Verbatim Store 'n' Go V3 USB Drive (16GB)

Verbatim's Store 'N' Go line of USB drives has grown a little bit larger and more than a little bit faster with the Store 'N' Go V3, a 16GB drive that gets a speed bump, thanks to USB 3.0. It doesn't top other USB 3.0 drives we've reviewed, but if you're used to USB 2.0 speeds, it's a noticeable performance boost. Combine this with one of the most affordable price tags ($20 street for 16GB) and a color selection pulled from a pack of Starbursts, and you've got a decent USB drive.

Design and Features
The Store 'n' Go V3 uses a retractable USB connection, and plastic construction. The visual design takes the same candy-colored hues used in the Verbatim Store 'n' Go Clip-it USB Drive ($22 street, 3.5 stars). The black and green color scheme, called Eucalyptus Green, is nice and the brightly colored slider can also be found in several other colors, with names like Volcanic Orange, Hot Pink, Caribbean Blue, Sunkissed Yellow, Violet and the less exciting Grey. The Store 'n' Go V3 is also available in 32GB and 64GB capacities, but only in grey.

The retractable USB connection means there's no cap to lose, but the sliding mechanism isn't as smooth as it probably should be. The sliding mechanism is stiff, and it doesn't provide much traction for your thumb, meaning that you'll often find yourself opening the drive only part way.

The drive offers 16GB of storage, which translates to 14.4GB of usable space. With no software cluttering the drive, you won't need to clean off anything, and the drive is compatible with both Windows and Mac operating systems thanks to FAT32 formatting. For those who want some additional protection, Verbatim does offer password lock software for the V3, available as a free download through Verbatim's website.

The Verbatim Store 'n' Go V3 is available through several online retailers for about $20, putting the 16GB drive at $1.25 per gigabyte. By comparison, all of the higher capacity competitors are more expensive, with Verbatim's own Store 'n' Go Pro USB Flash Drive (64GB) ($117 street, 4 stars) selling for $1.83 per GB, the rugged rubberized Corsair Flash Voyager GT (32GB) ($64.99 direct, 4 stars) for $2.03 per GB, and the Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 Generation 2 (32GB) ($80 street, 4 stars) sells for $2.35 per GB. Among USB 3.0 flash drives, the Store 'n' Go V3 is the most affordable of the bunch, and Verbatim backs it up with a lifetime warranty on parts and labor.

Performance
The Verbatim Store 'n' Go V3 offered up passable performance in our timed data transfer tests, clocking in with write speeds of 10.7 MBps and read speeds topping out at 79.2 MBps using USB 3.0. While this outpaces USB 2.0 drives by a large margin, it couldn't touch the speed of the leading USB 3.0 drive we've tested, the 32GB Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate 3.0 Generation 2, which had speeds of 61.8 MBps (write) and 99.4 (read). The Corsair Flash Voyager GT also topped it, using USB 3.0 to pump out speeds of 36.7 MBps (write) and 95.6 MBps (read).

Drives with only USB 2.0, however, were left behind even when the V3 was connected through a USB 2.0 port. With USB 2.0, the Verbatim V3 scored 10.2 MBps (write) and 33.6 MBps (read). By comparison, the 16GB Duracell Rugged USB only scored 4.1 MBps (write) and 12.5 MBps (read), while the Editors' Choice Kingston DataTravler Locker+ (8GB) ($18 street, 4 stars) scored 9.7 MBps (write) and 24.0 MBps (read).

When all the factors are accounted for, the Verbatim Store 'n' Go V3 is a mixed bag, but comes up positive overall. The low price per GB, the option of downloadable password protection, and the bright colors available all combine to balance out middling performance. It won't be replacing our Editors' Choice Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ (8GB), but it's still worth a look for straightforward storage with a USB 3.0 boost in speed.

COMPARISON TABLE
Compare the Verbatim Store 'n' Go V3 USB Drive (16GB) with several other flash drives side by side.

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