The Benefits of Using a USB Flash Drive You Need To Know

The Benefits of Using a USB Flash Drive You Need To Know

USB flash drives represent a large part of the storage device market, which is also occupied by hard-disk drives and SD memory cards. Often, buyers must make the choice between these three devices when looking for a way to store and transfer computer data. Each of these products suits different needs, but USB flash drives offer a certain number of advantages when compared to hard-disk drives and SD memory cards.

Because USB drives contain no moving parts, they are more durable than hard drives, and it is this durability, combined with their very small size that makes them easy to carry around. USB drives also provide transfer speeds and memory capacity that equal or surpass those of other storage devices. This enables users to move data around more quickly and to store a large number of media files, computer files, and even programs on USB drives. USB flash drives do this all while consuming less power than standard hard-disk drives. Plus, USB drives can be connected to essentially any type of computer. As a result, USB drives offer many advantages not only to individual buyers but also to business owners, who often use these devices for promotional purposes.


Durability

Hard-disk drives are constructed from aluminum or glass platters that spin around when data is being read or written onto the disk drive. Because of this movement, hard-disk drives are more fragile and can be damaged if they are dropped or receive other shocks. Because there are no moving parts in USB flash drives, they are considered to be a type of solid-state drive. This means that they are much less vulnerable to damage from shocks or drops.


Portability

USB flash drives are much smaller than hard-disk drives, and it is common to slip them into pockets or attach them to key chains. It would be unthinkable to do the same thing with a bulky hard-disk drive. Average USB drives are typically no longer than two or three inches, with a width of about one inch. Some novelty USB drives may be bigger, but their fun designs cater to a niche of buyers who are willing to sacrifice a little bit of portability. In addition to size, the previously mentioned durability of USB flash drives make them better suited for being carried around on a regular basis.


Memory Capacity

Most USB flash drives offer memory capacities ranging from 1 to 128 gigabytes. As a result, buyers have a diverse selection of USB flash drives to choose from, depending on their computing needs. USB drives with one gigabyte or less of memory are very inexpensive to manufacture and are sometimes even given away. Buyers who want to distribute USB drives can find deals on bulk lots of models offering one gigabyte of memory capacity. For casual computer users, one gigabyte is often sufficient for simple file transfers and light storage.

However, for running programs and backing up computer hard drives, USB flash drives with at least 32 gigabytes of memory are preferred. This amount of memory capacity opens up many more possibilities. The USB drive could be used as a backup, or to store large media files like photographs, movies, and music.


Transfer Speeds

USB 3.0 devices provide a transfer rate of up to 4.8 gigabytes per second. Even the highest-performing SD memory cards cannot match this speed, trailing behind with a maximum rate of 312 megabytes per second. Although buyers should keep in mind that these rates represent theoretical maximums that will vary depending on the actual devices used, this data provides a good indication of what users can generally expect from a USB flash drive versus an SD memory card. Similarly, the fastest hard-disk drive transfer rates top out at only 150 megabytes for the drives boasting the highest performances. For average hard-disk drives, the maximum transfer rates range from roughly 50 to 110 megabytes per second.

Devices with slower transfer speeds take a longer time to transfer files back and forth from the computer. Programs running from the device will also be slower to start up. USB flash drives provide transfer performance that can be almost 100 times faster than other technologies. Therefore, users who spend excessive amounts of time waiting for files to be transferred could greatly reduce this time by employing USB flash drives instead of external hard-disk drives or SD memory cards.


Applications and Programs Made Specifically for USB Flash Drives

USB flash drives offer the option of adding a variety of applications that can be run directly from the device. There are already a wide range of USB-drive applications, including portable office software, image editors, web browsers, games, and even whole operating systems that can be quickly booted from the portable drive. The fast transfer speeds and large storage capacities offered by USB flash drives make running programs from them both easy and convenient. Portable programs also give users a simple way to protect the data stored on the USB drives, with many different kinds of antivirus and encryption applications available to be stored on and run from the flash drive.


Compatibility

The USB interface has become one of the most common ways to connect an electronic device to virtually any type of computer. Netbooks, laptops, and desktop computers all feature multiple USB ports, and it is not uncommon to see at least three USB ports on even the smallest netbooks. This means that a USB drive can be plugged into almost any type of computer that a user might have. In this way, USB drives are much more practical than SD memory cards, as many computers do not feature slots for memory cards. Furthermore, certain USB drives can themselves be used to read memory cards for users whose computers lack memory-card slots. These special USB drives, which are a combination of flash drives and memory-card adapters, allow users to switch between storing data on flash drives and memory cards.


Low Power Consumption

While hard drives require several motors in order to rotate the disk platters and move the reading and writing head, USB drives have no moving parts or motors. Therefore, USB drives consume a lot less power than hard-disk drives. This reduced consumption not only affects users' electricity bills, it also allows USB drives to be more convenient than hard drives. Many hard drives need so much electrical power that they have special cables that must be plugged into two USB ports simultaneously, in order to supply the drive with enough electricity from the computer. A USB drive, on the other hand, only needs to be plugged into one USB port at a time, leaving the other ports free for other devices.


USB Flash Drives Can Be Used to Gain Public Interest

Because USB flash drives with low storage capacities are inexpensive to buy in bulk, many businesses and organizations give these devices away for free as part of marketing or public awareness campaigns. USB drives, with their durability and sleek visual appeal, provide the perfect canvas for printing names, logos, or slogans. Promotional USB flash drives can even be pre-loaded with videos, trial software, or any other kind of information that might attract interest from the public. Promotional usage of USB drives has become very common for businesses, and there are now many ways to buy USB drives in bulk.

Conclusion

Many users are taking full advantage of the great blend of performance and convenience that USB flash drives offer. The small size and durability of flash drives make them great on the go, while their large memory capacities make them suitable for a variety of uses. Users can even run whole programs directly off of their USB flash drives. With ultra-fast transfer speeds, USB flash drives allow users to save data as well as run files and programs more quickly than with average hard-disk drives or memory cards. These drives are also more likely to be compatible with a buyer's computer. Furthermore, USB drives offer increased power efficiency when compared to hard drives. Plus, the visual appeal and low price of certain types of USB drives make them attractive for both small and large businesses as well as organizations. For all of these reasons, USB flash drives offer distinct advantages over hard-disk drives and SD memory cards when it comes to storing data.