USB Flash Drives Review

Sizing up USB flash drive reviewers

USB flash drives -- also called thumb drives, USB keys or pen drives -- are the best way to quickly store and transport data. Many manufacturers are now offering flash drives with storage up to 128 or 256 GB, prompting some reviewers such as ConsumerReports.org to note that they are now capable of backing up entire computer hard drives. (If you don't need to carry your computer files around with you or need storage greater than 256 GB, see our report on external hard drives.) Because these flash-memory-based drives have no moving parts, they are more reliable than hard drives. Some are made to be indestructible, and reviewers test them by running them through washing machines and dryers and driving SUVs over them.

The best reviews of USB flash drives pit multiple models against one another in a series of standardized tests that evaluate file read/write speed, durability, security measures and other practical considerations, and use the results to identify clear winners. HardwareHeaven.com offers a comprehensive roundup of three flash drives. Reviews are accompanied by extensive photographs and impressive graphic representations of test data.

Several sites maintain databases of USB flash drive reviews. Phoronix.com, PCMag.com, I4U News, LegitReviews.com and EverythingUSB.com all cover several drives each year. Ratings and rankings are based on solid testing processes, findings are documented and top models are identified. TomsHardware.com's coverage of USB drives has lagged in the last few years, but with the release of the USB 3.0 specification, has re-emerged.

We didn't find a single USB flash drive that is absolutely panned by reviewers. That's because most of them work as intended, and reliability is very good in general. That's not to say there's nothing to criticize. But in a market where most products meet a similarly high performance standard, the difference between a recommended flash drive and one that's not recommended often comes down to details that are relatively minor. Experts point to slight variations in price, aesthetic appeal, features and manufacturer service in order to differentiate between middling USB flash drives and great ones.

This distinction is apparent in reviews of flash drives from technology manufacturer PNY. The PNY Attache (*Est. $20 for 8 GB) does everything it's supposed to do -- namely, reading and writing files. Unfortunately, that's about all it does. The utilitarian black drive comes with absolutely no extras, competing with better-looking drives that are bundled with pre-installed software and handy lanyards for easy transport. Further, while most manufacturers offer a minimum warranty of five years, PNY guarantees its drives for just one year. Add to this some of the slowest sequential read/write times seen in tests (as reported by PCMag.com) and its lack of Linux compatibility and there just doesn't seem to be any good reason to seek out the AttachŽ in particular. TopTenReviews.com cites the same shortfalls for PNY's Mini AttachŽ (*Est. $20 for 8 GB), ranking the drive ninth out of 12.