Make sure you include delivery price when doing the numbers as quite often you end up paying more for the postage than the drive itself, particularly for low cost models. 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.

A flash drive is a tiny storage device that has no moving parts. Unlike external hard drives, these compact devices are better suited for short-term use and portability. USB 2.0 is sufficient for smaller capacities but not for bigger ones where write speeds can get sluggish. Larger flash drives (128GB or more) often come only with a USB 3.0 connector. 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. Flash drives or thumb drives can connect with other devices using either USB Type-A or USB-C connectivity. How to choose the best flash drives for you? Note that the capacities are likely to be lower than stated when they are formatted and mounted on an operating system. The best flash drives: How we testAbove 128GB, you might want to consider a SSD if you want ruggedness, portability, versatility and better performance without the cost.