gdgt

The Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 G2 (32GB) is a whole lot of storage, with speedy USB 3.0 connectivity and a sturdy design.

In our real-world tests, where we transfer data using files of various sizes, the Data Traveler Ultimate 3.0 performs better than expected. Only in the category of combined reading/writing does this stick show a clear weakness.

At $125 for the 32GB version I tested, it’s roughly twice the price of a decent 32GB USB 2.0 flash drive. It’s also about twice the thickness of a standard flash drive, but at over double the write speed and triple the read speed, I can still see it being an attractive option for many people.

It's great to have the speed of USB 3.0, but the DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 is just too chunky to wholeheartedly recommend.

It could be even faster though, much faster in fact, given the combined potential of flash and USB 3.0; maybe we’ll have to wait for the next generation of such devices to truly tap into those possibilities.

Without scaring you away from the Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 we can honestly say it's a close second, but we feel for the same money Patriot is providing a slightly better product.

Given the lowly performance and relatively high cost per gigabyte, this is a drive that's hard to recommend.

In the end, if you don't mind waiting a couple extra seconds on reads and want likely the best warranty out there, the Data Traveler Ultimate should be on your short list. If you are a enthusiast looking for bleeding edge speeds, you probably will want to look elsewhere.