The Best USB Flash Drives
Verified by
Ryan V. Editor-in-Chief
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The Kingston DataTraveler Max wins because it behaves like an NVMe SSD in the body of a thumb drive. Tom's Hardware, TechRadar and EverythingUSB all ranked it their #1 pick, and every lab clocked it near 1,000 MB/s read and 900 MB/s write over USB 3.2 Gen 2. That is several times faster than a typical USB-A drive and fast enough to run software or edit files directly off the stick.
What clinches it is the price. Tom's Hardware calls it the best fast, affordable flash drive because the 256GB model sells for roughly $30 to $38, a fraction of what SSD-class speed used to cost in this form factor. The sliding cap protects the USB-C connector, an LED shows activity, and there is a keyring loop for daily carry. Kingston backs it with a 5-year warranty.
No other drive matched that mix of proven top-tier speed, mainstream price and brand track record across so many independent tests. That is why it is our Best Overall.
What It Won't Do
The DataTraveler Max is USB-C only, so it needs an adapter on older USB-A machines, and Tom's Hardware noted the short connector can bump into nearby ports on some motherboards. The plastic shell also feels a little cheap next to metal rivals like the SanDisk Extreme Pro. EverythingUSB measured write speeds tapering off after about 20GB of continuous transfer, so very large single copies slow down toward the end.
The PNY Turbo Attaché 3 wins on value because it does the everyday job for the price of a sandwich. Tom's Guide named it Best Value, and it turned up in three of our six sources. At around $18 for 128GB it is one of the cheapest drives we would actually trust with your files.
It is a plain USB-A 3.0 stick with a sliding collar to protect the connector, and it plugs into virtually any computer without an adapter. Read speeds sit near 100 MB/s, which is unremarkable but perfectly fine for documents, photos and the odd software installer. For a backup drive or a way to shuttle files between machines, it covers the basics without asking you to think about it.
It is not fast and it is not fancy. For a spare drive you can buy in a multipack and not worry about losing, that is exactly the point.
What It Won't Do
The Turbo Attaché 3 is slow. Reads top out around 100 MB/s and writes are slower still, so copying a large video file or a folder of raw photos takes real patience. The plastic body has no water or shock rating, and PNY's warranty and support do not match the lifetime coverage SanDisk offers. This is a drive for small everyday files, not a working drive for big media.
Who Should Buy Which
Kingston DataTraveler Max
Near-SSD speed in a thumb drive, at a price that undercuts the field
- People moving large files or video regularly
- Anyone with USB-C laptops, tablets or phones
- Buyers who want SSD-class speed without SSD prices
- Users who run apps or edit directly off a drive
- Shoppers who want a proven brand and warranty
PNY Turbo Attaché 3
A dependable USB-A stick for everyday files at pocket-change prices
- Students and office users on a tight budget
- Anyone who just needs to move documents and photos
- People who want a cheap spare or multipack drive
- Users with older USB-A only computers
- Buyers who care more about price than speed