| 1: Intro & spec | 2: First impressions | 3: Installing an HDD | 4: User interface | 5: Timings & performance | 6: Compared to | 7: Conclusion |
Nexto CF Ultra ND2525
portable storage device review
7: Conclusion
Pros:
Cons:
Overall:
An excellent performer, the Nexto CF Ultra ND2525 clearly represents the high end of the non-colour screen portable storage device arena. It looks good, is easy to use and fast too.
That said, it's not without its foibles. I'm not keen on the exposed ports, and even with the supplied leather case on, many of them still remain exposed - although thankfully the fragile CF slot is covered. The single button feature is gimmicky, and IMO detracts from the otherwise excellent overall usability. The external battery is frankly a kludge, and the way it attaches through the case makes it easy to accidentally disconnect it if you attempt to remove the Nexto from its sleeve.
However, despite my concerns about accidental switching on, and the possibility of accidental reformatting, I'm pleased to note that on the two international trips I've taken it, I've experienced no problems in that area. The designers seem to have taken time to make the formatting option difficult to reach accidentally, and the auto power off prevents significant battery drain.
Most hard disks do not handle altitude well. Usually drives are only rated to run beneath ~3000m/10000ft. Above those sorts of altitudes flash cards would be my recommendation.
In six months of use my only travel issue has been the single button getting jammed at one point - thankfully that was easily fixed with the supplied screwdriver. I haven't had any other problems, but bear in mind that hard disks are comparatively fragile compared to flash cards - so be careful with them, particularly when they're running
You may be worried about the fact it only supports Compact Flash cards natively, but you needn't be - I've used it with 1Gb Type-H xD via the Fujifilm DPC-CF adapter without any issues, and you can buy it with an optional 17-in-1 card reader.
Performance wise, it's excellent - with the Ultra II cards, transfer speeds apppear to be card limited. As an attached hard disk (via Firewire), performance is good too, with sustained reads of 22Mb/s, and writes of 17.3Mb/s.
The standout feature has to be the autonomy though - this device can run for an amazing amount of time on one charge. With full verify, using both supplied batteries I managed to transfer 45.4Gb before the device shutdown with a "Low Battery" message.
The low price makes it an excellent option who need to store a lot of photographs whilst away from their computer.
7: Conclusion
Pros:
- Fast
- Excellent autonomy
- Well built
- Clear and consistent user interface
- Lightweight
- Good range of supplied "extras"
- Beeping at the end of each transfer is a nice touch
Cons:
- Exposed ports, even when case fitted
- Single button = single point of failure
- External battery pack seems like a kludge
- Screen is smaller than a CF card
- English manual translation could be better
- CF only as shipped
- Hard disks do not handle altitude well
- Screen prone to scratching
Overall:
An excellent performer, the Nexto CF Ultra ND2525 clearly represents the high end of the non-colour screen portable storage device arena. It looks good, is easy to use and fast too.
That said, it's not without its foibles. I'm not keen on the exposed ports, and even with the supplied leather case on, many of them still remain exposed - although thankfully the fragile CF slot is covered. The single button feature is gimmicky, and IMO detracts from the otherwise excellent overall usability. The external battery is frankly a kludge, and the way it attaches through the case makes it easy to accidentally disconnect it if you attempt to remove the Nexto from its sleeve.
However, despite my concerns about accidental switching on, and the possibility of accidental reformatting, I'm pleased to note that on the two international trips I've taken it, I've experienced no problems in that area. The designers seem to have taken time to make the formatting option difficult to reach accidentally, and the auto power off prevents significant battery drain.
Most hard disks do not handle altitude well. Usually drives are only rated to run beneath ~3000m/10000ft. Above those sorts of altitudes flash cards would be my recommendation.
In six months of use my only travel issue has been the single button getting jammed at one point - thankfully that was easily fixed with the supplied screwdriver. I haven't had any other problems, but bear in mind that hard disks are comparatively fragile compared to flash cards - so be careful with them, particularly when they're running
You may be worried about the fact it only supports Compact Flash cards natively, but you needn't be - I've used it with 1Gb Type-H xD via the Fujifilm DPC-CF adapter without any issues, and you can buy it with an optional 17-in-1 card reader.
Performance wise, it's excellent - with the Ultra II cards, transfer speeds apppear to be card limited. As an attached hard disk (via Firewire), performance is good too, with sustained reads of 22Mb/s, and writes of 17.3Mb/s.
The standout feature has to be the autonomy though - this device can run for an amazing amount of time on one charge. With full verify, using both supplied batteries I managed to transfer 45.4Gb before the device shutdown with a "Low Battery" message.
The low price makes it an excellent option who need to store a lot of photographs whilst away from their computer.
| Detail | Rating (out of 10) |
| Build quality | 8 |
| Ergonomics and user interface | 7 |
| Features | 8 |
| Performance (speed) | 9 |
| Value | 9 |
This review contains the opinions of the author, which are subjective. All technical data is believed accurate at time of publication, however please check it with the manufacturer before making a purchasing decision. I hope you enjoy my site, and if there's anything you feel could be improved, please drop me a line at: 
All images/text/content © Adrian J Warren 2007.
All images/text/content © Adrian J Warren 2007.