Making Memory, with Transcend Flash Cards and Drives

Transcend

When you look to industry leaders for certain products, you always seek out those that are familiar, such as ASUS or Lenovo, those that have proven themselves, such as Microsoft or Apple, and those that have gone beyond their original purpose and developed products that change the way you interact with your digital life, like Google Chrome. When looking for a wide variety of storage solutions, memory modules, and even wireless products, the brand whose name comes to the forefront is Transcend.

Long known for its line of memory cards, Transcend does so much more than provide compact digital storage media. Memory is the company’s forte, as is evident by its line of solid-state drives, USB Flash drives, memory upgrade kits and more, but it now produce dash-cam recorders and wireless storage drives, as well.

Memory Cards

Let’s begin at the beginning. Founded in 1988, by Peter Shu, Transcend made its name known with high-quality, long-lasting memory cards, and continues to this day with memory cards for every conceivable application. These include CompactFlash cards, long a staple of professional photographers, in 32, 64, 128, and 256GB capacities. The Ultimate and Premium series cards support the VPG-20 protocol (video performance guarantee) that enables high-end video recording without dropping frames, and are constructed with MLC NAND Flash chips. Videographers are well aware that older compact flash cards were unreliable for longer recordings. These new cards feature built-in ECC (error correcting code) and support high-speed Ultra DMA transfer mode 7 protocols.

Their SD, SDHC and SDXC cards range from 2GB to 256GB in size, and encompass everything from Class 2 to Class 10, and even UHS-1 and UHS-3. Class and UHS assignations in memory cards refer to the cards’ speed, with 2 being the lowest and designed for standard video and images, while Class 10 is for full HD video recording and large, uncompressed stills. UHS-1 and UHS-3 are ultra-high-speed memory cards made for professional level 2K and 4K video recording, and can have a data-speed rate as high as 30 MB/s.  

Transcend also offers microSD, SDHC and SDXC cards in capacities from 2 to 64GB. These are also class rated from Class 4 through 10, with the 2GB microSD card being unrated, so it is slower, but can be used in a wider variety of devices. Remember, not all devices can use all formats of cards—some top out at SDHC and others can go up to SDXC, the difference being that SDHC has a 32GB maximum, while SDXC goes up to 64GB. Check your device’s manual to be sure.

USB Flash Drives

Transcend also makes a variety of thumb drives; Flash-based USB drives that are roughly the size of your thumb. The JetFlash series goes from the V70 to the 620, and includes USB 2.0-compatible drives in capacities from 4 to 64GB. The JetFlash 700 through 820G series features thumb drives in capacities from 4 to 128GB, with a USB 3.0 optimal transfer speed of 4.8Gb/s. These come in a variety of styles and finishes, some rough and rugged, some sleek and beautiful, and some even meet rugged US military drop-test standards, so you’re good on the go without worry of memory failure. Many of the Flash drives come with protective caps over the USB, and some even include a USB terminal that retracts into the body of the thumb drive for added protection against the elements. There are even drives that attach to your keychain, so you’ll never be without a storage solution.

Portable and Desktop External Drives

What’s that you say? 128GB doesn’t quite cut it for your portable external storage solutions? You want to carry around more capacity, but you don’t want to sacrifice your shoulders by slinging around a gear bag all day? Transcend has you covered, with portable storage solutions for the PC and Mac. These external drives come in a variety of configurations: SSD drives, hard drives, enclosures, USB 2.0 and USB 3.0, from capacities of 500GB to 3TB. All include AES encryption for secure data, and are bus powered, meaning no more carrying an extra power brick with you.

One of the standouts in the line includes the USB 3.0 ESD400 Portable SSD series. Available in capacities of 128GB to 1TB, this NAND flash drive is the size of a playing card, and can read up to 410 MB/s and write up to 380 MB/s. Because there are no moving parts, the drive runs cool and silent, and can withstand excessive shock and vibration.

Also available from Transcend is a line of external drives—the StoreJet 35 series—that includes a USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 stand-alone drive in a 1, 2, or 3TB version. The StoreJet 35T3 (USB 3.0) and StoreJet 35T (USB 2.0) versions run on a fanless design and have a one-touch backup button. They also include 256-bit AES encryption and a power-saving sleep mode. The StoreJet 35U3 (USB 3.0) comes as an enclosure or outfitted with a 3TB SATA III HDD, and includes a central fan that draws heat from the inside of the unit and vents it to the outside. Encased in a stylish aluminum housing, this drive is a perfect addition to Mac-centric setups.

