We also don't like the plastic cap that protects the USB connector, which feels flimsy compared to the rest of the drive and is easy to lose. Reading and writing lots of small files is a much different task than doing so with large files, so we tested this ability separately. For instance, the drive took over 12 minutes when writing a 5GB folder full of modest files. Get the 128GB at $18.99 on Amazon. This makes it much easier to use the phone with the drive attached over models that stick out of the bottom, which just creates an awkward extra appendage. Youll typically pay a little more for it than our budget USB C pick above, but with up to 400MB/s data transfer speed from the higher-capacity models and a five-year limited warranty, its worth spending the extra money if you can. The SanDisk iXpand nestles on the back of your iPhone while in use, allowing you to still use your phone without impediment. To find the best USB flash drives, we bought 11 models and tested and compared their data transfer speeds. We wish it were easier to attach this drive to something since its small size makes it easy to lose. USB C is fast becoming a permanent fixture on computers, be it Mac or Windows. Dont expect to be as excited by the write speed, however: thats more in line with what we expect from budget models. Compatibility with the devices you plan to use is obviously a key factor when buying a flash drive, so its worth checking the specifications of both the drive and the USB ports on your computer to make sure the read and write speeds suit your level of patience. Due to its portability, I can plug this baby into my laptop as a permanent placement and not have to worry about accidentally mangling it in transit. SanDisks iXpand software lets you automatically back up your latest photos and videos every time you plug in iXpand which is quite handy. The Samsung Bar Plus 128GB offered similarly fast read speeds, making both models great portable options for storing movie collections. This model is also great for editing photos and videos without moving them onto your computer. Like many drives we tested, the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 64GB got bogged down when transferring large folders filled with lots of smaller files. The slick metal body is supposedly waterproof, shockproof, magnet proof, X-ray proof and can withstand temperatures from -25 degrees Celsius to 85 degrees Celsius. If youre hoping to use the drive with your phone, or tablet, look for an Android drive with On-the-Go (OTG) support. It also has a protective cover that slides over the USB connector, a feature that many of the other budget options on the market lack. Methinks when you buy the Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth, youre basically buying a tank to protect a rather average flash drive thats quite bulky to plug in. The thin plastic housing might crack or break off all together where you plug it in if not used with care. When buying a USB flash drive, consider what your primary needs will be and who is going to use it. After some digging we capped the read and write speeds at 140MB/s and 80MB/s which is quite all right on paper. Of the drives that receive our stamp of approval, it is one of the slowest. Capacity options range from 4 to 512GB, so youll have plenty of space to store all your important documents. From the security of a fingerprint scanner to massive capacities for storing and sharing all of your pics and video footage, USB flash storage provides an unbeatable mix of portability, versatility, and transfer speed at very affordable prices. I dont know about you but Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 USB 3.0 always reminds me of Megasonic Teenage Warhead or something as outlandish as that. For some reason,PNY vaguely advertises 10X more speed than its 2.0 flash drives. Even though its plastic fabrication seems stronger than others, we are not confident that it would stand up to the everyday abuse that a keychain is often subjected to. When it comes to pricing, be ready to shed some premium tears. Theres also a cheaper Personal model thats made from sturdy plastic and doesnt have the same protection from the elements. As a testament to its versatility, the SanDisk Ultra Dual drive also caters to the more ubiquitous USB Type A. At up to 200MB/s, read speeds are faster than many drives that cost noticeably more. No cherry-picked units sent by manufacturers. These are sensitive electronic items that can get damaged when theyre knocked around. Sizes vary from 32GB all the way to 512GB. As a result, you may want to look for water resistance in addition to a durable housing. That the SanDisk Cruzer CZ36 is the only USB 2.0 drive to make the list speaks volumes about its lasting popularity. If you use the drive with a phone, SanDisk provides a convenient app that will enable you to do manual backups by specific file type. Thats fast enough to