When was the last time you used a USB flash drive? I had to think for a moment myself — and to be honest, I can’t remember exactly. For years, the USB stick was the device of choice when it came to fast and uncomplicated data transfer. Why do these practical storage aids hardly play a role today, and are they possibly even on the verge of extinction? A look at current developments sheds some light on this.

Why USB flash drives are no longer popular?

As compact and handy as they are, USB sticks have lost much of their relevance in recent years. One of the main reasons is their comparatively low storage capacity. Many commercially available models end at 256GB or 512GB, which means that large amounts of data such as 4K videos, complete photo archives, or system backups can only be transported to a limited extent.

Although there are also some high-end sticks with up to 2 terabytes of memory, such as the Seagate Ultra Compact SSD, many people prefer to use an SSD for such capacities. The reason: SSDs generally use more powerful flash chips, which ensure higher data transfer rates and a longer service life.

Another problem: The classic USB-A connection is hardly suitable for modern devices. Most laptops and tablets rely on USB-C, as do smartphones.

Although there are now USB sticks with Type C connectors, such as the aforementioned Seagate Ultra Compact. There are also so-called dual sticks with USB-A and USB-C connections, but in practice this is often a compromise. Many of these models rely on simple controllers and cheaper flash memory, which results in significantly slower transfer rates — especially when writing large files.

External hard drives: lots of storage for little money

External hard drives — whether classic HDDs or fast SSDs — are among the most popular alternatives to USB sticks. They offer significantly more storage (up to 4TB and more), and SSDs in particular impress with their high transfer speed via USB-C or Thunderbolt. While HDDs offer a lot of space at a favorable price, SSDs are the better choice for large amounts of data, as they are faster, more robust, and hardly more expensive in higher storage classes than comparable USB sticks.

Advantages:

• Significantly more storage space than USB sticks
• Shock-resistant and durable, higher-quality flash chips
• Ideal for backups or large amounts of data

Disadvantages:

• Larger and heavier than a USB stick
• Sometimes more expensive, especially for SSD models

Further reading: The best external drives we’ve tested

SD cards: Small, fast – but not universal

SD cards (or microSDs with an adapter) are also a compact alternative to USB sticks. They are standard, especially for cameras, drones, and mobile devices, as well as some laptops. In combination with a USB-C card reader, SD cards can even be used as mini storage drives for notebooks.

Further reading: SD cards, demystified: How to decipher the confusing jumble of specs

The advantage over classic USB sticks: SD cards can be used more flexibly in many areas, are often cheaper per gigabyte and — depending on the class and model — also achieve high transfer speeds. They are also easy to replace or permanently integrate into devices, such as cameras or laptops with card readers. So if you work with memory cards anyway, you can easily use them as a mobile drive (and save yourself the extra stick).

Advantages:

• Extremely small and light
• Good speeds with modern UHS-II cards
• Can be used directly in many devices

Disadvantages:

• Susceptible to loss or damage
• A card reader is usually required for use on a PC

Cloud services: Storage space always with you

The cloud is probably the most modern alternative to USB sticks. Services such as Google Drive, Dropbox, iCloud, or OneDrive offer storage space on the internet that you can access from any device — without a physical drive.

Advantages:

• Access from anywhere with an internet connection
• Ideal for collaboration and shared files
• Automatic synchronization possible

Disadvantages:

• Dependent on a stable internet connection
• Limited free storage, followed by a paid subscription
• Data protection and encryption are important issues

Conclusion: USB drive only for special cases?

The humble USB flash drive has not yet completely lost its place — it is quite common and ideal for simple data transfers, firmware updates, or as a boot stick. But as an everyday solution, it is long outdated. The combination of limited memory, decreasing compatibility, and growing requirements makes it a discontinued model. Modern alternatives such as SSDs, SD cards, or cloud services offer better performance, more flexibility and, in many cases, a better price-performance ratio.

Author: Florian Kastner, Contributor, PCWorld