Soyo SlimEX Platinum Review - Opening the package
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My favorite part of getting something new is opening the package and manhandling my new prize. The Soyo SlimEX Platinum was no exception.
To be honest, I hate the melted plastic packs. I know they keep the contents of the package secure from theft, but they are a pain in the neck to open. As I sent my son off to find me a pair of scissors, I took note of the contents listed on the box:
Soyo SlimEX Platinum
Protective Case
USB Cable
Manual
Driver CD
I must admit that when I saw it included a driver CD, my heart sank a bit. If I had to install drivers on a machine in order to use this (I had sudden flashbacks to my old Iomega zip drive), it was going to make matters much more difficult. Luckily, you only need to install drivers if you are using an older version of Windows, such as 98 or ME.
When I pulled everything out of the box and laid it out for the above picture, I realized that I had something extra. No, not the warranty card, but an extra cable. It seems that Soyo included not only the retractable USB cable, but a straight through USB cable as well.
The retractable cable is good for storage, but has the same size limitations as the Soyo Freestyler 600 reviewed last week; it's only about 2 feet in length. The other cable is even shorter, at a length of about 16 inches. While this is good for people with laptops or machines that sit on their desks, for people like me with machines that reside on the floor under the desk, this actually poses a bit of a problem.
In a close-up picture, here is the Soyo SlimEX Platinum on its side. You can see where the USB cable plugs in (on the left), and the drive light (on the right).
The included case has room for the drive itself, as well as a special pouch for the cable. If you need to carry the CD around with you as well, however, it won't fit in the case.
Next: Using the drive >>
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