USB Flash Drive is a drive or storage device used as portable data storage. The storage medium here is flash memory. Such drives are predominantly removable and rewritable, but have a shorter service life than optical discs. The average weight of the carrier is 30 grams.
The new drive replaced floppy disks and CDs with its smaller size and faster speed. Reliability was also increased by the virtually complete absence of moving parts. Immune to magnetic fields and are not subject to scratches, since all important elements are “recessed” inside the case.
Of the advantages of this type drives are distinguished:
- low weight and dimensions;
- versatility and compatibility with various types devices from desktop computers to televisions;
- resistance to mechanical stress and magnetic fields;
- protection from water, dust;
- long-term data storage offline mode up to 10 years.
Main disadvantages:
- limited number of erase and write cycles up to 5000 cycles;
- limited connection resource of the USB connector up to 1500 connections;
- strong restrictions on bandwidth(typical for usb);
- sensitivity to electrostatic discharge and radiation;
- the connector is asymmetrical, which is why the connection sometimes does not work correctly.
We have selected for you the top 20 best flash drives of various sizes and interfaces.
The best USB flash drives with 2.0 interface
The specification was released in 2000. It differs in speed from its “progenitor” - USB 1.1 due to the presence of the High-speed mode. The specification has three operating modes for keyboards, mice, joysticks, video devices and drives.
5 Verbatim Store "n" Go USB Executive
Metal body
Country: China
Average price: 632 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.3
The attractive price of the flash drive is complemented by good read and write speeds. The metal case, which not only serves as a reliable protection for the insides of the storage device, but also for the diffuser. The metal absorbs heat well and the flash drive does not heat up during long sessions.
We were also pleased with the lack of unnecessary software. The drive is not full of antiviruses, advertising programs or maintenance utilities. The retractable mechanism with a slider is well made and does not become loose after prolonged use.
4 Silicon Power Ultima U06 16GB
Buyers' choice
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 456 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.4
A reliable choice with write speeds of 7.5 to 8 MB/sec and read speeds of up to 18 MB/sec. A serious minus is that the actual capacity is disappointing; instead of 16 GB, only 14.9 GB are available to you. The official website of the manufacturer offers a lifetime warranty on the purchased product upon purchase.
By default, the flash drive has a link to a site where you can download additional software, allowing you to make data storage comfortable and safe. Additionally, a free 60-day version of Norton antivirus and a drive recovery utility are available. There is an indexing indicator when the flash drive is running.
3 Kingston DataTraveler SE9
The most stylish
Country: USA (manufactured in China)
Average price: 450 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.4
The flash drive from Kingston is made in a matte metal case, which is very pleasant in terms of tactile sensations. Scratches are also invisible, which can only be seen on the front side when you constantly insert or remove the drive. There is a mount for a keychain or keys.
Now let's talk about the shortcomings and there are a lot of them here. One of the main ones is a sharp drop in recording speed. A situation often occurs when recording starts at 120 Mb/sec and then sharply drops to 3-4 Mb/sec, frankly not even reaching its stated characteristics. There is no overheating protection or indicator light. Low price significantly affected the quality of the component base and we recommend the drive only as a document storage and nothing more.
2 Transcend JetFlash 600
Best speed
Country: China
Average price: 949 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7
Transcend produces quite interesting drives, but it is quite difficult to call the JetFlash 600 such. Outwardly, it does not stand out in any way - an ordinary piece of black plastic without a single hint of designer sophistication. Here you can even criticize the manufacturer for the lack of any kind of fastening of the lid, which makes it very easy to lose. And there are no eyelets on the flash drive itself, so it won’t be possible to attach it to the keys. The only thing that can really smooth out these shortcomings is the highest speed in the rating.
Advantages:
- Best speed. Reading – up to 32 MB/s. Recording – up to 16 Mb/s
- Has password protection
- Data compression function
- There are versions from 4 to 128 GB - the largest selection
Flaws:
- High cost - one and a half times higher than competitors
Flash drives consist of several components, which include:
- USB connectors;
- microcontrollers;
- control points;
- flash memory chips;
- quartz resonators;
- LEDs;
- write-protect switches;
- space for an additional memory chip.
1 SanDisk Cruzer Fit
Most compact sizes
Country: USA (manufactured in China)
Average price: 569 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
A flash drive from SanDisk has almost everything you could want. The main advantage over competitors is its very compact size. Yes, this one is easier to lose than larger models, but judging by the reviews, they mainly buy it for use in a car. And here the small size is simply a salvation, because in many car radios the USB connector is located on the front and a large flash drive can simply be broken if you move it carelessly with your hand. Cruzer Fit protrudes no more than 5 mm, and therefore it will be difficult to remove it with your hand. This model can also be recommended to owners of laptops with a small amount of built-in memory. I inserted this little thing into the port and forgot about it – there was more memory, but almost nothing stuck out.
Advantages:
- Good speed performance. Read – 28.3 MB/s, write – 13.96 MB/s
- The most compact dimensions
- It is possible to protect the flash drive with a password
- There is a backup function
The best USB flash drives with 3.0 interface
Specification 3.0, announced in 2008, increased data transfer rates to 5 Gb/s, which was made possible by raising the current from 500 mA to 900 mA. This has led to an increase in the number of powered devices.
To distinguish it from USB 2.0, cables of this specification are made of blue, and the ports have a similar color coding. Supported by default on Windows 8 and 10 without installing additional software.
