USB flash drives, also known as pen drives, have been making our lives easier for years. These enable us save files and data with the classic click-and-drag method, and we can use them without complications both to create backup copies and to move files and data from one PC to another.

Their small and compact dimensions also make them very useful and easily portable peripherals, and their price has fallen so much in recent years that today within reach of every pocket. I am not exaggerating, from just over 4 euros we can get USB keys with a storage capacity of 64 GB, a considerable figure that offers interesting value, especially if our goal is to move relatively small files and data.

In general, the evolution that USB memory has experienced was positive. As I told you in the previous paragraph, their prices have dropped a lot and their capacity has increased significantly, which has facilitated their democratization and made it possible to access this type of storage solution even for users with a more limited budget.

However, there is an important problem, and that is that many users tend to think that all USB drives are the same and that they just need to buy the cheapest option to cover their needs. This is not the case with these types of units They have important differences between themand if we don’t know them, we will make mistakes that will result in a bad purchase.

The five most common mistakes when buying USB keys

1.-Do not differentiate between USB 2.0, USB 3.0 and USB Type-C connections

The type of connection that USB flash drives use is very important because it determines the maximum transfer rate it can achieve and will therefore affect the performance it is able to offer. Most budget options are limited to USB 2.0 and therefore can only work at their maximum 28 MB/s sequential readand most models achieve only Write speed 6.5 MB/s.

In contrast, cheap USB flash drives compatible with USB 3.0 can achieve this Read speed 60 MB/s, write speed 20 MB/s. These speeds are indicative as there are higher priced USB drives that are able to offer much higher speeds. For example, the SanDisk Extreme Go supports the USB 3.2 Gen 1 standard and can achieve read speeds up to 395 MB/s and write speed up to 100 MB/s.

As we can see, the difference is huge, but it’s even bigger when we talk about units with a USB Type-C connection. Thanks to this standard, we find units like the Kingston DataTraveler Max, which is compatible with USB 3.2 Gen 2 Type-C and offers speed 1000 MB/s read and 900 MB/s write. This will multiply the read speed by more than 2.5 times and the write speed by nine times.

However, this This does not mean that we should always buy the fastest and most expensive USB stick. What we have to do is choose the one that suits our needs. If we are only going to use it to move files of a few megabytes in size, a USB 2.0 drive may be enough, but considering that the price difference between these and USB 3.0 drives is mostly small or even zero, it is not worth it at all, and it is always better to go at least after USB 3.0 disk.

2.-Go directly to the cheapest model and save

We should not get into this error either because the cheapest USB drives are not only slower as a result, but also offer a lower storage capacity, they usually use poor quality components and materialswhich affects their lifespan and makes them more prone to errors and problems.

To be fair, we have to admit that we find some exceptions, but generally very cheap USB flash drives They tend to cause more problems, perform worse, and stop working much sooner.. When I talk about cheap USB drives, I’m mainly referring to the white label models sold through Chinese websites with prices starting from one euro or even a few cents.

Buy a very cheap USB drive It won’t help us save if it starts having problems or fails shortly after starting use, especially if we are out of warranty for any reason or if processing to China will end up costing us more money than buying a new better quality one. Cheap can be very expensive, so I recommend that you always try to find balanced and reasonable prices.

For information, 64GB USB memory compatible with USB 3.0 which meets minimum reliability and performance They usually cost between 5 and 7 euros on average. For example, Kioxia TransMemory U301 is a very good choice 5.19 euros. This model would already be enough to cover the basic needs of most average user profiles.

3.-Do not attribute value to the brand of USB memory

The brand is important because ultimately it usually affects the quality and reliability of the memory. White-label solutions or unknown brands that are marketed through imports from China can not only cause performance and reliability issues, but can also have a shorter lifespan and even It is possible that they are not what they say they are.

This problem is more important than it seems, as there have been several confirmed cases of users who have purchased USB flash drives of unknown brands, only to find that they are not what was advertised. For example, I had a close case of a friend who He started buying several 256GB USB drives because they were a great priceand because according to the seller they could reach 60 MB/s and 20 MB/s in read and write.

When he got these units, everything seemed fine. The boxes showed the values ​​listed by the dealer, but when he started going through the performance tests, he found out They were actually 32GB drives with very slow read and write speeds, so much so that they even fell below the normal average values ​​on USB 2.0 drives. He ended up giving these units to people he knew and it’s clear he made a bad purchase.

On the other hand, many brands offer different warranty periods for your USB drives, so this is also a detail that must be taken into account when choosing. A common thing in Spain is a three-year warranty, but there are manufacturers that offer it five-year warrantysuch as Samsung and Kioxia to name two well-known examples.

4.-I think that size and capacity affect its quality

Although it may seem unbelievable, there are people who believe that larger or smaller USB drives are better simply because they are one size or the other. There are also people who think that the capacity of USB memory determines its performance and quality, but none of that is actually true.

We cannot determine the quality or performance of a USB flash drive by its size or storage capacity. Both values ​​are independentand should be appreciated as such. A small USB drive can be better than a larger one and vice versa, and a drive with a smaller storage capacity can be much better than a drive with a larger storage capacity.

Determining the quality of USB memory you have to consider many things: the brand, the warranty offered by the manufacturer, its read and write speed, the materials and components used, if possible, and other features that may represent added value, such as software that includes useful functions.

5.-Underestimate reinforced models with improved security

This is something that usually happens with some frequency. Hardened USB drives are more expensive than conventional solutions, it’s true, and the difference is so big that it can put off many users, but that doesn’t mean they don’t offer interesting value. Thanks to the enhanced treatment Withstands drops, impacts and numerous accidents which would directly terminate standard USB memory.

For users who are almost constantly on the move, reinforced USB memory It will give you more security and better protect your data and files. On this topic, the case of an acquaintance who is a businessman and frequent traveler and found that he needed a reinforced USB drive “for the heaviest” always comes to mind.

When he went to a meeting with a client, he dropped a USB drive containing a presentation and important data In his haste, he finally stepped on it. He couldn’t use that USB drive, and the meeting didn’t go well, but once it was all over, he went to buy a reinforced drive, which he still uses two years later.

We must also assess whether the data that we will carry on the USB memory They are worthy of special protection. In such a case, it is ideal to choose solutions that integrate encryption and password protection, because in case of memory loss or theft, all data and files contained in this memory will be protected and not accessible.

Note: This selection contains some links from our affiliates, but none of the products included have been designed or recommended by them or their manufacturers, but have been selected based on our own criteria.