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How to choose a flash drive with high speed (what to look for when choosing a flash drive). Choosing the right USB flash drive

Today's technologies are developing so rapidly that devices purchased yesterday are already outdated and require updates and upgrades. Processors are becoming more powerful, the picture on the monitor screen is clearer, and movies and games take up much more space than two or three years ago.

This race has forced manufacturers of hard drives and other drives to create media that can hold a larger amount of information than before. Of course, a movie in Blu-ray quality on a terabyte hard drive is not so noticeable, and 30-40 GB is not critical for such a volume. But transferring it to another device is a real headache.

Good old flash drives come to the rescue. But not every drive can handle such large files. Therefore, many users ask quite logical questions: “Which flash drive is better and why?”, “What to look for when purchasing?” and so on.

The choice is also complicated by the fact that the abundance of drives on the computer equipment market is simply amazing: small, large, chipped, 3.0, 2.0, expensive, cheap, etc. And in all this diversity, determining which flash drive is better is oh so difficult. In addition, store consultants, alas, are not always competent in these matters.

So, let's try to figure out how to choose a drive, what critical points to pay attention to first and how not to make a mistake with the purchase. As specific examples, we will consider the best flash drives, based on the opinions of consumers and experts.

Difficulty of choice

It’s worth warning right away that such drives are not intended for long-term data storage. That is, even the most advanced flash drive from the best company, due to its technical features, will not be able to save information for more than three, and in rare cases, five years. So it would obviously be a good idea to copy the data to another medium once a year and check the integrity of the current one.

Standard good quality flash drives are of little use for working with small files. The smaller the bytes in the data, the slower the copying process. This is especially true for small SD drives. Even the best micro-flash drives, when faced with tiny files, usually perform from “poor” to “completely slow.” In this case, it is best to take a closer look at technically advanced models based on SSD technology.

It is also worth noting that the larger the storage capacity, the faster information is written to it. Moreover, the increase in speed in most cases occurs in steps. That is, if copying started at 1 Mbit/s, it can continue at about 40 Mbit in a minute or two.

We should also pay attention to models with MLC chips. Manufacturers of the best USB flash drives try to flash them with such chips. This technology will significantly increase the working life of the gadget. MLC chipping will come in handy for those who intensively use a flash drive.

Flash drive manufacturers: which company is better?

Many manufacturers produce flash drives, but the backbone of proven brands was formed quite a long time ago, and newcomers are not welcome there. The cost of branded gadgets is noticeably higher than that of products from little-known companies, but there are clearly more quality guarantees. Because the competition here is very tough, and every venerable manufacturer understands that customer dissatisfaction promises serious financial losses.

SanDisk

This is a large company from North America that was able to conquer almost a third of this market. The brand’s best USB flash drives are known all over the world, including in Russia. Hence very good sales, as well as excellent quality of products.

On the domestic market you can find a lot of Sandisk fakes, so don’t be fooled by seeing a model from a popular brand at a bargain price. If the company holds promotions, it is only at official distribution points. And the latter, naturally, do not associate with fakes. It is also worth noting that products from Sandisk often receive awards at specialized exhibitions, where the best flash drives of the year are selected, carefully assessing all the advantages and disadvantages of the participants.

Transcend

The second most popular brand after Sandisk. The Taiwanese company has gained a reputation for producing stable and best flash drives and memory cards. The brand's products enjoy enviable popularity among domestic consumers.

This demand is largely due not only to the high quality of the products, but also to the company’s more than affordable pricing policy.

Corsair

In third place is another American company, which can boast of producing not only the best flash drives, but also producing high-quality memory modules for desktop and mobile PCs. Both the first and second are very popular among domestic consumers.

As in the previous case, the company does not bend prices and pursues a more than adequate pricing policy. It is also worth noting that the brand pays a lot of attention to the appearance of the drives, where in the assortment you can find a flash drive with an original exterior.

Kingston

The company does not produce drives as such, but is the largest supplier of memory modules, flash drives and hard drives for personal computers. The brand also owns the well-known HyperX division, under which the market brings expensive, but extremely high-quality gaming RAM modules to the market.

