Factors to Consider When Buying a USB Flash Drive

We do not often consider the humble USB flash drive to be a particularly difficult product to buy. They are small and compact, we often have lots of them lying around, and they don’t really do anything more complex than provide a bit of extra portable space for physically carrying your files from computer to computer. Any one will do right?

Well, many people, when purchasing 32GB USB flash drives, put a lot of thought into the process. This is because USB is actually a very powerful technology and the best USB flash drives can provide a range of benefits not available when you pick up “just any one”. To see that this is the case, consider that USB flash drives have not actually been superseded by cloud storage. You might think that cloud storage does everything the USB flash drive does, but why then are USB flash drives still popular?

The Persistence of USB

To understand the persistence of USB better, consider also that many new products are making use of USB technology. For example, the are the USB rechargeable AA batteries, produced by the likes of tech company Pale Blue Earth, which are steadily replacing the traditional household batteries with USB rechargeable smart versions, offering massively increased efficiency and run times.

USB is also constantly being developed to make it more efficient. The USB C, an update of the traditional USB port and connector, is now being widely adopted by PC manufacturers – and most new computers come with a port for it.

What Makes a Good USB Flash Drive?

So, if you are thinking about acquiring a top USB flash drive for all your file storage and transfer needs, here follows the best metrics by which to judge each candidate:

Memory Quality

There is the amount of memory offered by a flash drive, but there is also the quality of that memory. This is all related to quality of the memory chip (some poor-quality flash drives make use of recycled chips). What low quality memory will mean in practice is slow read and write times, as well as shorter overall shelf life – regardless of how much memory is actually offered.

Storage Capacity

Custom USB flash drives typically come with capacities in the range of 64MB to 128GB. As you can tell, that is potentially a lot of memory available if you buy right. Of course, it depends on what you are using it for too.

Chip Format

Not all USBs are the same. The chip format – of any USB device, not just flash drives – refers to the speed and reliability of the energy and data transfer. USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 are the main choices here, with the latter being the more efficient of the two. USB C is a step up once again.

Connector Options

And speaking of the USB C, it should be noted that such flash drives will come with a different port from traditional USBs. While still more common, the older USB port shapes could be on their way out. So, this is certainly something to consider.

Style

And, of course, when you buy a USB flash drive, you might be concerned about the stye it comes in. There is a lot of variety here. Be sure to get something that you like, or which is impressive if you plan to be handing out your flash drives for promotional purposes of some sort.

There is a lot to consider when it comes to USB flash drives, but by applying the above metrics of quality, you can ensure you pick up a secure, reliable, and speedy storage solution.