What types of flash drives are there? Choosing the right USB flash drive
How to find a good model and not regret the purchase.
Why buy USB flash drives now?
We are almost convinced that external storage media are a thing of the past. The Internet changes everything, doesn't it? However, the speed and stability of the network connection do not yet make it possible to completely abandon physical drives. Laptops still use their own memory rather than storing everything in the cloud, as was predicted a few years ago. Accordingly, the demand for portable media is still good. 
When is it logical to use USB flash drives:
1. Transfer data between computers
Internet and wireless technologies are not yet available everywhere. Employees of a small company with an office on the outskirts, computer users in the provincial outback, employees of government agencies. All of them are potential owners of USB flash drives.
2. Installing/reinstalling the OS
More advanced users use drives to reinstall operating systems on computers. Now it is difficult to find those who install the system from a disk, just as it is difficult to find computers with the appropriate drive. Have you ever seen USB flash drives that don't require any effort?
3. Data backup
Not everyone wants or can use it for convenient backup. It is much cheaper to buy a flash drive of a suitable size and save backups on it.
4. Expanding the memory of devices (laptops, smartphones, tablets)
No one is disputing the capabilities yet, but memory expansion on the iPhone and iPad has caused a lot of controversy and discussion. The fact remains that by using a removable drive you can save on the amount of memory on your device.
5. Use with TVs, projectors, media players
The household appliances market lags behind the computer market. The use of wireless technologies in TVs and media players has not yet become widespread, and it is almost impossible to find such equipment without a USB connector. Don't forget about the price of the issue. For the difference in the cost of a TV with and without Wi-Fi, you can buy a couple of good flash drives.
6. External storage (paired with a compatible router)
Many routers are equipped with USB ports and have the ability to turn a connected drive into a network drive. This way you can create a common data storage for all family members or employees in the office.
7. Secure data storage
Not all users can risk storing their data online or leaving it on their work computer. A flash drive in this case is the only convenient solution for transferring everything you need. For those who are worried about theft or loss, manufacturers have released a number of models with security mechanisms.
What types of USB flash drives are there?
We decided on the need to purchase the device. It is unlikely that there will be many readers who will not be suitable for at least one of the listed scenarios for using a removable drive. Let's figure out what types of flash drives exist and how they differ. The USB standard has existed for more than 20 years, during which time it has gone through several stages of evolution, the most recent of which is happening today. Along with the standard, connected devices and flash drives changed.
- USB 1.0– data transfer speed from 1.5 Mbit/s. up to 12 Mbit/s;
- USB 1.1– has minor improvements compared to the previous standard and similar speed indicators;
- USB 2.0– data transmission at speeds from 25 to 480 Mbit/s;
- USB 3.0– information transmission speed up to 5 Gbit/s;
- USB 3.1/– transmission speed can reach 10 Gbit/s.
It is not possible to visually distinguish the first three types of connectors. They have the same shape and structure. Manufacturers of cheap peripherals from China and sellers of equipment in the metro still use this. It's very easy to buy a flash drive with a 20-year-old port. USB 3.0 has one significant difference from its predecessors. The inside of the port is blue (a number of manufacturers use red, but such devices are extremely rare). Five additional contacts on the inner row provide higher data transfer speeds. Otherwise, the new connector is similar to the previous ones. 
To achieve the declared data transfer speed, the flash drive and the port in the computer/tablet must be of the same standard. When connecting a version 3.0 drive to a 2.0 port, you can get a maximum speed of up to 480 Mbit/s (2.0 standard limit). All listed standards from 1.0 to 3.0 are compatible with each other. However, when connecting, the restrictions of the younger one will apply. This applies to both data transfer speed and power consumption. A new large-capacity flash drive with the 3.0 standard may not work with an old TV whose port has USB 1.1. But this happens very rarely. The USB 3.1 or Type-C version stands apart in the USB series. As you remember, the 12-inch, introduced in 2015, has exactly this port. It is strange that the standard did not receive a new leading digit in its name, since it is not compatible with all previous ones. More precisely, it is possible only if there is a special one. 
Just six months ago, all analysts said that Apple was in a hurry with the release of equipment equipped with USB Type-C. However, at the last exhibition CES 2016 We saw a large number of new ones with such a connector. That is, the port not only has a future, it is an inevitable future. There are other types of drives that are equipped with a non-USB connector. We will be interested in those that. Most manufacturers equip such flash drives with two connection options at once, but there are also narrowly focused solutions.
How to choose a USB flash drive
# Connection standard. What USB do you have?
Before choosing, you should decide on all usage scenarios. It's a good idea to decide whether you're willing to shell out more money for a promising solution or whether you want to save money and replace the drive later. Naturally, take a standard drive 1.x there's no point. USB 2.0 has also lost its relevance, and the opportunity to get 1.x instead of 2.0 makes all devices unattractive for purchase. Today you only have to choose between USB 3.0 and USB Type-C. Even if your computer does not have a single blue-labeled port (USB 3.0), it is still worth paying attention to more promising drives. 
