SanDisk 512GB Ultra USB 3.0 Flash Drive

Product Information

SanDisk's Extreme Pro is one of its most capable USB devices, but be ready to spend some serious cash to get your hands on it.

The number after USB indicates the version of USB that is used by a particular device. Older generations have lower numbers as well as slower transfer speeds. If you don’t need the fastest USB drive around, you can save a bit by opting for a USB 2.0 or USB 3.0 drive but it will take longer to transfer files onto and off of the device.Key specs – Interface: USB Type-C with Type-A adapter; Storage capacities: 32GB; Claimed speeds: 200-300MB/sec read, write not stated; Extra features: None PNY's popular Turbo flash drive sports both a rugged design and ample storage, making it an ideal choice for someone who often travels and doesn't want to risk losing their data.

Still, this hard drive rightly deserves a spot on this list, with its zinc alloy body with aluminum accent and read/write speeds of 380Mbps and 70Mbps, respectively. Let’s just say that it’s no slouch. Plus, it also comes with a five-year warranty. Since it has both USB-A and USB-C plugs — there's a slide to expose one or the other — the SanDisk Ultra USB-C offers a nicemix of fast data transfers and future-proofing, so you can be sure it'll work with a variety of devices going forward. PNY is another memory manufacturer turned player in the USB market. The PNY Turbo 256GB USB drive one of the best USB drives right now, featuring a capped design for protecting as well as read/write speeds of 80Mbps and 20Mbps respectively.

The best USB memory sticks you can buy in 2023

We've compared these flash drives on various points, from their storage capacity and connectivity options to their read and write speeds and encryption features. We also assessed their portability, overall performance, and pricing, among other things. The Rage 2 has readings speeds of 400MB/s and writing speeds of 300MB/s, which is significantly faster than the previous model (the Supersonic Rage XT has reading and writing speeds of 180MB/s and 50MB/s). The USB 3.0 device offers transfer speeds of up to 10 times what you get in a comparable USB 2.0 drive. Add that to Turbo's maximum 256GB of storage, and you should be able to store nearly 48,000 songs on the device — and transfer them with ease. Key specs – Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 1; Storage capacities: 64GB to 256GB; Claimed speeds: 150MB/sec read; Extra features: RescuePRO Deluxe file recovery software, five-year warranty

Above 128GB, you might want to consider a SSD if you want ruggedness, portability, versatility and better performance without the cost. The Kingston IronKey Keypad 200 isn't your ordinary flash drive as you can probably tell from the picture above. Instead of just plugging the drive into your computer to access the files stored on it, you first need to put in a PIN code using its keypad. While this may be overkill for some, those looking to securely transport their most sensitive files will likely appreciate both the design and functionality of the Kingston IronKey Keypad 200. This is the cheapest USB 3.0 drive on the market per GB. It comes with a two-year warranty as well as a capless/retractable cap design.While the 1TB model will allow you to bring all of your most important files with you, Kingston also offers both a 256GB and a 512GB version. The USB-C port does limit compatibility with older devices but this USB flash drive will pair well with most modern Android smartphones. To test the best flash drives, we examined them across numerous factors. For starters, we looked at their storage capacities, connectivity option (USB-A or USB-C), and read and write speeds. It also features a keyring loop for additional portability and its sliding cover means that you will not have to worry about losing a cap. A cap on the connector keeps the drive safe from damage when it's not in use, and thanks to a loop at the end, you can connect the DataTraveler to a keychain to reduce your chances of losing it when you're walking around town.