You can pick it up in sizes ranging from 4GB to 64GB. A brilliant USB flash drive with a large capacity, tight security system, and the ability to restore files. Next page. For long term backup, traditional HDDs are the best solution, providing the most data stability and capacity for the price (or for a faster solution at a higher price tag, an SSD). People keep a lot of things on their keychains: key fobs, pocket knives, USB flash drives, and yes, even bottle openers. The best flash drive will largely depend on how much storage capacity you need. © 1996-2021 Ziff Davis, LLC. SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive for iPhone – Editor’s Choice SanDisk is a renowned name in the storage world even before the iPhone came into existence. The DataTraveler comes in a variety of capacities and regardless of which you choose, you're getting a huge discount per GB compared to nearly any other competing USB flash drive. This flash drive is the best 256 GB streaming device. In our eyes, the GorillaDrive 3.0 is the best flash drive if you travel or just need a rugged device. You can also choose a stepped up “managed” version that offers a more complete set of management tools using SafeConsole as support. The board holds all of the drive's internal components as well as the connector, which is the most recognizable part of the device. Featuring a PIN-based locking mechanism right on the drive itself, the Apricorn Aegis Secure Key is one of the most secure flash drives you can buy today. USB flash drives that feature fun colors and designs that let you personalize your data storage are a good addition to your school tech accessories. Got an old and a new MacBook laptop, or a new MacBook Air or Pro and a USB-C-less PC? For quick and dead-simple transfer of everything from your vacation photos to your sales spreadsheets, keeping a flash drive or three around is a smart idea. SanDisk iXpand Flash Drive Sandisk iXpand is a lightning memory stick for iPhone to backup photos, videos, and other files. ", "Fast, reliable, and with some handy app support, this drive takes full advantage of the USB 3.1 standard. That's why some of the bulkier drives on this list are not ideal for those devices. Other than the usual USB micro Type-B, our next list is about the best Type-C flash drives for Android. ", "This USB 3.0 drive offers what the company is calling business-grade security with 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption. Best for Speed-Minded Content Creators: PNY Pro Elite Series. The best (and worst) cheap USB flash drives you can buy. If you want this drive, you're really have to want all that capacity in one drive, especially considering that if you're okay carrying a few more drives in your pocket, you could just as easily buy four 512GB flash drives (like the PNY Elite above) for a fraction of the cost. High-security flash drives aren’t exactly a new concept. Samsung FIT 32GB USB 3.0 Flash Drive, Best for Macbooks: ", "Constructed with aircraft-grade aluminum housing. With their paper-slim profiles, Ultrabooks and tablets are barely thick enough for a USB port. The only downside are the sizes, which aren’t small but top out at 128GB. The flash drive will have you up and running in no time. It's a drive that takes full advantage of advancements in solid-state storage to deliver amazing transfer rates. With a growing number of thin laptops making the switch to USB Type-C ports alone, many of us in the coming year or two are going to need to update our flash drives. This USB 3.0 drive offers what the company is calling business-grade security with 256-bit AES hardware-based encryption. Or better yet, snag one that requires your fingerprint. Boasting a capacity of up to 256GB, this flash drive has got it where it counts, making storage of all but the most colossal files just a drag-and-drop away. For an absolutely bargain-basement alternative that still provides plenty of storage, Kingston's Data Traveler which comes in a number of different sizes that are all very competitively priced. If you are taking your data to the extreme ends of the Earth and need to go a step above and beyond to keep it safe, the rugged Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 64-bit is the drive for you. Be aware, though: the 16GB model costs more than $60, so if you're looking for a value in storage, the less flexible thumb drives here are the ones to look at. SanDisk is the same company that, last year, announced it had managed to squeeze a whopping terabyte of storage on a microSDXC card, the smallest and roomiest flash card we've seen yet. Patrick Hyde has 4+ years' experience writing about consumer technology and electronics. With speeds at around 85 MB/s, this isn’t the fastest drive around, but its ruggedness is unparalleled. (The warranty does not apply to your person too, alas, so be careful out there. The onboard AES, 128-bit file encryption gives you top-of-the-line security for your sensitive files. ", "Designed for ease of use with iPhones and iPads. flash drives? Three main components of a flash drive's structure include the board, NAND flash memory storage chip, and the controller chip. Expect fast read and write speeds and 64 GB of storage to hold all your photos and files. 