Imation IronKey Basic S1000 USB 3.0 Flash Drive (16GB) Review

May 26, 2023

Imation makes some interesting products, like the 16GB Link Power Drive that combines a flash drive and a backup battery, and the IronKey Workspace W500 ( at Amazon) , a portable version of Windows in your pocket. The IronKey Basic S1000 USB 3.0 Flash Drive ($329) is no exception—it's very similar to Imation's USB 2.0 IronKey Personal S250 16GB Secure Drive ( at Amazon) , but with much faster performance. TheBasic S1000 is a military-grade flash drive in terms of both its physical design and its security software. It protects your files with the highest level of security available and includes a self-destruct function if someone attempts to tamper with it. Its performance still lags behind some other drives, and its price puts it out of reach for most civilians, but if you need the highest level of protection and encryption you can get, it's worth checking out.

Design and FeaturesThe IronKey Basic S1000($268.12 at Amazon) measures 3.2 by 0.8 by 0.4 inches (HWD) and weighs in at 1.12 ounces. It's made of solid metal, giving it some real heft. Like the IronKey Personal S250, the metal body is MIL-STD-810F certified and filled with epoxy, effectively protecting it from shock, dust, water, and direct attacks.

On one end is a USB 3.0 connector, which is covered by a metal cap that is filled with rubber for a more secure fit—though the cap itself is not attached to the flash drive, and could be easily lost. On the other end of the drive is a light that blinks red when plugged in, and green when reading or writing files. A metal hole at the end, right above the light, lets you attach the drive to a lanyard or a keychain.

The IronKey software pops up the first time you plug the flash drive into your computer. A window opens with IronKey Unlocker—a secure program that reads the drive—and with several files in it, including certifications, licenses, and the app. Once you double-click on the IronKey program, you are prompted to set a password, and it asks you if you want to have the IronKey on Self-Destruct mode or Reset mode. If someone tries to tamper with the drive, and the Self-Destruct mode is activated, the drive will render itself permanently unusable; in Reset mode, tampering will cause the drive to erase all your secured files. Once you set the password, the IronKey Secure Files folder will open, where you can drag and drop files. Every time you want to access your files, you first have to go through the IronKey Unlocker, click on the IronKey icon, and enter your password.

Security is FIPS 140-2, Level 3 certified, which is the cryptography standard required by the U.S. Federal Government for protection of sensitive data, so the drive will work well for government employees. It has an extra layer of protection with XTS-AES 256-bit hardware encryption, and the drive also uses Imation's Cryptochip hardware encryption, which keeps key management on the flash drive itself and off the host computer. Most secure drives, like the 64GB Lexar JumpDrive M10 Secure ($11.99 at Amazon) , use one level of security, usually 256-bit AES encryption. The IronKey S1000 has multiple levels, making it one of the most secure drives available. The company also covers the IronKey with a lifetime warranty, whereas most flash drives only come with one- to three-year warranties.

Pricing and PerformanceAt $329 for 16GB, the IronKey Basic S1000 we tested costs a hefty $20.56 per gigabyte. It also comes in several other capacities—ranging from 4GB ($139) to 128GB ($849). Even Imation's other flash drives, like the IronKey Workspace W500 that runs Windows and has about 16.8GB of spare storage, costs $175, or about $10 per gigabyte. The price of the IronKey Basic S1000 is the same as the IronKey Personal S250 for the same amount of storage, eclipsing pricier secure flash drives, like the 32GB LaCie XtremKey USB 3.0 which costs $2.65 per gigabyte. The 64GB Lexar JumpDrive M10 Secure, a top pick for secure drives, with 256-bit AES encryption, costs $72.99, which comes out to just $1.14 per gigabyte. The 16GB Kingston DataTraveler Locker+ G2 , another encrypted drive, costs $25, or $1.56 per gigabyte.

In testing, the Basic S1000 performed admirably, but falls behind several other flash drives on speed. Imation claims read speeds of up to 291MBps and write speeds of up to 48MBps on the 16GB unit we tested. In our testing over a USB 3.0 connection, the Basic S1000 averaged 72MBps read and 45MBps write speeds. Other drives we've tested, including the Lexar JumpDrive (92MBps read; 56MBps write) and the 64GB SanDisk Extreme 3.0 (105MBps read; 110MBps write), are faster.

Over a USB 2.0 connection, the drive's performance is average. It scored read and write speeds of 28MBps and 34MBps, respectively, which is similar to the LaCie XtremKey USB 3.0, which averaged 31MBps (read) and 29MBps (write).

One last note: The IronKey runs quite hot. In testing, the metal body warmed up to the point that it was difficult to touch when plugged in—even when it's not transferring files.

ConclusionThe Imation IronKey Basic S1000 USB 3.0 Flash Drive is very pricey, but what you're paying for is the extensive security it offers for your files. It uses military-grade standards for both hardware and encryption, making it ideal for government employees and workers who need advanced-level encryption. If your needs aren't at the level of national security, however, then you'll get more bang for your buck with our Editors' Choice secure drive, the Lexar JumpDrive M10 Secure, or the LaCie XtremKey USB 3.0, another top pick.

The Imation IronKey Basic S1000 USB 3.0 Flash Drive is among the most secure and indestructible USB drives you can buy, but its price puts it out of range for most civilians.

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