14 Best USB Drives (2024): Pen Drives, Thumb Drives, Memory Sticks

There are a few things to keep in mind when buying USB flash drives, and we also have some tips on how to use them.

Power: To choose the amount you want, first check the size of the folders or files you want to copy. Each USB cable in our guide has a known capacity, but the storage that can be used will be limited, because the firmware of the device requires space.

Speed: USB standards are constantly evolving, and we recommend USB 3.0 as the minimum, although higher is better. Although USB standards have different theoretical speeds, it is important to check how the manufacturer calculates and lists the speed for each drive. If you are mainly transferring data, you want to look at the car and the officer write it down speed. If you plan to install software on the computer through the drive (such as video games), then you want a model with a higher resolution. read it speed. Manufacturers will claim average speed, but most drives are faster for transferring large files and slower for transferring smaller files.

Cooperation: Most flash drives will work with any device with the right port, but make sure it’s compatible to avoid disappointment. If you want to use a car with an Android device or one of the latest version of the iPhone 15it will need USB port support (OTG). Most Android devices support USB OTG. You will receive a notification when you insert the flash drive with the options it should include File Transfer. You can try it USB OTG Checker software Confirm help if you don’t know. Older Apple iPhones and iPads don’t support USB OTG, but you can install software to connect to drives, such as SanDisk’s iXpand series.

Attachments: Most flash drives have USB-A connectors, but you can also find drives with USB-C, MicroUSB, and Lightning connectors. If you want to use a flash drive with your mobile phone and computer, grab one with all the necessary types of connections. You can also buy multi-port USB ports or adapters, but be very careful about which standard is supported or it may slow down your data transfer speed. This Anker USB-A to USB-C adapterfor example, it is USB 3.0.

Security: Remember that USB drives can cause security problemsespecially for businesses, and you should no enter the random drives you find lying around. If you want to store private data on your flash drive, consider biometric or passcode protection, and check the level of encryption it provides. There are computer programs that provide encryption and allow you to protect your files on a USB flash drive.