Despite the fact that the company does not produce chips itself, it carries out strict selection and subsequent adaptation of products. As a result, the really best flash drives with extremely high quality components and an impressive warranty period end up on the shelves.

Transcend JetFlash 780 16 Gb

This is a relatively inexpensive, but time-tested 3.0 type drive. One of the main advantages of a flash drive is the MLC chip, while almost all products in this price category are built on shaky TLC architecture. So for users who plan to actively use the drive, this inexpensive option will come in handy.

The flash drive has a classic appearance with a textured pattern. The latter does not allow the drive to slip out of your hands, although it collects dirt from them. The manufacturer specifies a write speed of up to 40 Mbit/s, and a read speed of up to 140. The actual characteristics, naturally, will be more modest, but this is quite enough to solve ordinary problems.

Advantages of the model:

  • good speed for small volume;
  • business and practical exterior;
  • stable operation even at maximum load;
  • lifetime warranty from the manufacturer.

Flaws:

  • heats up when writing small files;
  • The sizes are too big for those who like to attach a flash drive to a keychain, chain, etc.

The estimated cost of the model is about 1100 rubles.

Corsair Flash Voyager GT USB 3.0 32GB

Unlike the previous respondent, this one looks much more attractive and fashionable. Fans of stylish and eye-catching drives will certainly not pass by a good 3.0 flash drive from Corsair. It is also worth noting that the model has a rubberized body, which adds practicality to it along with protective qualities.

By the way, this drive is not afraid of a washing machine or a fall onto the asphalt from a decent height (without fanaticism). Behind all the advantages of the design lies one, for some, a critical drawback - this is the proximity to other USB interfaces. The design turned out to be, so to speak, plump, so plugging other peripherals into adjacent ports is quite problematic. Of course, you can remove the rubber cover or even spend money on a hub, but this, again, is unnecessary complexity and a headache.

As for the speed indicators, here they are at a quite acceptable level: 35 Mbit/s for writing and 135 for reading. Naturally, these characteristics will only be revealed with a USB 3.0 port.

Pros of the model:

  • attractive appearance;
  • good protective characteristics;
  • good read and write speed;
  • seamless synergy with all popular platforms.
  • impressive dimensions;
  • short warranty period.

The approximate price of the model is about 2000 rubles.

Transcend JetFlash 750 64Gb

This model is especially popular with those who often use the FAT32 file system in their work. The latter will not support more than 64 GB, so purchasing a more capacious flash drive here is simply irrational.

Separately, it is worth noting the presence of an MLC chip, which is very rare for budget models. We were also pleased with the speed characteristics, where the flash drive copes very well with files of both small and large sizes. The gadget has a plastic case and a classic design. There are no questions about the assembly: nothing creaks, there are no cracks or play, and the protective cap sits firmly in place.

The flash drive has found its application in the hands of system administrators and service technicians. But ordinary consumers, knowing the quality of the brand, often buy this model.

Advantages of the model:

  • MLC chip;
  • excellent reading speed;
  • “thin” body;
  • adequate cost.

Flaws:

  • low speed during data recording;
  • The case, like a vacuum cleaner, collects fingerprints and dust.

The estimated cost of the model is about 2,700 rubles.

HyperX Savage 128GB

Most ordinary users believe that this is the best USB 3.0 flash drive from the Kingston brand division. It is aimed primarily at transferring large files. The manufacturer promises a stable speed of 250 Mbit/s for writing and 350 for reading, but in reality the numbers differ from those indicated and depend mainly on the characteristics of the copied data and the features of the local USB protocol.

Despite the stated figures and high average speeds, the flash drive cannot be called fast. While copying tiny files, the entire fuse of the gadget melts before our eyes. So the device is not suitable for working with such data, but with photographs, music and films things are much better.

It is also worth noting the very high-quality case and assembly as a whole. The original design is complemented by a matte soft-touch coating without a hint of backlash, cracks or other problems. I was also pleased with the protection: the gadget can be dropped from a decent height and can even be rinsed with water if necessary, but without bathing.

Pros of the model:

  • excellent speed characteristics (except for the smallest files);
  • high-quality assembly;
  • protection from physical impact and moisture;
  • attractive design;
  • full MLC chip.
  • The case is thick and problems may arise with “neighbors” on USB ports.