5 Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth (CMFSS3B)
Wide range of available memory
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 1180 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.4
When purchasing Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth with USB 3.0 interface, you can choose the following storage capacity:
I would also like to note the appearance of the drive. Outwardly, it resembles a torpedo, a case or a cartridge, fortunately there is room for imagination to run wild. The protective element covers not only the connector itself, but also almost the entire body, made of metal (aluminum). The role of decorative elements is performed by rubber inserts. There is protection against water, which works at a depth of up to 200 meters. Holds impact well with a 5 year warranty. Because of this, it weighs over 100 grams and is heavy for its segment.
4 Silicon Power Jewel J06 16GB
Super flash drive
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 818 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.4
Silicon model worthy of many epithets with the prefix “super”. Super size, super speed, super looks. We would like to note that this particular model is available in several modifications, but we would like to highlight the 32 GB drive separately. Buyers in their reviews consider it the golden mean for a number of reasons, for example, the absence of conflicts with the software or operating systems, what is wrong with the 64 GB version.
The minimum available volume starts from 8 GB and up to 64 GB. The shape of the module completely replicates the company’s signature features, and the emerald color coupled with the “handle” complements the appearance of the device. Black and blue options are available to choose from.
3 Transcend JetFlash 790
Best price
Country: China
Average price: 511 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.4
Budget storage with a reserve for the future. Compatible with all supported operating systems. Works equally well with both USB 2.0 and 3.0. The design is interesting, and you won’t lose the lid. The speed indicators also seem okay, but they are very unstable. Judging by the reviews, they differ by one and a half times! What this is connected with is unclear. Otherwise, this is a fairly standard flash drive for a low price.
Advantages:
- Data transmission indicator;
- Large selection - models from 8 to 128 GB.
Flaws:
- Unstable speed indicators. On average 101.75 MB/s read and 44.8 MB/s write.
Another interesting fact is that there is a 790K model on sale, which operates over a 3.1 channel and supports all devices with it.
2 Transcend JetFlash 710G 64Gb
Compactness
Country: Taiwan
Average price: 1300 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7
The main advantage of this flash drive is its compactness. The length is only 2.2 cm with a width of 1.2 cm and a thickness of 6 mm. Available in a single “gold” finish. Copes well with tasks common to its type of device. Buyers in reviews note a quick “death” under prolonged loads and moving files from 10 to 15 GB per day.
It is not recommended to use it as a multi boot drive, even despite its low heating. Memory chips often fall off, especially during formatting. Recommended as a regular file carrier or movie storage module. Let us also mention the presence of a waterproof case, the effectiveness of which is not mentioned on Internet sites.
Currently, flash drives of specification 3.2 are being prepared for release, which is the final one for the USB 3.x series. This specification provides for a twofold increase in data transfer speed, which at its peak can reach 20 gigabytes per second. Owners of USB Type-C get some advantage due to redundant pins and double-sided contacts. The appearance of the first devices is planned for the second half of 2019.
At the same time, it is planned to release the USB 4.x specification, the technical characteristics of which are at the moment unknown.
1 Kingston DataTraveler R3.0 G2
Best value for money. Waterproof case
Country: USA (manufactured in China)
Average price: 1300 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
Finally, we come to one of the most interesting flash drives. Her main feature– waterproof. Of course, any model will almost certainly survive a light rain, but this flash drive from Kingston can be safely immersed in water without fear of losing data. This can be useful not only for extreme sports enthusiasts, but also ordinary people who are worried about the safety of important files. In addition, the speed of the flash drive does not suffer at all from the protected rubber casing. On the contrary, the official figures are a little... underestimated, which is good news.
Advantages:
- Waterproof housing
- The real speed is higher than the officially declared ones - reading 141.5 MB/s, writing 44.7 MB/s
- Maximum memory capacity up to 256 GB
Flaws:
- Under high load the case becomes noticeably hot
The best flash drives with 3.1 interface
The specification was released in 2013. The data transfer speed is already 10 Gb/sec. It has two variations – Gen 1 with speeds up to 5 Gb/s and Gen 2 with 10 Gb/s. Ports of this specification are often colored red, and the Gen 2 plug is even thinner.
5 SanDisk Ultra Fit USB 3.1 32GB
Best price tag
Country: China
Average price: 528 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.7
We recommend this product to those for whom every penny is important, but requires a fast storage device. Reading speed of 131 MB/sec and USB 3.1 will make the purchase more than relevant. The manufacturer has worked on the bugs, getting rid of the ever-lost cap and completely removing it. Not to say that the decision is correct, but it will relieve the pain of losing the cap.
Where the flaw lies is in the write speed of 17 MB/sec. Heating is also observed under prolonged intense load. The case is completely plastic, which negatively affects the protection of internal elements. Easily lost.
4 Samsung BAR Plus
Exquisite appearance
Country: South Korea
Average price: 2200 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
So, we present a drive for those who, in addition to the technical component, also care about appearance. Titanium gray and champagne silver are the marketing names for this flash drive. The product is more suitable for business people who need to show their self-sufficiency. Let's be honest - the flash drive is very large and weighty. Despite the high speed, the module quickly warms up and recording drops to 40-50 MB/sec.
Reliability is also pleasing, thanks to branded components from Samsung. The acute-angled shape raises questions, and if in front of the connection plug this can be justified, then on the opposite edge such features appearance difficult to explain. There is a special hole for attaching to keys. Slightly more expensive than its competitors, which may scare off a potential buyer.
