The Best Flash Drives in 2021
  • 2022-07-27

The Best Flash Drives in 2021

Flash drives are important gadgets as they help in the storage of important documents and files. Their small size makes them easily portable, convenient for use anywhere as long as you can access a compatible device. The files storage property requires them to be large in size to accommodate as much as possible and durable enough to get through the numerous transactions. If you are storing sensitive data, it is necessary that you secure the gadget through software or hardware encryption.

Choosing the perfect flash disk could be a tough task. But not to worry. No matter what your needs are, there are great flash drives in the market that can fulfil what you desire. In this article, we take a look at some of the best flash drives in the market that you can purchase. But before that, let’s look into some of the factors you should consider before buying your flash drive;

Transfer rate

Flash drives should have a high data transfer speed to quickly move data from your PC or device to the flash drive and vice versa. Currently, there are two types of flash drives in the market. One is the USB 2.0 and the other is the USB 3.0. The USB 2.0 has a transfer rate of 60 megabits of data per second, while the USB 3.0 transfers 640 megabits of data per second. Therefore, the USB 3.0 transfer rate is more than ten times higher than the USB 2.0 transfer rate.

Compatibility with devices

If you are not aware of the kind of hardware you are working with, you may be underusing the transfer rate capabilities of your flash drive. Many people are ignorant of this factor since the flash drives still function on any computer or device. If a computer has a USB 2.0 port, a USB 3.0 flash drive can still transfer data to and from the device, but the transfer rate will be that of the USB 2.0 port. The capability of the USB 3.0 flash drive is therefore underused.

Storage size requirement

Flash drives are tiny gadgets that can store a load of documents, files and data. In the past, you would have to burn a CD or purchase several floppy disks for file transfer and storage. Now, you only need to identify how much space you need and purchase a flash drive. You can get a variety of storage capacities starting from 512MB to 256GB. A standard 2GB flash drive can store a 3.5-hour high resolution video, about 40,000 pages of a text document, or 1000 minutes of MP3 music, or 1900 regular resolution photos. This info can guide you to determine the storage size you need.

USB Design

Flash drives have advanced into different designs and sizes. The classic types are typically less than two inches long with removable caps, others such as the mini metal or swivel types have no caps. There are more unique designs that you can choose from such as the crystal or wooden, key-shaped or wallet cards designs, and so on. Other flash drives are combined with another functional object such as an OTG connector that allows you to transfer files directly to and from your phone or tablet, a pen, a bottle opener, etc.

After-purchase service

Online purchases can be a tricky venture as you may end up with a defective gadget. It is important to have an assurance of an available warranty or any other after purchase service. For instance, promotional drives have a 12-year warranty. The shipping process of your product from the store should also be clear, from date of shipping and arrival, shipping fees, etc. Should there be a challenge, the customer service unit should be reliable enough to help resolve the problem.

Best flash drives to buy in 2021

Patriot Supersonic Rage 2

The Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 is a high-end flash drive designed with aluminium coating for better thermal dissipation. It has a capacity of 256GB and is compatible with Windows 10, 8, 7, Linux 2.6, and Mac OSX 10.X. It is a USB 3.2 flash drive which means it has a high transfer speed that enables you to move files to and from the device pretty fast. It is also USB Attached SCSI Protocol (UASP) supported which allows concurrent read and write transfers.

What we like about it;

  • Large storage space
  • High transfer speed
  • 5-year warranty on Amazon
  • Multi-platform compatibility

What we don’t like;

  • It is expensive for a flash drive

Kingston Technology DataTraveler 100 Generation 3

The Kingston Technology DataTraveler 100 is the most affordable and high-quality 64GB, USB 3.0 flash drive in the market. It is compatible with both USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports. It has a high read speed of 150megabits per second and a write speed of 70 megabits per second. It is amazingly compact and definitely worth purchasing.

What we like about it;

  • Affordable with good value
  • Large capacity
  • Five-year warranty and free technical support on Amazon

What we don’t like;

  • Slower than other USB 3.0 drives

Verbatim Pinstripe

The Verbatim Pinstripe is an affordable 128GB flash drive with a USB 2.0 interface delivering the perfect storage solution for you. It makes file transfer easy for you and comes with a two-year warranty. It has a lightweight, slim style with a push and pull sliding feature that provide cover and protection for the flash drive connection when not in use.

What we like about it;

  • Affordable
  • High storage capacity
  • No separate cap that may be lost
  • Multiplatform compatibility; PC, Max, and Linux

What we don’t like;

  • Slower than other flash drives

PNY Turbo

The PNY Turbo is one of the best flash drives in the market, with a with a sliding cap design for protecting the USB connection and an integrated loop to attach to key holders and backpacks. It has a capacity of 256GB and a USB 3.0 interface. It has a read speed of up to 140 megabits per second and write speed of up to 80 megabits per second.

What we like about it;

  • Large storage capacity
  • Fast and easy file transfer
  • Compatibility with USB 2.0 and USB 3.0 ports
  • Multiplatform compatibility with PC, Mac laptop, Desktop computers, etc.

What we don’t like;

  • No in-built encryption