A flash card is the largest memory. What types of flash drives are there: types, characteristics, memory capacity, purpose and functionality. Criteria for choosing a USB drive

SanDisk has released the largest microSD memory card to date. This technological innovation is easily capable of storing 400 GB for a wide variety of needs and operations. The card is class 10 and transfer speeds can reach up to 100 MB/s. All this makes this development very interesting for users who are always low on memory. It is worth noting that previously the maximum size was 256 GB, but now SanDisk has jumped the bar by 1.56 times. This superiority also served to increase the cost of this item - the company asks $250 for a new development, which in turn is 14,500 rubles. The new memory card is already on sale in the US.

Specifications of SanDisk Ultra with 400 GB memory:

High speed 100 MB/s
Increased number of operations - 1500 read 500 write
400GB for use
Supports all SD applications
Protection from water, low and high temperatures

Small microSD memory cards are considered an incredible breakthrough in mobile technology, providing all users with an expanded range of capabilities to increase the performance and storage capacity of various files and data. Nowadays, various SanDisk memory cards are used and work in 2 billion different devices.

The development of SD has contributed to significant expansion and reduction of load in various devices. Using a larger volume, each user will receive increased space for any activity and on any device, downloading many files and documents. According to the manufacturer, production will not stop, but will only expand, and even larger capacities await us - 512GB and terabytes.

Often on forums there is a question about which flash drive to choose and what you need to pay special attention to. There seem to be thousands of variants of this device in retail chains. It’s not difficult to understand the configurations; the main thing is to understand the purpose of the acquisition. This will be the basis for selecting the right USB flash drive.

USB standard

Before choosing one or another flash drive, study the device into which you are going to connect it. Currently, there are several interfaces on the USB flash drive market.

2.0 - this is an outdated standard, whose throughput is very modest - less than 400 Mbit/s, but this is theoretical, but in reality it is several times lower - the speed of such flash drives is 30-35 Mbit/s. However, many devices are equipped with just such connectors, which is their bottleneck.
3.0 - a more modern standard. Here the throughput is an order of magnitude higher. The connector differs from the previous one in several additional contact groups.

3.1 and 3.1 Type C– interfaces of a more recent generation. The 3.1 standard is backward compatible with interfaces 2.0 and 3.0, and the Type C option is also a completely different connector from the previous ones. Please pay attention to this, because if there is no such input, you will have to buy an adapter. Standard 3.1 has a declared speed that is twice as high as 3.0 - up to 10 Gbit/s. But in practice, it is better to look in the product description, from the seller or on the product box.

Whatever USB standard you purchase, you need to understand that read and write speeds will only be optimized when connected to the appropriate port. If you connect 3.0 to 2.0, the performance will be slightly higher, but not at the same level as when connecting the device to the native 3.0 connector.

Main characteristics of a USB flash drive

Memory
To be honest, most of us, when choosing a flash drive, pay attention only to this characteristic. First, greed kicks in - you want to take the device with the largest amount of memory. Today there are flash drives from 4 GB to 2 TB. Many still remember the times when a drive smaller than a gigabyte was considered cool, but technical progress in the field of computer technology is so rapid that today, seeing the cost of an 8-16 gigabyte device, the brain reacts to “shouldn’t we look at more?”

You can conditionally divide all flash drives into several groups according to cost:
4–8 GB- budget, but low-volume;
16–64 GB- accessible;
128 GB and higher - the cost is high, but it is useful for certain purposes. And if funds allow, then it’s very good - you can take it.
The most important thing here is to understand that a large volume is not always justified and is not at all synonymous with the quality and speed of the device.

Maximum throughput
Exactly maximum reading speed, from which the device reads information, allows you to easily watch movies directly from a flash drive or quickly transfer information to a computer. The available value of this indicator can range from 5 to 420 Mbit/s and higher. If the reading speed is too low, then you will not be able to use the flash drive as a removable drive - it is recommended to first transfer the information to the hard drive of a stationary device, and then work from it. At low speeds, movies are played back in jerks, accounting and graphics programs slow down so much that work turns into hell.

