This Mini Gadget Makes USB Flash Drives Feel Obsolete

The humble USB flash drive has been a staple of modern life for more than two decades. It can fit snugly onto a keychain or in your pocket, and helps move files from your computer or phone with ease. It's not as fast as other data storage mediums today and, if you're not careful, their small size means they're easily lost. But in this era of computing, there remains a job for them to do, and they do it nicely.

However, nerds who hop between desktop computers, laptops, and handheld consoles are more likely to be swapping out M.2 drives regularly. Sure, they're generally larger than a thumb drive, but they're also an easier way to move large files in and out of a computer for immediate use—think of dedicated game or project drives that you can just boot up and run.

An NVMe M.2 with four lanes of PCIe 4.0 can top out at 64Gbps, far faster than those piddly thumb drives that often run well under the 5Gbps maximum on a typical USB 3.2 Gen 1 connection. M.2 enclosures are definitely worth their salt in that scenario, but while some people might argue  there's simply no need for USB drives anymore , there are some key nuances in this comparison you consider.

Read more: 10 Ways To Preserve Your DVDs And Blu-Rays For Years To Come

Price differences between an M.2 enclosure and a USB flash drive

M.2 sticks might win on speed, but they come up a bit empty-handed when it comes to durability during travel. Firstly, if you're just looking for a safe place to store M.2 sticks while they're not in use, you're economically better off ordering some antistatic bags. Admittedly, you'd be stuck with at least 30 of them in an order, but it's only $6 to $10 as of this writing. It's not as if an M.2 enclosure is that much pricier but if you want faster USB speeds, you'll be paying for it. Basic enclosures start at $15 while those that support speedy standards like USB 4 and Thunderbolt 3 or later sit north of $50. 

Keep in mind that M.2 drives come in various lengths: 80mm drives are the most popular on the market, though the 30mm size has seen some big takers including Valve for its Steam Deck and Steam Machine. Check your motherboards to see where their screw holes for securement are placed. You may want to pick up a fairly cheap M.2 extender if you're mixing different-sized drives between your machines. That said, there's a healthy variety of 30mm enclosures out there.

When it comes to the memory itself, we'll be frank: it's a bloodbath right now. There were a decent few months in 2023 where you could pick up a 512GB M.2 stick for $40. One such drive is now going for more than $120. At the same time, a 512GB flash drive the size of a lipstick that cost $30 a couple of years ago is now $75. We're clearly at a point where the premium is squarely on the chips that make up solid state drives, so if you already own an M.2 stick right now, count your blessed stars.

How much faster is an M.2 enclosure than a USB flash drive?

An M.2 enclosure lets your drive interface with a host device through USB, which means you can't take advantage of all the speed the drive can offer, but it's still much faster than a flash drive. What makes the most difference is often its heat. Reading and writing data generate heat and that can limit performance. It's why those large file transfers start out sprinting, but often slow to a crawl. M.2 sticks aren't equipped with fans, but they are generally exposed to some form of air cooling within PC systems. You can also install heatsinks or shields onto M.2 sticks for further heat dissipation. With the average thumb drive, though, there's only so much you can do for a tiny device besides plopping your laptop next to a fan or the air conditioner.

In that context, you'll find many thumb drives supporting speeds at USB 3.2 Gen 1 levels (5Gbps) and some at USB 3.2 Gen 2 levels (10Gbps), but scarcely any with USB 3.2 Gen 2x2 (20Gbps), and none at all on USB 4 (>40Gbps)—in other words, nothing that can fully take advantage of those faster red USB ports . Indeed, you'll more often find those higher speeds on external SSDs and, yes, a handful of M.2 enclosures, and you're almost certain to see some form of cooling on them too. But watch out, those speedy enclosures will cost you a pretty penny.

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