Windows Vista ReadyBoost

Although the discussions about ReadyBoost technology integrated into Windows Vista are far from being over, we can’t but check the drives out for their support of ReadyBoost. To remind you, the flash drive must have a capacity of 256MB to pass this test. Moreover, it has to deliver a speed of 2.5MB/s when reading random-address 4KB data blocks and a speed of 1.75MB/s when writing random-address 512MB data blocks. We performed this test using IOMeter. In the diagrams below blue marks the results that comply with the ReadyBoost requirements and red marks the results that do not comply with them.

As you see, four drives are not ReadyBoost-compliant: Kingston DataTraveller mini, Kingston DataTraveller mini fun, Filemate Mini and Filemate Mini Pro. The ATP Petito wins this test but by a narrow margin.

There are six drives that can’t pass this test – they do not reach the desired speed of 1.75MB/s. Interestingly, the four drives that didn’t pass the read test fail in the write test, too.