IBM Microdrive
Written: May 22 '02
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Very small size that packs a lot of memory for digital photos.
Cons: Altitude problem, battery drainer, slower than static memory.
The Bottom Line: Don't make the mistake - quarter sized hard drives can fail, just as easily as the larger hard drives running in your PC.
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| anthwo's Full Review: IBM MicroDrive |
INTRODUCTION
I own a 340MB IBM Microdrive for about 3 years now, and so far it had served me well. It seems like I could go on and on taking lots of high resolution photos without any fear of running out of memory anytime. The only limitation is the battery life, as it seems to drain the batteries faster than when I used a static flash card.
PERFORMANCE
My first digital camera came with the 340MB Microdrive and 1 32MB static flash card bundled in the package. I noticed the slight dimensional differences between the 2 - the static memory seemed to be slightly thinner than the Microdrive. However the camera was compatible with both CFI and CFII drive formats.
I was quick to abandon the smaller memory card, due to capacity limitation. I quickly liked the IBM Microdrive and used it as my main workhorse because it seems to have heaps of memory without running out. I could just go on and on shooting without fear. I thought the Microdrive was quite a cool invention by IBM, and set my sights on the new 1GB drive. Fortunately for me I was waiting for the price to drop because 1GB was still very expensive then.
When I have waited long enough, I learned from others the alleged disadvantages of the IBM, which was not mentioned in the manual. The main disappointment is the drive is not designed to work at very high altitudes, as it could cause drive damage and irrecoverable data loss. This supposedly had something to do with the internal mechanics of the drive - something to do with using the external air pressure to provide "air bearings" to support the mechanism. At altitudes higher than 10,000 ft as I understood, the atmospheric pressure is lower and air is thinner, so the drive will not work properly due to loss of "bearings".
Although I seldom venture to very high altitudes, this news was enough to damage my confidence in the Microdrive. The following disadvantages are also added to my list:
DISADVANTAGES
The Microdrive has the following disadvantages which would seriously affect my choice of future memory upgrades:
• Altitude problem, as I mentioned above. Sure, many of us do not go very high places that often, but wouldn't it be nice to own something that says "hey, I'm here for you just in case you need me up there?"
• Internal moving parts - this is always a sign of weakness as moving mechanisms are more fragile and easier to damage, for example, by physical shock. Trust me, you don’t want to believe too much in the manufacturer’s data boasting of MTBF or number of G’s it can take – don’t put it to the test.
• Operations involving Microdrive access by the camera is much slower and seems to take forever, when compared to static memory.
• They suck battery power real fast. Compare that with the static memory.
• They give you a feeling that you have to handle them with exceptional care or they are gone. This creates psychological stress and tension every time you have to physically handle the drive. I prefer something that I can handle without so much fear.
• Static memory of equivalent capacity are coming down in price and are now very competitive. Given their many advantages (no moving parts, fast memory access, no altitude problem, greater reliability) over the Microdrive, I would seriously consider static memory.
SUMMARY
I have learned an important lesson with the IBM Microdrive. While it has its own merits, they are far outweighed by the many advantages of static memory cards which are getting cheaper and more competitive. If you want something that you can use in peace without fear of failure, what more do you need?
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
anthwo
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Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 1 member
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