The approximate price of the model is about 5,700 rubles.

Kingston DataTraveler Ultimate GT 1TB

This is the most capacious flash drive that can be found on the shelves of domestic stores. There is also a 2 TB model, but it is not yet sold in Russia. It’s worth noting right away that the gadget cannot be called compact - it easily blocks access to a couple of neighboring USB interfaces. In addition, a decent weight can cause the average ultrabook to roll.

An extension cord acts as a panacea for such dimensions. Fortunately, the manufacturer took care of this and included a small hub in the kit. The latter has a very modest size and will not cause any trouble to its port neighbors.

It is also worth noting that the model has a very durable zinc alloy construction. She is not afraid of falls even from a decent height, as well as a small wash. The gadget also pleased me with its speed characteristics. The branded and very productive Phison PS2308 controller works wonders that will make SSD drives jealous.

Distinctive features of the model

The only thing a flash drive can handle mediocrely is very small files. But here too we have a noticeably higher speed compared to the above-mentioned models. Besides, no one is stopping you from archiving and copying all this “trifle” in an instant. Naturally, the device has an MLC chip, so you don’t have to worry about the safety of your files.

Despite its massive dimensions, the device looks very stylish, fresh and technologically advanced. It feels like you are holding some kind of gadget from the future in your hands, and not a simple flash drive. Users leave entirely positive reviews about the model. For those who work with large amounts of data that need to be kept with them at all times, this is a godsend.

The only negative that users complain about is the cost of the flash drive. For this price it is quite possible to assemble an average computer, so for ordinary users such a purchase is simply impractical. The gadget has found its application in the hands of professionals such as system administrators and service technicians. In a word, this is the best that this segment has to offer, but such pleasure is not cheap.

Advantages of the model:

  • enviable capacity of 1 TB;
  • excellent reading and writing speed for medium and large files;
  • reliable design with good protection from physical impact;
  • stylish and pleasing to the eye appearance;
  • non-marking body;
  • presence of sensors;
  • Extension cord (hub) included in the kit;
  • maximum warranty for such gadgets from the manufacturer.

Flaws:

  • decent dimensions;
  • The price tag is clearly not designed for the average consumer.

The estimated cost of the model is about 55,000 rubles.

Today, each of us knows what a flash drive is. Most users have long been accustomed to flash drives. Many people begin to forget about disks; some users do not know that disks had predecessors, floppy disks. It’s much more convenient with a flash drive than with these devices. USB drives are not as simple as many people think.

So which flash drive to choose?

First. Let's start with volume. It is one of the most important factors when buying a flash drive. Currently on sale are flash cards with a capacity of 1-32 GB. There is also 64GB, but this is still rare. Flash drives with a capacity of 1GB are gradually disappearing from stores. A couple of years ago, 512 MB drives were on sale, but now they have disappeared. Time is constantly moving forward. In a couple of years, 64GB flash drives will be commonplace. But let's get back to the topic. Which volume is better?

Most users believe that the larger volume is better! This is correct, but there is a nuance here: why do you need a USB drive? If only for texts that need to be transferred from computer to computer, then 1 Gigabyte is quite suitable for you. If you are a music lover and like to listen to good songs, the same 1GB will suit you. It holds 150-300 medium sized music recordings.

If you like to watch feature films, copy them from friends and family, in this case take a flash drive of at least 4 GB. 8 GB works well. For movie buffs, the best option is 16, or even 32GB. because on average you can upload about 30 movies to it. (Depending on the length of the film). Moreover, you can download not only videos, but many other files onto such flash drives. If you can’t decide which flash drive to choose, take 16GB, you won’t go wrong.

Second. Data transfer rate. This is also an important factor. The speed should be indicated on the packaging, but often it is not indicated. Then check with the seller. It is better to take a drive with a transfer speed of 10 Megabits per second. Let me add that for flash drives, upload and download speeds may differ. Make sure it stays within these limits. More is possible.