copy a full-length 4K video file in under 15 seconds. The bottom line is, they still serve the same holy purpose of transferring our files between devices. In the last few years as a Senior Editor for GearLab, Max has transferred and edited terabytes of testing footage from camera drones, security cameras, and dash cams using a multitude of flash drives. The older USB 2.0 is the only downside to buying a SanDisk Cruzer CZ36. Despite these small drawbacks, for those that want both USB Type-A and Type-C connectivity, the SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive is the best option available. The flash drive is quite light, plasticky and the protective sliding cap might stop holding after a while but oh well Performance can be a tad iffy. USB Flash drives are everywhere. A smooth sliding mechanism allows you to access either connector easily, and both can be retracted inside the protective metal and plastic body. No sponsored content. We also ranked the overall user-friendliness of each drive, meticulously evaluating their construction, how well they fit on a keychain, and how easily they slide into and out of USB ports. While certainly not blazing, this speed is still tolerable for occasional file backups. So it pays to have a flash drive you can plug into the most devices with the only caveat being that your smartphone must support USB On-the-Go. Though not the fastest thumbnail-style model we have tested, we found its speeds acceptable enough for working with both large media files and folders filled with word documents and spreadsheets. The style of the USB flash drive is also something to consider. Its worth buying a bit extra if the price difference isnt too high, but the highest-capacity models often cost a lot more. It completes numerous tasks rapidly, including moving a single large file or a big folder containing a large number of small files. The Duo Plus is an impressive performer, with good speeds and durability, reliability, and broad compatibilityacross a range of devices. The SanDisk Extreme Go 64GB offers a great balance of speed, convenience, and price. The best flash drives should offer the fastest, most consistent data transfer speeds and decent storage capacity to make them worth their while. The plastic construction feels relatively sturdy, and a smooth sliding mechanism retracts the connector when it's not in use. Style is the name of the game with the attractive Sandisk Ultra Luxe. While there are thousands of very cheap flash drives from no-name brands out there, Id strongly recommend not buying them. Since 2013, he's lived in and visited over 20 countries. Also, the flexible rubber/plastic connection between the two connectors must be flexed to plug the drive into an iPhone, and we don't like the long-term durability of that connection. And they go by so many names its difficult to keep track. Most flash drives on the market last a few years on average, but exposure to heat, impact, and moisture can substantially lower their lifespan. If you're looking for a classic flash drive with a more durable metal body, the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 64GB may be for you. Whats more, the dual connectors are retractable that extra protection. The SanDisk Ultra Dual seamlessly switches from USB-A to USB-C. USB Type-A and Lightning (iPhone) connectivity, Rubber loop feels it could wear out over time. We only make money if you purchase a product through our links, and we never accept free products from manufacturers. The 16GB model cruises at a slower 130MB/s. Large media files moved even faster, taking only 31 seconds to write a 5GB HD movie. The PNY Turbo technically passed this test, but it takes 10-15 seconds before it will display a movie file. The PNY Pro Elite is the best choice for more demanding users. If you want to go for glory, get yourself 512GB at $99.99 or even 1TB at $169.99. Both connectors retract into protective sheath, Write speeds for lots of small files can be slow. A common use for flash drives is backing up or transferring movie or music collections. Our experts test thousands of products each year using thoughtful test plans that bring out key performance differences between competing products. We found the PNY Turbo 64GB to be the best of the lower cost drives on the market. Got feedback? Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. However, its write speeds were about half as fast at 208 MB/s. Get the 128GB on Amazon for $20.99. The SanDisk Extreme GO CZ800 64GB has one of the smoothest and sturdiest sliding mechanisms for extending and retracting its USB connector. Main image via EsaRiutta, product images via Amazon. PNY flies under the radar in some markets but its nevertheless quite popular. It also displayed great large-file speeds in our tests it wrote our 5GB test movie file in just 47 seconds making it an excellent device for backing up or transferring large media files. If you thought passwords were only for typing on the computer screen, you thought wrong! The write speeds are the obvious disadvantage to this drive, where the top performance only got up to 14MB/s during our tests. Our least favorite aspect of using the Ultra Fit CZ43 256GB is removing it from USB ports. USB C has become increasingly common on phones, tablets, and computers in recent years, and for good reason. Small and light, the Ultra Luxe has a hole at the top so you can slip it onto your keychain and take it with you on the go. The sleek Samsung Bar Plus 128GB is the perfect keychain accessory. If youre looking for hardy yet high-performing USB flash storage with huge capacity, look no further than the excellent Sandisk Extreme Pro. The biggest disappointment with the iXpand is that speeds are about halved when switching from the USB to the lightning connector, meaning it can take 15 minutes or more to backup 5GBs worth of photos. The plug on this flash drive is long enough to work with most phone cases and includes a lanyard for convenience of carrying. Please note that the various capacities offer different transfer speeds. Both Samsung models stood out in this test as well, achieving write speeds in the mid-20s and read speeds in excess of 100 MB/s. The Samsung Fit Plus is the perfect flash drive for inconspicuous storage in your laptop, speaker or car. The advertised transfer speeds are 400MB/s (read) and 300MB/s (write). It works with Microsoft Windows, Mac OS X, and Linux without need for drivers. Plus, it provides all this impressive performance at a relatively average price. USB C flash drives, however, have been quite slow to appear, which seems odd: offering faster transfer speeds than older models and with that handy reversible plug that means youre not endlessly fumbling around trying to connect it, they should be more popular than they are. Perhaps most importantly, its read speeds are quite good, so you shouldn't notice lagging if you leave it plugged into your laptop all day as secondary storage for important files. It's hard to beat the SanDisk Cruzer CZ36 when it comes to gigabytes-per-dollar. For those who want to increase their important files' redundancy without spending a bundle, this is an excellent choice. The PNY Pro Elite 256GB is considerably more expensive than most flash drives on the market. Still, for those seeking a super small thumbnail-style flash drive, the SanDisk Ultra Fit CZ43 delivers an excellent overall experience. We scoured their website but they really dont mention actual sequential speeds. The SanDisk Extreme Go 64GB displayed an excellent balance of cost and efficiency and proved to be one of the quickest drives during our testing. Its available in capacities from 64-256GB. The SanDisk iXpand 128GB is the slimmest and most simple iPhone-compatible model. This is a vital ability for those that like to keep their movie collection stored on a flash drive but don't want to have to download those movies to their computer every time an opportunity for movie night arises. Cloud storage might be the way of the future, but theres plenty of life left in flash drives yet! Though the Samsung Fit Plus 128GB displayed average write speeds in our large file test at 70 MB/s, it showed impressive reading performance, benchmarking an average rate of 356 MB/s. The Corsair Flash Survival Stealth will probably survive that too. You can get the 128GB version for $71.09 on Amazon. Its not the fastest USB 3.0 drive weve come across, but its fine for normal use, especially for the money. The SanDisk iXpand streamline the process of transferring and backing up files from an iPhone/iPad and a computer. With four capacities ranging from 128GB to 1TB, the Sandisk Extreme Pro offers enough space for pretty much any portable file storage needs. Also, the drive is a bit large to the extent that it might bulk up the feel of your keychain. The 32GB model is the slowest of the lot at 200MB/s. We've After spending over 80 hours testing external hard drives the most in-depth and scientific tech reviews. While not all Macs have Type A, it is a go for those that do along with Windows and Linux machines. But in the real world, some users have complained of erratic speeds at times. Actual real world speeds oscillate between really low to about 80MB/s. The super-fast Samsung Fit Plus 128GB is great for expanding your laptop's storage. The only USB flash drive we have found that hits the mark in this regard is the SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive 128GB. The PY Pro Elite (below) is one of the fastest drives on the market. A rubber coated housing provides insulation from spills and the occasional tumble. Apples bullheadness creates a bit of an issue with interoperability. When pushing the drive even harder, speeds continued to decline. This downloadable software simplifies the process of recovering accidentally deleted files. While these extra