Choosing between 3.0 and Type-C easy to do. If you have at least one device with a new connector, or plan to purchase one, feel free to choose the USB 3.1 (Type-C) standard. With a high degree of probability, you will update your arsenal of gadgets in the near future and will pay attention specifically to the presence of a new connector, and the speed of operation, even if only on one device, will please you every day. If compatibility with other gadgets is important, you can consider these options:
It’s still difficult to find these, but by mid-2016 they will be sold in all electronics stores. For those who do not yet plan to update their device fleet, A regular 3.0 flash drive will suffice. The difference in price will be in your favor, you can use the media without adapters and the difference in data transfer speed is not that big. In the few years before you decide to purchase devices with USB Type-C, a flash drive will serve you well.
# Appearance. Big, small, fashionable
You should immediately give up flash drives in the form of minions, heroes from the Star Wars universe, food and other original products. Most often, such drives use outdated modules with low data transfer rates. The appearance of the device will delight you for the first week, but the copying speed will frustrate you for several years of use.
Of course, there are original USB flash drives with an interesting design and good “filling,” but they are extremely rare and are more expensive than analogues with a simple design. If a flash drive is purchased for a girl, sister or mother, you don’t have to dissuade them from using funny and amusing drives. It is their nerves that will be spent on long waits during copying, which will pay off with the original design of the device.
# Volume. Within a realistic framework
Flash memory is not the cheapest component. This can be seen in the prices of drives. However, there has always been a threshold at which an increase in volume does not lead to a gain in price. This threshold is slowly but surely moving towards an increase. Now the average price level looks like this:
- 16 GB – $8;
- 32 GB – $15;
- 64 GB – $30;
- 128 GB – $55;
- 256 GB – $130.
As you can see, 256 GB does not yet look like the best option to buy. Two 128 GB drives will be cheaper. And the range of flash drives for 256 GB or more is still very scarce. I also don’t recommend looking at 16 GB drives. They won’t fit a normal backup or good quality movies, and you won’t get any price benefits. Choose from capacities from 32 to 128 GB, based on your financial limitations and how you use the drive.
# Brand. Don't save too much
You shouldn’t save money and buy a no-name media or a little-known Chinese craft. There will not be a significant difference in price, but the quality may be much worse. Surely, everyone already has a couple of favorite brands that they trust. If not, pay attention to: Transcend ( 4.57 out of 5, rated: 7 )
Hello, dear readers!
From this article we will learn what USB drives are, how to choose them, and list the TOP 10 popular manufacturers.
Do you remember the times when a PC owner's shelves were full of floppy disks and CDs? Today, Flash drives are used to store information and provide convenience.
Flash memory is a very convenient tool with large storage capacity and high data transfer speed. Today there is a huge range of storage devices. That is why, when purchasing such a gadget, you need to understand the device with what characteristics you need.
We know perfectly well what a USB drive looks like, but what is a flash drive anyway? A Flash drive is a removable storage medium with a specific type of file system that has no moving elements in its structure.
Criteria for choosing a USB drive
Which device is better (why)? When choosing a flash drive, you should pay attention to its type, data transfer speed and, of course, memory capacity.
Types of information storage devices
There are only three types of USB drives: 2.0, 3.0 and 3.1. But flash drives are divided into types based on appearance:
– With removable cap. The most popular plate protection option.
The caps are made from different materials to prevent debris and moisture from entering.
– Rotary. Such a drive consists of a bracket and the body of the device, and they rotate sideways in relation to each other. In this case, the plate is protected from scratches, but is susceptible to debris and moisture.
– Sliders. In such a device, the connector is hidden inside the housing. Protection from mechanical damage is good, but not from moisture and debris.
Devices with a combined protection system are considered the best. For example, a metal body with a rubberized base. These are the most reliable flash drives, but, of course, they are more expensive.
It is also necessary to take into account that the fewer moving parts a flash drive has, the longer it will last, because after a month or two of using it nothing will break.
Data transfer rate
One of the main criteria when choosing a device is the data transfer speed. This criterion includes the write speed to the flash device and the read speed of the flash drive. The speed of interaction between the drive and the computer depends on them. The USB drive can be rewritten many times, so the maximum data transfer speed will be appropriate.
This parameter is expressed in megabits per second (Mb/s) and is always indicated on the packaging. High-speed drives cost more.
Memory capacity
How to choose a usb flash drive from memory.
The volume of the device is the most important characteristic that is important for the person who purchases a flash drive. This characteristic is expressed in gigabytes. Today, USB drives are designed for 32/64/128/more GB, and if necessary, you can purchase 2/4/8 GB. That is, today the maximum capacity of a flash drive is 2048 GB.
Don't forget that a flash drive is a compact device for storing information.
