Best flash drives of 2020: USB memory sticks for all your data storage needs

Upgrade to some serious removable USB storage with the best flash drives around today.

Buying the best flash drive or USB storage you can is one of the most important purchases you'll ever make if you need to carry around lots of files and folders with you.

USB flash drives, also known as memory sticks, will allow you to safely and securely store your essential files. The best flash drives should offer plenty of storage space, despite their small size, and they should be built to last being carried around with you.

USB memory sticks should also offer fast data transfer speeds, so you can quickly move large files to and from various PCs and devices.

You don’t want them to fail either and potentially lose whatever important files you’re transporting. So, the best flash drives have to be rugged and well made.

And if you just need much more space or cheaper storage space (in terms of the space you get for the price), then take a look at our list of the best external hard drives or best cloud storage solutions you can buy right now.

1. Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 USB flash drive

High-end USB

Capacity: 128GB | Interface: USB 3.0

+ Extremely fast
+ Huge capacity
- Expensive

If your flash drive needs demand blazing fast speeds, then one of the best USB flash drives to consider is the Patriot Supersonic Rage 2 is definitely the one for you. Sure, the price is high, but we were blown away with just how fast this device is. If you need to move around large files quickly, then this is definitely worth the cost.

It also comes with 128GB of storage space, which is a phenomenal amount to carry around in your pocket. Just make sure you don't lose it! 

2. Kingston Technology DataTraveler 100 Generation 3 USB flash drive

Best 64GB USB drive

Capacity: 64GB | Interface: USB 3.0

+ Good value
+ Plenty of space
- Not as fast as other USB 3.0 flash drives

At times, when purchasing a USB flash drive, the cost of postage and packaging actually constitute more of the price than the USB stick itself. However, the Kingston Technology DataTraveler 100 Generation 3 is incredibly compact and an affordable drive that is more than worth the cost of shipping. This flash drive is the most affordable 64GB USB 3.0 drive on the market, touting read/write speeds of 150Mbps and 70Mbps respectively to make it worth every cent.

3. SanDisk Extreme CZ80 USB flash drive

Fast, reliable and cheap

Capacity: 32GB | Interface: USB 3.0

+ Cheap
+ Fast
- Not quite the fastest stick out there

The brilliantly priced SanDisk Extreme CZ80 is among the best USB drives, as it offers plenty of storage space and fast file transfer speeds. Be prepared to be impressed as while it’s priced more towards the budget end of USB sticks, its performance is anything but budget. This one’s is a speedy little performer. 

Plus, the slide-out design of this stick means you can tuck the USB interface into the body when not in use, protecting it and minimizing the risk of it getting damaged when you're carrying it around.

4. Verbatim Pinstripe USB flash drive

Best 128GB USB drive

Capacity: 128GB | Interface: USB 3.0

+ High capacity
+ Good price
- Not the most robust drive
- Not very fast

This is the cheapest USB 3.0 drive on the market per GB. It comes with a two-year warranty as well as a capless/retractable cap design. 

It’s worth noting that Verbatim - a very well-known Japanese storage and memory manufacturer - sells it on its website where you’ll often find excellent deals on the device. As if it isn’t cheap enough as it is.

5. PNY Turbo 256GB USB flash drive

Best 256GB USB drive

Capacity: 256GB | Interface: USB 3.0

+ Huge capacity
+ Good speeds
- No built-in encryption

PNY is another memory manufacturer turned player in the USB market. The PNY Turbo 256GB USB drive one of the best USB drives right now, featuring a capped design for protecting as well as read/write speeds of 80Mbps and 20Mbps respectively. 

These are not the fastest speeds out there so if you require something with more oomph, then check out some of the other USB drives in this roundup.

6. Patriot Viper Fang

Large storage space for gamers

Capacity: 128GB – 1TB | Interface: USB 3.1

+ Affordable
+ Durable
- Not as fast

The Patriot Supersonic is a USB 3.1 drive (compatible with USB 3.0 and 2.0) from one of the most established memory players on the market. However, the manufacturer is a relative newcomer to this segment.

Still, this hard drive rightly deserves a spot on this list, with its a zinc alloy body with aluminum accent and read/write speeds of 380Mbps and 70Mbps respectively. Let’s just say that it’s no slouch. Plus, it also comes with a five-year warranty.

7. Samsung T3 SSD USB flash drive

Best 1TB USB Drive

Capacity: 1TB | Interface: USB 3.1

+ Very good performance
+ Very high capacity
- Expensive

If you are looking in the premium territory of the best USB flash drives, then the Samsung T3 is worth taking a look at. Not only does it offer absurdly high read speeds of up to 450Mbps thanks to Samsung's own 3D V-NAND technology, but it also comes with a three-year warranty and has a USB Type C connector.

Note that it is much bigger than a traditional flash drive and it does cost about five times a traditional hard drive of a similar capacity. In comparison, a 1TB SSD like the Samsung EVO 850 costs just £240. It comes with V-NAND like the Samsung Portable T1 and it does boast speeds of 530Mbps and 520Mbps in read/write mode respectively. Note that you will need to get a separate enclosure to get it to work with a standard USB port.

8. SanDisk Ultra Fit CZ43 USB flash drive

Small and unobtrusive

Capacity: 32GB | Interface: USB 3.0

+ Compact and portable
+ Cheap
- Not very fast

If you don't want a USB stick jutting out the side of your laptop or tablet while you use it or having one is simple not ideal – for example, when you’re using it while traveling, then a low-profile USB stick is an excellent choice. Take the SanDisk Ultra Fit CZ43. It’s small and light enough to easily carry around. And, when it's plugged into your laptop, it doesn't stick out much from the body, making it more secure when you’re using it on the go.

That’s not all; it’s also very cheap, at around £10 for the 32GB version, with 64GB and 128GB versions also available. It's not quite as fast as many of the best USB flash drives we mentioned here, but if you want a small form factor USB stick, it's worth the trade-off.

How to choose your USB memory sticks?

• It's not worth looking for memory sticks smaller than 64GB simply because the price difference you pay for two or four times the storage is tiny.
• Make sure you include delivery price when doing the numbers as quite often you end up paying more for the postage than the drive itself, particularly for low cost models.
• USB 2.0 is sufficient for smaller capacities but not for bigger ones where write speeds can get sluggish. Larger flash drives (128GB or more) often come only with a USB 3.0 connector.
• If you plan on moving files to and from portable devices (tablets or smartphones), consider a memory stick with a microUSB connector and a full-size USB one.
• Avoid buying your memory sticks from vendors with little feedback on auction websites as these drives might turn out to be fake. All the vendors listed are tried and trusted ones.
• Above 128GB, you might want to consider a SSD if you want ruggedness, portability, versatility and better performance without the cost.
• Note that the capacities are likely to be lower than stated when they are formatted and mounted on an operating system.

• Here's our list of the best portable SSDs on the market