Flash Drives (or USB Drives) are an essential part of our daily lives and there is always a point when we wonder what flash drive should I buy. Is this Flash Drive authentic and is the small flash drive better or not?
Flash drives may seem simple at first sight but when you get in to the details, there are some important factors that will decide the performance, speed and durability of a flash drive.
This article is dedicated to answer all of the questions about Flash drives a normal consumers have. So, Nerds, nope not for you.
If you are already well informed, you can go straight to the list by clicking here.
How Can I Get An Authentic Flash Drive?
This is a important topic especially for Pakistan. Most of the local shopkeepers have copies of Kingston, San disk and especially Samsung Flash drives.
Note: Do not buy Samsung Flash drives in Pakistan (except DarazMall).
There is no store that I know of sells Original Samsung Flash drives in Pakistan, so I would suggest to stay away from them.
There is no simple way to summarize how to spot a fake flash drive from an original one, So my solution for this is to buy only from shop that sells only Original Products.
The easiest way to get an original Flash Drive is to buy from the following stores, DarazMall (Not Daraz), Czone, PakDukaan, Galaxy, GtStore, Shingpoint and so on.
I understand that some people might not be in to online shopping, then I suggest you to go to these shops in your area and buy it from the physical shop.
I would provide links for every Flash Drive that I would recommend in this article, so you do not have to worry about that.
Don’t Buy 16 GB Flash Drives!
The size of a Flash Drives plays an important role in the write speed, durability, and most importantly the price.
The 32 GB size should be a bare minimum anyone should buy in 2020. The price difference between 16 GB and 32 GB is like 100-300 Rs at best and the speed difference is a lot.
Look at the Write speeds of the 16 GB and 32 GB Flash drives first for the same model. There is also difference between 32 GB and 64 GB in write speeds.
The Read Speeds are not that slow for even a 16 GB flash drive, but the write speeds of are almost double for a 32 GB flash drive.
The same is the case for a 32 GB and 64 GB flash drives. The write speed of a 64 GB flash drive is almost double of that of a 32 GB flash drive write speed.
So, the to summarize this. you should buy at least 32 GB flash drive, if you are looking for one. But if you want the best bang for the buck, the 64 GB flash drive has almost the same speed as the 128 GB model for most of the flash drives on the market.
Smaller Flash Drives are Slow!
This might be surprising for a lot of people, but I have seen this pattern in over 50 Flash Drives by now that the smaller the flash drive, the slower it is compared to the same generation normal size flash drives.
What I mean by slower is that the write speeds are not good in a tiny flash drive, the read speeds might still be the same.
You must be getting familiar with the pattern now, the write speed is different in different size (tiny or big) flash drives, the write speed is different in different storage (16GB or 32GB) flash drives.
I am not saying, you should buy the biggest flash drive available in the market. Any normal size flash drives is fine, but the special flash drives that have write speeds of over 150 MB/s are still huge compared to any other normal sized flash drive.
Do not get me wrong, newer smaller flash drives can outperform an older bigger flash drive but they are still not as consistent a bigger flash drive in the Read/Write speeds. The reason for this could be thermal throttling or the NAND Flash memory.
So, let me just say I consider the following flash drive in the picture below a normal sized flash drive.
The Left one is a little bit bigger than normal and the Right one is the normal size these days.
If you are still not confused about this, look at the read and write speeds of the flash drives recommended below.
Common Queries:
Benchmark Vs Real Performance are different?
The Crystal Disk Mark is the most used benchmark for the Flash Drive tests and we mostly see pictures of Crystal disk mark showing speeds of 100+ read and 40+ write.
Although this is not false, but you still would not get the same speeds in real life. The reason being, the benchmark only tests for 1 GB of file by default and the real life data type a lot different than the one used by the benchmark.
So, please do not think if the crystal disk is showing a speed of 50+ write that you would get that speed.
The crystal disk and real life performance of SanDisk Ultra Flair is given below.
How are Advertised Speeds Calculated?
The advertised speeds on the USB packing is normally like 150 MB/s which is Read speed. This is the max speed that Flash Drive can achieve and do not represent the actual read speed of the flash drive.