3 Samsung USB 3.1 Flash Drive FIT Plus 64GB
The best component base
Country: South Korea
Average price: 1290 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
Every computer owner knows that the best drives and circuits are made by Samsung. Its miniature size is striking, since the previous generation with an identical volume was 10 times larger. Now you won't be afraid to break it when touching it. Overheating or other similar problems were not noted by customers in the reviews. The module will allow you to easily transfer large amounts of data and we can safely recommend it as the main storage for important information or boot images for operating systems.
Works great with both large and small files. There is no LED. Despite excellent optimization, speed is sometimes not enough. The recording speed is on average 13-20 MB/sec. The largest volume is 256 GB. Reading speed 200 MB/sec.
2 HyperX Savage
Better operational stability throughout the entire service life
Country: USA
Average price: 5706 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
HyperX Savage is a powerful USB 3.1 drive designed to store enormous amounts of information. There are as many as four models in its line, the volume of which varies from 64 to 512 GB. Actually, this characteristic was the most impressive for thousands of users, which is clearly demonstrated by their positive reviews.
The read/write speed of the HyperX Savage was also a cause for great joy. As the capacity increases, the speed of data transfer changes from 180 to 250 Mb/s, which has a lot of logic behind it. The read speed remains the same in all versions, and does not fall below the threshold of 350 MB/s. The visual component of the drive, the lining of which is made in the traditional Hyper X style, also received a portion of praise. Actually, the totality of all the splendor described above fully justifies the average price tag, which has increased slightly over the past year.
1 SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1
User selection
Country: USA
Average price: 3255 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.9
A high-quality 3.1 interface flash drive from SanDisk, designed to provide maximum quick access to the data warehouse. It found a great response among domestic users, who were largely pleased with both the technical standards and the overall build quality. SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 comes in two memory options: 128 and 256 GB, respectively. Supports password protection of data, so you can store purely personal information on it. The data transfer/read speed on this model is also at its optimum, amounting to 380 and 420 MB/s. And, as particularly demanding consumers note, a quick check of the key parameters showed their complete coincidence with the declared ones.
SanDisk Extreme PRO USB 3.1 is also supported by the presence of a metal case with a connector pull-out mechanism. The cost, fully justified by such excellent parameters, is expectedly high, but the existing safety margin will be enough for several years to come.
The best high-capacity USB flash drives
Here we have included drives with the maximum possible storage capacity. It is worth noting that this product instantly disappears from store shelves and, if possible, it is worth purchasing such flash drives to order.
5 Patriot Memory Supersonic Rage 2 512GB
Low heat
Country: China
Average price: 8384 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
The body of this flash drive from Patriot is so thick that you won’t feel it heating up during operation. However, some buyers note a good heat dissipation system. In fact, it maintains its 400 MB/sec specified in the technical documentation when reading. There is a red flashing operation indicator at the end of the housing.
One of the disadvantages is its thickness, which is also a plus. It also happens that the kit does not include a cap and you have to buy it separately. It does not produce the stated 200 Mb/s, it is mostly 140-150 Mb/s. Doesn't work well with Sony Playstation 4.
4 Corsair Flash Voyager GT USB 3.0 (CMFVYGT3C) 512GB
High reliability
Country: China
Average price: 8695 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
Flash Voyager is not just a name, but a universally recognized reliability certificate with excellent compatibility even with systems with USB 2.0. Data transfer speed thanks to the most modern technologies exceeds analogues on version 3.0 by 2 times, and on version 2.0 by 8 times. Delays in data preparation and processing have also been reduced.
The proprietary rubberized case is durable and protects all the insides of the drive perfectly. Water protection will withstand any criticism. The semiconductor drive can withstand heavy impacts and falls from heights thanks to rubber shock-absorbing elements. The manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty and undertakes after-sales service obligations. The buyer can choose a drive with a capacity from 32 to 512 GB.
3 Patriot Memory Supersonic Magnum 2 512GB
Best data writing speed (300 MB/s)
Country: China
Average price: 17159 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
A USB 3.1 flash drive suitable for falling into several categories of this rating. It has, in our opinion, the most optimal memory parameter, equal to 512 GB, which is comfortably enough for both ordinary use and purely work needs. It has excellent data transfer and reading speeds, the figures of which are 300 and 400 MB/s, respectively. In order to verify the veracity of the declared characteristics, particularly sensitive users gave the flash drive a real functional test... and did not reveal any critical deviations.
However, there are still catastrophically few consumers among the Russian audience for the Patriot Memory Supersonic Magnum 2 512GB. The fact is that a flash drive is a very specific model, the resources of which are often not needed by a simple PC user. Hence the low popularity, rather high price, and extremely rare appearance on store shelves.
2 PNY PRO Elite USB 3.0 512GB
The most reliable flash drive (up to 60 months warranty)
Country: China
Average price: 10281 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.8
Despite its original Chinese origin, the PNY PRO Elite USB 3.0 512GB drive has one very tempting aspect service. 60 months warranty - for significant equipment (both in terms of dimensions and functions), this figure is very worthy, eloquently speaking about the manufacturer’s confidence in its equipment. In the case of a flash drive, it looks completely astronomical - perhaps none of the leading flash drive manufacturers has such a reserve of “patience”.
