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Types of USB Drives: Different Shapes, Sizes, and Uses

No more panic in a meeting when you have your USB flash drive in your pocket. All your official and casual files are available in it. You will not have to carry any laptop or hard disk with you just for the sake of digital storage. A few decades ago, a tiny device of the size of an index finger was launched to change the whole world. Since then, the whole concept of carrying digital files has changed. You can add and remove files from it, unlike CDs, DVDs, and floppies in the past. Those are redundant technologies that can’t help you anymore. 

Now users have better, faster, and more convenient devices, which are USB drives. Any kind of file can be saved in them with TBs of storage size. Nobody might have ever imagined that a time would come when terabytes of data would be carried in a tiny USB flash drive. Yet, the time has come. You might have used them a lot in recent decades, and now you will find out some interesting information about them below. 

Three Common Types 

You might have heard different names for this device, and all of them have a slight difference. However, people use alternate names for all these types. 

  • Flash Drive
  • Pen Drive (Slimmer than flash drive)
  • Thumb Drive (Slimmer and smaller than pen drive)

A flash drive is common, which helps you carry data from one place to another. You can transfer any file with the help of this tiny device. As the technology improved, users received newer versions, which were pen drives and thumb drives. They have smaller sizes for more convenience of users. However, professionals carry both types depending on their needs. People who have to deal with massive data transfer rely on flash drives because of their larger storage capacity and data transfer speed.

Since users required more capacity and speed for larger data, newer versions were released to cater to their needs. That is why you will see four versions of USB drives. The latest version can carry data from GBs to TBs, while the basic version was capable of a few MBs in the beginning.

  • USB 1.0
  • USB 2.0
  • USB 3.0
  • USB 4.0

Type A

If we go into detail, there is the first and the most basic type. That is USB drive type A. It is still used all over the world when it comes to transferring data or charging any device. USB flash drives have this signature pin type, which has been provided in desktops, laptops, and notebooks for a long time. Since newer versions were introduced, this type is not found in the latest versions of computers.

Type B

Then type B comes, which enables mobile phones to connect to a personal computer. This is the type, which is widely common in most smartphones. It connects the charging slot with the charger since one side is type B and the other side has type A pin. It is faster than the previous type because it has more pins.

Type 3.0 

Then comes type 3.0, whose slight introduction was given in the beginning. It is similar to type A but with slight improvements. Those improvements are about speed and data capacity. It can carry up to 5 GB of data in a flash drive.

Type 4.0 

With more improvements, type 4.0 comes. It is the latest version of type A USB with data carrying capacity from GBs to TBs. Some of them have limits like 256 GB, 512 GB, and then 1 TB. It can still go ahead with 2 TBs and more. 

Type C

Then type C, the latest one, comes. Many mobile phones and PCs can be connected with the help of it. It has the same style from both sides for easy insertion and ejection. This is the first type, whose pin is the same from both sides without causing confusion for users in insertion. All the previous types had two different sides of the same pin, which needed only one way of insertion. 

Lightning 

Then another type was launched, which is called lightning. This one also has the same sides, which do not confuse users. Since this pin is compatible only with Apple’s devices, you will not see it being compatible with other companies’ devices. 

Sizes of USB Drive

It all started with storage capacity in MBs, and now reached TBs. You might not find any USB flash drive with storage capacity in MBs because the technology has come way ahead. Although there is a wide range of sizes, you will find availability of sizes starting from 4 or 8 GB in the market. 

  • 64 MB
  • 128 MB
  • 256 MB
  • 512 MB
  • 1 GB
  • 2 GB
  • 4 GB
  • 8 GB
  • 16 GB
  • 32 GB
  • 64 GB
  • 128 GB
  • 256 GB
  • 512 GB
  • 1 TB and above

Even 16 GB storage is going to be obsolete soon because the user data capacity is way more than before. Documents, songs, movies, video games, images, and lots of types of content require mega space now. A user can carry terabytes of data with themselves with the help of USB flash drives. It was just an imagination in the past decade.  

Applications of USB Drives 

As you might already know why these USB flash drives are used all around the world, let’s give you a refresher. In organizations, professionals have to carry confidential data somewhere secret for maximum safety. Transferring that data from one place to another without any involvement of the Internet is mandatory. It is for the safety from online data theft and scams. To deal with such risks, these flash drives are the best.

Portable Storage to Carry Data

You do not need heavy hard disks to carry your stuff with you wherever you go. Since USB flash drives were launched, data carrying has become so convenient. You can carry your documents, videos, images, and audio files in a tiny device. This tiny device not only carries terabytes of data but also it is very light and convenient. Massive data storage is with you all the time even if you travel from one country to another. 

Data transfer from One Device to Another

A tiny device that allows you to transfer your data from one place to another is all you need. No need for the Internet or any other service to transfer anything from one place to another. This is a prime use of a USB flash drive to share files between two computers. 

Replacement of Compact Disks to Boot Computers  

Since modern laptops and notebooks do not have CD/DVD ROMs in them, you can use USB pen drives instead. They can allow you to boot computers for the installation of operating systems, software, and drivers of various kinds. IT professionals can carry such software in these USB drives to make operations swift on any computer.

Conclusion

They are available in different storage sizes with a standard physical size. Users from every field rely on them since they can help them keep personal data from anyone’s reach. A USB flash drive might become more advanced in the near future with faster speed, higher capacity, and more durability. 

Read Related: 
Best Practices for Securely Using USB Flash Drives

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