Budget USB Flash Drives

Basic USB flash drive models

As flash drives increase in capacity and speed, prices shoot up as well. Perhaps for that reason, basic and budget drives still get a fair amount of user feedback. Corsair's earlier Voyager and Survivor models are well-reviewed and available in capacities as low as 8 GB, at a significantly lower cost than the newest models. The Voyager GT is available in a 16 GB capacity (*Est. $55), while the original Voyager has both 16 GB (*Est. $45) and 8 GB (*Est. $25 for 8 GB) options. If you need a sturdier flash drive, Corsair's original Flash Survivor -- 8 GB (*Est. $30 for 8 GB) and 16 GB (*Est. $50) -- is still available. These drives will not be as fast as the Flash Voyager GTR and Survivor GTR, but are a good choice for those who don't need more than 16 GB of storage.

Mini flash drives are also good budget picks

Most USB flash drives look like a small pack of gum, but a few are even smaller than that. The Corsair Flash Voyager Mini (*Est. $25 for 8 GB) and Super Talent Pico (*Est. $25 for 8 GB) are both mini drives, weighing only around 7 grams and measuring just over an inch long. The Pico is quite stylish, with 24K gold plating and a gold chain lanyard. The Voyager Mini's appearance is described as "impressive" by HardwareHeaven.com, and the reviewers like the soft rubber casing and retractable connector.

Both drives perform adequately. The Pico earns an Editor's Choice award from HardwareHeaven.com, while the Voyager Mini earns their Heavenly Gold award. Neither is as fast as full-sized USB flash drives. Editors at HardwareHeaven.com find that the Flash Voyager Mini is a bit faster than the Pico when transferring small files, but the two are neck-in-neck when it comes to larger files. However, neither of these drives is designed for speed; they're made to read and write files. Reviewers say both the Corsair Flash Voyager Mini and Super Talent Pico do well in that regard.