Based on memory capacity, the following types of drives can be distinguished:
– cheap, but with a small volume – 2-8 GB;
– affordable price and optimal volume -16-64 GB;
– high cost, but large volume – 128 GB or more.
USB storage performance
Also, one important criterion when choosing a device is its performance, which depends on the following factors:
Chips used in flash memory. The most common trade-off is between high-speed, expensive chips that have single-level cells and low-cost flash chips that have few levels with multi-level (MLC)/triple-level (TLC) cells at regular speed.
Flash memory device controller. The flash memory controller is a special chip that controls the interface and controls all actions with the drive. If the controller supports fast data transfer, it saves time.
The host device to which the device connects. A limited host device will not provide high drive performance. Let's give an example: if the computer supports speed 2.0, then a USB 3.0 flash drive will not work at the required speed.
Rating of USB drive manufacturers
You already know that today a huge number of companies are engaged in the production of USB drives. Everyone who wants to purchase such a device wonders which flash drive is best for a computer. Yes, yes, specifically for the computer, because there are special storage devices (SD) for cameras and phones. Of course, they also connect to the computer, but only through special adapters (card readers).
Well, let's look at the TOP 10 companies whose flash drives are preferred by users:
1. Transcend. This is a well-known company that began its work back in 1988. Flash drives from this company are known for their individual style and long service life.
2. Silicon Power. Devices of this form are sold in more than 90 countries around the world.
3. Kingston. This company is an old-timer among manufacturers of USB drives. It was created back in 1987 and today is not inferior to other manufacturers.
4. Team Group. Regarding this company, it is worth noting that its range is growing every year.
5. SanDisk. Another fairly old company on the market. Devices with a simple design and at a reasonable price.
6. Apacer. The company produces flash drives, which are famous for the quality of data storage.
7. Pretec. And the drives of this company are used for military and industrial purposes. This is probably the very indicator of quality and reliability that many users are looking for.
8. Adata is a company with the motto: “Trust and reliability.” And I would like to note that since its formation in 2011, the company has been justifying it.
9. P.Q.I. And this company began its work with the production of USB drives.
10. Corsair. This company produces exclusive products, such as flash drives with a body made of natural rubber, whose flash drives are long-lasting.
The most reliable flash drives
Of course, it is better to buy devices for storing information, especially large volumes, from official stores, because today a huge number of fakes are produced in China. Let's look at the five most reliable USB drives:
1. . A device with a simple design. This model is suitable for users who need high performance at a low price.
This device is distinguished by its cell design, allowing data processing to be performed at a high level.
This model is simple and practical and has a sliding plastic body.
A flash drive that is perfect for work or school because it is small in size and convenient.
This model has a convenient fastening system.
Do not forget that defects occur in production, and therefore the rating changes.
So, when you finally decide to buy yourself a USB drive, first decide what it is intended for in order to decide on the device that will suit you. If you need a flash drive to copy work files, then a device with a memory capacity of 8 GB is suitable.
When purchasing, consult with a consultant, because, as a rule, people only look at the memory capacity. You can purchase a device with a memory capacity of 128 GB, but the speed will be low and the movie will take a very long time to copy.
An important criterion for choosing a flash drive is its appearance (case design, material from which it is made, shape and size). Medium-sized flash drives are most convenient to use. Miniature options can easily get lost, and large drives are not always convenient to connect to a PC. The non-standard shape can also create connection problems (if there is another connected device in the adjacent slot).
Most flash drives are traditionally available in plastic housings. But you can find models made of metal, wood or with a rubberized surface. Some devices may have a dust- and water-resistant housing.
USB drives differ from each other in their housing design. The bulk of devices on the market are made in a classic style. Flash drives with an original design are less versatile and practical, but they can serve as an excellent souvenir or gift.
The drive connector may have various protection options. For example, a removable cap, a rotating bracket or a slider. Miniature flash drives most often do not have connector protection, so you should be more careful when using them.
A high-quality USB drive is a reliable assistant for users who are often forced to use the same information on different devices. At the same time, digital storage devices can be used not only with computers and laptops, but also with TVs, game consoles, tablets, smartphones and other equipment.
If you don’t know how to choose a good USB flash drive that can effectively cope with the tasks assigned to it, then this material will help you decide on the optimal model. We looked at the main parameters of USB drives, and also gave important tips on their selection.
Criteria for choosing a USB flash drive
First of all, you need to decide on the connection interface. Which option you choose depends on the devices you use. For example, for a computer with USB 3.0 ports, you need to select the appropriate model. A regular 2.0 flash drive is significantly inferior in file transfer speed to more modern options. In this case, throughput indicators must be assessed separately. Just meeting the 3.0 standard does not mean that you have a USB flash drive with high data transfer speeds. Once you have decided on the interface and speed, all that remains is to choose the optimal storage capacity, design and manufacturer that suits you.