Maximum write speed will allow you not to waste a lot of time copying files to a flash drive. Imagine that you went to a friend’s house to record a new movie and “hanged” with him and his flash drive for several hours. Today, USB flash drives vary in this indicator ranging from 2.5 to 380 Mbit/s and higher. This is a practical speed; the theoretical possible value can be higher.

You can find both indicators on boxes from serious brands. You should not trust unverified manufacturers, since you don’t know what you will run into when purchasing. Be especially wary of large flash drives that claim respectable reading and writing speeds, but are low in price - most likely, the stated parameters will not correspond to reality.

OTG support is a universal device that can be connected to both a computer and a smartphone, which is very convenient. That is, it has two connectors on both sides. Otherwise, its indicators are selected in the same way as those of a regular flash drive.

Design features

If it seems that there is nothing complicated in choosing a case, then you are only partly right. The flash drive has an accessible working area for mechanical damage or moisture. Exist several basic types of USB connectors:
The body is connected to the cap- the most practical type of protection. Caps are usually made of the same materials as the body - rubber, plastic or metal. Rubber ones are better fixed and protect the device from moisture and dust.
Rotary housing– the whole structure looks like a bracket that is fixed from the outside and can be rotated from side to side, which makes it possible to cover the USB connector. Here the protection is very questionable and only against mechanical damage.
Retractable connector– the connector is hidden inside and removed using a movable key. The main disadvantage is that the latch may break, and it will be inconvenient to use the drive. It is worth mentioning here slider with auto close, this is a more modern type of retractable connector, but the disadvantages are the same.
Carbine– the working surface of the device is hidden inside the body according to the principle of a folding knife. Disadvantages of protection, like the rotary housing.
Flash drive with compact body does not have protection against moisture and mechanical damage, but is convenient to use. It can be used for work, but not for long-term storage of files since it has open contacts.

It is best to purchase a device with waterproof design, especially if it has to be constantly moved from place to place or used as data storage for a long period.

Housing material There are different types: metal, plastic, rubber, aluminum. The most common is plastic, and the most reliable and comfortable is rubber.

The flash drive often has indicator light, which shows that the device is connected correctly and is working, and mounting hole to a keychain or bracelet.

Gift case design I can only recommend it specifically for a gift, and for a person whose activity is not related to the frequent use of this device. Various models made to look like sandwiches, cats, minions and other cute designs are not very convenient. If you need to connect another device to the adjacent socket, it may simply not fit.

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 difference in price 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 images of games, 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 it 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 declared.

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 lack 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 for 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, 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 range 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. At the same time, they all differ in 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 these devices can do, it's simply amazing.

Popular flash drive manufacturers:

Kingston - average quality, there are bulky 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 memory manufacturer 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, unimportant case
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 just 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 produced 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

The need to install a flash drive in a tablet, smartphone or any other device running Android appears in most cases.

The reason may be a budget device model that does not have enough built-in memory, or increased user requests for the required space to store personal files. To understand which flash drive to choose for Android, you need to understand their types and characteristics.

Types of flash cards

After many attempts to create a reliable and high-speed storage medium, Flash memory was developed, which completely replaced outdated floppy disks and optical disks. Modern drives can be divided into two groups, each of which can be a good option for use with Android:

USB drive. The most common type that is used in the daily work of millions of people. High data processing speed, miniature size and mobility make it an indispensable tool. Connection to a computer, tablet or smartphone is via an external USB port. In some cases, an adapter cable is required.
Flash card. The optimal storage medium for all mobile devices running Android, as well as any other operating system. The flash card has miniature dimensions, allowing it to be placed in a gadget without the need to disconnect it. The data exchange speed of these storage media is very high.

For gadgets, the option with a flash card will be much more practical. They have this opportunity implemented using the appropriate connector. Further choice will depend on the characteristics of the memory card itself and the capabilities of the device.