The way they calculate this Read speed of 150 MB/s is transferring a 1-2 GB one large file and under optimal conditions (Temperature, Pressure, Setup and file type) for that specific flash drive.
So do not be misguided by that. The actual read speed of the flash can only be tested by transferring a file that fills at least 70% of the flash drive. Calculate the average read / write speed you got while filling it up to 70%.
And if you want to be thorough, empty that flash drive and fill it up again. Do this for 3 times at least in the same time duration. This will also take in to account any thermal throttling issues the flash drive may have.
Any small size flash drive would throttle after one or two full writes of the size of that flash drive, and only the normal size and premium USBs will be able to withstand heat and keep their read / write speeds the same over the time.
File Size affects speed too:
Another thing that would change the read / write speed of the flash drive is the file size.
If you have one big file and you transfer it to your flash drive, your flash drive should give a consistent read / write speeds as long as it is not filled more than 80%.
For Example, if you transfer a game folder (like GTA 5 or BF4) to a USB, the folder would contain a mix of small and large files. You might not get the consistent 20 or 30 MBs that you normally get from your flash drive.
The average speed should still be in the ballpark of that because the percentage of smaller files is still around 20-30%.
Drive Gets Slower as it Fills Up:
The next point is, as the flash drive fills up, it gets a little bit less consistent and slow.
This is due the nature of NAND Flash. Just like SSD, the data can be written only on empty cells, so the controller first have to empty the partial filled cells and move that data to other partial filled cells to vacate some cells, so the data can be written on them.
So, do not be surprised if the speed of your flash becomes really slow after it is filled more than 90%. Keep it below 80%, if you want a consistent speed.
Port Type:
The port type of your computer is also responsible for the speed of the flash drive, use the Flash drive on the back of a PC or the stronger USB 3.0/3.1/3.2 of the computer.
To get the advertised speed of the flash drive, use an operating system on the SSD (Not HDD). The Read/ Write speeds will be very different on the SSD vs HDD.
One more I feel like I should mention is the port type of the flash drive. The USB 3.0 = USB 3.1 = USB 3.1 Gen 1 = USB 3.2 Gen 1 and USB 3.1 Gen 2 = USB 3.2 Gen 2.
So please do not look at USB 3.0 or 3.1 thingy on the flash drive advertisement, it does not matter. You should rather look at the Read / Write speed mentioned and check the reviews online.
With everything covered, let’s get started now.
List of Recommended Flash Drives:
There are different types and different form factors available in the market. I have listed Flash Drives from small form factors, Normal Size, and Dual Drives for Android USB-C and iPhone Lightning Cable.
11) SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive
Price: 2000 Pkr
SanDisk Ultra Disk Drive has a USB-A on one side and a USB-C on the other side to use this flash drive on an Android smartphone.
The Speed of this Flash Drive is really mediocre, but the availability of this Flash Drive makes it a good choice for Pakistani users.
Like all dual drives, this one also suffers from low write speeds and the performance is not very consistent. This is slowest dual drive on this list, so please know that before you consider buying this.
| SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive | 32 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 40-90 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 10-20 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A and USB-C |
| Price | 32 GB (2000rs), 64GB (3000rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
Czone 32GB Link
iShopping 32GB Link
itdukaan 64GB Link
Daraz 64GB Link
10) SanDisk Ultra Fit 3.1
Price: 1100 PKR
SanDisk Ultra Fit is a small form factor flash drive. It is used mostly for laptops so that they are not noticeable even they are plugged in.
While the size is amazing for these type of flash drives, it does come with a lot of comprises. Thermal Throttling is one of them, so please always check a tiny flash drive like this for thermal throttling.
This specific model does heat up but it is still better than other small flash drives on the market. In my opinion, this flash drive is average, not bad and not good.
When you use this flash drive for some time, it gets hot and to decrease the temperature, the controller of the flash drive drops the performance to cool itself.
This is why sometimes the flash drives performs really worse even though they are empty.
| SanDisk Ultra Fit 3.1 | 32 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 60-100 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 12-22 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A |
| Price: | 32 GB (1100-1200 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
Czone 32GB Link
iShopping 32GB Link
Telemart 32GB Link
Daraz 32GB Link
9) Transcend JetDrive Go 300
Price: 5500 Pkr
Transcend jetDrive Go 300 is a flash drive targeted for iPhone Users. It has a lightning port on one end and a USB-A on the other end.