I would like to add that regarding speeds, there are interesting points. These speeds may vary significantly, but the price will be similar, literally differing by tens of rubles. For example, you purchased a flash drive for a certain price, your friend bought it for the same price. Your recording speed is ten minutes, your friend’s is five.

Or you bought a flash card that is 10 percent more expensive, but its write speed is three minutes. Then they took another one, 50 rubles cheaper. She has been recording the film for about twenty minutes. If you copy a dozen films onto it, it will take a fair amount of time. It's better to spend this time on more important things.

Conclusion: it is better to buy USB drives that are slightly more expensive than the average price, but from a well-known company. If the drive speed is known, take at least 10 MB/s, or better yet, more. Do not take flash drives whose speed is 3-5Mb/s, you will waste your money and time. If there is an inscription replacing numbers, look for the words “Hi-Speed” or “ultra fast”. This means that the flash drive operates at a speed of min 25Mb/s.

Important: do not take a flash drive with a capacity of 1GB or less. Their speed may be so low that transferring even a small file will take you a very long time.

Third. Lid. Some USB drives have it, while others hide the connector inside themselves. It all depends on your taste. But there is a nuance. The sliding connection may break and the cap may be lost. Decide for yourself.

Fourth. Dimensions of the flash drive itself. Nowadays flash drives are produced mostly in small sizes. There are generally small ones. But remember, very small flash drives are easily lost. When the flash drive is large, then if you have several such flash drives, they may literally not fit together into the USB connectors, if such connectors are nearby. Therefore, answering the question, which flash drive should I choose? Take a medium size.

Fifth. Storage drives are like boot disks. These flash drives are more suitable for professional computer operators. Professionals buy such drives to boot a PC, configure it, treat the computer for viruses, and reinstall it. Some of these flash drives have U3 technology. That is, they consist of two places for recording. One is for special programs, the other for simple files, like movies.
Sixth. Flash drives that protect information. Such USB drives are quite expensive. The protection of such flash drives may look different. The flash drive can read your fingerprints and only then open. Or it has a special cryptographer program built into it. I think it is clear to you that these models are for particularly valuable information.

Seventh. Flash drive shell. When you are deciding which flash drive to choose? Pay attention to the body too. I don't mean design. I'm talking about durability. Mobile users leading an active lifestyle may accidentally break a flash drive. Therefore, it is better for them to take a flash drive in a rubberized shell, or even in a metal, shockproof and moisture-resistant one. A flash drive with a plastic casing is also suitable for home work.

Eighth. Indicator light. This indicator is present in most flash drives. It flashes while information is being transmitted. When transferring to a PC, it is convenient. You can immediately see whether copying is in progress or not. It becomes clear to you when you can remove the drive. But there is a nuance here too. If you use a flash drive to play songs or feature films, take a flash drive without a light indicator. It will distract you from your favorite music or movie. Sometimes even annoying.

Ninth. Excess on the flash drive. It happens that, for example, a clock is built into the drive, maybe a compass, etc. This is all unnecessary. Maybe only for a gift, and even then it’s not a fact. A flash drive is needed to transfer and save data. Make it convenient to carry them. Everything else on it is empty uselessness. All this can be purchased separately, and let the flash drive do its direct work. Which flash drive to choose, with a strict case that does its job.

Tenth. Present. For a gift, you should choose a flash drive that is also of decent size. But a flash drive as a gift is more suitable for a child. If you decide to give a gift to a friend or relative, you need to select a different flash card. There are special gift options for gifts. The flash drive can be gold plated, a very beautiful design. Framed with jewels. The case can be made of gold or silver. Or even have a personalized inscription. A matter of taste. The brand of such a flash drive must be well-known.


Eleventh. Let's mention brands. The most popular flash drives are Transcend and Kingston brands. And such flash drives are not that expensive. They just have a good reputation. Excellent parameters: speed, volume, wear resistance. Flash drives from these companies can be purchased for ten dollars, or for a hundred. Design and other factors also matter here. The main thing is that such flash drives are quite affordable.

That's all for today. I hope you now have an idea which flash drive to choose? The main thing is, don’t forget about the volume and speed limit, make the choice for yourself and you won’t go wrong.

Question from a user

Good day!

