Best USB Flash Drives

Top-rated flash drives for general use

Something that becomes evident in reviews of USB flash drives is that the "best" drive is often a matter of circumstance; not everyone requires enough space on their flash drive to download years' worth of home videos or enough durability to survive being submerged in 200 feet of water, or enough security to cause the device to self-destruct should it ever slip from its owner's fingertips. Extra features mean extra money, and even though flash drive prices have dropped substantially, an increased cost of 30 to 50 percent is not insignificant.

Corsair leads the pack in terms of top-performing USB flash drives, both basic and enhanced. The original Corsair Flash Voyager (*Est. $25 for 8 GB) has had the most staying power of any competing product on the market; it has received accolades from a number of top sources and consistently gets positive feedback from users. Reviews say that the Flash Voyager is a reliable drive that performs well and offers adequate security and durability for the majority of users.

Experts have had a virtual field day testing the durability of the drive's casing, submerging it in water, laundering it and throwing it off the top of a building -- the Flash Voyager survives all but being crushed beneath an SUV. Older models of the Flash Voyager and Flash Voyager GT suffered from a manufacturing flaw that caused them to occasionally split into two; Corsair has since corrected this. The entire Corsair line of flash drives is covered by the manufacturer's 10-year limited warranty.

The Flash Voyager GTR (*Est. $95 for 32 GB) is the latest offering in this line, and it doesn't disappoint. Encased in Corsair's trademark water-resistant rubber, the GTR comes with a lanyard and USB extension cable. The Flash Voyager GTR is compatible with Windows, Linux and Mac operating systems.

The Flash Voyager GTR has substantially increased read/write speeds over previous versions of this flash drive, and testing at ThinkComputers.org finds the actual average read speed of the 32 GB drive to be very close to the advertised speed. A reviewer at EverythingUSB.com is also impressed with the Flash Voyager GTR's speed but is disappointed that the product does not survive a trip through the washing machine. Most reviewers say the drive is as rugged as its predecessors. Critics say that the GTR is a bit pricey, but feel that the performance improvements justify the cost. The Corsair Flash Voyager GTR flash drive is available in three sizes: 32 GB (*Est. $95 for 32 GB), 64 GB (*Est. $190) and 128 GB (*Est. $290).

The Corsair Flash Survivor GTR 32 GB (*Est. $110 for 32 GB) offers superior durability, according to the vast majority of reviewers who have tested it. This latest version in the Survivor series gets the Approved designation from OverclockersOnline.net and the series has earned high recommendations from EverythingUSB.com and a host of others. Reviewers have gone to every extreme to try to destroy the Flash Survivor, or at least put a dent in its aircraft-grade aluminum exterior. Michael Larabel of Phoronix.com threw it in a swimming pool, whacked it with a hammer and boiled it in water for 10 minutes. Scott Clark of EverythingUSB.com also dropped it off a roof and repeatedly ran it over with his SUV. Other reviewers froze it, burned it, threw it at a brick wall, stabbed it with screwdrivers and/or ran it through a washing machine. They found the Corsair Survivor flash drive worked normally after each round of abuse. The GTR is water resistant to a depth of 656 feet; no reviewers put this claim to the test, though.

While past versions of the Flash Survivor have been considered a bit sluggish by reviewers, the GTR has substantially increased read and write speeds, according to tests. OverclockersOnline.net's testing shows that the Flash Survivor GTR trumps a number of other flash drives in sequential data transfer rates. One possible drawback to the Survivor is that the sturdy housing is heavier, larger and more awkward to carry than many other drives -- the Survivor GTR is more than twice the length of most other flash drives. The Flash Survivor is available in 64 GB (*Est. $200) in addition to 32 GB. If your storage needs are more modest, the oldest model in this series, the Flash Survivor -- available in 8 GB (*Est. $30 for 8 GB) or 16 GB (*Est. $50) -- is worth considering.

The Corsair Flash Padlock 2 Secure 8 GB (*Est. $55) also does well in tests and represents an extra layer of security over other offerings in the Corsair line. While not military-grade, reviewers consider its improved security software more than adequate for the average user. Though a bit slow at writing smaller files, it is recommended by editors at EverythingUSB.com as a durable and secure flash drive for a reasonable price. The Padlock 2 also comes in a 16 GB version (*Est. $90).

USB 3.0 drives

Just as USB 2.0 represented an improvement over USB 1.1, USB 3.0 takes the technology a step beyond. As computers become more advanced and the peripherals used with them more power-hungry, USB 2.0 is quickly becoming too sluggish for applications such as high-definition video. While many of the newest flash drives offer much improved transfer rates using USB 2.0, USB 3.0 promises rates up to 10 times faster (averaging 125 to 300 Mbps) while maintaining backwards compatibility with USB 2.0. To take advantage of some new flash drives that are USB 3.0 compatible, you need a computer that has a USB 3.0 port.

Two Super Talent flash drives that use the USB 3.0 technology have received very good reviews. Editors at LegitReviews.com are very impressed by the Super Talent RAIDDrive 64 GB (*Est. $330) for its high transfer speeds (300 Mbps), which they test on a number of machines. The Super Talent Express USB 3.0 (*Est. $130 for 32 GB) earns a recommendation from EverythingUSB.com for its speed, portability and price, though its write speed cannot beat that of the RAIDDrive. This flash drive claims a maximum speed of 125 Mbps. Both reviewers note that while increased performance is obtained using these products with USB 2.0 ports, USB 3.0 is necessary to derive the maximum benefit.

Experts acknowledge that USB 2.0 is not apt to be phased out anytime soon and USB 3.0 might be overkill for most common applications. The popularity of the technology is predicted to increase, however, as more computers come equipped with USB 3.0 ports and high-bandwidth peripherals become more prevalent.