These flash drives being targeted towards iPhone Users also charge premium for the drives. The lowest price I could find for the 32GB version was 4000 Rs which is still a lot.
But I guess, the utility it provides with an iPhone and a iPad is worth the money.
These flash drives speeds are capped at 20 MB/s on the lightning as the iPhone do not support more than that. But that should be enough for any normal file.
| Transcend JetDrive Go 300 | 64 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | USB (A)[60-90 MB/s], Lightning [15-20 MB/s] |
| Write Speed | USB (A)[15-35 MB/s], Lightning [5-14 MB/s] |
| Port Type | USB-A, Lighning Port |
| Price: | 64 GB (5300-6000 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
The Brand Store 64GB Link
mshop 64GB Link
Eitimad 64GB Link
Shop360 64GB Link
8) Sandisk iXpand Mini
Price: 4500 Pkr
This is also for iPhone Users and it is better than the Transcend JetDrive 300 in money and speed.
Please check specially the Telemart Link, it is available for 4500 for the 64GB variant which is a steal.
Like Transcend, SanDisk also has their own software which they use to access files in an iPhone and iPad.
| SanDisk iXpand Mini | 64 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | USB (A)[50-90 MB/s], Lightning [15-20 MB/s] |
| Write Speed | USB (A)[15-35 MB/s], Lightning [8-15 MB/s] |
| Port Type | USB-A, Lighning Port |
| Price: | 64 GB (4500-6000 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
Telemart 32 & 64GB Link
iShopping 32GB Link
Telectronics 32 & 64GB Link
Shopperspk 64GB Link
7) Sandisk Ultra Flair
Price: 1100 Pkr
SanDisk is a really popular and a little bit old flash drive at this point. But still, it beats any Kingston Flash drive on the market for now.
This is why I excluded the Kingston Flash Drives in favor for this as SanDisk Ultra Flair is faster than even the latest model of the Kingston DTM7.
So if you are someone who are used to Kingston Flash drives and are hesitant to move to a Flash drive which is renowned. Try this, almost every shopkeeper has this in their shop.
It is not the best deal though, but still it is sufficient for most users. If you want the best deal, go buy Lexar M45.
| SanDisk Ultra Flair | 32 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 80-140 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 14-20 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A |
| Price: | 32 GB (1100-1200 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
Czone 32GB Link
Telemart 32GB Link
Daraz 32GB Link
Vmart 64GB Link
6) SanDisk Ultra Luxe Dual Drive
Price: 1650 Pkr
SanDisk Ultra Dual Luxe Drive is a mid range flash drive unlike the Dual drive that I mentioned before which is a budget model.
This flash has really consistent performance even though it is a dual drive. There is a deal on Telemart for this drive and they are selling the 32GB version for 1650 Rs and 64GB model for 2150 Rs which is dirt cheap.
Please buy this as soon as possible if you need a dual drive. The normal price of this 2200 for the 32GB and 3200 for the 64GB version.
Note: I am not promoting anyone here, I would not earn anything if you bought anything from my links.
| SanDisk Ultra Luxe Dual Drive | 32 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 80-140 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 15-22 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A, USB-C |
| Price: | 32 GB (1650-2200 Rs), 64 GB(2150-3200 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
5) Transcend JetDrive Go 500
Price: 5900 Pkr
The Transcend JetDrive Go 500 is the best drive to buy if you are looking for your iPhone or iPad. The speed and performance consistence is very good for a dual drive.
It only gets warm and do not get hot under normal loads at least and that is still impressive for a flash drive of this size.
The price point is something to look at, but if you get a good deal, you might be able to get it in the price of JetDrive Go 300.
Even if you do not get a deal, buying 1000 extra for this over JetDrive Go 300 and iXpand Mini is totally worth it.
| Transcend JetDrive Go 500 | 64 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | USB (A)[80-140 MB/s], Lightning [15-20 MB/s] |
| Write Speed | USB (A)[15-40 MB/s], Lightning [8-16 MB/s] |
| Port Type | USB-A, Lighning Port |
| Price: | 64 GB (5900-6900 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
The Brand Store 64GB Link
Eitimad 64GB Link
MyShop 64GB Link
Shophive 64GB Link
4) Transcend Jet Flash 890
Price: 2200 Pkr
Transcend JetFlash 890 is a Mid Range Flash Drive from Transcend for the dual drive users. The Price-Performance ratio for this flash drive is really good.