Tell me how I can find and buy a fast USB flash drive... The fact is that I have already bought two flash drives - and both work slowly. It takes me about 20 minutes to upload one 4 GB file to them! Because I transfer information very often - this speed does not suit me...

Good day everyone!

As a rule, when most users come to a store to buy a flash drive, they look at what color it is, what its volume is, the price - but very few pay attention to the speed of operation. This particularly important parameter becomes interesting after the flash drive is already at home and some files begin to be copied onto it. It turns out that instead of 64GB, 32GB of space would have been enough if the flash drive worked even a little faster...

In general, in this article I will give some “captain’s” tips and recommendations for choosing and purchasing flash drives. So...

What to pay attention to - choosing a fast flash drive

About types of flash drives

Most often, the word “flash drive” in everyday life refers to either a USB Flash Drive (USB flash drive) or MicroSD (it is also often called a memory card, most often installed in phones, cameras, etc.).

First a few words about USB Flash Drive

Usually, their packaging doesn’t say much about speed (unless it’s somewhere on the back of the package in small print, which is not always possible to read). However, almost all packages contain an interface, for example, USB 3.0. When purchasing, of course, pay attention to the interface - if you do not touch on any theoretical research - then a USB 3.0 flash drive works several times faster (the comparison in practice is shown just below in the article) than USB 2.0!

By the way, it is worth noting that from some manufacturers on the packaging you can find not only the size of the flash drive and the interface, but also the read and write speed. An example is shown below. True, I’ll make a reservation: you shouldn’t believe these numbers 100% (especially if the flash drive is from a little-known manufacturer (does not apply to the flash drive presented below)).

SanDisk - USB Flash Drive Extreme Go // indicates the size of the flash drive, its read and write speed

One more thing: do not forget that in order for a USB 3.0 flash drive to work at the highest possible speed, connect it to a USB 3.0 port (which is logical). To distinguish USB ports 2.0 from 3.0, just look at them: port 3.0 is marked in blue (example below).

Now, as for the speed itself. If you take a regular classic ADATA S102 16 Gb flash drive (it supports USB 3.0) and test its operating speed, one by one, connecting it to different ports, you will notice that when you connect it to a USB 3.0 port, the reading speed is 4 times higher times, and the recording speed is almost 2! Draw your conclusions!

Important:

  1. the actual operating speed of a flash drive may differ significantly from that indicated on the packaging (trust well-known brands);
  2. the speed of operation may depend not only on the flash drive itself, but also on the USB controller on the computer and its driver;
  3. the speed of the same flash drive can vary greatly, depending on which port it is connected to;
  4. USB 3.0, on average, is 1.5-2 times faster than USB 2.0 (this is when copying information, and even more when reading).

About microSD / memory cards

With SD cards, speed is somewhat easier than with USB flash drives. Usually they indicate either the speed itself or the class (which is also quite easy to translate into speed (sorry for the tautology)).

Below is a photo of one of the memory cards from Transcend. Instead of speed, the card class is indicated (Class 6).

Actually, just a sign (presented below) is enough to estimate that class 6 is approximately 6 Mb/s.

You can read more about SD cards in this article:

Note: Pay special attention to the grade when buying a memory card for a camera or video camera. Otherwise, you risk that you won’t be able to record high-quality video (the card simply won’t have time to receive recordings from the camera (chaotic, but I think it’s clear?!)).

About manufacturers

Now there are dozens (if not hundreds) of different manufacturers of equipment (including flash drives). And on every website/forum you can meet fans of certain brands (here I will not write about what is better and what is worse). Purely my opinion: I prefer to use products from Kingston (although I would also recommend paying attention to such well-known brands as Adata, SanDisk, Transcend, and a number of others).

For example, on the same official Kingston website, you can find all the necessary information, be it on flash drives or any other products (this helps a lot!). For example, you can go to the USB drives section (link: ), and look at the technical specifications for each of the flash drives of different models.

In addition, the device dimensions, operating temperature, OS compatibility, speed, and capacity are indicated. Please note that the manufacturer provides a 5-year warranty (not everyone provides the same)!

