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Photo: Simon Hill
Other Flash Drives We Like
We’ve tried many other USB drives that didn’t cut it. Here are a few that may be worth considering for some people.
Photo: Simon Hill
Kingston Dual Portable SSD (1 TB) for $229: With an attractive metallic red body, this SSD disguised as a flash drive is very fast, matching 1,050 MB/s claimed and 950 MB/s writing in my tests. It’s USB 3.2 Gen 2 with jack C on one side and jack A on the other, both with removable covers. As much as I like this drive, which comes in 512-GB, 1-TB, and 2-TB models, it’s on the pricey side.
Amazon Basics Flash Drive (128GB) for $18: I like the grippy texture on the slider of this storage because it’s easy to open with one hand and locks securely in place. The loop at the top is perfect for key rings, and it’s lightweight. Performance was limited, as you might expect at this price, but it consistently exceeded write speeds of 130 MB/s and 30 MB/s for large files, even though it only had 116 GB usable out of the box.
Buffalo External SSD-PUT Stick (500 GB) for $70: Another SSD in a flash drive body, this drive hit 450 MB/s in my tests and offers shock protection for drops. There’s also a USB-A slider, and it comes with a USB-C adapter. It’s chunky for a flash drive, so you may find it blocks nearby ports. You can also find cheaper 1- and 2-TB versions of this drive.
PNY Pro Elite V2 (256GB) for $60: This flash drive has a plastic cover to protect the USB-A plug, and it was our short pick for a while. It performed well (read and write speeds hovered around 415 MB/s and 425 MB/s) in my tests, and has a lanyard or keyring slot. I tried a 256-GB drive, but there are 512-GB and 1-terabyte models.
SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go (128GB) for $29: This simple drive rotates to give you USB-C or USB-A, and comes in a variety of sizes and several fun colors, but the lower-capacity drives are slow (USB 3.1). You can get 128GB storage and up in USB 3.2 Gen 1 with up to 400MB read and it’s a solid alternative to the PNY Duo above.
PNY Elite-X (128GB) for $16: This more rugged, slide-out drive has a USB-C 3.2 Gen 1 jack and a loop at the end to fit into attachments. It worked fine but seemed a bit slow in my tests (around 200 MB/s read, and 130 MB/s write).
Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 (16GB) for $112: If you need secure storage, Kingston’s IronKey boasts FIPS 140-3 certification, XTS-AES 256-bit encryption, and special epoxy around its circuitry to make it impossible to remove components. On the downside, it is expensive, the keypad is fiddly, and 10 entries are wrong to erase the car.
Samsung Bar Plus (256GB) for $52: The sleek, one-piece, curved design makes this drive easy to release and there’s a loop so you can slide it into the bracket. Test read speeds were just shy of 400 MB/s, and write speeds over 100 MB/s, but the smaller drives (32 GB and 64 GB) are slower. The Bar Plus is also a durable option, with Samsung claiming it’s waterproof, shockproof, heatproof, nonmagnetic, and x-ray-proof.
Avoid these Flash Drives
Photo: Simon Hill
Silicon Power DS72 Portable SSD (1 TB): This is a good price for a 1-TB drive with USB 3.2 Gen 2 USB-A and USB-C connectors, and it consistently hit read and write speeds of 450 MB/s in my tests (it can hit 1050 MB/s and 850 MB/s with the right gear). It got very hot to the touch, but the reason I don’t recommend this car is the stupid plastic covers. You have to push them back, and they get in the way when you try to enter the car.
Verbatim Dual (64 GB): This youth drive is cheap and has both USB-A and USB-C plugs, but I found the write speed was different (60 MB/s for USB-C and 90 MB/s for USB-A) and the read speed was around 150 MB/s for both. There is a USB-A cover and a wee cord you can attach, but this drive is almost too small, and proved difficult to insert and remove. It also comes in 16- or 32-gigabyte options.