The technical characteristics of the PNY PRO Elite USB 3.0 512GB also look very impressive. Along with a good volume internal memory the consumer receives high data processing speed, recording of which at peak is performed at 250 MB/s, and reading at 400 MB/s. Yes, the popularity of flash drives in Russia still leaves much to be desired. However, the company expects to seriously address this problem soon.
1 Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT 1TB
Most large volume internal memory (1 TB)
Country: USA
Average price: 61,200 rub.
Rating (2019): 4.9
Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT - the most spacious flash drive on Russian market for now. All the more interesting is the fact that it is the youngest model in the series - soon the American company is preparing to provide Russia with a copy with a memory capacity of 2 TB. However, until this happens, the terabyte version of the drive is becoming increasingly popular among professional bloggers and people whose work is in one way or another connected with a colossal flow of information. Its write speed is at the level of elite balanced flash drives, and is 200 MB/s. The reading speed of 300 MB/s also stands out positively against the general background of characteristics.
The only one for real weak point Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT 1TB is the value level. It is clear that the development technology is completely new, and the finished product should recoup all costs... but not everyone is ready to pay the cost of a good gaming laptop for a flash drive.
Several years ago I decided to buy myself a fast flash drive, I decided for myself that I would rather overpay, but get rid of the main disadvantage of all cheap flash drives - low write speed, especially for small files. I scoured the Internet for a long time, and in the end I chose ADATA N005 32GB USB 3.0 at a price of about 1,900 rubles, when almost all popular flash drives of the same volume cost twice as much, about 1,000 rubles.
]
But since I often use a flash drive for work and mostly write a lot of small-sized files onto it, I decided to overpay and bought, so to speak, “a pig in a poke,” believing only the graphs on the site.
They promised good speeds, here are the official data: 
I immediately insert the beast into USB 3.0 so that it gets used to it, because that’s where it almost always works. What immediately alerted me was that the flash drive was recognized as a hard drive! At first it was unusual, and no matter who I went to with it, they always couldn’t find it, because they looked for it in places where flash drives were recognized, but then I got used to it and now it even seems that it was convenient. I go into the properties, I get even more upset, the volume does not reach 32,000,000,000 bytes and does not reach much, it shows about 30,700,000,000 bytes! It's a shame.
To somehow cheer myself up from the 1900 rubles spent, of course, the first thing I do is go to CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1, set 3 runs of 50Mb and press All...
Results: 
Your text to link...
I breathed a sigh of relief... The speeds are simply excellent, especially 4k and 4k Q32
I was surprised by the speed with which this beast swallowed heaps of small files, he simply swallowed them without slowing down, just instantly, bravo! After this flash drive, it was unrealistic to use regular ones, the speed dropped to 1 MB/sec and lower, the copying time increased, and especially some flash drives have such a feature, the copy counter already shows 100% and it copies everything and the copy window does not disappear, thereby provoking people to say A few nice words for the flash drive. This one copies everything clearly, and as soon as the counter shows 100% the window disappears and the flash drive is ready for removal. Reading speed is average, from 40 to 70 MB/sec
Of the minuses: Well, it gets very hot, I don’t know how many degrees it was there, but holding it in my hands after some copying I just wanted to turn it over so as not to burn my hand. Also a disposable cap, which literally after the first removal was no longer put back on and kept falling off. Well, the considerable dimensions of the device, one might even say that it is huge.
In general, despite the smaller volume, I was completely satisfied with the flash drive and happily watched how it “improves” all inexpensive flash drives in terms of writing speed.
Everything would have been fine, but the end happened. It’s no longer detected, sometimes it seems to start detecting something, but the volume is only 4GB and won’t let it onto the flash drive, it says disk error. I carry it under warranty, on the same day they call, they say, come and exchange it for a new one. In the evening with a new absolutely identical flash drive))
More than a year has passed...
Everything would have been fine, but the second end happened. But here everything gets more interesting, the warranty has expired... I go to the forums... I read... I find out that it’s a manufacturer’s mistake, because inside the flash drive the connector of one of the memory chips comes off and it is no longer detected. Since there is no longer a guarantee, I open it with a knife... and the connector really fell off... 
Your text to link...
This means it was the same with the first flash drive and you could fix it yourself, but it’s better to take it to the warranty department out of harm’s way.
So, put the connector in place. 
Your text to link...
Putting the flash drive back together. Since the case was glued, I also had to glue it in the hope that the connector would not fly off again; I didn’t do anything to mat it in order to preserve the heat sink.
This is what it looked like after I opened it and reassembled it. the fighter is ready to go!
Your text to link...
Flash drive I took pictures with an old Kodak C633 camera, which was very difficult to focus at short distances, and decided to help him with my phone at the same time to compare the old camera from 2007 and the phone from 2013. A little off topic but interesting!
Your text to link...
Lumiya is on its way, but the camera is already 7 years old!
Okay, let's get back to flash drives. I bought another one for 32GB, the cheapest one for the machine for mp3, here it is 
It costs 750 rubles, which is 1150 rubles cheaper than the previous one! Immediately under the “knife” of her!
USB 2.0 + 32GB + 750 rubles =?
Hmmm... Which is what needed to be proven...
In principle, it will work for a machine, it writes files extremely slowly, very slowly!
