While USB-C thumb drives aren't expensive compared to other types of external storage, they're pricey given the storage capacity and transfer speeds they offer. If you're already in the market for one, make sure it supports USB 3.2.
USB-C drives are usually pricier than USB-A models
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
In the world of USB flash drives, USB-C models are more expensive than those only sporting a USB-A port. There are some outliers, like the Samsung BAR Plus drive , which is a high-end USB-A option, but in most other cases, USB-A-only sticks are dime a dozen.
They come with very slow read and write speeds and, in some cases, only support USB 2.0. The kicker is that their max bandwidth is often way below the USB 2.0 spec (480Mb/s or 60MB/s), usually topping out at less than 10MB/s. They're sold by no-name Chinese brands and pack bottom-tier flash memory with low write endurance .
In general, you should avoid USB-A thumb drives unless they're from a trusted brand such as Samsung or SanDisk and support the USB 3.2 standard. Amazon Basics USB-A drives are also a solid (and affordable) option.
On the other hand, we've got USB-C thumb drives that cost more but also feature higher read and write performance. For the money, you're getting much faster transfer speeds, which are around 20MB/s in the worst case. Far from great, but still much higher than what a budget USB-A thumb drive would offer. But not all USB-C thumb drives are the same.
USB 3.2 support is a must on any USB-C thumb drive
Hannah Stryker / How-To Geek
Despite USB-C being a much newer standard than USB-A, some cheap USB-C thumb drives only support USB 2.0 speeds. You can easily recognize said models by the fact they either don't have any mention of USB 3.2 Gen 1 (or USB 3.1 or USB 3.0, which are equivalent to USB 3.2 Gen 1) listed on their specs page, or don't include maximum transfer speeds—read nor write.
But if you're looking for a quality and reliable USB-C thumb drive, finding one with USB 3.2 Gen 1 support is only the beginning.
Aside from USB 3.2 Gen 1 or Gen 2 support, you should also check the advertised transfer speeds and look for real-world tests to see just how fast the thumb drive actually is. Vendors usually only list the maximum read speed in the official specs, which is often several times higher than the maximum write speed.
For example, the Amazon Basics flash drive has a max write speed of 30MB/s, which is more than four times slower than its maximum read speed (130MB/s). On Amazon, you can often find the maximum write speed of a thumb drive in the "Features and Specs" section of the product page, just above customer reviews, even if the read speed isn't listed in the "About This Item" section found at the top of the product page.
Another thing to remember is that lower-capacity flash drives are slower than higher-capacity ones. In some cases, smaller thumb sticks are equipped with lower-grade memory controllers. In others, higher-capacity models come with higher-quality NAND chips, resulting in faster performance. Higher-capacity thumb drives also have larger write caches, which can also result in higher bandwidth.
When it comes to USB flash stick reviews, SSDTester has a solid database of over 500 flash drives, many of which are available to purchase from major online retailers such as Amazon, Newegg, or Best Buy. The site includes a search box and lists real-world read and write speeds, so you can quickly check the drive's specs before pulling the trigger.
The best option is to get a dual USB-A and USB-C drive
Patrick Campanale / How-To Geek
In general, dual USB-A and USB-C flash drives are the most versatile option because you can use them with any device that sports USB ports without having to use a USB adapter.
Better still, dual USB-A and USB-C drives sport similar prices to USB-A and USB-C drives, which means you're getting two ports without paying a hefty premium.
If you're looking for a high-end USB stick and are willing to pay extra for faster transfer speeds, I'd recommend checking out USB SSDs . They're much faster than standard thumb drives without costing significantly more. In fact, USB SSDs are often on par with many external SSDs while being cheaper and much more compact, making them a better option than both USB flash sticks and external SSDs.