Solid-State Drives

Transcend is a memory solution powerhouse and, as such, includes new solid-state drives in its lineup. The company manufactures PATA, SATA II and SATA III SSDs in capacities from 32GB to 1TB. Many include a 3.5" bracket to slot-in the upgraded SSD to your desktop PC.

Also available are M.2 SATA internal SSDs, which have a much smaller and slimmer form factor, mainly for use in laptops and notebooks with mini-PCIe slots. These drives include the SATA III 6 Gb/s interface and Intel® Smart Response Technology™ to help expedite your data. The mSATA SSDs come in capacities from 16GB to 512GB, and the M.2 SATA SSDs come in 32GB to 256GB capacities.

RAM Modules

Yes, the “M” in RAM stands for memory, and Transcend provides memory modules to upgrade or build your computer’s RAM load-out. The company’s desktop RAM modules for PC and Mac desktops include DDR, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR4 chips in speeds from 266 to 2133 MHz, and load-outs from 128MB for older computers to 16GB for newer computers. Transcend also delivers for PC and Mac laptops, in DDR, DDR2, and DDR3 chips that run from 266 to 1600 MHz, in capacities from 128MB to 8GB. These SO-DIMM modules are sold individually and in kits.

IT professionals will be thrilled to know that Transcend also makes server and workstation memory modules that include ECC unbuffered and ECC registered DDR, DDR2, DDR3, and DDR 4 (and even PC133) modules in speeds ranging from 266 to 2133 MHz and capacities from 128MB to 32GB.

Dashcams

In adapting to the ever-shifting global marketplace, a company has to come up with new and innovative ways to expand its product lines. Transcend saw the need for more personal surveillance equipment and jumped in, cam-first, with a line of automobile video recorders, that—no surprises here—utilize Transcend memory cards.

Why dashcams? Check out any video upload site and you’ll see thousands of hours of dash-cam footage—it’s one of the fastest-rising video formats in recent years. Dash-cams are also good as training tools to help new drivers, and claims adjusters, which can lend some peace of mind to insured drivers, or simply as travelogue assistants that can help document your adventures while driving. Transcend’s DrivePro series features wide-angle lenses with a large f/1.8 or f/2.0 aperture lens and built-in batteries that continue to record even after your car loses power in a collision. They record up to Full HD video, and feature a 3MP CMOS sensor, 2.4" color display and built-in microphone and speaker. They also come with a 16GB microSDHC memory card that can record up to 120 minutes of Full HD video. Available with an adhesive or suction mount, you’ll always have a video document of anywhere you drive with these dash-cams.

Apple Products

Not just PC based, Transcend also offers solutions for Apple products and their users, as well. Their Jet Memory series, which includes DDR3-1866 REG DIMMS, is ideal for swapping RAM out in your Mac Pro, iMac, or Mac mini. The company also makes RAM for mobile Apple devices, like the MacBook and MacBook Pro. For adding storage, the JetDrive line of SSDs come ready to install—in a few quick steps, you’ll have your MacBook Air or new MacBook up and ready to load. There is also an included USB 3.0 aluminum enclosure, so you can access the old drive that you swapped out, and still be able to access it. The JetDrive Lite series is a simple plug-and-play card that fits into the slot on the right side of the MacBook Air 13" or MacBook Pro 13 and 15" models. These cards can provide either 64GB or 128GB of extra storage. Additionally, you can look into the StoreJet 500 portable hard drive or the StoreJet 300 eternal portable SSD. With a Thunderbolt and USB 3.0 interface, these hefty storage drives will make a welcome addition to storage-beleaguered Macs.

Personal Cloud Storage

Finally, Transcend has transcended traditional memory solutions and now looks to the cloud for new ways to store and access your digital life. The StoreJet Cloud is a wireless SSD that allows you to connect and share your files locally with up to five mobile devices. No more Flash drives and downloading—now you can share, without cables, anywhere life takes you. With a rechargeable battery for truly wireless operation, the StoreJet (available in a 64GB unit) is perfect for long car rides, camping trips, or cross-country flights, and puts anything from music to movies to books to photos right at your fingertips.

Whether your memories include thousands of photos, millions of documents, or endless amounts of video, Transcend takes your digital life and gives it room to grow, while keeping it secure. Transcend makes keeping your memories its top priority.