Top USB flash drives for your netbooks

I for one am a big fan of USB flash drives as i find them the most convenient way to move files from one computer to another. These days they are compact, offer quite huge storage capacity and come for very good prices. That’s why in the rows below I’m going to tell you a couple of things about what you should look for in an USB flash drive and then I’ll offer a couple of examples of good USB drives that should cover the needs of all the netbooks’ owners.

First, let’s see the features the differentiate flash drives:

• storage capacity: right now, you can get anything from 1 GB to 256 GB.
• speed: you should check write/read speeds before buying. You will definitely find them on the producer’s site or better in some reviews from current owners.
• size: size is quite important, and you can get devices even as small as a coin these days.
• security: if you plan to store important data on your stick, one that supports encryption is a must.
• other features: retractable USB connectors, waterproof, sync tools, etc.

And now, the examples I picked according to my experience with them (only some, not all), features and marks/reviews from current owners .

Transcend JetFlash – perfect choice for regular users

Trasncend Jetflash - standard flash drive for everyday use

The Transcend JetFlash is the perfect flash drive for the regular user. It doesn’t excel in size, storage space or features, but brings over just all the things you would need: 1 to 16 GB storage space, small enough shape, weighs just 7 grams, solid build quality and protection cap for the USB connector, lanyard, etc. In terms of speed and reliability, here’s where it really kick ass, as proven by the 4.6 out of 5 given by owners on Amazon. And comes with backup&sync features pre-installed.

The device offers of course encryption and can be password protected, that’s why is a good pick for those looking to store important data. Although it’s not really meant for that, being more a standard USB drive for everyday use. That’s why prices are pretty low also, the base 4 GB version costs around $10, the 8 GB around $18 and the 16 GB one around $38.

SuperTalent Pico-C – as small as it gets

SuperTalent Pico-C - as small as it gets

There are some of you looking for USB flash drives as small as possible, that you could easily attach to your key chains . And here’s where the SuperTalent Pico-C line comes, one of the smallest in this segment. As you can see in the pictures, these drives are just around 3 cm long (just a little bit bigger than a coin) and weigh less than 6 grams .

Although they are so small, they offer also very good performance levels (write/read speeds are just in the standard range) and come with storage spaces between 4 and 16 GB . The device comes with a lanyard also, but lacks any type of encryption.

Also, since they are so small, the SuperTalent Pico-Cs are just a little more expensive than other similar USB Drives: $15 for the 4GB version, $21 for the 8GB and around $40 for the 16 GB one. But, if you want the tiny cool looking (with an aluminum finish) Pico-C flash drive, you won’t mind the extra bucks.

LaCie iamakey – the fancy flash drive

Not just a key, but a Lacie iamakey flash drive

Unlike the Pico-C above that was so small you could easily attach it to your keys chain, this one looks exactly like a key, as you can see in the picture on the right.

It’s called the Lacie iamakey and since it’s a Lacie, design and looks are at their best. But features run close also. This flash drive comes in only two versions, with 4 and 8GB storage space, but offers good performances: 10 GB/s write and 30 GB/s read speeds. Is also waterproof and scratch resistant, thanks to the full metal body.

So, the Lacie iamakey is an USB drive for those looking for something more special, fancier. That’s why the increased price over other standard devices in this segment was expected. The 4 GB version costs $23.59 and the 8GB  will cost $32.99 . It’s true you can get others for half the price, but they’re not as good and definitely as better looking as these ones.

Corsair Flash Voyager – the heavy duty drive

Corsair Voyager - heavy duty flash drive

The above drives were either meant for the standard user or for the ones looking for something fancy. The Corsair Flash Voyager is different, is a heavy duty robust flash drive designed to offer high end performance in virtually any environment.

It comes in many versions with up to 128 GB storage space and comes with a resistant rubberized exterior that is meant to offer protection from scratches, dust, shocks and make the drive water resistant. There’s also a sealed cap for the USB connector. You can drop them, throw them, boil them or even run them with a truck (according to the producers) and they’ll still work. Oh, and Corsair offers 10 years full warranty for the Voyager.

Prices are a little higher than standard ones, but still affordable, the 4 GB costs $19.99 , the 16 GB costs $36.99 and the high capacity 64GB version costs just $111.49 after rebate (that with a 45 bucks price cut).

Conclusion

There are actually so many types of flash-drives on the market right now it’s impossible to list all the best ones. For your netbook, you should pick the one for you by focusing on the needs, budget and also by reading reviews from magazines and opinions of those that already bought the one. If you want more alternatives for the ones above, you could pick some from this list of popular USB flash drives here.

In the end, if i were to pick, I’d go for the Lacie iamakey as i really like the shape and the looks . What would you guys pick? Either from the list above or maybe some other i didn’t include. Please leave your feedback via the comments form below.

Tags: netbook accessories, storage drive, USB accessories