Flash drive connection interface
When choosing a USB drive, be sure to pay attention to its interface. Many PCs, laptops and other modern devices today have USB 3.0 connectors that support information transfer rates of up to 5 Gbps. At the same time, most of the flash drives on the market for storing information comply with the 2.0 standard, the throughput of which is limited to a much more modest 480 Mbit/s.
Additionally, we should also mention the 3.1 interface, which appeared in mid-2013. However, not in all cases the corresponding fast flash drives can provide an advantage over USB 3.0 drives. This is due to the fact that within the specified interface there are two standards: USB 3.1 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2. Reliable flash drives based on the first interface option can offer a throughput of up to 5 Gbps, which corresponds to the 3.0 standard. But Gen 2 boasts speeds of up to 10 Gbps.
To choose the best USB flash drive, you also need to take into account the set of connectors that your device has. So, for most PCs and laptops, a model with a regular type A will be sufficient. If you are deciding which flash drive is best to buy for a smartphone or tablet, then depending on the device you are using, you may need media with micro-USB, USB-C or Lightning. However, some manufacturers, like Transcend JetDrive Go 300 or Kingston DataTravel microDuo 3C, can connect to two types of connectors at once.
The bandwidth listed above does not mean that if you purchase quality USB 3.1 Gen 2 flash drives, you will be able to transfer files at 10 Gbps. In practice, drives can boast more modest performance. Thus, one of the best storage media models, SanDisk Extreme PRO 3.1, can boast 420 MB/s and 380 MB/s for writing and reading, respectively. This is even less than the theoretical maximum of USB 3.0, which is 652 MB/s.
In cheaper models of USB storage devices the indicators are even more modest. For example, Twister 3.0 media from the GOODRAM brand allows you to write and read information at speeds of up to 30 MB/s and 110 MB/s. For this reason, a user who decides to buy a flash drive to transfer large amounts of information should always look at the parameters declared by the manufacturer.
Memory capacity
It is necessary to select the size of a flash drive depending on the type of data for which it will be used. If you don’t plan to work with anything other than text documents and photos, then just choose a 4 or 8 GB model. To store music, installation files and small videos, you should purchase a budget USB flash drive with a capacity of 16 or 32 gigabytes. But fans of high-quality video are unlikely to be satisfied with such a volume, so in this case you should choose media with at least 64 GB or a good SSD drive.
If we talk about which USB flash drive is better in terms of memory capacity today, then this is the DataTravel Ultimate GT from Kingston. This model is available in 1 and 2 TB options, when most competitors offer a capacity of 256 GB or, at best, 512 gigabytes. However, you have to pay for the large volume and Kingston DataTravel Ultimate GT is not a cheap flash drive at all, but an expensive product for the price of which you can get good laptops.
Housing design and material
When thinking about which flash drive to choose depending on its design, many users imagine its internal structure. In fact, we are talking about external performance. The simplest versions use a housing and a cover that covers the plug. The role of the latter can be performed by a U-shaped rotating plate made of metal or plastic.
The carrier may also use a more complex retractable design. In this case, either the plug moves relative to the fixed housing, or the housing with the plug firmly fixed. In this case, the shell of the data carrier can be made of plastic or metal. The second option is preferable, because the metal case is more resistant to damage.
When purchasing a USB flash drive, make sure that the connector is closed; this will protect the contacts from moisture or dust.
Useful features
- Data encryption. This feature is very useful for users who work with confidential information or store very personal pictures and videos. Encrypted data will not allow a third party to access it if the flash drive is lost or stolen.
- Password protection. Another option to ensure the security of important data. Password protection is carried out using special software, either located on the media immediately, or installed separately from the included disk. At the same time, a number of models allow you to protect not all information, but only part of the data, which provides more convenience when using the drive.
- Fingerprint sensor. Of course, an inexpensive USB flash drive doesn't have this option, but if you don't trust encryption and passwords or want to replace them with a more reliable way to protect your data, then it makes sense to spend the extra money. However, for most users the first two points will be enough.
- Backup. It is useful if you constantly work with important data and are not able to constantly monitor information updates on your home or work PC. Special software will automatically create a backup copy of all data on the flash drive each time it is connected to the computer.
- Overwrite protection. Based on reviews of flash drives, you can often see positive assessments of the overwrite protection function. This option is extremely useful if you use several storage media and may accidentally format the one on which important information is stored.