How to Remove and Create a Backup
It is a good idea to format your USB flash drive before you start using it. You will usually be asked which format you want to use. Almost every device will recognize the FAT32 format, but it limits the size of an individual file to 4 GB. Go to exFAT if you have large files. If you format a flash drive, it will completely erase everything stored on it. Here’s how to do it yourself:
- On a Windows computer: Open File Explorer and locate your drive below This computer. Right click on it, and select it Format.
- On a Mac: Type Disk Utility in Search, or find through Applications > Services. Select your driver from the list and click Delete up. You can then change the name and choose the format.
- On a Chromebook: Open File and right-click on your drive to select Format the device.
You probably know the warnings about removing the drive without removing it first. But there is a real risk that your data will be corrupted, so here’s how to do it right:
- On a Windows computer: You can click Safely Remove Hardware notification icon in the system tray and select it Give option. If you prefer not to have to give, print Device Manager in the search bar and click to open. Expand Disk Drives and right-click on your USB drive, select Property, Policyand set Quick Removal.
- On a Mac: You’ll see an eject icon listed next to the drive’s name in the Finder, or you can simply drag the flash drive’s image from your desktop to the trash.
- On a Chromebook: Open File and right-click on your drive, then select Remove the device.
- On an Android device: You can open and expand the USB notification to find Give option.
- On iPhone or iPad: There is no option to remove. Make sure there is no data transfer in progress before pulling it. It’s a good idea to close the Files app or whatever app you were using to transfer files.
How to Get the Most Out of Your USB Flash Drive
There are a few things to keep in mind when buying USB flash drives, and we also have some tips for using them.
Ability: To decide on the capacity of the storage device you need, first check the size of the folder or files you want to copy. Each USB drive in our guide has a stated capacity, but the usable storage will be slightly less than that, because the device’s firmware needs space.
Speed: USB standards are constantly evolving, and we recommend USB 3.0 as a minimum, although higher is better. Although USB standards have different theoretical maximum speeds, it is important to check the manufacturer’s read and write speed for each drive. If you’re primarily transferring data, you’ll want to look for storage with a higher capacity write speed. If you plan to launch programs on the computer through the drive (like a video game), then you’ll want a high-end model. read speed. Manufacturers will state the average speed, but most drives are faster at transferring large files and tend to be slower at transferring smaller files.
Compatibility: Most flash drives will work with any device with a corresponding USB port, but check compatibility to avoid disappointment. If you want to use storage with an Android device or something from iPhone 16 range or later, it will require USB on-the-go (OTG) support. Most Android devices support USB OTG. You will get a notification when you insert the flash drive and the options that should be included File Transfer. You can try USB OTG Checker Software to confirm support if you are unsure. Apple’s earlier iPhones and iPads don’t support USB OTG, but you can install compatible drivers, such as SanDisk’s iXpand series.
Connectors: Most flash drives have USB-A connectors, but you can also find drives with USB-C, MicroUSB, and Lightning connectors. If you plan to use a flash drive with your smartphone and computer, dial one for both required types of connections. You can also buy USB ports and many USB attachments or adapters, but pay close attention to the standard used or it may slow down your data transfer. This Anker USB-A to USB-C adapterfor example, it is USB 3.0.
Security: Remember that USB drives can cause security problemsespecially for business, and you should never plug in random drives and find them dormant. If you plan to store sensitive data on your flash drive, then consider biometric or passcode protection, and check the level of encryption it provides. There are software utilities that provide encryption and allow you to password protect your files on any USB flash drive.
I run read and write speed tests on each drive it uses USB Flash Benchmark and CrystalDiskMark. I also upload HD and 4K movies to each drive and play them on the LG OLED TV, make image backups from phones and tablets, and copy files to compatible devices. I’ve tried other drives as backups for security cameras, as NAS (network attached storage) on routers, for playing MP3 music files, and uploading games and saving to a range. retro consoles. Our top options continue to be used regularly for file backups for months, so we can be sure that performance is not compromised.
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