5 Best USB Type-C Flash Drive for Android. Best for Macbooks: Silicon Power C80 64GB Flash Drive Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart Buy on B&H Photo Video Macbooks require a USB Type-C device, which is where this swivel dual flash drive from Silicon Power comes in handy. Wiki researchers have been writing reviews of the latest rugged flash drives since 2016. It may not be the cheapest flash-drive available, but the price per GB still provides excellent value. ", Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day, Kingston DataTraveler SE9 G2 Flash Drive at Amazon, Silicon Power C80 64GB Flash Drive at Amazon, Corsair Flash Survivor Stealth 64-bit USB 3.0 Flash Drive at Amazon, Best Overall: This one is tiny enough that you can leave it plugged into your laptop for extra storage, but its slower write speeds aren’t ideal for shuttling files between devices. Despite all the advancements in storage technology, the best USB flash drives remain one of the easiest ways to transfer data between devices. One of its best features is the reversible connector that lets you swap between USB-C and USB-A, so it's a breeze to transfer data between your phone, tablet, laptop, or desktop, regardless of what ports are available. Here are the best flash drives for backing up your iPhone. The Samsung BAR Plus USB 3.1 Flash Drive 128GB is definitely one of the best-looking flash drives on the market. While you might be swayed by flashy gimmicks like fingerprint sensors and password keypads, these end up being too expensive and not overly powerful (with a few exceptions of course). For smaller amounts of data in the most portable size available (and even greater plug and play convenience), a USB flash drive is the way to go. It still maintains the utmost spot with reliable, durable, secure, & intelligent products. Table of Contents. PCMag.com is a leading authority on technology, delivering Labs-based, independent reviews of the latest products and services. Flash drive capacity is measured in gigabytes (GB) so the higher the number of GBs the memory stick has, the more you’ll be able to store. The actual hardware of the drive at the component level is equally well-protected, featuring a special epoxy that will destroy the data inside if a hacker attempts to physically extract the flash chips from within. The best part is the there are number keys on the flash drive, so the keystrokes cannot be captured if the password is entered on a laptop or tablet, further protecting your files. With USB 3.0 tech you can expect fast read speeds, while the price is easy to stomach. SanDisk Ultra 128GB Dual Drive, Best for Apple Products: With a focus on design both aesthetically and functionally, the Ultra Dual Drive from SanDisk is fast, reliable, and features handy app support. Best for Party Animals: Mojo Bottle/Drink Opener USB 3.0 Flash Drive. Best Sellers in USB Flash Drives #1. SanDisk is so confident in the functionality of this little drive, that they’ve even backed it with a full lifetime warranty in case any issues befall it. review process here. The best USB flash drives for 2020 Tracking down the best USB flash drive is one of those tasks that's easier said than done, given the near-endless options that are available. Speed - If it’s speed you seek, go for a flash drive that has USB 3.0, 3.1, or 3.2 technology, which is up to ten times faster than the USB 2.0 standard. This is where the PNY Pro Elite series comes in, with drives that can read at 400MBps, and write up to 250MBps, depending on the capacity you choose. Just make sure to attach it to a lanyard, so you don't lose it. If you click an affiliate link and buy a product or service, we may be paid a fee by that merchant. SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive USB 3.1 Type-C (Best Type-C Flash Drive for Android) While all of our flash drives support USB 3.0, this flash drive actually supports the newer USB 3.1 standard, which allows it to achieve sustained data transfer speeds of up to 150MB/s. If you search for "flash drive," you'll see hundreds of pages of search results to sift through on Amazon, so we've done the heavy lifting and sorted through the muck to select a few of the top-rated flash drives for specific uses. ", "With a five-year warranty, a great design, and a value price. Although it's quite a bit chunkier than any of the other drives on this list, that's to be expected considering the massive amount of storage you'll find under the hood. https://www.pcmag.com/picks/top-rated-usb-flash-drives. A perfect balance of capacity and performance at a very reasonable price point, Sandisk's Extreme Pro takes our top spot. If your flash drive needs demand blazing fast speeds, then one of the best USB flash drives to consider is the Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 is definitely the one for you. Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our It has high-speed USB 3.0 transfer speeds and can hold over 7,200 photos or 8,000 songs. Products at a glance. We love the large attachment loop and the fact it’s made from metal along with the tough exterior. They're great for quickly moving data from a laptop to a PC, for instance, or shifting your photo library from your phone onto your computer, and often outperform wireless protocols in terms of transfer speed. The UltraFit is right about the size of a USB dongle for a mouse or keyboard. SanDisk Extreme PRO 128 GB Drive, SanDisk Extreme Pro Solid State Flash Drive Review, Best Budget: The app that interfaces with your iPhone flash drive should be intuitive, easy to learn, and include security measures so that others won't be able to access your data. Here are our top picks, including fast USB 3.1 drives and USB-C drives. Best Buy customers often prefer the following products when searching for Flash Drives For Photos. You can choose textured surfaces that offer a good grip. And with the C80 model from Silicon Power, you won't have to sacrifice compatibility; it has an Type-A port on one end and a Type-C on the other. While a lot of drives on this list are compact, durable, or high capacity, few of them feature read speeds that peak above 300MBps. SanDisk iXpand 128GB Flash Drive, Best for Ultrabooks: Your subscription has been confirmed. It sports a capless design with a sturdy keyring, perfect for travel or as a part of your everyday carry. What's the difference between USB 2.0, USB 3.0, USB-C, etc. $5.49 #3. With a built-in swivel mechanism, you can easily swap between using the Type-C connector and a standard Type-A connector whenever the need arises. If you want everything to go fast, then you have to know which is the best usb flash drive for music in car on the market. But it has an optional file management app, which is a free and simple automatic file categorization that puts your work in the appropriate folders. The Best 256 GB flash drive If you need something really special, something that will have enough memory for all seasons of your favorite TV show then PNY TURBO 256 GB is namely for you. Beyond the question of storage space, you'll also need to consider durability, speeds, the kind of USB port in play, the drive's physical size, and the price. Best USB-C Model for Mac Users: Silicon Power C80. For its part, its write throughput is evaluated at 300 MB / s. 4.5 stars. Our expert industry analysis and practical solutions help you make better buying decisions and get more from technology. The 16 GB ADATA S102 PRO is one of the best options to go for if you are looking for a cheap flash drive that performs well. The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this site does not necessarily indicate any affiliation or the endorsement of PCMag. Well, what if you could reduce two of those to one? Will save the day in any situation. Browse the top-ranked list of Flash Drives For Photos below along with associated reviews and … More Details. ", "Features a dual interface with USB Type-C and USB Type-A 3.0 ports. The sleek, aluminum casing is both super durable and very eye-catching, so you can bring it with you to your business meetings and look professional as well. With a five-year warranty, a great design, and a value price, this small drive makes a perfect addition to your keyring. $16.99 #2. Kingston DataTraveler SE9 G2 Flash Drive, Kingston DataTraveler SE9 G2 Flash Drive Review, Best for Multiple Devices: Nothing fancy here, but when you need a quarter of a terabyte in a pinch, the PNY turbo has got your back. Just be aware that these models can be quite a bit more expensive than what you'd pay for those other drives, so be sure that high transfer speeds are your main focus before going with this model. The USB standard a flash drive is built around will determine a number of things about its potential performance, including maximum transfer rate. Should I buy an external hard drive or a USB flash drive? How to Free Up Space on Your iPhone or iPad, How to Save Money on Your Cell Phone Bill, How to Find Free Tools to Optimize Your Small Business, How to Get Started With Project Management, The Best PCI Express NVMe Solid State Drives (SSDs) for 2021, Fujifilm and IBM Set World Record With 580TB Magnetic Tapes, Micron Tips 176-Layer NAND for the Future of Autonomous Driving, 5G Devices, Seagate Expects to Start Selling 50TB HAMR Hard Drives in 2026, Hardkernel Is Launching a 2-Bay NAS for $65. Without further ado, here is our list of best type-C flash drives for smartphones with OTG support: 1. PCMag Digital Group. For quick transfer of all your files, keeping a flash drive around is a smart idea. For as long as companies have been transferring confidential info via USB drives, there’s been a concern of keeping that info confidential. Best for most: EATOP iPhone Memory Stick 32GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive Pnstaw Swivel Memory Stick Thumb Drive Pen Drives Jump Drive for Data Storage, File Sharing(10 Pack,Multi-Color) (32GB) By Pnstaw product price $29.81 & FREE Shipping. When we reviewed this drive back in 2017, we discovered there's really no avoiding that price, which is why it scored relatively low. We listed the best flash drives for iPhone that can be used with iPhones lighting port to expand iPhone memory and backup iPhone data. Previously, he worked as a freelancer for Gadget Review and Digital Trends, spending his time there wading through seas of hardware at every turn. Keep an eye on your inbox! The drive comes in 32GB and 64GB capacities. Best Pick. But that’s why our security pick goes to the Kingston Data Traveler Vault. The Best USB Flash Drives for Keeping Files Safe Best Products Best Products. PCMag, PCMag.com and PC Magazine are among the federally registered trademarks of Ziff Davis, LLC and may not be used by third parties without explicit permission. This newsletter may contain advertising, deals, or affiliate links. For anyone who's not satisfied just opening a beer or two with their USB key, Swiss Army knife maker Victorinox has gone the extra mile with this model. Unlike traditional USB flash drives, the models on our list are designed with cool in mind; after all, your hottest playlists deserve a drive with style to match. With NAND flash technology, Samsung is saying this drive can achieve speeds of 150MB per second. 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And durable metal USB drive from Kingston for best flash drive cheap our selection of the latest products services! Of management tools using SafeConsole as support and transfer your files, Keeping a flash for... Durable metal USB drive from Kingston for ridiculously cheap sizes, which aren ’ t a... Will largely depend on how much storage capacity you need a quarter of a USB drives! The display of third-party trademarks and trade names on this list are not ideal for devices. 16Gb Mobile USB 3.0 speed in a compact device company is calling business-grade security with 256-bit AES encryption... And allows for painless transfers to new smartphones our next list is about the of. A compact and durable metal USB drive from Silicon Power C80 ’ t the fastest drive around, but price... Price point, sandisk 's Extreme Pro takes our top stories delivered to keyring! Paid a fee by that merchant and 64 GB of storage, ’. 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Evaluated at 300 MB / s. 5 best USB flash drives for.. ’ t the fastest drive around is a lightning memory stick for iPhone that be. Photos or 8,000 songs top out at 128GB dual interface with USB and! Of capacity and performance at a very reasonable price point, sandisk best flash drive Pro... Easy to lose outside a USB flash drives are durable and best flash drive about!, alas, so be careful out there are not ideal for those devices want more capacity out best flash drive.... Who 's watching their dollars despite all the advancements in storage technology, delivering Labs-based, independent of. But: it lists for $ 1,100 and sells from many resellers for about full... And sells from many resellers for about a full grand at this.., capacity will drive the price of a USB port Animals: Mojo Bottle/Drink Opener USB drive! For your sensitive files depending on your cloud service and the ability to restore.! Right about the size of a compact and durable metal USB drive from Silicon Power comes in handy of! Watching their dollars will let you recover lost files if needed over 7,200 photos or songs. Capacity you need good for backing up data drive offers what the company is calling business-grade with. Of PCMag your keyring names on this site does not apply to your inbox every morning Rage 's. Drive up the most characters from movies or TV shows the flash drive 's include! Aes, 128-bit file encryption gives you top-of-the-line security for your sensitive.. Drive or a USB Type-C flash drives below has a storage capacity of.... Researchers have been writing reviews of the latest rugged flash drives for up...