Characteristics of memory cards

All modern digital devices have a number of characteristics that determine the possibility of using flash memory. Most modern gadgets use SD cards. But even here the choice is not as simple as it seems. You need to choose the right flash drive based on its main characteristics:

Form factor. The first criterion that determines the ability to physically connect the card to the gadget. There are three possible versions: SD, MiniSD and MicroSD.

Volume. The choice depends on the user's requirements. Manufacturers offer a wide range of flash drives with capacities from 1 GB to 2 TB. For ease of selection, SD cards are divided into groups: SD 1.0, SD 1.1, SDHC, SDXC.
Class. Memory quality and data processing speed (read/write) depend on the class of the flash card (details). Sometimes this parameter is replaced by a multiplier that corresponds to a specific class.

Detailed indicators of the memory card class:

Class 2 – speed 2 MB/s, multiplier 13x.
Class 4 – 4 MB/s, 26x.
Class 6 – 6 MB/s, 40x.
Class 10 – 10 MB/s, 66x.
Class 16 – 16 MB/s, 106x.

IMPORTANT! If the flash drive will be used for video recording, then you need to choose the highest class. This will allow you to record video in HD quality.

After studying all the characteristics, you can easily understand which flash drive you need to choose for your smartphone. But even here there are some limitations that are related to the technical capabilities of the device.

Choosing a flash drive for a smartphone

The user cannot always get what he dreams of. When buying a memory card for your gadget, you need to take into account its technical features:

Supports flash cards of a certain size. Most devices have a limit on the amount of memory they can use. These characteristics can be found in the technical data sheet. Many devices allow you to expand the volume up to 64 GB; the option of using 128 GB is rarely possible.
Battery power. Flash cards with a large amount of memory consume significantly more energy, so the smartphone will. To balance the consumption, you need to settle on the optimal size of the flash drive. You should not purchase 64 GB if you will use a maximum of 8 GB.

The purchase of any product must be approached responsibly. Selecting the appropriate memory card will not only save your budget, but will also open up new possibilities for your favorite smartphone.

Updated: 07/13/2018 16:43:24

Flash drives, or USB drives, are convenient storage media that allow you to transfer files from one computer to another in the easiest way. However, when choosing such an accessory, it is advisable to take into account many parameters that will determine ease of use. To make your search for a suitable drive easier, we have compiled a rating of the best flash drives.

What you should know when choosing a flash drive

Choosing a flash drive is not as simple as it seems. Of course, if you plan to use the drive mainly for transferring documents, you can take the first one you come across (or the most beautiful one). But if it will store large files or multimedia with a high bitrate - movies in Full HD resolution, for example - then you should approach the choice responsibly.

Flash drive connectors (USB Type-C, USB Type-A, Micro USB)

The flash drive connector determines the hardware compatibility of this drive with the computer. The most popular standard is USB Type-A. This is a classic 4-pin rectangular connector that is used in almost all computers.

In 2018, flash drives with a USB Type-C connector are becoming increasingly popular. This is an oval, symmetrical connector. Flagship smartphones, ultrabooks and hybrid laptops are equipped with this connector. For example, the MacBook Pro 2017 uses only USB Type-C, so you cannot install a “regular” flash drive in it.

Micro USB is a gradually becoming obsolete standard. It is used in smartphones and ultra-low-cost hybrid laptops. If you plan to work on the go and open files from a flash drive on a mobile device, you should purchase a drive with two connectors: USB Type-A and Micro USB.

Adapters between connectors exist, as well as flash drives equipped with two connectors at once.

USB generation (1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.1)

The maximum data transfer speed to and from a flash drive is determined not only by the performance of the built-in drive itself, but also by the generation of USB used. So, the limit values are as follows:

USB 1.1 – up to 12 Mbit/s;

USB 2.0 – up to 480 Mbit/s;

USB 3.0 – up to 5 Gbps;

USB 3.2 – up to 20 Gbps.

