) and the Apacer Handy Steno HT203 came out on top, not only in overall performance, but also low price.

One of the blogs at ZDNet (http://blogs.zdnet.com/Bott/?p=186) came to a similar conclusion, noting random read speeds were 8067 KB/s and sequential write speeds were a blistering 9396 KB/s.

[Don Wilson @ Jan 30th 2007 1:56AM]

I got a 3-pack of 1GB PNY flash drives for $30 at CompUSA tonight, along with my Vista Ultimate copy =)

[Jacob Magnusson @ Jan 30th 2007 6:55AM]

Could someone explain to me how anyone could want to run their 5/3MB/s sticks as extra ram instead of using virtual memory with their HDDs with at least 50/50MB/s???

[Seth Brundle @ Jan 30th 2007 9:13AM]

I recently installed Vista Ultimate OEM, and my 1GB jumpdrive lightning as readyboost had no effect on bootup times. AFAICT, this is only a bandaid for people with low RAM (this machine has 2GB)

[Seth @ Jan 30th 2007 9:15AM]

I recently installed Vista Ultimate OEM, and my 1GB jumpdrive lightning as readyboost had no effect on bootup times. AFAICT, this is only a bandaid for people with low RAM (this machine has 2GB)

[Chuckles McGee @ Jan 30th 2007 9:23AM]

Readyboost does not add more RAM, it makes the virtual RAM, the paging file, more quickly accessed, since flash drives have near-zero seek time.
So while more RAM here is the obvious answer to a performance boost, no reason to let a cheap option go to waste.

PQI's intelligent stick 220 has some insane (33MB/s) read/write times, and a 2 gig stick is only $40, and one of the smallest drives around. It just makes sense to let Vista use almost all of it until I need to.

[baz @ Jan 30th 2007 12:03PM]

Wouldnt it be bad to have a virtual memory file on a flash drive. They have a limited number of Read/Writes and paging files are very active in read/write depatment. These things could ware out rather quickley.

[Sam @ Jan 30th 2007 12:36PM]

Does anyone know if they have enabled the ReadyBoost feature that allows it to borrow spare RAM from other Vista machines on the network yet? If so, has anyone tried it?

[aidin @ Jan 31st 2007 12:10AM]

hope no one paid much for vista... frys has OEM ultimate for $200

[stoddard @ Feb 1st 2007 4:28PM]

looking for basic inst. on useing temp. memory
sticks? where where do i find it???

[stoddard @ Feb 1st 2007 7:11PM]

looking for basic inst. on useing temp. memory
sticks? where where do i find it???