Today, there are over 10 excellent manufacturers offering good USB flash drives. Most of them have proven themselves in the production of RAM, solid-state drives and hard drives, which allows consumers to have no doubt about the quality of the final product. Products from Team Group, Toshiba, A-Data and Silicon Power are good choices. Samsung, Patriot, PNY and Verbatim also offer a small number of models. However, the price-quality ratio of these media does not allow them to approach the leadership positions. For this reason, we recommend paying attention to the following 5 brands:
- SanDisk
- Transcend
- Kingston
- Apacer
- COODRAM
Conclusion
Although technology is constantly evolving, which leads to the development of cloud services and the expansion of built-in storage in smartphones, it is still impossible to do without traditional flash drives. They serve as excellent assistants when you urgently need to transfer important documents to a colleague, submit coursework to a teacher, or reinstall the system on your computer. For this reason, when choosing a USB flash drive, you need to rely on your needs. You should not overpay for a storage medium whose characteristics will be unnecessary for you. So, a USB drive for a radio or TV with a Full HD matrix may not be the fastest and most capacious, but it will cope with its task.
Flash drive– an essential accessory not only for any modern PC user, but also for owners of devices such as a media player, autonomous speaker system, car radio, tablet and smartphone.
How to choose the right flash drive, taking into account the purposes for which it will be used, its speed, quality, durability and other equally important parameters?
1. Flash drive capacity
Modern flash drives have capacities from 4 GB to 2 TB.
To transfer office files, a flash drive with a minimum capacity of 4 GB will be enough for you, but you can add a little and take an 8 GB flash drive, because the price difference is not significant.
If you plan to store music on it, then it is better to take a flash drive of 8 GB or more, which will also be optimal if you need to install Windows from a flash drive.
The optimal price/volume ratio are flash drives from 16 to 64 GB, be guided by your real needs and financial capabilities.
To exchange video files and a media player, it is advisable to take a flash drive of 16 GB or more; it is also slightly more expensive than an 8 GB flash drive.
To transfer images of operating systems and software, you may need a 32 GB flash drive, which is already significantly more expensive.
For high-quality videos, the size of which can reach tens of gigabytes, you will need a flash drive with a capacity of at least 64 GB.
Please note that flash drives are relatively unreliable, easily fail, deteriorate and are lost. Therefore, you do not need to invest significant funds in it with an eye to the future.
To transfer game images, the size of which today reaches 50 GB or more, backup the system and files, or some serious work projects, you may need a flash drive of 128 GB or more.
2. Flash drive interface
The connection interface is a collection of connectors and corresponding data transfer algorithms. Modern flash drives can have different interfaces with different data transfer rates.
Maximum interface speed:
- USB 2.0 – 480 Mbps (60 MB/s)
- USB 3.0 – 5 Gbps (640 MB/s)
- USB 3.1 – 5 Gbps (640 MB/s)
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 – 10 Gbps (1280 MB/s)
The maximum possible theoretical data transfer speed over the interface is indicated above. The basic units of measurement are megabytes per second (MB/s).
But there are several nuances here. Firstly, the standard specifies the total transfer speed in both directions (read + write). Thus, the one-way transmission speed will be 2 times less.
One way speed:
- USB 2.0 – 30 MB/s
- USB 3.0 – 320 MB/s
- USB 3.1 – 320 MB/s
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 – 640 MB/s
In addition, transmission overhead (service code) is not taken into account. Therefore, in reality, the maximum speed is still about 10% less.
Real maximum speed:
- USB 2.0 – 27 MB/s
- USB 3.0 – 290 MB/s
- USB 3.1 – 290 MB/s
- USB 3.1 Gen 2 – 580 MB/s
This means that a USB 2.0 flash drive will not be able to copy files at speeds higher than 27 MB/s. For comparison, the speed of modern hard drives is 120-150 MB/s, which is 4-5 times faster than the fastest USB 2.0 flash drive.
At the same time, the USB 3.0 interface is 10 times faster than USB 2.0 and 2 times faster than a modern hard drive. Therefore, the speed of a USB 3.0 flash drive will not be limited by the speed of the interface and will be limited only by the speed of the memory that is installed in the flash drive.
Of course, to achieve high speed file copying, a USB flash drive with a USB 3.0 or 3.1 interface must be connected to a USB 3.0 or 3.1 connector on your computer or laptop.
3. Interface compatibility
USB flash drives are compatible with the nearest higher and lower versions of this connector.
Interface compatibility:
- USB 3.1 – 3.1, 3.0, 2.0
- USB 3.0 – 3.1, 3.0, 2.0
- USB 2.0 – 3.1, 3.0, 2.0, 1.1, 1.0
This means that a USB 3.1 or 3.0 flash drive can be connected to a USB 2.0 connector and it will work fine, but the file copying speed will be limited by the speed of the USB 2.0 interface (27 MB/s).
In this case, a flash drive with a USB 3.1 or 3.0 interface will not work when connected to a USB 1.1 or 1.0 connector. Such connectors may be found on very old computers and some other devices.
At the same time, a flash drive with a USB 2.0 interface can work successfully both when connected to more modern USB 3.1 or 3.0 connectors, and to younger 1.1 or 1.0. If suddenly you are still dealing with such antediluvian computers or devices, then it is better to take a flash drive with a USB 2.0 interface. Although in most cases this is not justified due to the very low speed of the USB 1.1/1.0 interface (1.5 MB/s) and the possible incompatibility of modern flash drives with older devices. For such purposes, it is better to have a separate flash drive of an old model of small capacity (up to 4 GB).