Some will object to me that the cost of such flash drives (under a well-known brand) is 2 times higher than in some Chinese store. I partly agree, the cost is higher, but how much nerves and time you will save in the future!

As a rule, all these dubious screens that sell goods 2-3 times cheaper are not responsible for anything and you have no guarantee. Very often, the declared characteristics are not even close to being maintained, the volume of the flash drive can be “artificially” inflated, and the operating speed will be very low: you will copy 3-4 GB in 20-40 minutes. to the carrier!

Here in this article you can familiarize yourself with various fake flash drives that do not stand up to criticism (in the article we try to return them to normal operation, but this does not always work):

About the size of a flash drive, is the bigger the better?

I'm not a fan of always buying as much storage as possible (this applies to both hard drives and flash drives). And it’s not just about the price, or that I don’t copy enough information ☻.

Firstly, you need to proceed from real problems: if you need to carry 5-10 GB with you compactly (in your trousers/shirt pocket), then there is no point in buying a 128 GB flash drive. Because it is disproportionately expensive, for large volumes - it is much more profitable to use this money to buy an external hard drive of several terabytes and load everything you need onto it.

Secondly, the larger the volume, the larger the flash drive itself, as a rule. Nowadays there are such little ones that they are not visible on the keychain next to the keys (which is very convenient). Now the question is - if you take a larger flash drive, won’t it get in the way later?! After all, you'll be carrying around this extra thing that gets in the way...

Thirdly, as a rule, the technology for manufacturing large flash drives has not yet been fully developed, and the newest models may not always work correctly.

In general, today’s thoughts are:

  1. 4 GB or less - there is no point in purchasing at all! (you won’t even load an image with Windows OS onto it);
  2. (8GB?) 16-64 GB is the best option, allowing you to solve all the most popular tasks;
  3. 128 GB or more - worth taking when there is a need to constantly and easily transfer a large amount of information.

About the real and nominal operating speed. The fastest flash drives - top 10

Whatever the manufacturer indicates on the packaging and in the technical specifications, in fact, the operating speed is (usually) lower than declared. When you buy a flash drive from a “no name” manufacturer, the risk that the speed will not correspond to the declared one is many times higher!

I must say that you won’t know the real speed until you connect a flash drive to a USB port and test it (which, naturally, most stores won’t allow you to do). However, here you can either rely on independent tests or on the official websites of reputable manufacturers.

About where to look at the models of the fastest flash drives (top 10)

An excellent site that allows you to view independent tests of various flash drives. Basic data: manufacturer of the flash drive, its name, read speed (READ) and write speed (WRITE). Thus, by choosing the size of the flash drive (say 8 GB), you can see the top 10 flash drives in terms of operating speed. Example below.

Note: the site is in English, but it’s quite easy to use, all the terms are the same as on any package with a flash drive.

Sorting 8 GB flash drives by reading speed // 10 best. 7015 MB/s for Xiaomi WiFi Flash Disk!

Sorting 16 GB flash drives by writing speed

All that remains is to copy the name and look for it in stores (just not to be afraid of the cost ☻).

How to find out the real speed of a flash drive // ​​testing

It examines this issue in great detail. On the same site ( http://usbflashspeed.com ) you can download their utility and run the test (it works quite quickly). Below is testing of an 8GB Toshiba flash drive in this utility.

Classic flash drive from Toshiba

About cases and flash drive design

Now flash drives are produced in all shapes and sizes, disguised as any keychains, any color and design. In general, I won’t dwell on the color scheme, I’ll only touch on the housings...

The most successful type of flash drive, in my opinion, is with a cap (classic style). They have a simple and convenient design, they are quite durable (especially with an aluminum body) and reliable.

In most cases, this bracket serves purely aesthetic purposes and does not protect the contacts in any way. In addition, usually the flash drive comes out of it very easily. Therefore, it is characterized by problems, just like a flash drive without a cap (see just above).

This option is very convenient - you won’t lose the cap, and the contacts are more or less protected. True, sometimes the latch that holds the flash drive breaks and then it automatically flies out (the fixation is lost). Otherwise, no complaints...

About protection...

That's all, my notes have come to an end.

I hope you can choose a flash drive that will solve your problems 100%!

