 | Less Than 2 GB: $7-$13 |
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 | 2 GB to 8 GB: $10-$25 |
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 | 16 GB to 256 GB: $32-$880 |
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| Also called memory sticks, USB flash drives are portable electronic data storage made up of flash memory with a USB (Universal Serial Bus) interface. These flash drives are powered by a computer's USB connection and do not require any external or internal power. Typically, most weigh less than an ounce, are about the size of a finger and are very portable. Hence, their popularity lies in the fact that one can copy, write, store and transfer data such as pictures, documents, videos, audio and other such information easily between computers. The more popular sizes used by consumers are usually between 2GB and 8 GB. These flash drives have long since replaced the days of using floppy discs or rewritable CDs to transfer data between computers. | | |
| Typical costs: | - The cost of a USB flash drive is mostly dependent on storage capacity. Higher capacity flash drives will generally cost more. While speed is not a major factor in pricing, flash drives that offer data encryption features do cost more.
- For USB flash drives that are less than 2 GB, these typically cost between $7 to $13 and come in the following capacities: 256 MB, 512 MB and 1 GB. But for a few more dollars at this price range, most people can usually get a 2 GB flash drive instead.
- The more common storage capacities for USB flash drives for consumers are between 2 GB and 8 GB. Some of the more popular brands for these drives include Kingston Technology, SanDisk, Patriot Memory, Corsair, Lexar and PNY. Any drive made by one of those companies is fairly reliable. Costs, depending on storage capcity (2 GB to 8 GB), range from $10 to $25.
- A 2 GB drive capacity such as the SanDisk Cruzer USB 2.0 flash drive or the PNY Attach?? USB 2.0 flash drive can be had for $10.
- At 4 GB, the Patriot Signature Flash Drive or the Kingston DataTraveler 102 can be bought for around $15 or less.
- 8 GB USB flash drives typically cost between $17 to $25. The Lexar JumpDrive Firefly can be bought for $25. The Corsair Flash Voyager can also be similarly bought at around $25.
What should be included: | - The USB flash drive itself with a protective cap covering the USB connection.
- Some flash drives will also include a drivers CD for older computers.
- A few will include a lanyard as well.
Additional costs: | - USB flash drives can also become a bit of a fashion and style accessory as well. These specially made ones can sometimes cost more. For example a special pink PNY 4 GB USB Flash Drive benefits the Susan G. Komen foundation and costs $18. There are even ones made out to resemble cartoon characters.
- Any sort of encryption or additional security features added onto a flash drive will usually double the cost of the product. Even fancier encryption schemes using biometric sensors can add to the cost significantly. A Kingston 2 GB flash drive with hardware-based encryption costs $82.
Shopping for flash memory drives: | |
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Article updated August 2010 |
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What People Are Paying - Recent Comments |
| Memory Stick |
| Amount: $0.00 |
| Posted by: Andy in Cincinnati, OH. | Posted: January 14th, 2009 08:01AM |
| Brand: Various | Capacity (in GB): up to 16 |
This article is out of date. Flash drives are coming down very very quickly in price. |
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