Flash drives with USB 3.1 and 3.0 interfaces are the most optimal today, since USB 2.0 is much slower and is rapidly losing relevance.
4. Flash drive connectors
Flash drives with the same interface can have different connectors that differ in size and shape. The connector of the flash drive determines which devices you can connect it to.
The following flash drive connectors are available:
- USB Type-A (computers, laptops, players, TVs, radios)
- Micro-USB (most smartphones and tablets)
- USB Type-C (modern smartphones and tablets)
- Lightning (Apple devices – iPhone, iPad, MacBook)
The majority of flash drives have a regular USB connector (Type-A).
For many users, this is enough, as it allows you to connect a flash drive to computers and to most other devices where it may be needed. But there are also flash drives with an additional smaller format connector for connecting to various mobile devices.
If you have a smartphone or tablet with a Micro-USB connector and you feel the need to connect a flash drive to it (for example, to watch movies from it on the road), then it is convenient if the flash drive is compact and has an appropriate connector.
This is more convenient than using an OTG adapter, but is mainly justified in the case where it is not possible to install a memory card.
Also, using such a flash drive, you can easily and quickly transfer large files from one smartphone or tablet to another and exchange them with other people anywhere.
Many modern smartphones and tablets are equipped with a USB Type-C connector.
In this case, you will need a flash drive with a similar connector, but to exchange files with devices equipped with a more common Micro-USB connector, you will have to use an OTG cable and look for a rare “Micro-USB to USB Type-C” or “Micro-USB to USB” adapter. .
Much more common is the USB Type-C to Micro-USB adapter.
When choosing a flash drive for mobile devices, focus on the connector of the device to which you will connect the flash drive most often, in order to avoid the need for an adapter.
If you are the proud owner of an Apple device such as an iPhone, iPad or MacBook, then you cannot do without a flash drive with a Lightning connector.
But these are already noticeably more expensive and instead of them you can use a regular flash drive and a “Lightning to USB” adapter, which you will most likely need anyway.
There are adapters from Lightning to full-size USB (Type-A), to Micro-USB, USB Type-C, various combined options and compact solutions.
Buy a flash drive with multiple connectors only if you really need it, as they are usually slower and less reliable, and if necessary, you can use an adapter.
5. Flash drive speed
Flash drives can vary significantly in read and write speeds. The write speed of flash drives ranges from 2.5 to 380 MB/s, and the read speed from 5 to 450 MB/s.
The writing speed is always much slower than the reading speed, and it can be critical at the moment when you need to quickly transfer something to a flash drive.
The cheapest flash drives are usually very slow, with write speeds of 3-5 and read speeds of 10-15 MB/s. But for a small flash drive (4-8 GB), on which mostly office documents and sometimes music are transferred, this may not be critical.
The criticality of write speed greatly increases on large flash drives when copying large files onto them. Therefore, the larger the flash drive, the faster it should be.
Lyrical digression
One day, a friend brought a new 64 GB flash drive to my work with a request to send me a collection of educational films. At the same time, I was surprised at the low price for which he bought it. But everything quickly fell into place.
In the morning, I started copying files to the flash drive and it lasted almost the entire working day (about 8 hours), despite the fact that only half of the flash drive was occupied. Since this was the cheapest 64 GB flash drive, its speed was very low.
As a result of a hellishly long wait while copying files on different computers, a friend simply decided to give this flash drive to his colleague for his birthday. Friends, don’t repeat his mistakes, because you could buy a faster flash drive for not much more.
For an inexpensive USB 2.0 flash drive with a capacity of 4-8 GB, the normal read/write speed is about 5/15 MB/s.
For a 16-32 GB USB 2.0 flash drive, speed values should be closer to 15/30 MB/s.
Please note that USB 2.0 interface speed is limited to 30 MB/s for both writing and reading. In reality, the USB 2.0 interface cannot transfer data faster than 27 MB/s, which has been confirmed by many tests.
Flash drives with a capacity of 32 GB or more (by and large 16 GB) should have a faster USB 3.0 or 3.1 interface and a speed of about 30/70 MB/s. This is usually enough for a 64 GB flash drive.
Higher speed may be needed for flash drives with a capacity of 128 GB or more. For comparison, a 1 TB external drive has a speed of about 120/120 MB/s.
Please note that the speed of flash drives from cheap Chinese brands does not correspond to the declared speed and can be 1.5-2 times lower, while for decent brands such as Corsair, SanDisk and Transcend, these figures, on the contrary, are slightly higher than stated.
6. Design of flash drives
Flash drives can have different designs, and this affects not only its appearance, but also convenience, functionality, security, durability, speed and recovery ability.