But I couldn’t compare it with the new flash drive because ADATA shut down again, only now the PC doesn’t see it at all, maybe the write cycles have ended?) Still, I really recorded a lot on it, it was always at work, it didn’t stand idle. I took it apart, the connector was in place, I poked it around, it didn’t help, in fact we have a dead man on our hands, maybe something burned out, because it was simply heated brutally. Day... two... no signs of life, I go online and look, but such flash drives are no longer on sale, and in general there are very few 32GB USB 3.0, mostly only 2.0, but I didn’t even want to look at them, as I remember my “ultra-fast” » Transend...
And suddenly, in an online store, I came across what seemed to be the same flash drive: ADATA N005 32GB with a Pro prefix. Price 1460 rub. 
Without thinking twice, I throw it into the cart and wait for the order. While I was waiting, I looked at the specifications, read the reviews, they write that the read speed is up to 180 MB/sec, the write speed is up to 90, although this is for the 64 GB version. Here's what the manufacturer writes: 
Here are the data from that flash drive:
Cool, huh... 180 for reading, 90 for writing. I think it’s much faster, everything flew on that one anyway!
7 days have passed.
Here it is dear, with a cap!!! 
The only visual difference is the Pro inscription and the memory size. 
It is no longer defined as a hard drive, I don’t know why, but in my mind I think that I have returned to something slow, the disk icon somehow looked more solid... the size is a little larger but still does not reach 32,000,000,000 bytes 
First of all, I immediately launch CrystalDiskMark 3.0.1 and compare it with the previous beast 
Your text to link...
And I realized where the pig was buried in the form of a lower price... What did they do? They doubled the reading speed, the writing dropped slightly, and most importantly, the writing of small files dropped significantly; it can be seen even with the naked eye as the copying graph drops to the bottom. So it’s not bad, it downloads and reads movies faster than the previous ADATA 
Compared to the Transcend Jetflash 350 32gb, the new ADATA still doesn’t look weak, but it’s inferior to the old one.
Very often on forums, many people ask about how to choose a flash drive and what parameters you should pay attention to so that the purchased USB drive lasts a long time and exchanges large multimedia data without delays. As you know, nothing in this world is perfect, but still there is technical points which you should focus on to make the right choice. It is not surprising that in the large assortment of USB drives, people often get lost and do not know which flash drive to choose for daily use.
As a rule, inexperienced shoppers in a store pay their attention to modern design and size USB storage and very rarely look at such technical characteristics as the interface, speed of reading and writing data. Let's take a look at all the main points in order and decide which flash drive to choose for storing information.
Manufacturers of flash drives.
You won’t find many manufacturers in the information flow of the Internet, and each of them has its own fan. Personally, I trust such manufacturers as Adata and Kingston. Both of these companies have long established themselves as reliable manufacturers of USB flash drives. The Adata company provides information on the read and write speeds for fast flash drives on its official website.
Kingston publicly provides the document DTFamily_RU.pdf in which it clearly outlines the speed of its drives. The document describing the latest developments in flash drives is updated from time to time.
Of course, there are other worthy manufacturers, such as Apacer, Silicon Power, Corsair, Transcend, TeamGroup, Sandisk, Lexar. Each buyer has his own leaders, but I don’t think it’s worth relying only on the brand. One way or another, each manufacturer has high-quality or lower-quality products that can work for years or fail at the most inopportune moment.
Depending on the series, the read or write speed may vary greatly. But at the same time, time-tested companies deserve trust because of their honest attitude towards the consumer and the high probability of long-term operation of the media.
Some complain about Chinese counterfeits, saying that due to cheap components and poor-quality soldering, they quickly fail. Indeed, counterfeits of brands with distorted names from the Middle Kingdom disappoint us, but in fairness it should be said that there are some pretty high-quality products. Since high-quality Chinese flash drives are still rare, it is better to give preference to the famous brand that you like.
Optimal flash drive capacity.
As a rule, the memory capacity of a flash drive is indicated on the packaging or case of each model. Usually in this matter people are guided by the concept that the more the better, but from the point of view of economy this method is not always relevant. That is, if you urgently need super mobility, a large amount of information storage and you are not limited by finances in any way, then why not, but if there is no urgent need for size and volume and you want to save at least something, then it is better to approach the choice of a flash drive constructively or look away external hard disk.
For example, a 128 GB (Gigabyte) flash drive is often comparable in price to a 1 TB (Terabyte) external hard drive. Of course, the principles of operation of these devices are different, but if you do not want to purchase a drive with aluminum or glass plates coated with a layer of ferromagnetic material, and finances are not tight, then you can take a closer look at expensive SDD drives. However, if you need a flash drive, then according to my preference, they could be roughly divided in terms of volume approximately like this:
- from 4 to 16GB, low-volume but cheap;
- from 16 to 64GB, of lesser quality and at a reasonable price;
- from 128GB, for a specific purpose at an inflated price.
This is my association with flash drives :). In my opinion, the optimal volume of a flash drive should be based on the goals set, but... It just so happens that flash drives with a large capacity are sold at an inflated price and not always quite justified for the first batches with a new volume. Manufacturers compete with each other and in order to quickly be among the first on the market, they often test their models incorrectly and send them for sale “raw”.
Flash drive read and write speed.