It is self-evident that if you plan to copy a large amount of information to or from a flash drive (several GB at a time), then it is better not to skimp and take a USB 3.0 or 3.1 drive. For documents, small files, etc. Less recent generations will also fit.

By the way, USB 3.2 is only supported on USB Type-C.

Actual data volume

The actual capacity of a flash drive is always less than what is indicated on the packaging. This is not only a marketing technique, but also a technological feature. Flash drive manufacturers believe that 1000 bytes is 1 kilobyte. The operating system is sure of something else - 1 kilobyte is equal to 1024 bytes.

As a result, the actual amount of data is always less than the nominal amount. And if you plan to store 30 GB of information on a flash drive, then a 32 GB drive will no longer work - you need to take a 64 GB one.

The actual capacities of flash drives are listed below:

A 1 GB drive is actually 0.95 GB;

For 4 GB – 3.72 GB;

For 16 GB – 14.9 GB;

For 32 GB – 29.8 GB;

For 64 GB – 59.6 GB.

Actual data transfer rate

Two factors affect the actual data transfer speed:

The first is drive performance. This parameter varies between models (and often copies of the same series) of flash drives, and it can only be calculated experimentally.

The second is the minimum generation of USB. If you insert a “fast” 3.0 flash drive into a slow 1.1 port, the maximum transfer speed will be limited by the speed of port 1.1. Conversely, if you insert a slow 1.1 flash drive into a 3.0 port, the transfer speed will be limited by the speed of the 1.1 drive.

This is important to consider when purchasing a flash drive. If you plan to use the drive to record movies on it from a computer and then play it on a TV, and both devices are equipped with USB 2.0, you should not purchase a 3.0 drive - it’s a pointless overpayment.

Housing material

This parameter is worth considering if you are purchasing a high-speed USB 3.0 flash drive or if you plan to use the future drive very actively (for example, for ReadyBoost technology). When writing quickly, the flash drive becomes noticeably hot. And this heat needs to be removed somehow.

The best option is to buy a flash drive in a metal case. It acts as a radiator, cooling the drive and extending the life of the device.

For slow or rarely used flash drives, this parameter is not particularly important; any material or design of the case will do.

Rating of the best usb flash drives

Nomination	place	Name of product	price
The fastest flash drives	1		5,040 ₽
	2		12,665 RUR
The best flash drives for 16 and 32 GB	1		1 200 ₽
	2		429 RUR
	3		RUB 2,439
The best Flash drives with a capacity of 64 and 128 GB	1		4,230 ₽
	2		5,299 RUR
The best high-capacity flash drives	1		51,900 ₽
	2		16,890 RUR
The best Flash drives with two connection options	1		-

The fastest flash drives

Why first place: Read speed – 420 MB/s, write speed – 380 MB/s.

Description: The rating is topped by the really fast SanDisk Extreme Pro flash drive. Thanks to hardware optimization and support for the USB 3.1 standard, it provides sequential write speeds of 380 megabytes per second. Reading is even higher - 420 megabytes per second. Therefore, it is suitable for transmitting 4K video, and even for launching and actively working with databases. This speed is ensured thanks to pSSD technology, that is, the device is not a flash drive in the classical sense of the term, but rather a compact SSD drive.

The flash drive is made in a metal case with a laconic design. Two versions are available - 128 and 256 GB. The package includes special software that allows you to encrypt data on a flash drive and protect it with a password.

Despite the metal casing, the flash drive is not protected from aggressive external environments. It is better not to wet it or drop it in the dust.

Advantages

High speed;

High-quality materials and reliable design;

LED operation indicator.

Flaws

Limited functionality of the controller (no display of rewrite cycles, for example);

Noticeable heating during use;

Megabyte sector layout out of the box, formatting will be required to optimize space.

Why second place: Write speed – 300 MB/s, read speed – 400 MB/s.

Description: Second place in the ranking goes to the special corporate flash drive Kingston IronKey S1000 Enterprise. It is distinguished not only by its high speed of operation, but also by its wide functionality. The flash drive is built on a USB 3.0 interface and therefore provides sequential writing at 300 megabytes per second, and sequential reading at 400 megabytes per second. It is presented in only one version – with a capacity of 64 GB.

