No matter how much of my stuff I transition to cloud storage, every once in a while I still need to use ye olde sneakernet. And this deal is probably the best I’ve ever seen in terms of bang for your buck. Today Amazon has a SanDisk 512GB flash drive, using a crazy-fast USB 3.2 connection, for just $32.99. That’s almost two-thirds off the original $90 MSRP, and $13 cheaper than the same drive at Best Buy.
512GB is a huge amount of storage for removable media, but you can find it cheaper elsewhere. What makes this deal so appealing to me is the speed. When inserted into a compatible USB 3.2 port, this thing can read at up to 130 megabytes per second. That’ll let you copy, say, your entire 122-gigabyte Baldur’s Gate III installation off the drive in about sixteen minutes.
It’s more than three times faster than a USB 3.0 flash drive (which is also much larger) going for around the same price. Throw in the teeny-tiny size, and it’s a fantastic deal — seriously, make use of that lanyard loop or you might just lose this thing in your bag.
Also note that while the read speeds are great, the write speeds are considerably slower, around 44 megabytes per second according to the user reviews. If you need something faster and more capacious, you might want to step up to a dedicated portable SSD like the Samsung T7 Shield, which is still on sale. And if you need storage for mobile devices and cameras, this speedy 512GB MicroSD card is a steal at $30.
Editor’s note: This deal first published on May 2 but was updated to include a link to a great SD card sale, too
Author: Michael Crider, Staff Writer
Michael is a former graphic designer who's been building and tweaking desktop computers for longer than he cares to admit. His interests include folk music, football, science fiction, and salsa verde, in no particular order.