PNY DUO LINK V3 FLASH DRIVE: UP TO 2TB OF FAST PORTABLE STORAGE

In today’s world of cloud storage and painless wireless transfers plus inexpensive SD and microSD card readers, it's easy to forget how useful the old-school flash thumb drives can be—especially as most still persevere with the old legacy rectangular USB-A connector that hasn't been seen on a Mac since 2017's MacBook Air.

- BY SIMON JARY

Flash drives were once the kings of portable storage, prized for their portability, ease of use, and offline data transfer capabilities. If you wanted to quickly and securely move files between devices without an internet connection, they were the perfect tool. Cloud storage is now the norm, but it is slower and less data secure, and it usually requires a monthly subscription.

SD CARDS VERSUS FLASH DRIVES

Modern MacBook Pros (and the Mac Studio) boast an SDXC card reader slot that can transfer data at a reasonable 250MBps when using a UHS-II card. Other Mac users can easily connect one of the best Mac USB-C hubs (fave.co/3x6fSu9) to add a similar card reader—even a faster 312MBps.

If you need to store large capacities, the SD card is an affordable and super-portable option. SD cards are generally easier to trust on data speed (100Mbps to 312MBps) as no-name flash drives rarely list their data-transfer rates.

This compact, durable device is designed for those who require rapid data transfer.

A USB thumb drive takes up one of your Mac’s valuable Thunderbolt/USB-C ports, while the SD card reader is dedicated for portable storage only. For bulkier always-attached external storage, look at our roundup of the best external SSD drives for Mac (fave.co/47H8ILO).

However, we think you should reconsider the humble flash drive, especially one as capable as the PNY Duo Link V3 Flash Drive, which blends speed, portability, and broad compatibility into a sleek and still highly portable package.