curves lend the drive even more of a space-age feel, they also make it bulkier and less sleek than some other keychain-oriented models. However, it lacks an easy keychain attachment. The SanDisk Ultra Fit CZ43 256GB provides solid all-around performance in a very small package. The SanDisk iXpand 128GB is the best iPhone-compatible drive we've found. Transfer speeds arent as fast as standard USB 3.0 drives thanks to the overhead of the encryption/decryption process, but at 168Mbps read/116Mbps write, its still pretty quick. The SanDisk app allows you to easily select which files you want to download from or upload to your phone, and it can perform quick photo backups. However, if speed isn't a concern for you when saving things to the drive, it offers a great cost for a reliable way to save your files and access them fairly quickly when you need to. The MOSDART Type C Thumb Drive doesnt need any additional apps, offers up to 85Mbps read speed, and has two connectors: USB C for newer devices, and USB-A for older machines. This biometric safety feature secures your files with industry-standard AES-256 encryption and unlocks in under a second, but the accompanying app unfortunately only works on Windows computers. The base 32GB model costs $22.88 which rises to $65.99 for the 256GB model. The stubby design is unobtrusive enough that you could comfortably leave the drive inserted in your laptop for extended periods if you like. We reviewed the Personal version of this drive in the past, and came away impressed. Perhaps more importantly, its read speeds are phenomenal it read that same folder in a mere 41 seconds. Our only complaint is that the lanyard attachment hole is extremely small to the point of being useless (we were never able to thread it successfully). We tested every aspect of these devices, measuring their speed in transferring large files and folders containing lots of small files, their ability to play movies without lagging, their overall durability, and their portability. It sits in the center of the drive body, is too small for a keyring, and requires a master seamstress's skills to thread. Let us know! The Samsung BAR Plus quite literally raises the bar on how to make a solid, ultra fast and good looking flash drive at a decent price. The SanDisk Ultra Fit shares the same miniature form factor like the Samsung Fit Plus. It's not super tiny, but the body is still thin enough that it won't be in the way of any other ports while in use we had no problem plugging in a large cable for headphones in the next port over beside the drive. The Cruzer CZ36's biggest downside is its speed. Try that for size. Wed go with the 128GB model at $18.25 on Amazon. For the ultimate performance per dollar, check out the SanDisk Ultra CZ48 32GB. Lately, the faster USB 3.x flash drives have become the defacto portable storage device for obvious reasons. With those read speeds, Im even tempted to convert it into a Live USB to run Windows, Linux or Mac on the fly. Theyve long been a reliable, compact way of sharing and storing information while youre on the go, especially for large files or when internet access isnt available. Material on GearLab is copyrighted. Whether you want to physically back up important files, need a way to carry your movie collection with you when you travel, or want a drive fast enough for media editing, we can help you find the perfect product. Suffice it to say, this drive isn't for people who regularly transfer large amounts of data via flash drives. Real world read speeds are surprisingly just as good although the write speeds are nowhere near that, but thats to be expected. GearLab is founded on the principle of honest, objective, reviews. Reproduction without permission is prohibited. However, the PNY Turbo 64GB is a good choice at a reasonable price if you just want a model that you know will work for the odd times that you need it. However, wed like to bring attention to the build quality. A lanyard would help fix this problem, but we found even thin lanyards difficult to thread. This flash drive can deliver astonishingly fast read speeds of up to 420MB/s and write speeds of up to 380MB/s. If security is a concern, the Lexar LJDF35 Jumpdrive has a fingerprint scanner included in its base that remembers up to 10 fingerprints. Read speeds are a modest 130MB/s and write speeds tap out at about 60MB/s. Ideal for videographers, photographers, and anybody else dealing with huge files, this USB 3.0 flash drive is also noticeably faster than most, with speeds of 420MB/s read and 380MB/s write. You can get the 128GB model at $36.99 on Amazon. We also found the lanyard attachment annoying. Please check your email for a message from us. That said, if you need to transfer several gigabytes of data all at once, we think you would be pleased with the Extreme Go 64GB. Once that initial lag elapses, however, it is flawless. In many instances, this drive costs