Unlike the memory capacity, the speed capabilities of a USB flash drive are very often not indicated on the packaging and, accordingly, it is not always possible to evaluate the merits of the purchase. But some conscientious manufacturers still provide such data. Typically, data on speed characteristics on the packaging of flash cards (described here) and USB flash drives (read here) are indicated with a special rating of 200x, where x = 200 KB/s. That is, the speed in in this example will be 30 MB/s.
| Rating/Multiplier (X) | Speed (MB/s) | SDHC class |
|---|---|---|
| 6x | 0,9 | n/a |
| 13x | 2,0 | 2 |
| 26x | 4,0 | 4 |
| 32x | 4,8 | 5 |
| 40x | 6,0 | 6 |
| 66x | 10,0 | 10 |
| 100x | 15,0 | 15 |
| 133x | 20,0 | 20 |
| 150x | 22,5 | 22 |
| 200x | 30,0 | 30 |
| 266x | 40,0 | 40 |
| 300x | 45,0 | 45 |
| 400x | 60,0 | 60 |
| 600x | 90,0 | 90 |
It should be said that this is in relation to the read speed, but the write speed is usually not indicated and you can actually find out it only after special testing. Most often, the write speed of a cheap flash drive is half the read speed. This is a pretty significant difference.
There is a wonderful site where you can see the testing results of USB flash drives from different manufacturers and different volumes. In addition, the results of the latest tested flash drives are provided here. I think this information will help you navigate the world of removable flash drives. In general, the speed characteristics of a flash drive depend on the installed flash memory and controller, but for the average user it is now impossible or quite difficult to find this information.
Unfortunately, sometimes the declared speed characteristics in cheap flash drives do not correspond to reality due to low quality, but even in expensive high-speed components they can stick anything. However, relatively cheap ones usually use MLC, TLC or TLC-DDR memory, while high-speed ones use DDR-MLC or SLC memory in addition to MLC. It is not surprising that USB 3.0 flash drives are backward compatible with USB 2.0, but you need to remember that you can copy large and memory-demanding files at the advertised speed when using it with USB port 3.0.
For example, a drive with high performance, which provides read speeds of up to 260 MB/s and write speeds of up to 240 MB/s allows you to copy 1000 photos or a full-length movie in seconds.
The additional functions of a flash drive are on the one hand a marketing ploy, and on the other hand useful “buns”. There isn't any additional software. For example, access to information using a fingerprint (so-called biometrics), data compression to increase data storage density, an application for creating a protective area with password access, and so on. A lot of manufacturers these days supply their products with various kinds of software designed to preserve confidentiality and make life easier for consumers.
All these software features very often do not provide any benefit, but rather, on the contrary, complicate working with a flash drive. In reality, worthwhile and necessary software is rare. All these promising inscriptions on the packaging about necessary and useful software are often just an advertising ploy and nothing more. You have to pay for all these additional options, so decide for yourself what you really need from all this variety.
We decide on the flash drive casing.
It would seem that there is nothing complicated in choosing a case, but some points are still worth considering. There are several main types of USB connectors:
- open connector (no protection)- this type of connector is usually found on the smallest flash drives. Of course, it is very convenient to carry a small drive with you, but due to the lack of protection for the contact plate of the connector, scratches may appear, which can lead to premature failure of the drive.
- with removable cap- the most popular and practical type of connector protection. Caps are made of rubber, plastic... The use of rubber allows you to fix the cap without clamps and better protect the connector from moisture and dust. Although the cap can be lost, it is best protection flash drive connector from physical influences.
- bracket— the design consists of a housing and a bracket, which is fixed on the outside and can be rotated from side to side, which makes it possible to close the USB connector in a certain position. This design has very low protection against external factors and besides, the bracket is not fixed very securely.
- slider— with this arrangement of the case, the connector is hidden inside and removed from there using a movable key. The disadvantage is that the latch that holds the connector in the extended position may break, and it is quite difficult to use a drive with a broken physical function. In addition, although the connector is hidden in the housing, it does not have sufficient protection from dust and moisture, since the contacts remain open.
The case for a flash drive is made of metal and plastic and sometimes a protection system from external influences is used in the form of rubber. Due to the tight rubber fit of the body, moisture and dust do not get inside.
Sometimes the case itself is made of rubber to protect the internal components of the drive not only from dust and moisture, but also from excessive shock. It should be said that such cases practically do not withstand the fracture test. It is desirable that such a rubber protection system be based on a rigid body. Regardless, such protection can save you important data if you drop your USB flash drive into water or from a relatively high height. By the way, sometimes flash drives are built into the case LED indicator states of use.
Instead of conclusions. In the final part of the publication, I will provide some basic tips and recommendations for choosing a USB drive. Before you buy a flash drive, decide in advance what technical characteristics it must have the ability to easily complete the tasks you set and sometimes save time. That is, what should be its speed and capacity. Be sure to choose a brand that you can trust and do not buy USB drives from dubious manufacturers (accessories in the form of key fobs).
Look at the specification on the company’s official website and base your choice of flash drive on it. It is advisable to select several models with the necessary parameters and compare them with similar flash drives at a price on the website of other manufacturers. This approach will help you correctly determine the parameters and additional functions before purchasing and saving a certain amount of money.
With the invention of computers came new look information that needs to be stored somewhere. These are photos, videos, text documents and much more that can be stored not only on a hard drive, but also on a miniature flash drive that can hold huge amounts of information. At first, files were stored on punched cards, then floppy disks, floppy disks and the most modern solution - flash drives. The latter are now at the peak of popularity due to large amounts of memory, high speed reading and writing. At the same time, the device is compact in size and can easily fit into a pocket. Let's figure out which flash drive is best to buy in 2019 in our rating.