Updated 05/25/2017. The article is relevant for 2017.
Friends! The other day my flash drive burned out and I had to look for a new one, because... Without it in our time, it’s absolutely impossible. Since this is a very fast-growing industry, choosing a flash drive turned out to be difficult for me. I had to read some information on the Internet about the latest trends. Today I will share this information with you.

So, first of all, we must decide on the parameters that will influence the choice of a particular flash drive model.

These include:

Now let's go through each of the points in more detail.

Memory

The primary factor when choosing a flash drive will be its memory capacity. At first glance, everything is clear here. Everyone loves to store a lot of files on them. This is actually what they were originally intended for. Today, 32GB and above is considered an acceptable volume. This is due to the fact that their prices are quite affordable, since progress does not stand still and what cost a lot of money a year ago is no longer needed by anyone today and is sold for next to nothing. In order not to be unfounded, let's turn to Yandex Market. I always check reviews for a product in the Market, and also clarify the characteristics, useful service, I sincerely recommend it. As you can see, prices for 32GB Flash cards vary around 600 rubles. If you set 64GB in the search parameters, then the average value there will be 1100 rubles. If you are not constrained by funds, then you can take such a volume, it will not be superfluous. As elsewhere, there are more expensive options and slightly cheaper ones. How to choose from them will be discussed below in the following paragraphs, but for now let’s summarize the first result.

At the moment, I would advise buying a flash drive with a capacity of 32 GB or more. Prices for such volumes are very affordable (on average 600 rubles).

Read and write speed

In my opinion, this is one of the key parameters when choosing a drive. Many people don’t think about this and buy cheap, larger devices. Such a decision may be completely wrong! If you buy a cheap flash card with a large amount of memory, you may lose out on the speed of reading and writing information.
Again, I'll give you an example. Device number one and device number two. The first flash drive has a write speed of 5 MB/s. This means that, for example, filling all 32GB will take approximately 2 hours. Of course, it is unlikely that anyone will immediately fill the drive to capacity, but the essence is clear. This is a very low speed and I would not buy such a drive for everyday use. The second copy is doing better. The recording speed there is already 16 MB/s, which is much higher, although there are better options. So, filling at this speed will take about 40 minutes. All calculations are easily verified.

Bottom line: don't skimp on speed, otherwise you may be disappointed by the choice. I would call the minimum recording speed 16MB/s. With reading speed, things are a little different. It is basically always 1.5-2 times higher.

Case size and strength

Let's combine the body parameters in one point and cover everything at once. To begin with, I’ll tell you a common truth that works always and everywhere: the fewer moving parts and complex elements, the better! Always do everything as simply as possible and this will be the right decision. If the flash drive moves out or moves out of the case or the case rotates around it or something else, then it will most likely break in a month or two, or even earlier!

Next I’ll tell you about the dimensions of the case. If it is of irregular shape or simply “thick”, then you will not be able to place it next to another card, because the inputs are always located very close to each other and if you need to transfer data, for example, to a friend at the office or university from your flash drive to his , then inconvenience will arise. You will find that both devices simply won't fit into the slots at the same time.
I would not recommend buying something similar to the elements in the picture:


They won't bring you anything other than crap when used.

Bottom line: do not buy flash cards of non-standard shape, as well as those that look flimsy. You don't want to be left without a case in a week.

Other little things

Finally, I would like to note that you are unlikely to need all sorts of fingerprint systems and other gadgets. They have no practical value, but only affect the price of the product. Let's look at an example. If you pay attention to the reviews, most users note that recognition is either ineffective or works with errors. The downside will also be the mandatory installation of third-party software, which in itself, for example, is impossible in offices.

Bottom line: don't chase newfangled gadgets, because you only need a flash drive, not a food processor.

Many readers are interested in which specific 32GB flash drive to buy?
Look, if you don’t have a USB 3.0 interface, then I advise you to take Transcend JetFlash 600. If there are USB 3 versions, then you can take Transcend JetFlash 780, here the speeds are appropriate, but all due to the new version of the bus.

Well, that's all, now you know how to choose a flash drive. And lastly, among the companies I would recommend Transcend, Silicon Power and Kingston.