Tips for picking a decent USB flash drive?

[mikeymikec]

I used to search for USB flash drives that mentioned 'dual channel' as they were a lot faster than the ordinary ones, but 'dual channel' or say 'readyboost capable' are terms that don't seem to be used much these days. Any tips for what I should search for in future, or what you look for?

 

[TemjinGold]

Usb 3.0.

 

[Remobz]

Maybe someone could recommend some good name brands of reliable and time tested USB flash drives?

 

[mikeymikec]

Usb 3.0.

Every flash drive out there is USB 2.0 capable, but most of them don't challenge those bandwidth limits. USB 3.0 might mean something sometimes, but it'll become a meaningless label if it isn't already.

 

[Coup27]

http://www.anandtech.com/show/4523/usb-30-flash-drive-roundup

That is a good starting point, although it was last year.

I have a Patriot Supersonic 32GB USB3 stick. The first one I had to RMA because it was unreliable but my second one has been sound. Also try and buy a stick based on the primary use for it. My primary use is for backing up to, from, and moving PC images, so sequential speed was more important to me than random speed.

 

[exdeath]

Patriot Supersonic or Mushkin Ventura Pro.

Only USB3.0 100+ MB/s that can still rightly be called a proper thumb drive form factor.

 

[Coup27]

My Patriot does 127MB/s read and 67MB/s write.

 

[kbp]

Kingston DT Ultimate G2