Who’s The Better USB Duplicator: Accutower Flash or NexCopy?
Today I have the privilege of bringing to our readers a review of the Accutower Flash XL2800 28 Drive USB Duplicator and the Nexcopy USB200PC 20 Drive USB Duplicator. The Accutower and Nexcopy duplicators have been around for quite some time and both have proven to be highly reliable USB copiers. However the purpose to this Premium USB blog is to not only review the products, but also to compare them to one another and determine which USB duplicators is better.
I will start by reviewing the Nexcopy USB200PC 20 Drive USB Duplicator; which requires a PC to run. I first started by putting the duplicator on top of my desk and plugged it into the back of my desktop computer. The duplicator measures 7.9” x 7.9”x 5.2”h and took up a lot less desk space than I first imagined. I then plugged in 20 USB drives with one being the master USB drive containing a large number of files. I went through the software and started copying the information from the master drive to the blank drives. The Nexcopy duplicator started copying and did so at a reasonable pace, but I thought it could have been a little faster. I then did some research and found out that the duplicator’s speed can vary depending on how fast the host computer is. So for those with an old PC, you may run into some problems.
Once the USB copying was completed, I then went through several of the copies to determine if the duplicator did in fact copy my files correctly and accurately. As I predicted, the duplicator did as advertised and copied all the drives flawlessly. However, one thing that did end up annoying me as I kept repeating the duplication process was that every time I put in a USB drive into the duplicator, a new window appeared. With 20 USB drives, I got 20 different windows. Now this can be an annoyance like it was for me, but it may not bother some. However, these windows can come in handy because it allows the user to view each drive’s information individually.
Now for the Accutower Flash XL2800 28 Drive USB Duplicator, which is a standalone duplicator. The first thing I noticed between the Nexcopy duplicator and Accutower Flash is the fact that the Accutower Flash looked very similar to an actual desktop computer. It was physically bigger, measuring at 19.25”x 8”x 17”h, and was considerably heavier than the Nexcopy. I think the reason why the Accutower is bigger is because it contains everything you need in one unit instead of having to rely on another computer to duplicate. Besides the weight and size, I think the Accutower has a huge advantage over the Nexcopy due because if your computer crashes, not only is your computer down, but your duplicator is down as well. But with the Accutower Flash, if it were to crash, you would only be out a duplicator.
I loaded up the Accutower Flash with 28 Drives, followed the instructions, and began to duplicate. In a matter of seconds the Accutower Flash was finished duplicating. I was actually in awe as to how fast it copied. I verified that the USBs I was using were the same exact ones from my Nexcopy test and that the copies were 100% accurate. To my amazement, they were. I should also note that the Accutower has several ways to load master files unlike the Nexcopy. Accutower supports SD cards, CDs or DVDs, as well as USB flash drives. However, comparing the Nexcopy to Accutower, I did like how the Nexcopy duplicator allowed me to view the contents of each USB drive, unlike the Accutower Flash.
Overall, my first impressions of the two duplicators were rather impressive. Both duplicators proved to be reliable, accurate, and trustworthy machines. The Nexcopy duplicator proved to be lighter, smaller, and held 20 USB drives. While the Accutower Flash was more powerful, faster, and held 28 USB flash drives. Despite the fact that both duplicators provided the same results, if I had to choose between the two towers, I would go with the Accutower Flash for several reasons. First the size of the Accutower Flash itself is bigger than the Nexcopy, but if you were to factor in that the Nexcopy requires a PC, you will notice that the Accutower actually takes up less space.
Second the speed of the Accutower Flash was obvious. You could say it was a “night and day” difference. The Nexcopy took longer to recognize the drives, took longer to copy the drives, and I could see the system being vulnerable to viruses or PC crashes. Since the Accutower is a standalone duplicator, its speed is built in, the software recognizes the USB drives much faster, and is unaffected by computer viruses.
Lastly the price for the two duplicators, which is currently $1299.00 each, became a deciding factor. I looked at the price of the duplicators, compared their features and flaws, and what accessories came with each system, and noticed that the Accutower gave you more for your money. Accutower gave me 8 more USB slots, a 17” monitor, keyboard/mouse combo, and operation manuals. With the Nexcopy I only received the duplicator and manuals.