Classic design
The classic design is a regular flash drive in a plastic case with a cap that protects the connector from damage, contamination and oxidation.
Plastic comes in different qualities and thicknesses. In flash drives from Chinese brands and even cheap models from decent brands, it is thin, fragile and can break.
For example, the company Transcend produces flash drives of good quality, but the plastic in older models, although of high quality, was too thin, which is why pieces broke off over time. The company took this drawback into account and in the new models the plastic became much thicker and stronger.
Among the disadvantages of this design, one can note only the possibility of losing the cap if it is not tied to the flash drive body with a leash.
Metal body
Flash drives in a metal case of a similar design are distinguished only by higher strength and can survive brutal handling, but they usually cost more and do not have any other advantages.
They can also be equipped with slower memory in order to reduce the cost that has increased due to the use of metal, pay attention to this.
There are also all-metal flash drives, but they may not have a cap to protect the contacts.
A flash drive in a case with a combination of metal and leather looks stylish.
Due to their large dimensions, this is not always practical and often such flash drives do not have fast filling, but they will do as a gift for a respectable person. Unless, of course, he is particularly interested in computer technology and doesn’t have something cooler.
Swivel mechanism
Flash drives with a rotating mechanism can be plastic, a combination of plastic and metal, or completely metal.
This design is convenient because there is no cap, but it does not protect the connector contacts, and the mechanism often wears out and becomes loose.
Retractable mechanism
Flash drives with a retractable mechanism look interesting and modern.
But they are less reliable, since the mechanism may break over time. The fixation of the connector after extension is not always at the proper level and it slides back when inserting a flash drive into the USB socket.
Such flash drives are also often wider than regular ones and in some cases it is difficult to insert them into a recessed USB socket when the protrusions around it or other connected devices get in the way.
Again, due to the absence of a cap, the contacts are not protected; in addition, any debris easily gets into the slots of the retractable mechanism. So this design is the least reliable.
Compact flash drives can have different designs, from monolithic to cunning sliding mechanisms.
Their distinctive feature is often that they do not use a full-fledged printed circuit board with a memory chip and a controller, but something like a memory card.
Such models are usually slower and cannot be restored in case of failure. However, some of them do not have a full metal connector, which is why they dangle in the USB socket and lose contact.
Many people, when ordering a miniature flash drive on the Internet, expect to receive a compact model for a low price, without even realizing how small and inconvenient it is.
In addition, a small flash drive is easier to lose and inconvenient to give to someone else to use. Keeping it on your keychain all the time and constantly removing it also turns out to be far from the most convenient option.
The best compact flash drives are the mid-sized ones with a quick-release mount that are really convenient to keep with you at all times.
Protected flash drives
There are flash drives with protection from moisture and minor mechanical impacts in a rubber casing.
Of course, you shouldn’t swim with them or sit on them, but they will withstand jogging in the rain or falling from a height onto a hard surface. Accordingly, they are more suitable for lovers of an active lifestyle or just a sporty style.
There are also more protected options in a sealed metal case that will withstand immersion in water and higher mechanical stress.
You can take this one with you to a sailing regatta or to the mountains; it is not afraid of water and excess pressure in the backpack.
Everything has its price and protected flash drives cost 1.5-2 times more, but many of them can also offer fairly high speed, which will be a pleasant bonus in terms of protection and unusual design.
Children's flash drives are often shaped like animals and made of rubber or plastic.
They usually have the cheapest components inside, and the flash drives themselves are quite slow. But they are interesting for the child and large enough not to lose.
The disadvantage of its large size may be the inability to connect a flash drive to some computers.
Unusual ones include curved flash drives, flash drives in the form of a cable, flash drives-bracelets, key rings, pens, tie clips, etc.
Sometimes the design of a flash drive is practical in nature, making it easier to use and making the flash drive more functional, but often it is purely a design decision.
Approach the choice of a flash drive wisely, knowing already a lot about the pros and cons of a particular design. In most cases, the simplest flash drive will be the most reliable and practical.
7. Flash drive manufacturers
One of the most important conditions when choosing a flash drive is the correct choice of manufacturer, since its quality, durability and actual speed will depend on this.
The best flash drive manufacturers:
- Corsair - sporty, secure and fast
- SanDisk - stylish and high quality
- Transcend – high-quality and inexpensive
- Leef – high-quality flash drives with USB and Lightning interfaces
- PhotoFast – expensive USB/Lightning flash drives with password and encryption
Corsair– an expensive brand for enthusiasts and their flash drives do not have an affordable price. But the assortment includes many models for people leading an active lifestyle - in rubber and metal casings, characterized by increased water resistance and shock resistance. There are also simply models with a stylish modern design. Moreover, all of them are distinguished by high and very high speed, on which the price greatly depends.
SanDisk– produces beautiful, stylish and unusual flash drives with traditionally high quality and good speed for this brand. Their price is no longer so high and is only slightly more expensive than the cheapest Chinese brands. Models are mainly with a retractable system and in miniature format.
