SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C

With the introduction of the new Macbook, (starting at $1,299.00 at apple.com) with its single USB-C port, many people have asked for a simple way to transfer data to and from older machines that have the older USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. The SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C is a quick and easy solution.

The Design

The SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C is a double sided flash drive that has a USB-C connector on one side and a USB 3.0

SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C

connector on the other side. The USB 3.0 connector is backward compatible to USB 2.0. The drive has a plastic cover that pivots from the center of the drive to cover the connector not being used but that means one connector is always exposed. It would be nice to see some option available that allows protection for both connectors when the drive is not in use.

The drive is compact and measures 42.76mm (1 3/4”) long, 12.71mm wide (1/2”) and 18.80mm (3/4”) high, so it will easily fit into a pocket. Like most flash drives, this one comes pre-formatted in the common FAT32 format, which may be all you need if you intend to exchange files with Windows based machines. The drive is also easily reformatted to the Mac HFS+ format using Disk Utility. If you have no plans to use this drive with a Windows based machine, we recommend doing the reformat to HFS+ before you start using the drive. Like most USB flash drives, this drive is plug-n-play and needs no drivers or special software. Currently the drive is only available in the 32GB size and comes with a 2-year limited warranty.

The drive has a suggested retail price of $49.99 but is available from Amazon for $38.00 with free shipping.

At that price, which comes to about $1.19 per Gigabyte, this drive is about three times the cost of a more common USB 3.0 drive but that really isn’t a fair comparison since this drive fills a very specific, and important need for Macbook owners.

The Bottom Line

In our opinion, the SanDisk Dual USB Drive Type-C is a must-have addition for anyone who owns a new Macbook with a USB-C port. With 32GB of capacity you’re sure to be able to store and transfer the documents, photos, videos and MP3 files you need. The plastic cover that swivels to protect either of the two ports, as needed, is a nice feature, and while we have some concerns that one connector will always be exposed, we do like the fact that there are no loose plastics caps to worry about, considering how many of those we have lost over the years.

If you liked this article, please consider sharing it with your friends and leaving a comment below.

Also, don’t forget to “Like” us on Facebook and “Follow Us” on Twitter.

APPLE TECH TALK