Strontium iDrive Nitro Lightning 64GB Card Reader Review

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The ability to transfer your data no matter what platform you are on has never been more important. While there are many purpose-built solutions on the market to suit any need, for some, having a universal solution is a far better option.

Strontium is one vendor that has a strong lineup of SD storage and USB flash solutions. We have looked at several of their solutions in the past, and today we add the iDrive Lightning reader to that list. For the most part, this solution follows the same specifications as the OTG solution for Android, although it's a platform switch to iOS. The included 64GB microSD card has been seen in many products in the past, and I reviewed it nearly three years ago. This card can store 26,000 photos, 960 minutes of 1080p video, or 16,000 MP3s, and carries performance around 85 MB/s read.

On to the Lightning reader where we have support for many iOS devices starting with the iPhone 5 through the 7 Plus, along with the iPad Mini and Air through the iPad Pro - basically any device with the Lightning connector and iOS 7+. The MSRP of the iDrive Lightning reader with 64GB Nitro MicroSD comes in at $59.99 with a one-year warranty on the reader and lifetime on the card.

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The packaging for the iDrive falls in line with what I have seen in the past from Strontium. We have a view of the reader and card to the right with compatibility listed at the top and capacity to the left.

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The back side gives specifications of the drive along with compatible operating systems.

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Included in the package is the Lightning reader and 64GB Nitro MicroSD card.

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Looking at the device, it's clear the OEM is Photofast as they produce most iOS and Android solutions in the market today, this solution along with the Lexar device have the same design with a simple name change on the reader itself. On the right side, we have the Lightning connector with the SD slot on the left side.

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Furthering our evidence of this being a Photofast product, the app itself is made by Photofast. This isn't anything different from what we have seen in the past and makes it easy for vendors like Strontium to fill their portfolio.

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Diving into the application, its much of what we have seen in the past. I have said many times I don't care for the way this app works with in-app storage that you cannot access outside. One thing it does do quite well is manage backups for you including images, contact, music, and even Facebook if you so wish.

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The settings menu for the app is simple; there isn't much anyone would want to change other than possibly enabling touch ID and clearing the cache if you have issues with refreshing your data.

I have had this solution in house for a little over two months now. I started out testing it with my iPhone 6 with several microSD cards and then after the launch of the iPhone 7 in October, I upgraded to the 7 Plus 256GB solution. So, I didn't need the extra storage space, but instead of using iCloud to back up my old phone, I chose to test out the backup feature of the Strontium app. I came away from this quick test pleased with how well everything was backed up and then restored. Coming from a 64GB phone, I cut it close backing everything up for the big move but came out unscathed.

The performance of the included microSD solution is ample for the backups many of you will do. 85 MB/s read is still good these days for microSD; you can get better with UHS-II, but for the money, the Strontium card does just fine. If you would like to further consider the microSD card, you can read my review here.

Overall, while you can get this solution from Lexar, Strontium, or PhotoFast directly, I do like that Strontium adds to the package their 566x microSD in 32GB, 64GB, or 128GB capacity, and backs it up with a lifetime warranty.

Tyler's Test System Specifications

• Motherboard: EVGA Z170 Classified - Read our review
• CPU: Intel Core i7 6700K - Buy from Amazon
• Cooler: NZXT Kraken X61 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Memory: Corsair Dominator Platinum 32GB (4x8) DDR4 2400 - Read our review
• Video Card: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1080 - Read our review
• OS Storage: Zotac Sonix 480GB AIC - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Case: NZXT S340 - Buy from Amazon / Read our review
• Power Supply: Thermaltake Toughpower Grand 1200 - Buy from Amazon
• OS: Microsoft Windows 10 - Buy from Amazon