Transcend– produces high quality flash drives at a very attractive price. The range is quite wide, there are classic flash drives with a cap, retractable, miniature, stylish, sporty, and protected. At the same time, speed indicators are often higher than stated and there is a unique program for restoring flash drives, which we will talk about later.
Leef- expensive, unusual and fairly high-quality flash drives with USB and Lightning interfaces, which are suitable for connecting to any equipment, including Apple.
PhotoFast– even more expensive and advanced devices with USB and Lightning interfaces, support for password protection and encryption functions, are suitable for those for whom data confidentiality is paramount. Among other things, it is also a cable that allows you to synchronize files and charge mobile devices.
Just look at what such devices can do, it's simply amazing.
Popular flash drive manufacturers:
- Kingston – average quality, there are large, fast models
- Toshiba - cheap flash drives of average quality
- Goodram – Polish brand, high-quality memory, unimportant case
- Verbatim – low quality and speed
- Team – good quality and design, average speed
- Sony - stylish but slow
Kingston is a very popular brand that produces flash drives of average quality and mostly at low speed. But the range includes relatively inexpensive models with ultra-high capacity and speed (from the HyperX series), which have no competitors.
Toshiba- a once popular Japanese brand, now produces the cheapest flash drives that do not deserve special attention.
Goodram– flash drives of consistently good quality from a well-known Polish manufacturer of high-quality memory, but not always in a good package.
Team- a well-known manufacturer of memory for enthusiasts, makes quite interesting flash drives in an unusual design with average speed performance.
Here is an interesting example of using one of these flash drives.
Sony– flash drives from a well-known brand with a strict design, but with low speed characteristics, so they are suitable only for ardent fans of the brand.
Cheap flash drive manufacturers:
- A-DATA – stable quality, good case
- Apacer – average quality, poor body
- PQI – average quality, metal case
- Silicon Power - average quality, poor case
All these manufacturers make flash drives of average quality and speed; they can be purchased if you are talking about significant savings.
Manufacturers of designer flash drives:
- ANYline – children's flash drives based on American cartoons
- Iconik - cheap children's flash drives in assortment
- Mirex - good children's flash drives and flash drives with a unique design
- SmartBuy - inexpensive flash drives from a Russian brand, there are children's ones
- Tribe – flash drives in the form of comic book superheroes
- Uniq – good flash drives with a unique design in a huge assortment
Such flash drives are suitable if design is more important to you than anything else or if you need a unique gift. But pay attention to the speed characteristics.
There are still many unpopular and little-known Chinese brands that produce the cheapest low-quality flash drives, as well as flash drives for children and with unique designs, but their quality and speed leave much to be desired.
8. Software
Some manufacturers develop software for their flash drives for different purposes. For example, for Transcend these are mainly utilities that make it easier for active users to synchronize files, while for SanDisk they provide password protection and encryption, which is more in demand in the corporate sector.
Transcend also has a wonderful “JetFlash Online Recovery” utility, which allows you to independently restore a flash drive in case of failure, even when the computer does not see it.
Such cases are often associated not with a file system failure, which can be restored by simple formatting, but with a power failure in the flash drive controller.
This utility finds a flash drive connected to the PC, automatically determines the type of controller, downloads the necessary firmware from the manufacturer’s website and re-flashes the flash drive controller. You only need to insert the flash drive, run the program and click “OK”, after which the work of the flash drive is restored in most cases.
This utility has already saved many flash drives of my friends and clients, while flash drives from other manufacturers were usually simply thrown away, since their recovery requires specialized software, native firmware and a lot of experience.
The Transcend flash drive recovery utility is the most important and in demand for most users. But it only works for full-size flash drives, and not miniature ones based on memory cards.
9. Conclusion
I recommend purchasing full-size Transcend flash drives; they have an optimal price/quality/speed ratio and can be restored independently in case of failure. Flash drives made by Corsair and SanDisk are also noteworthy.
If you need a flash drive for a modern computer or laptop, then definitely take a model with a USB 3.0 or 3.1 interface; it will also be compatible with USB 2.0 connectors.
If you plan to use a flash drive on very old computers, an ancient media player or car radio, then it is better to take a model with a USB 2.0 interface (compatible with USB 1.0/1.1), since modern USB 3.0 flash drives are not always detected correctly on older devices.
To use it with a tablet or smartphone with a Micro-USB or USB Type-C connector, it is better to take a flash drive with a second corresponding connector; this is more convenient than using an OTG adapter.
And to connect to an Apple device (iPhone, iPad, MacBook) you will need a flash drive with a Lightning connector, unless of course you already have a USB adapter.
Well, don’t forget that if you need high volume and speed at an affordable price, that is.
10. Links
Transcend JetFlash 790 16Gb
Transcend JetFlash 790 8Gb
Transcend JetFlash 790 16Gb