The demand for ultra-mobile storage and the quick development of flash memory during the past few years has led to the high popularity that USB flash drives enjoy today. Flash drives are rarely supplied from companies who manufacture mechanical drives; they are usually built by RAM manufacturers since they are basically flash memory without any moving parts. Perhaps the most reputable RAM manufacturer, Corsair, is no exception as they are one of the first RAM manufacturers which offered USB flash drives and one of the few which designs their drives to be extremely tolerant to abuse. Today we will take a look at their latest, largest and fastest USB 2.0 flash drive, the 8GB Voyager GT.

FEATURES

• Plug & Play functionality in Windows® Vista, XP, 2000, ME, Linux 2.4 and later, Mac OS 9, X and later
• Includes the True Crypt security application allowing for a virtual encrypted drive using AES-256 encryption (bundled version of TrueCrypt is compatible with Windows XP and 2000 only)
• Lanyard and USB extension cable included
• ReadyBoost™ compatible
• Ten year warranty

Packaging and bundle

The Voyager GT comes packed in a plastic package, sealed so that no one can open it without causing visible damage. That kind of packaging is not uncommon for flash drives, as they are very lightweight and hard to be damaged during transport. Corsair designed the package very well, providing enough information concerning the features of the drive, warranty and support information, even a table informing you about how much data (pictures, MP3s, etc) you can store in the drive. Inside the package you will also find an USB extension cable, in case your USB ports are not easily accessible, and a lanyard. We found the lanyard a bit too thick and large for our liking, but it certainly gets the job done. A data encryption software called TrueCrypt is also included inside the drive itself. TrueCrypt is a rather simple, effective and open source data encryption application.

The Drive

Corsair stayed loyal to the tradition which wants the Voyager drives enclosed in a rubber body rather than common plastic. There are no plastic parts about the Voyager GT; even the cap is made out of high strength rubber, the drive is still lightweight but also extremely durable. Aesthetics wise, the design of the black and red drive is good, making the drive appealing while compromising between a serious and sporty look. A common problem with the earlier Voyager drives was the cap, which was easily removed. And since it was also made out of rubber, if it accidentally fell off, you wouldn’t even hear it. We were pleased to see that Corsair worked on that and now the cap is quite firm and highly unlikely to fall off on its own, even when shaking the drive violently.

When installed directly in an USB port, the Voyager GT is barely small enough to allow a tight fit of another USB cable besides or below it. The cable will fit but it will push against the rubber body of the Voyager. Hence, the use of the extension USB cable is highly recommended for installing the flash drive in USB ports which are tight together. There is a single blue LED light on the Voyager GT, which will flash as the drive is accessed.