Transcend JetFlash 780 16Gb
If we talk about the best flash drives, then you should start with Transcend JetFlash 780 16Gb - external storage with a modest amount of memory, which has successfully stood the test of time and proven its reliability. It uses MLC memory, which is a huge advantage over its competitors, most of which are made on TLC chips. MLC memory costs more to produce, but it will last much longer, which in our opinion is much more important. Therefore, if you use a flash drive often, then this will be the best option.
The design of the model turned out to be very simple, this is clearly not something you would want to buy it for. At the same time, the case turned out to be very practical due to the fact that it received a matte structure. The flash drive has a read speed of up to 140 and write speed of up to 40 MB/s. But this is according to official sources; in real use we get slightly more modest values. But the difference is minimal, for which the manufacturer can be praised, because these days this is a rarity.
Advantages:
- Excellent speed indicators (taking into account the cost and memory size);
- Practicality;
- Lifetime warranty from the manufacturer, which says a lot about the reliability of the device.
Flaws:
- Large body dimensions;
- During recording, the flash drive becomes noticeably warm.
Corsair Flash Voyager GT USB 3.0 32GB (CMFVYGT3B)
If you are interested in the best usb 3.0 flash drive, then be sure to pay attention to the Corsair Flash Voyager GT model, which will be one of the best for its price. The model is interesting primarily for its unique design, which will immediately attract the attention of all fashionistas. The flash drive has a catchy design, and its body has a special design that allows it to withstand strong impacts. Even more, it is protected from water and dust, so the flash drive will remain working even if you accidentally wash it in the machine, forgetting to take it out of your jeans pocket. But the reinforced design has one drawback - the case turns out to be massive, which is why you are unlikely to be able to plug anything into the adjacent USB port. There is only one way to solve this problem - remove the rubber cover and use it only as needed.
This is a good quality flash drive, which has the following speed characteristics: reading - up to 135 MB/s, writing - up to 35 MB/s. This applies to the 32 GB version. There is also a more advanced one at 64Gb, whose recording speed is almost twice as high - up to 83 MB/s.
Advantages:
- Unusual design that will allow you to stand out from the crowd;
- The case is protected from shock and water;
- Excellent speed performance.
Flaws:
- Large sizes.
Transcend JetFlash 750 64Gb
When figuring out which flash drive is better to buy with a large amount of memory, it is worth considering the Transcend JetFlash 750 64Gb. This is a budget model, so they didn’t bother too much with its design, offering a classic form factor. The body is made of glossy plastic, so it certainly cannot be called practical. On top of that, the model has good read and write speeds, but only within its price category. But if it is important to you maximum speed, then it is better to buy for yourself the JetFlash 780 model, which costs a little more, but will be much better in its characteristics. This is the best 64GB flash drive of the year that you can buy at a reasonable price.
Advantages:
- Memory type MLC, which is rarely used now, but the best in terms of durability;
- Affordable purchase price.
Flaws:
- Far from a record writing speed;
- The case quickly becomes covered with fingerprints and slips in the hand.
SanDisk Ultra Dual USB Drive 3.0 32GB
Speaking about the best flash drives of 2018, we can’t help but mention SanDisk Ultra Dual- a model that can easily do without adapters due to the presence of two interfaces. This important advantage now, when the USB Type-C format is not yet very popular. It can be used as a link between a laptop and a computer or smartphone. True, with one caveat - for this the device must support OTG technology.
Formally, a flash drive is a pair of plugs connected to each other in the middle. They move inside an empty case made of high-quality plastic. To access the plug, just move the slider, after which the flash drive will be ready to connect to the computer. The only thing is that at first it will be a little inconvenient to switch modes. An activity indicator would help. but there was no place for it in the compact case. Another disadvantage is that the device gets noticeably warm during recording. Its miniature body is not able to effectively dissipate heat. Read speeds of up to 130 MB/s and write speeds of up to 15 MB/s are justified by the budget positioning of the model.
Advantages:
- Versatility;
- Compact body dimensions.
Flaws:
- When recording for a long time, the case becomes very hot;
- Low write speed.
Kingston DataTraveler G4
The best USB flash drives of 2018 also offer very original solutions, as can be seen in the example of the Kingston DataTraveler G4. It has a special ring built directly into the body. It serves as a beautiful decorative element and will allow you not to worry about the flash drive getting lost. The color of the ring depends on the memory capacity. In total, there are 4 options on sale, which allows everyone to choose a solution to their taste. Kingston DataTraveler G4 is an excellent option for those who are forced to constantly have a flash drive with them and are afraid of losing valuable information stored on it. The only thing is that the flash drive should be pulled out very carefully from the port of your computer, otherwise it may be damaged, which will lead to deterioration in performance.
Advantages:
- Quick opening when connected to the connector;
- This is the best flash drive in terms of price/quality ratio, on which you can store everything, from text files and ending with complex software;
- High read and write speed;
- A convenient ring that can be attached to a keychain and not be afraid of losing the flash drive.
Transcend JetFlash 790
The Transcend JetFlash 790 model is included in the ranking of the best flash drives thanks to its convenient design and distinctive design, which sets this series apart from most competitors. The device is equipped with retractable adapters, which, according to the manufacturer, provides the highest degree of protection from physical damage. True, in practice this is far from the case, and rather, on the contrary, reduces the stability of the connection between the port and the carrier. The retractable mechanism sometimes jams, and the switch key is made of soft plastic. This makes her very fragile. The product must be handled with care and then it will last a long time. Thanks to its bright design, the flash drive will be good option for a gift.
