USB 2.0 flash drives have a transfer rate of up to 480Mbps, while USB 3.0 flash drives allow for transfer rates 10 times faster — up to 4.8Gbps. However, you can only take advantage of this higher speed if your device has a USB 3.0 port. Although USB 3.0 flash drives and other devices are backwards compatible with USB 2.0 ports, they will only operate at a USB 2.0 rate.
^ Also known as a thumb drive, pen drive, gig stick, flash stick, jump drive, disk key, disk on key (after the original M-Systems DiskOnKey drive from 2000),[1] flash-drive, memory stick (not to be confused with the Sony Memory Stick), USB key, USB stick or USB memory. For an incomplete list of alternative names, see the list of redirects to this article.
The various writable and re-writable forms of CD and DVD are portable storage media supported by the vast majority of computers as of 2008. CD-R, DVD-R, and DVD+R can be written to only once, RW varieties up to about 1,000 erase/write cycles, while modern NAND-based flash drives often last for 500,000 or more erase/write cycles. DVD-RAM discs are the most suitable optical discs for data storage involving much rewriting.
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. Constructed with aircraft-grade aluminum housing and outfitted with a molded shock damping collar, this drive is meant to survive anything you can throw at it. It can even be submerged in up to 200 meters of water because of the EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer rubber) waterproof seal. With speeds at around 85 MB/s, this isn’t the fastest drive around, but its ruggedness is unparalleled.
“The transfer speeds are satisfyingly fast for reading and writing all kinds of files, whether large HD videos or unsorted media folders,” our tester reported of this flash drive. He also liked the inclusion of the SecureAccess file encryption, although advanced features are an additional purchase. In terms of negatives, our reviewer called the plastic shell casing “flimsy and fragile” and observed that the transfer speeds are capped when the flash drive is plugged into a USB hub. Overall? Our tester was “more than satisfied with the transfer speeds, but would have appreciated a better, sturdier physical design.”
Floppy disk hardware emulators exist which effectively utilize the internal connections and physical attributes of a floppy disk drive to utilize a device where a USB flash drive emulates the storage space of a floppy disk in a solid state form, and can be divided into a number of individual virtual floppy disk images using individual data channels.
The SanDisk PRO gives you blistering speeds, offering 420 MB/s on the reading front and 380 MB/s on the writing end, which is 3–4x faster than what a standard USB 3.0 drive will offer. 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. The onboard AES, 128-bit file encryption gives you top-of-the-line security for your sensitive files. That USB 3.0 connection is also backward compatible with USB 2.0, so you won’t hit any snags with an older computer. 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. Finally, there’s a file backup system you can download called RescuePRO that will let you recover lost files if needed.
This drive’s small size won over our testers: “Its small profile allows it to stay plugged into a computer even when transporting it in a bag or case, which is not something most flash drives can claim,” one person said. Lifewire reviewers agree that the drive’s tiny footprint makes it much more likely to get lost, but they say its fast read speeds and convenient portability easily make up for that.
Not everyone wants every file they've ever created available in the cloud. It can put data at risk - not just from hackers or spammers or nosey bosses, but with some providers offering shady terms, you could lose the intellectual rights to anything uploaded. Having a portable memory drive means you don't have to sacrifice mobility for security, though, making flash drives an ideal solution for business people on the go.
We are specialists, when it comes to producing a custom flash drives to your specifications. Personalized USB drives are great for promotion of your favorite team, non for profit organization, or business. Important marketing information can be loaded on flash drives. You can imprint USB drives with logos for your school, or use it as a gift to employees, or guests at the wedding.
Buoyed by its rocket-like speeds, the Extreme Go lives up to its name by transferring a 4K movie in less than 40 seconds — that's nearly 35 times the speed of a USB 2.0 drive and thanks to USB 3.1 hardware. Beyond its fast operation, the Sandisk looks as good as it performs with a sleek and slim package that's 2.79 x 0.84 x 0.45 inches in size and weighs only 4.8 ounces. The retractable connector makes it easy to store when not in use and it is backward compatible with any USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 port. Tucked inside its diminutive profile is a choice of 64GB or 128GB of storage capacity and it comes complete with data storage recovery in the event of an accidental file deletion.
The U3 company works with drive makers (parent company SanDisk as well as others) to deliver custom versions of applications designed for Microsoft Windows from a special flash drive; U3-compatible devices are designed to autoload a menu when plugged into a computer running Windows. Applications must be modified for the U3 platform not to leave any data on the host machine. U3 also provides a software framework for independent software vendors interested in their platform.
These products use flash memory chips, a stable, high-density storage medium, to hold your data. They pack a huge amount of information into a compact form factor. Most thumb drives are less than 2 inches long and easily fit in a pocket, laptop bag or purse. Models with built-in covers protect physical connectors from damage, and select products feature rugged silicon and metal shells that enhance heat and water resistance.
