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Cheap USB Flash Drives, Best Cheap USB Flash Drive

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In this review:
  1. Cheap USB Flash Drives, Best Cheap USB Flash Drive
  2. Best USB Flash Drives
  3. USB Flash Drive Reviews
  4. Discount USB Flash Drives Features Comparison Table
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Cheap USB Flash Drives Buying Guide

A cheap USB drive is something everyone who uses a computer should have. About the size of a thumb and easy to carry around, a cheap USB flash drive serves multiple purposes.

At home or in the office, a cheap USB thumb drive is a simple way to store or transfer personal computer files, be they documents, images, or video. Computer system administrators use USB flash drives to reboot computers and install new software. And some digital media players, including some car stereo units, can play music files directly off of a cheap USB flash drive. This small storage device has been known by a number of different names in the past, such as memory stick or memory key, but recently most manufacturers have agreed to use the term USB flash drive.

There's no shortage of choices in the cheap USB flash drive market. Some of the big names in the industry include Kingston, Patriot Memory, LaCie, HP, Lexar, Transcend, and SanDisk, to name a few. Most manufacturers produce a wide range of products, which complicates the choice of a cheap USB drive. High-priced USB flash drives like the Patriot Xporter XT Rage 64GB (starting at $144, Amazon) offer more storage capacity and faster data transfer speeds than cheap USB thumb drives, and they generally come with extras like data encryption or anti-virus software. But if you're simply looking for a flash drive to store or transfer your personal files, these costly features aren't necessary. You can confine your search to the cheapest USB flash drives, and there are plenty of reliable and low-cost products to choose from.

The key features to look for when buying a cheap USB flash drive include storage capacity, file transfer speed, ruggedness of the unit, and warranty. The storage capacity you need depends upon the amount and the size of the files you plan to store. We found some good cheap USB drives for less than $20 that offer storage capacities of 4GB or 8GB. The actual file transfer speed depends upon your computer system as well as the cheap USB flash drive. In other words, if you're transferring large files from a reasonably fast computer, you might save several minutes in transfer time with a faster USB thumb drive, but if your computer is slow, the overall transfer speed might be slow even if the USB flash drive can theoretically handle fast transfers. As for the amount of abuse a cheap USB flash drive can withstand, we found that some products are built to last and others not so much. We also noted that cheap USB drives no longer come with pre-installed encryption or anti-virus software, as some did in the past; if you're interested in such included software, you'll have to spend more than our $20 Cheapism ceiling. Warranties range from lifetime to one year.

Review continues below

We identified two best cheap USB flash drives: the Patriot Xporter XT Boost 8GB USB flash drive (starting at $18, Amazon) wins fans due to its rugged design and high file-transfer speeds and the Kingston DataTravel I DTI 8GB (starting at $17, Amazon) finds favor as a reliable, no-frills USB thumb drive that offers excellent value for the dollar. Our picks for good cheap USB flash drive are the LaCie iamaKey 4GB 130869 (starting at $18, Amazon), which boasts a unique key-shaped design, and the HP v100w 8GB (starting at $14, Amazon), which is a no-frills flash drive that offers good value. We also found two cheap USB drives that disappoint many consumers: a large number of users report the PNY Micro Swivel Attach 4GB P-FDU4GBSV-EF (starting at $11, Amazon) and the Corsair Flash Voyager Mini 4 GB CMFUSBMINI-4GB (starting at $14, Amazon) are unreliable and/or perform poorly.

by Maralyn Edid (Google+ Profile)

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Best Cheap USB Flash Drives

Patriot Xporter XT Boost 8GB
Gold Medal

Patriot Xporter XT Boost 8GB

 The Patriot Xporter XT wins enthusiastic praise from users for its speed and rugged rubber casing. This flash drive is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems, and comes with a lifetime warranty. Read more »
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Kingston DataTraveler I DTI 8GB
Gold Medal

Kingston DataTraveler I DTI 8GB

 The Kingston DataTraveler I DTI is lauded by users for its compact size, performance, and low price. It's a no-frills USB drive with a five-year warranty and a retractable connector, and is compatible with Mac and Windows operating systems. Read more »
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Good Cheap USB Drives

LaCie iamaKey 4GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 130869
Gold Medal

LaCie iamaKey 4GB USB 2.0 Flash Drive 130869

 Users really like the key-shape design and sturdy metal frame of the LaCie iamaKey 4GB, which easily fits on a key ring. This cheap USB flash drive is compatible with Windows and Mac operating systems and comes with a two-year warranty. Read more »
Where to buy
Not ready to buy?
HP v100w 8GB
Gold Medal

HP v100w 8GB

 The HP v100w USB flash drive finds favor with users for its compact size, low price, and reliability. It features a limited two-year warranty and is compatible with Mac, Windows, and Linux operating systems. Read more »
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Think Twice Cheap USB Flash Drives

PNY Micro Swivel Attach 4GB P-FDU4GBSV-EF

Many users are disappointed with the PNY Micro Swivel Attach, with some noting it dies prematurely and others reporting it's too small to comfortably use, even by someone with normal-size hands. Read more »

Corsair Flash Voyager Mini 4GB CMFUSBMINI-4GB

Although this cheap USB thumb drive garners a fair number of positive reviews, many users say their Corsair Flash Voyager Mini USB drives are defective. Read more »

 
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