half as much as other models of the same capacity. Colorful name aside, the Supersonic Rage 2 means business and charges top dollar for it. Surprisingly, despite the drive's low price, the plastic material's quality seems reliable and strong. In his years as a nomadic ecologist, he carried giant data sets stored on multiple flash drives between different remote research stations. It may make more sense to buy two 500GB drives, for example, than a single 1TB model. Enter that incorrectly 10 times, and the drive and encryption key are securely wiped, making any files permanently inaccessible. The lanyard attachment slot is also too small to accommodate most keyrings. While transfer speeds are important, sometimes affordable storage capacity is just some people are looking for. Large individual files are generally the easiest for drives to transfer, so these speeds represent the best you can expect from each drive. The Samsung Bar Plus 128GB is slightly bulkier, but it is just as durable and is designed to be carried on a keychain. I know lots of people (myself included) with misshapen flash drives from accidently pressing against them. Despite the increasing use of online approaches such as cloud storage, instant messaging, and email to share digital files, theres still a place for old-school methods like USB flash drives. When we wrote a 5GB folder of many small files to this drive the biggest speed challenge for any drive it took 15 minutes to complete. The SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive 128GB is the most convenient option for those that want both USB Type-A and Type-C functionality. Still, the Kingston DataTraveler Elite G2 is a fairly rugged and dependable drive, especially when working with larger files. When choosing which drive to buy, consider how much data storage you might need. $25.66 only gets you the 64GB model and $36.99 for the 128GB model. Our three tests utilized different file types and sizes to assess speed. If you want to wrap your mind around this, thats like transferring a full-length 4K movie in less than 15 seconds or 1000 photos in less than 25 seconds. The SanDisk Extreme Go CZ800 64GB hit well above average speeds in this test, achieving 12 MB/s write speeds and 77 MB/s read speeds. You can use it as a standard, unencrypted drive on other types of computer, however. Privacy | Cookies | Terms, We tested USB flash drives from SanDisk, Samsung, PNY, and others to determine the fastest and best models. For a guy like me, the most exciting place I am going to take my flash drive is probably in the wash if I happen to forget it in my pants. This makes it the perfect tiny drive to use as a secondary storage option for your laptop, allowing you to access all of its files with nary a lag. Whether you use Windows, Mac, or Linux also makes a difference, not so much for which drive to buy, but how you choose to format it. If keeping your files safe from anyone who gets their hands on your flash drive is important, look out for a model that encrypts and protects your data with a fingerprint reader, pinpad, or similar. This drive has a read speed of 150Mbps, which isnt the fastest in the world, but isnt bad for an encrypted drive. Despite its small stature, it was one of the fastest drives we tested, writing our 5GB testing folder in less than 4 minutes. We found the slim profile to be fairly unobtrusive when hung from a keychain. SanDisks saving grace is the 128-bit AES encryption and SecureAccess software which gives you some peace of mind. The Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth supports USB 3.0 which is backwards compatible. It was much faster in writing a single 5GB video file, taking just over 3 minutes, but that was still toward the back of the pack. The Samsung Fit Plus 128GB offers the best balance of portability and durability of all the models we tested, thanks to a super slim profile and sturdy construction. If you plan to use a super slim and portable thumbnail-style drive, the Samsung Fit Plus 128GB is sure to please. Theres no lack of variety in the USB flash drive market in 2022. The SanDisk Extreme GO CZ800 64GB was the only model that could get close to the PNY Pro Elite's write speeds, hitting a pace of 161 MB/s. Sporting a familiar design with upgraded materials makes it feel better suited to stand the test of time than the more common plastic fare. The durable aluminum case provides plenty of physical protection, and your data is equally protected thanks to the Sandisk SecureAccess software thats bundled with the drive. Its read speeds are particularly impressive, meaning you can quickly access files stored on the drive. Below have curated a list of some of the best flash drives of 2021. For example, a 5 GB folder filled with thousands of modest files wrote to the drive in just 7 minutes, proving to double the other models' typical speed.
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