The Flash ravine! (Kingston 1 GB CompactFlash Card)

Member Name: Plymyphil

Product:	Kingston 1 GB CompactFlash Card
Date:	08/03/06 (144 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Price - reliability - service - UK based

Disadvantages: None

Buying Flash memory can leave one sat in a ravine of terrifying proportions. On one side is the towering cliff of temptation offering cheap memory from an unknown brand in the Far East. Ebay of course offers the best and cheapest source of this incredibly good value memory. But what of this route … ? Often those that take this route are surprised at the expenses occurred in the purchase. For example, did you know items purchased from Ebay from Hong Kong and China can be subject to 'on the spot' duty as they are delivered. This can add substantially to the overall cost and eradicate the advantage of importing from abroad. Indeed the price itself can be misleading. Cheap memory imported is often sold for as little as one penny but once the postage and packaging and the compulsory postal insurance have been added the price is not far different from a UK supplier. And then of course … the unknown, unbranded memory may well go wrong … it's a long way back to the far east for a return!

And what of the other side of this ravine? Well, there stands the impressive and towering cliff of standard UK shop prices. Take a look at any high street store and weep when you see those inflated prices making the smaller flash memory cards look more attractive than ever you thought possible.

Now, enter the boat to freedom - riding down the ravine towards you is the safety crew of Kingston Memory and their well priced and reliable brand of memory.

Kingston have been supplying components and specialising in memory for many years. They are a brand name within the United Kingdom and have UK support numbers and addresses providing a life raft if the memory boat seems to go under.

I purchased my 512Mb SD card from Kingston in November 2004. Consequently when that became full I had no qualms about returning to Kingston for a larger card. In August 2005 I purchased this 1Gb flash card. The card is still functioning with no errors and providing reliable storage space for my digital images. It is fast memory and every bit the equal of the overpriced SD Cards available in high street stores. Price wise, it sat exactly mid way between the prices of imported unbranded memory and the price of high street memory. I made the purchase online and the order was processed quickly and efficiently with the card arriving securely packaged.

I recommend Kingston for memory due to their price, reliability and service. Personally I also score them bonus points as a supplier for being UK based and still managing to heavily undercut high street memory prices.

I hope this review has been useful for you and look forward to reading your comments.

Summary: Good price and great service. Rather buy here than anywhere else.

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