This flash drive has consistent read and write speeds, does not get very hot and the speed is also good for a dual drive.
This flash drives beats any dual drive Flash drive in its price range.
| SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive | 32 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 60-90 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 18-30 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A and USB-C |
| Price | 32 GB (2200rs), 64GB (3500rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
Daraz 32GB Link
Daraz 64GB Link
MyShop 32GB Link
Acom 32GB Link
Shop360 32GB Link
3) Transcend JetFlash 710
Price: 2650 Pkr
Transcend JetFlash 710 is the best tiny flash drive I could find in the market. I do not know how this flash drive performs so well even though it is so tiny.
I expected this heat a lot like any normal flash drive of this size would. But to my surprise, it was only as warm as Sandisk Ultra Flair.
Due to this, I did not notice any throttling or speed inconsistencies during copying and pasting files for half an hour.
If you must buy a tiny flash drive for some reason, even though they do not provide the same value as the normal sized flash drives. This is for you.
| Transcend JetFlash 710 | 64 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 90-150 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 20-30 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A |
| Price: | 64 GB (2650 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
MyShop 64GB Link
The Brand Store 64GB Link
2) Transcend JetFlash 810
Price: 1650 Pkr
Transcend JetFlash 810 is a Flagship Flash Drive released in 2013. It is old an it looks old too. But it is one premium Flash Drive and for the price it is available right now, this is one of the best Flash Drive.
The size is huge and it is encapsulated in a rubber material. The body of this Flash Drive can withstand shocks, drops, water, and dust.
You can use this Flash drive as roughly as you want to and it still would not die. But this is not the only reason, it is on this list.
The speed consistency of this flash drive is nothing I have seen in any other flash drive. It even beats most of the Flagship Flash drive stability.
| Transcend JetDrive Go 500 | 64 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 100-130 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 25-27 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A |
| Price: | 32 GB (1650), 64 GB (2600 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
MyShop 32GB Link
My Shop 64GB Link
Eitimad 32GB Link
Eitimad 64GB Link
1) Lexar M45 Flash Drive
Price: 1400 Pkr
Lexar is not a very known brand in Pakistan but let me assure you, it is one of the most renowned brands in memory all over the world. So please do not think that this brand is not trusted or something of this sort.
I have been using Lexar products for 10 years now and I find them really reliable.
Lexar M45 is a unique flash drive. It has the price tag of a budget Flash drive and performs like a Flagship Flash drive. This is why, this is the best value for money Flash drive on this List.
In my Opinion, just buy this without any hesitation. I wrote Battlefield 3 (20GB) on this 32 GB Lexar M45 and it had a consistent 25 MB/s for the whole write. Even though, there are a lot of small files too. Look at Pic 1 on the right.
After that, I wrote another 5GB of a single file (movie) and the speed was still the same even though it was almost 20GB full.
For the read test, I copied Battlefield 3 to my SSD, the speed was 210-250 MB/s. Then I copied the 5GB movie to SSD, the read speed was 230-250 MB/s. Look at Pic 2 on the right.
But for the last test, I copied from Lexar m45 to my HDD, the read speed was 50-60 MB/s unlike the 250 MB/s on the SSD. Look at Pic 3 on the right.
So this is why it is important to have an SSD when testing a Flash Drive’s full potential.
The Hard disk limits the read speed of the flash drive to 60 MB/s which is such a bottleneck for a flash drive with 250 MB/s Read speed.
| Lexar M45 | 32 GB Version |
|---|---|
| Read Speed | 200-250 MB/s |
| Write Speed | 24-26 MB/s |
| Port Type | USB-A |
| Price: | 32 GB (1350), 64 GB (1850 Rs) |
Ratings:
Where To Buy:
Daraz 64GB Link
Daraz another 64GB Link
iShopping 64GB Link
SadarExpress 32 & 64GB Link
That’s all, thank you for Reading.
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