SyQuest and Iomega have been playing leapfrog in the removable-storage game ever since the latter introduced the 100MB Zip drive in 1995. SyQuest's latest entry, the SyJet 1.5GB drive, takes a giant leap forward. For the same price as the 1GB Iomega Jaz drive, you get 50 percent more storage, with comparable or better performance. We tested an internal SCSI preproduction model, which can be mounted horizontally or vertically. A portable external SCSI model, which looks like its sleek, slim sibling, the EZFlyer 230, should be available by the time you read this; an external parallel port version and internal EIDE version are due soon.

    SyJet's specifications approach those of a hard disk: an average access time of less than 12 milliseconds, a maximum sustained data-transfer rate approaching 7MB per second and a SCSI burst rate of 10MBps, thanks in part to the built-in 512KB intelligent caching buffer.[ ...]

    Under Windows 95, installation is painless. After you've hooked up the SCSI cables and set the SCSI ID, Windows recognizes the SyJet as a removable drive without the need for additional drivers. The floppy disk-based installation program adds SyJet utilities for formatting, scanning and write protecting the cartridges. The SyQuest EZBackup Utility is easy to use: Just check the files you want to back up or restore, or use wildcards to select or exclude files.

    Iomega and SyQuest drives have more than price in common. For example, Iomega's Jaz drive can't read Zip disks. Likewise, the SyJet can't use cartridges from SyQuest's EZFlyer 230 or EZ135 drives. With single SyJet cartridges priced at $124.99, you're paying 8.3 cents per megabyte; in a $299.95 three-pack, the price drops to 6.6 cents per megabyte. SyJet and Jaz 3.5-inch cartridges are almost identical in shape and size, though the SyJet's, at 3.5 ounces, is half an ounce lighter.

    Early last year SyQuest announced the SyJet's capacity would top out at 1.3GB, but the company delayed the drive's introduction and squeezed in an extra 200MB. It was worth the wait. For whisper-quiet, top-notch performance and large capacity, the SyJet flies past the Iomega Jaz drive to replace it on our Recommended List.

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SyQuest SyJet 1.5GB

Price: Internal SCSI, $399; external SCSI, $499; external parallel port, $599; internal EIDE, $399

Platforms: 3x, 95, NT

Pros: Excellent performance; low cost per megabyte; high capacity; ideal for handling large multimedia files

Cons: Slow eject speed

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- Name of the two manufacturers mentioned?

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- Type of product they manufacture?

- Name of the different products they manufacture :

- Storage capacity :

- What main versions of this product will be available?

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- What makes the Syjet interesting as far as its features and performance are concerned?

- Installation is difficult.

- The only thing you have to do is connect the cables.

- You need to install drivers from a floppy disk.

- The installation program also installs other programs.

- What Iomega products and Syquest products have in common is compatibility.

- The ratio price / storage capacity is in favor of Syquest.

- Syjet's and Jaz's cartridges are identical in shape and weight.

- The Syjet offers a large storage capacity but is quite noisy.

- The journalist considers the Iomega Jaz is a better buy than the Syjet.