SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick review: Overcomes storage woes on smartphones with ease

SanDisk is a well-known brand in the flash storage industry and it is doing everything to keep its name on the top. The company's Connect Wireless Stick redefines flash drives by extending their capabilities beyond PC-compatibility. SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is a virtual bridge for all your smartphones, tablets and PCs to share data and files without ever having to plug in.

We received the review unit of SanDisk 200GB Connect Wireless Stick, and here's our full review of the product. Starting with its design, the wireless stick looks like a traditional flash drive and easily fits into the palm of a hand, or inside a pocket. It has a textured finish on top that gives it a fancy look, and boasts a durable plastic body.

SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick can be used as a multipurpose device and not just be limited as a storage-on-the-go flash drive. The wireless stick has a companion app, which acts as an interface for accessing files stored on the stick. It has its own rechargeable battery, which charges when connected to a PC, and creates a Wi-Fi hotspot for multiple devices to share and access files stored on it.

Initially, the drive's Wi-Fi network will be password-free, but you can set up a password to ensure the data is not accessed by others. Users can also connect the drive to internet by following the steps within the app, but the process is trickier in Android than in iOS. Up to five devices, including PC or Mac, can be connected to the drive at the same time.

We tried streaming a HD video on two connected smartphones (Android) and there was no buffer in the playback. PC users can go to sandisk.com/myconnect from a web browser or go the traditional way of plugging in the drive to the USB port.

SanDisk Wireless Stick is extremely useful as it solves file sharing troubles between iOS and Android without having to go through iTunes and PC. Simply download the SanDisk app for Android and iOS and start sharing data seamlessly. In our review, we found it extremely useful and did not encounter any glitches while uploading or accessing data on the SanDisk stick.

After uploading photos, videos or other files to the wireless stick, users get the option to delete the copy stored on the smartphone or the tablet, which makes room for new data. With 200GB of storage space, there is ample room for more than one smartphone to store data on the stick.

While the idea may seem similar to cloud storage, SanDisk Wireless Stick has an edge of being accessible offline. It doesn't require a working internet connection to access the data stored on the stick via its app, which makes it a lot useful when you are travelling through network congested places.

We found the SanDisk Wireless Stick of more use when we plugged it into our television with a USB port. The stick works offline so any data can be uploaded and streamed any time and the smartphone app lets you control what data to cast on the screen.

SanDisk Wireless Connect is powered by a 500mAh battery, which reaches full charge after two hours and can last up to 4.5 hours of continuous usage. When we tested the drive's battery, it tends to drop with more devices connected to it. But on average, it lasted close to four hours with one connected device, which was one of the major concerns of the drive especially for those who are planning long road trips.

Verdict

SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick is overall an impressive device. It is handy and has wireless sharing capabilities, which is quite reliable while juggling data between multiple devices. It also supports AirPlay, Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV for content sharing on large displays. As for the areas of improvements, a USB 2.0 port is a bit outdated and a USB 3.0 could be a welcome addition. The battery life on the drive makes it a challenge for longer road trips.

But if you are looking for a seamless way to add storage to your smartphones and tablets, SanDisk Connect Wireless Stick can be your go-to product. The drive comes in 16GB, 32GB, 64GB, 128GB and 200GB storage options. The review unit we received is priced at Rs. 9,990, but the base variant starts at Rs. 2,790.