Basic USB Flash Drives

No-frills USB flash drive models

The vast majority of flash drives reviewed in the past year and a half have value-added features that will be useful for some people and of no interest to others. Those features include rugged construction, encryption and other security software, and the ability to run programs off your USB flash drive. These higher-end drives are also faster than blank drives. However, basic and budget drives get a fair amount of user feedback.

According to reviewers, manufacturers don't make or publish performance claims for basic drives. That doesn't guarantee they are all the same. Name-brand drives are faster than generic drives in most tests. They also are likely to have better warranties. Corsair, OCZ, Lexar, SanDisk and Kingston are all brands commonly respected by reviewers.

We found good feedback for several basic Kingston USB flash drives. The Kingston DataTraveler DT1 (*Est. $10 for 4 GB) has plenty of feedback and fairly strong ratings at Amazon.com and Newegg.com. Some users say it's slow, but most owners are very happy with it. Kingston also sells 2 GB (*Est. $6), 8 GB (*Est. $20) and 16 GB (*Est. $30) versions. These drives come in a bunch of colors. While color might seem inconsequential, it can be helpful if you own several drives; you could use one color for backing up music, another for photos, etc.

The Kingston DataTraveler DT100 (*Est. $10 for 4 GB) has the same specifications and five-year limited warranty. The difference is that it has no cap -- rather, the USB port retracts inside the body by way of an external slide switch. Some users and experts like not having to worry about misplacing a cap, while others warn that the lack of a cap leaves the drive vulnerable to static discharge. The Kingston DT100, which comes only in matte black, is also available in 2 GB (*Est. $6), 8 GB (*Est. $20) and 16 GB (*Est. $30) capacities.

Used products are a valid budget alternative in many product categories, but we found many warnings about new and used flash drives purchased through third-party sellers. Fraudulent eBay and Craigslist sellers purvey authentic name-brand drives that are either counterfeit knock-offs or have lower capacity than advertised. In some cases, the con artists allegedly substitute lower-capacity flash memory in authentic housing. You can avoid this pitfall by buying from an authorized dealer.

Mini flash drives

Most USB flash drives look like a small pack of gum, but a few depart from that form factor. The ATP Petito (*Est. $80 for 8 GB) and SuperTalent Pico (*Est. $20 for 8 GB) are both mini drives, weighing only around 7 grams and just over an inch long. The Petito is surprisingly stylish, with curved sides and a lustrous metallic finish, and ATP regularly releases new versions in a variety of different colors and patterns. SuperTalent's Pico comes in chrome or gold, and is otherwise a very typical, rectangular flash drive -- in miniature.

Both drives perform adequately; each earns an Editor's Choice award from DriverHeaven.net, and the Pico is recommended by TrustedReviews.com. Design drawbacks are emphasized for each; the Pico, experts say, might actually be too small -- it's extremely easy to lose. The Petito's cap is problematic. Additionally, the Petito's elegant style comes at a premium -- it's four times as expensive as the Pico. Neither is as fast as full-sized USB flash drives. In DriverHeaven.net's roundup review, the Petito outperforms the Pico in speed tests. However, neither of these drives is designed for speed. They're made to read and write files reliably in the tiniest of tiny forms. Reviewers say that at this, both the ATP Petito and SuperTalent Pico do well.