There are a large number of memory modifications on sale - from 4 to 32 GB, everyone will find the best option for themselves.
Advantages:
- Supports both legacy connectors and new USB 3.0;
- No cap is needed as the adapter slides out at the touch of a button;
- Stylish and compact case with a matte finish, so it does not collect fingerprints.
Flaws:
- Fragile design.
Transcend JetFlash 500
The top flash drives include Transcend JetFlash 500 - a model that has received the title of people's favorite and is extremely popular. The series appeared back in the days when the maximum capacity of a flash drive did not exceed 512 MB. You may no longer remember those times, but this is not required, because now everything has changed and even the most compact model can accommodate huge amounts of information. The flash drive is easily readable via USB of any type and generation, and is also easily encrypted with a password, which guarantees the confidentiality of the information stored on it.
Advantages:
- Great price;
- Durable and beautiful body;
- Large selection of memory sizes;
- Fast opening and sufficient writing speed.
Transcend JetFlash 600
Transcend JetFlash 600 is the best flash drive for a computer in 2018 in the budget category. Its design cannot be called unique, but for this price you don’t expect much. This is the simplest device that will be an ideal choice for everyday use on a small budget.
Advantages:
- The best read and write speed in its price category;
- Password protection options;
- Data compression functionality;
- Large selection of memory modifications - from 4 to 128 GB.
Subscribe to our Zen channel, there are many more interesting things waiting for you there.
I am still interested in the question of whether there are already flash drives that are not inferior in speed to external ones hard drives. I had the opportunity to return two high-speed Sandisk flash drives and test them.
For the Extreme Go flash drive, the manufacturer claims write speeds of up to 150 MB/s and read speeds of up to 200 MB/s. The packaging of the Extreme Pro flash drive states write speeds of up to 380 MB/s and read speeds of up to 420 MB/s.
Both flash drives have fairly large bodies. Their length without USB connector is 7 centimeters.
Both flash drives have connectors that slide into the case.
I tested flash drives on two computers - on motherboard ASUS B85M-G and Pentium processor G3258 Anniversary Edition running on Windows 7 and on a PC Core processor i3-4005U running on Windows 10.
Both computers are equipped USB interfaces 3.0, but tests showed different results.
According to the results of testing the Extreme Pro flash drive using CrystalDiskMark 3.0.4 x64, the maximum write speed was 315-340 MB/s, and the maximum read speed was 323-354 MB/s.
On the left here and below are the results on my computer, on the right - on the Acer Revo One.
Results of the usbflashspeed.com test for the same flash drive: writing - 297-325 MB/s, reading - 301-345 MB/s.
For unknown reasons, the write speed at different computers the Extreme Go flash drive was three times different: 42 MB/s on my computer and 126 MB/s on the Acer Revo One. The difference in read speed is not so significant - 152 MB/s and 185 MB/s.
There is a similar difference with the usbflashspeed.com test: writing - 39/143 MB/s, reading - 143/179 MB/s.
For comparison, I took another regular one USB flash drive 3.0 - SanDisk Ultra Fit 64GB (I have this type of flash drive). Write - 27/39 MB/s, read - 123/152 MB/s.
In order to test flash drives not only with the help of test programs, but also in “real life”, I measured the time of writing to flash drives and reading from them one large file(MP4 video 2.1 GB) and photo folders (1895 files, 3.7 GB).
In addition to three flash drives, the same operations were performed on an external hard drive Seagate drive Backup Plus Portable 2 TB USB 3.0.
The manufacturer compares the speed of the Extreme Pro flash drive with an SSD, so I measured the speed of the same operations on the disk.
The files on the tested flash drive or disk were copied from the SSD drive (when the SSD drive itself was tested, the files were copied from the fastest Extreme Pro flash drive). Files from the tested flash drive or disk were copied to nul, that is, the reading speed was measured in pure form. Test results on my computer:
As can be seen from the results, the Extreme Pro flash drive outperformed the external hard drive and turned out to be only slightly slower than the SSD. The Extreme Go flash drive outperforms an external hard drive only in read speed.
The situation with the write speed of the Extreme Go flash drive was repeated on different computers. On my computer, the writing speed of one large file is almost three times lower. Test results on Acer Revo One (the same SSD drive was moved from my computer to the Revo case):
So, the moment has come. Flash drives that work faster than external ones have appeared on sale hard drives. But these flash drives are quite expensive - the tested Sandisk Extreme Pro USB 3.1 costs from 9230 rubles, the same one with 128 GB costs from 5340 rubles.
Sandisk Extreme Go USB 3.1 flash drives are significantly cheaper - the tested 64 GB one costs from 2590 rubles, the 128 GB model costs from 4270 rubles, but in terms of writing speed they are slower than the external one hard drive and on different computers the recording speed is for some reason very different.
2017, Alexey Nadezhin
The main topic of my blog is technology in human life. I write reviews, share my experiences, talk about all sorts of interesting things. I also report from interesting places and talk about interesting events.
Add me as a friend. Remember the short addresses of my blog: Blog1.rf and Blog1rf.ru.
My second project is lamptest.ru. I'm testing led lamps and help you figure out which ones are good and which ones are not so good.
