How to choose the right USB flash memory for your use?
There are many factors that make USB flash drives an attractive option for anyone looking for an easy and quick way to store their important files, whether for backup or transferring data for work or study...there are many uses for them, really. But when buying or upgrading, you may rely more on the "storage capacity" factor, as some tend to buy the larger flash drive as it will be more suitable for their needs for years to come. While this is true, there are other things that we should also highlight when buying to get a good deal.
This is what we will try to help you with through this article, as we explain the most important points for choosing the appropriate flash drive for your use and needs in terms of storage capacity, the type of connector that affects the transfer speed, as well as security tools to protect sensitive data from being hacked and spied on.
What is the best flash drive storage capacity for you?
USB flash drive storage capacities range from 1GB to 2TB – as of this writing – but there is no perfect standard for estimating your storage needs and usage patterns. The size of the flash drive you choose should depend primarily on what you need to store on it.
For example, if you plan to use this flash drive to transfer some files from one computer to another, then 8GB or 16GB will be quite adequate, even for transferring games as well. However, if you plan to use the flash drive to store backups of your important files, then you may need a flash drive of up to 500GB or more; again, this depends on what you need to store on it.
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While you can figure out how much space you plan to store on your flash drive, it’s best to go for a size larger than you’ll need to last you a long time. On the other hand, if you’re a student or someone who works in a business and needs enough capacity to store Word documents, Excel spreadsheets, and presentations, you can buy a very small flash drive. In this scenario, a 4GB or 8GB flash drive would be a great option.
As another example, if you plan to use the flash drive to store all the photos and videos on your phone, go to the storage settings and look at the storage stats that tell you how much space your media files are taking up. It could be tens of gigabytes depending on your usage. So that's the amount of storage you'll need on the flash drive, at the very least - you'll likely need to store more files on it in the future.
In general, the storage capacity of a flash drive depends entirely on the amount and size of files you intend to add. And of course, storage capacity is usually directly related to price - as the size increases, so does the price.
Buy a USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 flash drive ?
When shopping for a USB flash drive, you will definitely be concerned about the transfer speed after the storage capacity. Whether the flash drive is USB 3.0 or USB 2.0 determines the speed at which files are transferred, but it also depends on the type of USB port of the device you are transferring from. In other words, if the flash drive is USB 3.0, your computer or laptop should support USB 3.0 as its transfer rate is ten times faster than USB 2.0.
While actual flash drive performance will vary depending on your computer, the theoretical maximum speed for a USB 2.0 flash drive is 480MB/s, while a USB 3.0 flash drive is rated at 4.8Gbps. As such, this means that a 16GB file, such as a game file, will transfer in under a minute using USB 3.0, but will take around nine minutes to transfer using USB 2.0.
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But let me tell you that there may be no need to pay more for speed because it is something unnecessary for some, especially if you do not use the flash drive several times a day, which means that the extra speed is a sensitive element of your time. But if the flash drive is large, 64 or 128 or even 1 TB, then you should buy a USB 3.0 flash drive because with this large size you will be transferring a huge amount of data and you will need a higher speed. In this case, make sure that your computer is compatible with USB 3.0 as well before buying a flash drive with the same technology.
Security solutions to prevent hacking or theft of your files
So, you have taken care of the storage capacity and the type on which the transfer speed depends, now we come to the most important point which is securing your stored files. As you know, flash drive is a small device and therefore it is vulnerable to loss and easy to be stolen, and malware can be transferred from one computer to another through it.
So there are risks in putting your important files that contain sensitive data on the flash drive, but this problem has been addressed by manufacturers producing flash drives equipped with software dedicated to encrypting any data stored on them, in addition to integrating devices to authenticate identity such as scanning a fingerprint or typing a password via physical buttons on the keyboard.
This extra capability may not be necessary if you are just transferring a few non-confidential files from one home device to another, but if you use it with several computers or the files you plan to store are very important and private, you will need an original flash drive with strong security solutions such as those provided by famous brands such as SanDisk, Kingston or Transcend. They encrypt your files and prevent the transfer of malware and unauthorized access from intruders.
Ultimately, buying a USB flash drive shouldn't be a difficult task, or something that requires as much research and planning as assembling a new computer - it's easy even for beginners. But the purpose of this article is to clarify some points that some people overlook when buying, and we also tried to cover many real-life scenarios so that it helps you choose the right flash drive for your use, and thus you won't think about buying a new flash drive until years later.
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