Also known as USB drives, USB memory sticks, and pen drives, USB flash drives are important storage devices in the modern home or office. Essentially, they are miniature hard drives, which can be connected to your gaming console, laptop, or personal computer, via a USB port. Once connected, you can then choose which items of data you wish to store on the drive.

Using a flash drive as an external storage solution won’t delete the data from its original source but will make a copy that the USB memory stick can retain. Typically, you can expect to be able to store between 128MB and 32GB of information on a standard USB memory stick, although there are those with greater capacity.

Durable

Unlike external hard drives, USB flash drives contain no moving parts, which makes them less susceptible to damage from accidental drops and bangs. Plus, their size makes them eminently more portable than their bulkier counterparts, easily fitting into a bag, pocket, or handbag. As the majority of these drives use USB connectors, you can transfer information between compatible devices.

Secure

Some people worry that the information stored on USB flash drives can be easily compromised, particularly should it fall into the wrong hands. However, browse the Avansas collection and you’ll find drives that offer password protection and encryption facilities. With the relevant software built into the drive, passwords are easily up, and data will remain encrypted until the correct information is entered into the device.

Convenient

As technology has advanced, so too have the transfer speeds delivered by these essential gadgets. A standard USB flash drive has a transfer speed of around 150MB per second, which allows you to move large quantities of data in mere moments. Transferring an entire movie should take you no longer than 30 seconds, making these drives an essential piece of hardware for anyone who wants to backup their computer or keep sensitive information stored elsewhere.