Comparison chart between Accutower Flash XL2800 and Nexcopy USB200PC. |
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| Features | Accutower Flash XL2800 | Nexcopy USB200PC |
| Operating Type | Standalone | PC Connect |
| PC Required | Not Necessary | Yes |
| Standalone | Yes | No |
| Weight | 29 Lbs | 6.8 Lbs |
| Size | 19.25” x 8” x 17”h | 7.9” x 7.9” x 5.2”h |
| USB Drives | 28 | 20 |
| Upgradeable | Yes | No |
| Max # of Drives | up to 77 total(21 or 49 add on tower not included) | 20 (Max) |
| Diagnose Bad Drives | Yes | No |
| SD Card Input | Yes | No |
| CD ROM Drive | Yes | No |
| Monitor | Yes | No |
| Keyboard | Yes | No |
| Mouse | Yes | No |
| Power | 110V ~ 220V AC Switchable Power Supply | 100-240 VAC 50-60Hz |
| Minimum System Requirements | * None (Self Contained System) | * 2.0GHz Processor or 1.8GHz Dual Core Processor or better
*1GB RAM or 2GB for optimal performance * Windows XP SP2 * 1 USB 2.0 high speed port * Windows .NET Frameworks (Provided) |
| Cost Per USB Slot | $46.40 | $64.95 |
| Price | $1,299.00 | $1,299.00 |
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Comments
Regarding the autorun pop-ups that come along with using the Nexcopy unit, you can disable them. Though this may make things easier during the duplication process, turning off the autorun pop-ups will disable ALL autorun pop-ups. No more autorun notifications when you put in your personal USB Drive, an external hard drive, a CD, or anything else you might want to plug into your computer. If you really want to do it, there are instructions @ http://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/disable-autoplay-of-audio-cds-and-usb-drives/
We do not assume any responsibility to this modification to your computer, so use with caution!
I bought the Nexcopy, but due to the complications of using the unit I really regret not getting the Accutower Flash machine. Why didn’t you guys lower the price earlier?!?
Hi Robert, I’m sorry to hear about your disappointment with the Nexcopy USB duplicator. If you’ve bought the unit recently, you may want to check into the return policy of the store you purchased from. If you’ve purchased from us and want to return your unit, then give us a call Toll-Free at 877-992-3766… Someone will be able to answer all your questions.
I just wanted to note to all, that the Accutower Flash USB Duplicator is covered under a 1 year warranty for parts and labor, along with LIFETIME Tech Support. So if you ever have problems, then give us a call and we’ll be there to help you out. (during business hours, of course
)
If you aren’t ready to invest in your own USB Duplicator Premium USB offers awesome USB preloading services! You can even supply the drives and let us do the work.
I really enjoyed the article, good job! I do have one question about the Accutower Flash though, in the article it mentions that when you insert a USB drive into the Nexcopy duplicator, a new window appears. What happens when you insert a USB drive into the Accutower Flash to let you know if the drive has been recognized or not?
Hi Chris,
Great question! The Accutower Flash will display the drives on screen as you plug them in. If the drive is not recognized, you will be able to see that. If you would like more information regarding the operations of the Accutower Flash, check out it’s manual @ http://www.premiumusb.com/pdfs/manufacturer/AccutowerFlash_Manual_Dec2008.pdf
I just discovered the new sd card addon for the Accutower flash! I’ve had several clients that wanted to target photographers for their marketing. What better way than to offer them an sd card that can be used within the cameras and have custom autoruns every time they transfer their photos! Thanks Premium USB! I’ll be buying one very soon!
Ah… You found it! Emily is quite right. We now have an SD card add-on tower that can duplicate your data on to 21 SD cards at a time. I think that marketing toward photographers is a great use of this technology. Some other industries that would be good to target with SD Cards might be videographers or gamers with consoles that accept SD cards. With the Accutower Flash 2100C, you can also copy data to MicroSD, or MiniSD with the use of an adapter. If anyone would like to learn more about the newest add-on tower, then go here: http://www.premiumusb.com/product/accutower-flash-2100c-21-slot-sd-card-add-on-tower_293_24.htm