The flash drive is housed in a metal, waterproof case. Supports hardware encryption and password protection of data using bundled software.

The kit also includes Iron Key software, which creates an online interface for remote access to data on a flash drive. Therefore, you can centrally administer multiple drives, which will be greatly appreciated by corporate users.

Advantages

Protected housing;

Useful software included.

Flaws

Heats up noticeably during operation;

Iron Key only works if the flash drive is inserted into the computer and the client is installed on it;

The connection connector is protected by a removable cap, which tends to get lost.

The best flash drives for 16 and 32 GB

Why first place: Best combination of price and quality: USB 3.0, metal case, hardware encryption.

Description: High-speed flash drive, which is based on USB 3.0 technology. Thanks to this, writing is carried out at 20 megabytes per second, and reading at 135. The capacity of the flash drive, as the name of the model implies, is 16 gigabytes. The data transfer speed is sufficient, for example, for streaming video in Full HD 30 fps.

The flash drive is housed in a metal casing. There is no layer to protect it from moisture and dust, so it is better not to drown it or drop it in the mud. However, the flash drive has hardware data encryption and protection against unauthorized access using a password and bundled software. That's why she tops our rating.

Advantages

Full hardware data encryption and password protection;

Reliable metal case;

Minimum heating level.

Flaws

The decryption software only works on Windows and Mac OS; it will not be possible to remove the protection on other operating systems;

Incorrect translation of the bundled decryption software;

The connector is closed with a removable cap, which tends to get lost.

Why second place: Slightly lower speed than the previous flash drive, but also the lowest price.

Description: Transcend JetFlash 790 is a good solution for those who need “just a flash drive.” At a low price of several hundred rubles, it supports the USB 3.0 standard, which provides a write speed of about 12 megabytes per second, and a read speed of about 90 megabytes.

The flash drive is housed in a plastic case with a retractable connector. There are no seals to protect against moisture or dust. The case has a built-in data transfer indicator - an LED flashing when copying or pasting.

The flash drive comes in various versions depending on the memory capacity - from 16 GB (minimum) to 128 GB. The technical characteristics of all configurations are the same. The Transcend JetFlash 790 is a good all-round device, which is why we included it in the rating.

Advantages

Convenient configuration with retractable connector;

Minimum heating.

Flaws

Flimsy mechanism for extending the connector and locking it (which is typical for all Transcend JetFlash models);

Wide body, may take up too much space when used on laptops;

The LED indicator may seem too bright.

Why third place: Fast and secure, but relatively expensive flash drive.

Description: The last place in the rating is one of the most secure flash drives on the market – Corsair Flash Survivor. It is housed in a waterproof case (withstands immersion to a depth of 200 meters) made of high-strength duralumin with rubber shock-absorbing gaskets and a hermetically screwed cap. Therefore, it can be dropped, drowned, driven over by car - nothing will happen to the data. The manufacturer is so confident in the security of the flash drive that it gives it a five-year warranty.

The flash drive supports the USB 3.0 standard, thanks to which the data writing speed is about 40 megabytes per second, and the reading speed is 80 megabytes.

The model also features a rich set of equipment. Along with it comes a chain and a token, which will appeal to “preppers” - and will make this drive a good gift.

Advantages

Maximum housing protection;

Optimal read and write speed;

Quality of materials.

Flaws

Bulky, large-sized body;

Tight screw cap;

The flash drive module itself inside the case is not firmly fixed; it is better not to bend it near the connector.

The best Flash drives with a capacity of 64 and 128 GB

Why first place: High data transfer speed, hardware encryption.

Description: 64 GB flash drive configuration, which took first place in the ranking of drives with a capacity of up to 32 GB. Like its “little brother”, this model offers high read and write speeds – up to 40 megabytes per second and up to 135 megabytes per second, respectively; USB 3.0 interface; dense metal case and hardware protection.

