What to look for in a USB flash drive
The most important bit to consider while buying a new USB flash drive is speed. It’s always a good idea to get a thumb drive that supports fast data transfer speeds, even if you have to pay slightly more. It will save you time and make your thumb drive future-roof. So you want a flash drive that supports USB 3.2 Gen 1 or Gen 2 speeds. These are the fastest USB generations available on flash drives right now. Unfortunately, I don’t see any Gen 2×2 drives, so USB 3.2 Gen 2 is the fastest you can get right now.
Apart from data transfer speeds, you want a good brand and decent build quality. That’s about it.
One important thing to note is that everything from your computer’s USB port to the flash drive file system to the computer’s SSD/ HDD impacts the data transfer speeds. So just having a fast USB flash drive isn’t enough. Ensure your computer’s hardware is new enough to support fast transfer speeds.
Now, time to look at my recommendations.
Best USB flash drives of 2022
Kingston DataTraveller Max | Patriot Supersonic Rage Prime | SanDisk Extreme Pro | Patriot Supersonic Rage Pro |
Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon | Buy from Amazon |
Read more | Read more | Read more | Read more |
Kingston DataTraveler Max (USB-C)
> Buy Kingston DataTraveler Max from Amazon
Patriot Supersonic Rage Prime (USB-A)
> Buy Patriot Supersonic Rage Prime in 250GB, 500GB, or 1TB sizes
Sandisk Extreme Pro (USB-A)
> Buy SanDisk Extreme Pro from Amazon
Patriot Supersonic Rage Pro (USB-A)
> Buy Patriot Supersonic Rage Pro from Amazon
These are the best and fastest USB flash drives that you can buy today. Which one do you like the most? Let me know in the comments section. Additionally, I have other excellent buying guides, like the best mobile hotspots and the best power banks. You may find these helpful.