Data protection is implemented through hardware encryption - all files on the drive are encrypted, and you can access them only after entering a password. The corresponding software is included with the flash drive and runs on the most popular operating systems: Windows and Mac OS.

The flash drive, of course, does not need to be encrypted in order to provide access to data from various third-party computers.

Advantages

High read and write speed when using the USB 3.0 interface;

Support for hardware encryption;

Durable metal housing.

Flaws

Heats up noticeably during use;

There are no gaskets to protect against water or dust;

The connector is closed with a cap that is easy to lose.

Why second place: Maximum read and write speeds, but a relatively high price.

Description: HyperX Savage is not exactly a flash drive. The drive uses SSD technology, providing the highest data transfer speed in the rating. So, writing occurs at 250 megabytes per second, reading at 350. Of course, if you use a flash drive with a USB 3.1 interface.

Like other SSD drives in flash drive format, this model is initially divided into megabyte segments. Therefore, if you plan to store small files on it, it is advisable to format it immediately after purchase, setting the standard sector sizes for the required file system.

The body of the flash drive is made of plastic and does not have gaskets to protect it from moisture or dust. In addition, the outer shell is covered with soft-touch material, which is pleasant to the touch.

Advantages

Maximum data transfer rate;

Low heating during operation;

Pleasant to the touch plastic.

Flaws

Relatively slow recording in random access mode;

The soft-touch coating “collects” dust and lint;

Relatively heavy and bulky.

The best high-capacity flash drives

Why first place: Terabyte flash drive.

Description: The Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT terabyte drive is based on SSD technology, which allowed the developers to fit 1024 GB of internal memory into a compact case and provide high read and write speeds. In particular, sequential copying of data to it is carried out at 200 megabytes per second, and from it at 300 megabytes. To ensure this speed, the USB 3.1 protocol is used.

The flash drive does not support hardware encryption, as it requires frequent rewriting of segments, which is critical for SSD drives. The device body is made of metal with plastic inserts. The connector is retractable, and the ejection mechanism is implemented very reliably and will not fail even after many years of use.

Why second place: 512 GB - half that of the leader in the rating.

Description: Another SSD drive in flash drive format. All devices manufactured under the HyperX Savage brand have the same technical characteristics. Therefore, like the 128 GB version, the 512 GB model has a sequential write speed of 250 megabytes per second and a read speed of 350 megabytes per second. Random access (for example, when copying small files) is a little slower, but still at the level of USB 3.1 interface speeds.

Similar to the 128 GB version, this flash drive does not support hardware encryption due to SSD technology limitations on the number of sector overwrites and is housed in a plastic case with a soft touch coating. Out of the box, the segment size is 1 MB, so for storing small files it is better to format it with other cluster parameters.

Advantages

Maximum read and write speed;

Pleasant to the touch body;

Low heating during operation.

Flaws

Heavy and bulky;

Needs formatting;

Low speed when writing small files.

The best Flash drives with two connection options

Why first place: Combination of USB 3.0 and Lightning speeds, original design.

Description: The top-ranking ADATA i-Memory UE710 flash drive is a good solution for quickly transferring data from a computer to an Apple smartphone or tablet without the need for copying via Dropbox or iTunes. The Lightning interface is used for these purposes. The flash drive communicates with the computer via USB 3.0, which provides high speed file copying.

To view data on a flash drive from a phone or tablet, you will need to install a special application downloaded from the AppStore. It is compatible with a huge number of file formats, so the drive is suitable for streaming music, watching movies or working with documents on the go.

The flash drive is made in a plastic case with two retractable connectors. There is no hardware encryption or protection from water or dust.

Advantages

High speed of file copying;

Special software included;

Original design and compact dimensions.

Flaws

It is not a full-fledged “flash drive for iPhone”; it is useless without a special application or when opening incompatible file formats;

No hardware encryption;

No protection against water and dust.

Attention! This rating is subjective, is not an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before purchasing, consultation with a specialist is required.